Closet confidential

True style icons have a knack for toppling expectations about what a style icon should be. In Linda Rodin's case, there's none of the froideur you might expect of someone whose unofficial fan club includes Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen. Instead, Rodin - the fashion-world original who, at age 66, inspires retailers, bloggers and the Olsen sisters with her classic yet quirky style - is all warmth. When she beams at you, it's with a red-lipped smile at least as wide as her oversized Miu Miu specs. And yes, she does in fact share an email address with her dog.

Stitching notes

Learning about how different people in the quilting industry work is always something I find interesting. We all have our own ways of getting things done and we all work on different types of projects. I thought it might be fun to go through a typical work day for me, to give you a glimpse into how I work. Primarily, I work from home and split my time between writing, publishing sewing patterns, designing fabric, magazine and bookwork, and teaching locally. I am a one-woman show, so I wear a lot of different hats throughout the day.

Introducing the East Midlands Modern Quilt Group

For some of us, traditional quilting groups and bees aren't really our thing. The trend for modern - or contemporary - quilting is strong online and has been taken up by a new generation of quilters that prefer this new aesthetic, with a preference for designer fabrics, heavy use of solids, large areas of neutral space, quick makes, improvised piecing and wonky blocks. Offline though, ifs quite difficult to locate a regular meet-up in a suitable location without the formal intention of attending a regular class or workshop, especially in the UK. Luckily, the tide appears to be changing, with the new Quilter's Guild Modern Quilt specialist group and other clubs and associations now well established in areas such as London, Yorkshire, Gloucestershire and Edinburgh, as well as my group, the East Midlands Modern Quilt Group.

Inspiration from a master of art

I love going to quilt shows. Other people's quilts are often amazing, and the fabric and other goodies on offer are tempting. These shows can be very inspiring. However, it isn't only quilt shows I like visiting for inspiration; I love going to art galleries just as much. I know many quilters struggle to understand how I can get just as excited by art exhibitions - most of them don't even feature fabric of any kind. How could they have any impact on my quilting? To explain how I find them inspiring and relevant let me tell you about my recent visit to the Tate Modern in London to see the Matisse Cut-Outs exhibition.