Kath’s creative journey started young.
Very young.
At five years old she watched her Aunty Dorothy making soft toys and refused to accept “you’re too young” as an answer. A trip to a nearby craft shop later, and her very first felt elephant was born — small, stitched, and carrying the spark of something bigger.
That spark never left.
Life took Kath through many chapters — teacher training, administrative roles in the Fire Brigade and Police — before early retirement finally gave her the space to return to the thing she had always loved: making.
Craft had never been a passing interest.
It was a lifelong thread.
Cross stitch, knitting, lacemaking, dressmaking — Kath explored them all. But it was after moving near Malton that she discovered the craft that truly captured her heart: patchwork and quilting.
In 2006 she founded Katy’s Kwilts, originally offering longarm quilting services for fellow patchworkers. Classes soon followed, and at the request of her students she eventually opened a fabric shop, making it easier for local makers to find the materials they needed.
Kath doesn’t simply teach techniques.
She teaches confidence.
Every class becomes a shared journey — a room full of people encouraging one another while creating something beautiful together.
And now, her story has come full circle.
Through a collaboration with Christie Bears, Kath has returned to the craft that started it all. Today she offers bear-making patterns, supplies, and classes — from fur and joints to paw fabrics and finishing details.
It’s more than a new product line.
It’s that little felt elephant, all grown up — surrounded by decades of skill, creativity, and generosity.
Here in the Guild Showcase, Kath brings more than craft.
She brings experience, encouragement, and a love of making that spans a lifetime.
And we’re honoured to have her here.
Still crafting.
Still teaching.
Still loving every stitch.
