Whistlepig Creek Productions founder Sue Marsh is known for her hand-drawn illustrations that reflect a sense of youthfulness, whimsy and fun. She has been creating and sketching characters since 1997 and partnered with RJR Fabrics to give her characters new life. Her fun, lighthearted collections of novelty prints appeal to both kids and the young-at-heart! Her debut Aurifil thread collection, Brilliant, is available in both large and small boxes and coordinates particularly well with Geekery and Monster Trucks.
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Brilliant
12 Large Spools, 50wt (1422yds/spool), 100% Aurifil Cotton
2120 – 1104 – 2250 – 2479 – 2288 – 2540
5017 – 2870 – 1148 – 5005 – 1320 – 2735
10 Small Spools, 50wt (220yds/spool), 100% Aurifil Cotton
2120 – 1104 – 2250 – 2288 – 2540
5017 – 2870 – 5005 – 1320 – 2735
THE INTERVIEW
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first got started in the world of sewing and quilting?
I’ve been sewing since I was twelve. I found it to be my medium and the way to express my creativity. I can’t remember not being drawn to it. It was how I celebrated my accomplishments and dealt with life’s lows.
I grew up in Wyoming and moved to Colorado shortly after I graduated from college. I graduated with a degree in Petroleum Engineering about the time the industry took a nosedive. I started sewing and selling items at craft shows to pay my rent. This is when I found that I could make a little money with my skills. There has always been “the next step, the next step, the next step” to come to the point where I am now. It’s been an evolution.
I am married to the most wonderful man on the planet and we have a very happy life in Colorado.
Do you remember your first quilt and how you felt once it was complete?
I clearly remember my first quilt – and I actually finished it!! It was probably the only project I have ever done start to finish with nothing in between.
It was a scrappy variable star. I used muslin for the background fabric, a high loft batting, a brown sheet for the backing and I tied it with yarn. I am quite sure the muslin was the very cheapest I could get and the concept of all cotton was a foreign concept. This was in the days before rotary cutters so I hand cut every piece of that queen size quilt! And, as with many of us, I made this as a gift!!
Who or what has been your greatest creative inspiration?
I am going to say Eleanor Burns. I bought her Log Cabin book, a rotary cutter and mat and actually did a king size quilt in a day. I was forever hooked.
Can you tell us a bit about your style and what inspires your fabric collections for RJR?
I’m going to categorize my style as “silly”. I love bright colors and characters that are a little left of center. What inspires me? Everyday life! I might see a dog riding in the back of a car and wonder to myself “hmm… I think that dog could drive that car” and the next thing you know… dogs driving cars might show up on fabric. Or a documentary on Polar Bears might beg the question… “I wonder what they would look like in sweaters and lederhosen”. It just goes on like that.
What collections are you currently working on and do you have any favorites?
I just wrapped up a collection of Llamas that will show in the fall and another collection for this spring market that is more trendy tribal inspired. Not whimsical, but still in the bright color range. If I look back on all my collections I would have to pick Days of Yore as my favorite. Mostly because of the little soft story book that goes with the line.
What is your favorite thing to sew or quilt?
Gosh…I don’t think I have a favorite thing. My favorite project is always “the next one”.
Your debut Aurifil thread collection was developed to coordinate with a handful of your fabric collections, including Geekery and Monster Trucks. Do you find that you favor a particular color palette to support your illustrations?
Most certainly! You will find that Brilliant goes really well with the next three lines. Happy Owl O Ween, Pow Wow Wow and Llama Llama Bo Bama!
Do you have a favorite project made with your recent collections that you’d like to share?
You’ll see images of some of the projects made with the recent lines throughout this post. We also have a free pattern made with Monster Trucks for everyone.
Check out all of Sue’s free patterns by clicking here.
When did you first discover Aurifil threads and what do you love most about them?
I watch the industry closely. I was always seeing Aurifil associated with my favorite fabrics and my favorite designers. I tried it for myself and found the quality as advertised!
Do you have a favorite color/weight and why?
I use an awful lot of Black 50 wt. I love the way the black makes applique pop using a button hole stitch. Many of my fabric lines have black backgrounds with bright color motifs. I love the way black makes the color sing.
If I had to narrow down the colors … Hot Pink 2588, Lime Green 5017, Cyan 5005, and Purple 2540!
How did you go about putting this collection together?
That was easy! I pulled out a couple pieces of fabric and picked the colors that match. I was a wonderful surprise to find out how perfectly they match and how this color collection goes with pretty much all my fabrics.
Can you tell us about the illustrations on your stunning collection labels?
All those characters have been featured in fabric. I did a lottery and the winners got to be on the label!
What top thread tip would you want to share with our readers?
I keep bobbins loaded with the colors in the thread box. I always use matching thread top and bottom. They are ready to go when I am ready to sew!
What’s coming up for you and where can we find you this year?
I have four lines of fabric coming out this year!! Monster Trucks has shipped and Happy Owl O Ween will ship soon. Followed by Pow Wow Wow and Llama Llama Bo Bama.
Hubby has retired and I am mostly hanging out with him. Happy at home drawing my silly little critters.
THE GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win 1 Large Brilliant Thread Collection and one FQ Bundle of Geekery by Sue Marsh for RJR Fabrics, click here to head to the Rafflecopter entry page, or simply click on the image above. You do not have to complete all the options to be entered but the more options you choose, the more entries you have! Entries will be accepted from now through 11:59pm Eastern Time on Tuesday, March 28! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Wednesday, March 29. Good luck!
UPDATE: This giveaway is now closed! Congratulations to our winner, Janet Tyner!!
ABOUT SUE
Website — Blog — Facebook — Pinterest
Though you wouldn’t expect it from the fun, quirky illustrations she is known for, Sue Marsh possesses a background in software engineering. This highly technical background provided her with the ideal skill-set for quilt and pattern design. She decided to make her passionate hobby a full time venture and launched Whistlepig Creek Productions, her pattern design company. Whistlepig Creek has found great success in its 10-year history, with an extensive website and thriving mail-order business. “I use math – especially trigonometry and geometry – more in quilting than in Software Engineering!” Since she was a child, Sue Marsh has always been drawing characters.
Her hand-drawn illustrations reflect a sense of youthfulness, whimsy, and fun. Sue has a background in fabric design, having created two lines of fabric for Marcus Brothers over a period of two years. Sue’s fun, lighthearted collections of novelty prints appeal to both kids and the young-at-heart!
[Bio courtesy of RJR Fabrics, photos courtesy of Sue Marsh and Whistlepig Creek Productions]
I would have her illustrate my family, which includes my pets. She has so much talent. Her color choices are so fun and bright!
Cute critters! I think wall decals for kids rooms would be fun.
What great fabrics and threads but how disappointing. I would have loved to have been entered into the contest but am not on Instagram. That means, not only can I not get the first entry, but none of the other 6 either. No, I am not on Facebook or Twitter either.
An elephant!
A dauchound pup.
I would have her illustrate some fun flowers.
Love what she does already! Of course more cats for me:)
Well, since I love cats, and you do too . . .!
I love sues illustrations and designs. While I’m also a cat lover, I’d be interested in a nautical collection. Possibly sea turtles, whales, dolphins, fish could be fun.
QuiltShopGal
http://www.quiltshopgal.com
Such bright, happy fabrics. By the way, I really like the math symbols quilt. Right down my alley, so to speak.
I’d love her to illustrate some Mountain Bikers!
I would love some illustrations of woodland creatures…deer, coyote, bobcat, etc.
Love your Happy Owl O Ween-love anything Halloween-How about Ghosts in The Bat Belfrey! Thank you, Susan
I have been in love with her fabrics for a long time. Would like a fun alphabet illustration.
i think it would be fun to have an illustration of my family!
Oh, I love this bright colours.
What I want to have illustrated? We need a badge for our sewing meeting – and nobody is talented enough to draw one 🙂
Greetings, minerva
Sew Cute!
I think it would be cute
to have an owl illustrated
as an archer!
Carla from Utah
A pictures of my kitty Zeva & her buddy Bobo. That would be so cute with all the beautiful colors she has done.
I would love to have her illustrate my red tick hound dog. Thanks
I would say illustrate a child in a boat catching a fish. I just think you could do that so many ways, sweet, or comical. I think it would make a cute boys quilt but my granddaughters and I fish too!
Cute. I don’t think I can add any designs. She seems to have lots of her own ideas.
I would say bears for my granddaughter, because we call her Claire Bear. I just love Sue’s designs & bright colors!
I love what she has created already. Since we now live in Tuscaloosa, AL, I think I would have her draw an elephant for the University of Alabama — maybe draw Big Al.
I love to sew stuffed animals and dogs and raccoons are one of my favorite!
Cats, of course!
These lines are so much fun!!
Green cats, humminbirds, and other assorted animals that my children, nephews and niece love.
Love the blackish Hexi quilt shown. I have a piece of fabric that I liked, but did not know what to do with; a pattern that was somewhat the same idea and that was on my list; and a couple charm packs I was unsure of; but your quilt helped put some ideas together! It won’t be exactly like yours, but at least you helped me to combine items I didn’t know what to do with into something creative. Thank you!!
Forgot to answer the question: Would love to see butterflies. Cute ones!
I love cats, butterflies, dragonflies, and damselflies!
Thank you, I you the thread colors!
I would have her illustrate my garden in the spring, when everything is bursting with color. Her work so fun.
I love the bright fun colors of this line and matching thread set!
I would ask her to illustrate some horses & riders show jumping.
Sea creatures, woodland creatures or more mystical creatures!
I’d love to see some mischievous cat illustrations.
What a great collection of fabrics and threads – they would be outstanding for the children’s quilts that I make for our guild’s community quilts efforts (for adults and children in crisis).
Thanks!
A book for my granddaughter 🙂
Too bad that those of us who are not on Instagram cannot participate in the drawing
I would love for her to illustrate airplanes. My husband and I own a small plane and our young granddaughters love to fly with their Papa.
I’d love to see A whole group of forest animals, colorful of course, sitting at the edge of town waiting for the sidewalks to be rolled up; Oh can you tell l’ve been living out here too long LOL We don’t have any bears here but many of our quilting friends do but we do have deer, raccoons, squirrels, armadillos, possums, snakes and skunks. And the tamer bunch, like ducks and other fowl but that’s for another day.
Beautiful work!!! Cats and Dogs as always good…
cork@pa.rr.com
Oh my! The colors are so bright and beautiful. Wonderful job!
My cat! He’s pretty funny and it would be a hoot to have Sue illustrate some of the crazy things he does.
A red squirrel, just saw one today, they are so cute with their ears.
I bet she could make some pretty lizards…like geckos or something.
I would like horses
Love the happy brilliant colours – great collection. My daughter loves llamas so I expect I’ll be increasing my stash when the llama collection is in the shops. An animal? A piglet, a fox and a parrot leaps into my imagination.
Various dogs would be my pick.
I love animals of all kinds, especially wildlife. So I would love animal illustrations, especially foxes.
I love Sue’s Geekery line. So I’d love for her to create more science themed fabrics. (Can’t wait to see the new owl line “in person”. Excited!)
Children’s faces with wild funny hair.
Great colours! I loves Sue’s aesthetic too.
What delightful fabric, illustrations, and of course thread! I would love to see some undersea creatures (maybe mermaids?) in Sue’s style.
Butterflies! I love bright cheerful butterflies. Thanks for the wonderful giveaway.
I would love to see a barnyard scene with cows, pigs, etc.!
I’d love to see your design process 🙂
I don’t have an IG account but I adore all that you do. You bring color and joy to my life. Thank-you.
Cute characters you’ve drawn! Love that they are so colorful!
I would love anything with bunnies or cats.
I have grandsons so trucks & dogs.
Some great big spring colorful flowers.
Oh my gosh! Probably an elephant!
Would love to see illustrations of dogs!!!! I have followed Can’t enter the Give-away because I don’t have an Instagram account. I have followed along her website and blog for a long time and love her work.
Wonderful colors!!! I would like cats and horses!!!
Thank you.
I’ve always loved those “maps” that start in one city and show everything to the opposite coast. I’ll bet Sue could have a field day doing something like that.
I have some of her Days of Yore fabric and I love it! I would love to see jungle animals, especially monkeys and elephants.
I love your bright colors – so pretty.
Bright, Whimsical, goofy flowers would be a fun illustration to see. Love Sue’s designs and colors.
Love all Sue’s bright colors and designs. A garden theme would be wonderful, bugs, butterflies, birds and flowers!!
I am loving these bright cheerful colours, and thread to go with it! Amazing!
Oops, I’d like to see her do a scene with her creatures peeking out of foliage
I think your doing a great job already…But I do love barn animals.. cows pigs… happyness04431@yahoo.com
I would love to see Sur’s take on Alice’s Wonderland!
I would love to see her idea of puffins and lobsters. I think they would turn out so cute.
Desert plants: Barrel cactus wearing a Stetson, Singing Saguaro.
Thank you.
Those thread colors are amazing, playful, and must have! I love all of her fabric lines. Barnyard always catch my eye. Fashionista lines are popular with my grand daughter.
Unicorns & narwhals!
Sue’s designs are bright and fantastical, so I’d say more fantasy animals!
I would love her to illustrate my little heart and soul…Boris the cat
Your fabric lines are so fun! And I really want the Happy Owl O Ween pattern.
Please, oh please, illustrate my silly cat, Mary Alyce. She makes me laugh EVERY single day.
I would love for her to illustrate my dogs. These fabrics are so much fun!!
very good submit, i actually love this website, carry on it