Quilting found its way into Meghan Buchanan’s life in 2015 when she was suffering from postpartum depression after the birth of her son. At a friend’s suggestion, she decided to spend some time on herself and make a quilt. Once she had completed that first quilt, she was hooked. She has since made over 100 quilts and runs a full-time business as a pattern designer and quilter. 

Meghan hails from Portland, Oregon where she lives with her husband and her five-year-old son.  

We hope you enjoy our conversation with Meghan… 

Why do you quilt?

I quilt because it provided me a path to find personal fulfillment and confidence in my abilities. Using my mind, heart, and hands to create fabric combinations and design quilts gives me purpose. I love, love, love playing with color and quilting is a tangible outlet for that passion.

What do you like about the modern quilting aesthetic?

I love the cleanliness of the modern aesthetic. I love the freedom I have to mix color, fabrics, and design elements that don’t always fit into a more traditional aesthetic.  

Do you have any mentors that have helped you along the way? 

Emily Dennis ofQuilty Love was the first quilt friend I made on Instagram and she has always been willing to share her experience and knowledge with me. She encouraged me very early on to take the risk and release a quilt pattern. Sometimes you just have to jump, and she helped to do so.

Locally, Modern Domestic, a fabric store in Portland, has been very encouraging of my business. They have always been willing to share the perspective of a store owner with me, which has been extremely helpful to how I view, write, and market my patterns and quilts. 

What inspires you?

I am mostly inspired by nature and architecture. Living in the Pacific Northwest gives me so much beauty to stand in awe of every single day. 

What kind of machine do you sew on and what are some of your favorite sewing tools?

I sew on a Janome Skyline S3 machine. I bought it three years ago on my birthday. It has been a steady, easy machine to use and I love it!

I absolutely love my Creative Grids Rulers; especially the 6.5” x 24” and 3.5” x 12” rulers. I also love having multiple cutting mats in various sizes. I sew and work at my kitchen table, so it’s nice to be able to change out the mat sizes depending on how much space I have and need to work. 

What is your remedy for burnout?

I experienced my first major burnout in the summer of 2019. The only thing that helped me was giving myself some time off. I had to stop forcing myself to sew and really just give myself time to breathe and not work until I felt inspired again. Now moving forward, I am building rest time into my week and everyday life. I have to have time to reflect and rest in order to continue moving forward. My work and life motto is, ‘Rest as Rhythm, Not Rescue.’ 

When you’re not quilting, how do you like to spend your time?

I love exploring out in nature near where we live; hiking, waterfalls, driving through the Columbia River Gorge. I also find a lot of satisfaction in cooking and baking. 

What is your favorite quilt that you’ve made and why?

My favorite quilt that I’ve made is a scrappy flying geese quilt. I really needed to make a quilt that was going to be just for me and not for any business reasons. I decided to tackle something new and hadn’t ever made a flying geese block. I dug into my fabric stash and let the quilt evolve as I sewed it together. When I finished the quilt, I started crying. The quilt was happy, joyful, new, and free. I had made something that inspired me. Every time I look at that quilt, I see that I have found a calling, a passion, and a place in this world.  

What are you currently working on and what is next for you?

My main focus lately has been figuring out how to keep myself inspired while balancing my work and home life. I want to create longevity in my career and quilting passion. This past summer’s burn-out really shook me, but I love the community I’ve built and my business too much to let myself keep going as I used to. I want to stay healthy so that my business stays healthy. 

How can people find you?

You can find me at my website,www.thencamejune.com, and on Instagram and Facebook at ‘Then Came June.’ I am also on Pinterest as ‘Then Came June’ and I love to post quilts, color ideas, quotes, food, and anything that inspires me there. 

Curated Quilts would like to thank Meghan for taking the time to answer our questions and we wish her the best of luck with her business. 

Meghan’s quilt, “Scrappy Diamond Ripples” is featured inCurated Quilts: Half Square Triangles Issue no. 12. To see more of the innovative work that today’s modern quilters are creating, you can purchase your copy ofCurated Quilts now.