Marie-Elise McNeeley brings together music, design, and technology in her beautiful English Paper Piecing patterns. Her designs begin with simple shapes and grow through color, balance, and a love of the creative process. For Marie-Elise, stitching is more than making something beautiful. It is also a quiet space to slow down, think, and enjoy the moment.
When you look back, what is your very first memory of making something with your hands?
I’ve been playing violin since I was very young, so in a way, I’ve been creating with my hands for as long as I can remember. My first real experience with crafting was in college, when I tagged along with a friend who needed to buy some fabric at JoAnn’s.
Believe it or not, I’d never been to a craft store before, and I was blown away. On a whim, I picked up a cross-stitch kit and immediately fell in love with the feeling of working with needle, thread, and fabric. I loved seeing the design slowly come to life.
What was the very first English Paper Piecing project you ever stitched?
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The first EPP project I worked on was a set of hexagon wreath ornaments. My office organized an employee artisan market right before the holidays one year, and I thought it might be fun to make something to sell. I made a dozen in different Christmas-themed fabrics. They were so fun to make! After that, I was sold on tackling bigger EPP projects.
You’ve had careers in music, design, and writing code — which of those still shapes how you think about a new pattern?
They all still do.
I feel that my sense of balance comes from decades of studying classical music, especially the Baroque and Classical eras.
As a web designer, I worked on a team of wonderful graphic designers, and I learned so much from being immersed in their work and watching them share ideas, give feedback, and help each other improve.
As a software engineer, I love figuring out how to build things, and I think that translates well to my sewing crafts.
I think all of these experiences have naturally come together in EPP pattern design. It lets me combine the creative and technical things I enjoy: playing with color and composition, finding balance, and figuring out the simplest way to take a design from the page and bring it to life in fabric.
Your work has a calm, timeless feeling. How did you discover that this was the direction you wanted to follow?
It wasn’t a calculated decision. I started finding shapes I really wanted to work with and just let my intuition guide me. I love experimenting while I sketch, and I’m excited to keep exploring and see where the process takes me.
Where do your best ideas usually begin?
They usually begin with one shape. I’ll come across a shape somewhere that I’m drawn to—maybe a quilt block or a mosaic design—and then I build the design around it. From there, I start sketching ideas in Affinity, playing around with different configurations and complementary shapes until I find a balance that feels right.
Are you someone who likes a tidy studio or a creative mess while you’re working?
I generally like to keep things tidy in my studio. Some days the creative process is messy, and I’m okay with that. But I always tidy things up at the end of the day. It helps me keep track of my WIPs and know where I left off, and it keeps me from losing track of materials.
When you’re stuck on a design problem, what helps you find your way through it?
I walk away from it. I’ve found that sometimes the best thing I can do is give my mind a break and let my subconscious mull it over. I’ll work on something completely unrelated for a day or two, then come back to the design with fresh eyes.
What’s something you know now about pattern writing that you wish you’d known when you started?
I always thought that coming up with a design was the hard part. While it’s certainly a lot of work, it doesn’t take nearly as much time as writing the actual pattern. Especially figuring out—and quadruple-checking—the quilt math!
If your younger creative self visited your studio today, what do you think she would say?
She’d probably be shocked that I have 10-year-old projects still waiting to be started. When I started cross-stitching, my “studio” consisted of an embroidery hoop and a few Dimensions Gold kits. Now I have a few bins’ worth of cross-stitch, sewing, and quilting projects waiting to be made.
What part of your work brings you the biggest smile?
So hard to choose!
I love the piecing process—it’s so satisfying to see a design slowly take shape, kind of like watching your kids grow. You blink and all of a sudden they’re bigger! It’s the same with EPP projects: you might feel like you’re barely making progress, and then suddenly you have a finished block or section in your hands.
My absolute favorite part, though, is holding the finished quilt. The weight and texture of it are so satisfying. There’s something magical about holding something so beautiful in your hands and realizing, ‘I made this!’
What does making things give you that nothing else quite does?
I think we all need time and space for our minds to wander, process, or simply rest. In this age of constant distraction, that’s easier said than done.
I’ve found that making things by hand gives me that space in a way nothing else does. I can stitch while I (over)think through something that upset me. Or I can just focus on what my hands are doing and clear my head.
Whatever the day brings, I feel at peace by the time I put my stitching away for the night.
Where can people see our work?
I share what I’m working on over on Instagram (@stitched_bits) and on my Facebook page (Stitched Bits Studio). I’m hoping to create a space where people making my patterns can share their progress, ask questions, and connect. If that sounds like something you’d enjoy, I’d love to hear from you!
Website: https://stitchedbits.com/
Rapid Fire Fun
- If your quilts could leave one message for future generations, what would you hope they say? Create art. Leave the world more beautiful than when you found it.
- Favorite color right now? Blue is always my go-to, but the shade—and what I pair it with—depends on my mood. Right now, I’m loving blue, pink, and green together.
- What’s bringing you joy right now? I’m stitching a throw-sized version of my first pattern, Hexies in Bloom, and I’m now at a point where I can start piecing larger blocks together. I’ve also just finalized the design for my second pattern, and I’m excited to start planning all of the pieces that go into the launch.
Interview posted September 2026
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