Cut-loose quilts - Jan Mullen

As a youngster, Jan Mullen's major ball interest lay with tennis and netballs. Years of working with fabric have narrowed her interest in balls to simply making representations of them.

Still, there are plenty of balls in her life. Husband Ben likes whacking golf balls. Sons Brodie and Keelan enjoying watching tough Aussie males kick their odd-shaped footballs. Daughter Miffy loves getting dressed up and going out to balls. Older dog Celeste spends much of her time curled up into a ball. Queen of Balls in the Mullen household, though, is younger dog Rocket, who has a never-ending and varied supply of balls stashed all over the house and yard.

Jan has a ball in her business life, too. As a designer under the business name Stargazey Quilts, she designs free and easy contemporary quilt blocks. She complements this pattern business by designing fabrics for Marcus Brothers. Traveling the world, teaching others how to relax and be creative with stitch and fabric, completes the current picture of the author . . .

Who knows what the crystal ball holdz for the future?