About Karin
Karin Hellaby was born in the north-east of England of Norwegian parents. She studied for a Home Economics degree in Education from the University of Wales. She now lives in Suffolk, UK and is the owner of one of the UK’s leading quilt shops – Quilters Haven. In 1998 Karin won the Michael Kile Award, International Retailer of the year, awarded by the Houston Quilt Market/Festival organisers.
Karin loves travelling, and has enjoyed teaching at the International quilt markets and festivals in the UK, USA, Canada, New Zealand, Europe, and the United Arab Emirates. In 2006, 2007 and 2010, Karin was invited to teach at the largest outdoor quilt show in the world, an annual event in Sister’s, Oregon. Where, one year, she had a solo display of her quilts.
In 2005, Karin was approached by a specialist holiday company, Arena Travel, to advise on quilting holidays. This teaching venture has taken her on river cruises down the Rhine and Seine as well as beautiful venues in France, Tuscany and Spain.
Karin's first four wonderful resource books bring quilt making into the 21st century offering students multi- techniques within new designs. Karin’s workshops illustrate her philosophy well - several types of patchwork taught and sewn in one class and then stitched into an original pattern design, very achievable and lots of fun!
Recently, Karin has been working on a Sew Simple series of books which concentrate on one technique. So far the series has covered: Logs, Pineapple and Attic Windows. Her simple Pineapple technique has astounded both shop owners and students alike! Karin is working on the next book in the Sew Simple series which further develops her unique technique.
Karin feels her greatest achievement is to bring up three sons on her own. She started writing books to help support them through University. Ross and Jason are now enjoying the world of work and Alexander has just started at Swansea University.
