Michelle Yeo - Antique Quilt Designer & Quilting Teacher
World Renowned Antique Quilt Designer
Michelle was raised in the leafy suburbs of Melbourne, Australia into a family where for generations before, the ladies indulged in a variety of needlework for pleasure, but, not to her knowledge did any of them do quilting. At a young age Michelle played with fabric making clothes for her dolls and teddies. Little did she know that her addiction to fabric and sewing had begun. While her friends were more sports minded, Michelle’s hand- eye co-ordination was better with a needle and thread.
Michelle has been quilting since1984 when her then fiancé, now husband, flippantly commented that he hated doonas and wanted sheets, blankets and a patchwork quilt. Never shy of a challenge, Michelle set out to make her first quilt and another love affair had begun. She thinks that her husband now regrets he ever spoke those words as he never anticipated the monster that would evolve from his innocent remark.
Michelle’s work is very traditional and for the most part she uses reproduction fabrics for a timeless appeal. Many of her quilts are more scrappy in style, which not only gives a different aesthetic but satisfies her fabric addiction meaning she can use a little of a lot of different fabrics within a quilt. One can never have too much fabric!
Michelle’s passion is the design and creation of quilts inspired by antique quilts of the past, in particular circular and more challenging designs. She designs the majority of her work on a computer and uses contemporary piecing techniques to achieve a more accurate result, in an easier and quicker way. Having said that, she loves nothing more than to sit down to hand piece or appliqué a quilt using traditional techniques. She has a range of acrylic templates to accompany many of her designs which make cutting and piecing quilts faster and more accurate.
Michelle’s designs have been featured in numerous world renowned quilt magazines both within Australia and overseas. In 2015 her book, ‘Of Needle, Thimble and Thread’, which features 18 of her stunning designs, was published by renowned French publishing company, Quiltmania. Following the book’s release she was invited to teach in France and the United States of America where she also presented a number of trunk shows. In 2015, alongside 2 other world renowned Australian quilters, a selection of Michelle's quilts were featured in a special exhibit, ’Best of Australian Quilting’. This took place at the International Quilt Festival in Houston, America. A lecture entitled ’Three Addicted Aussie Quiltmakers' was also presented in Houston to a captivated, over capacity audience.
In 2015 Michelle was invited to design fabrics and she has designed three collections for Riley Blake Designs, Torrington Place, Les Fleurs des Nantes and Charlotte. She is excited to announce the upcoming release of her first fabric range, 'Tarrytown', with Henry Glass Fabrics which will be shipping in December, 2020. She can't wait to see what you create using her fabrics.
Michelle is a highly skilled designer and quilter who is a patient and enthusiastic teacher. She likes nothing more than to share her passion and impart her expertise in quilting to others and she is highly sought after as a teacher and guest speaker both within Australia and internationally, having taught in the UK and throughout the US & Europe. She would love to meet you in a workshop in the future and start you on the journey of creating your own heirloom quilt, which is sure to be cherished by future generations.
Click here to organise a trunk show or workshop with Michelle