Meet the people who work behind the scenes of your favourite craft magazine. You see their work every month – now find out what makes them tick.

MARIANNE ROBERTS – Editor

Marianne Roberts has been Editor of Australian Patchwork & Quilting for almost four years and has recently taken up the role of Editor of Australian Country Craft and Decorating. It's her job to find all of the amazing projects that fill each issue, as well as to make sure the different facets such as photography, design, project instructions, advertising and the stories are ready on time. "Creating a magazine that I've enjoyed for many years is so satisfying," she says. "As is making it the best magazine it can be and working hard to bring it all together with the help of a lot of talented people."

Marianne came from a publishing and printing background, which also involved copywriting and marketing, and for over a decade, her hobby has been quilting. So when the opportunity to combine her professional experience and private passion presented itself, she jumped at the chance and hasn't looked back since. "The day goes in the blink of an eye," she says when asked what a normal day entails. "It's always busy and I'm fortunate enough to be working with beautiful quilts all day, every day." A favourite role is contacting contributors, especially to tell them that their work made the cover of an upcoming issue. "It's one of the best parts of the job - it's always a pleasant surprise for them and it makes their day," she adds.

Marianne loves all types of quilt styles and techniques from traditional to modern designs -she's made over 150 quilts and always has several projects on the go! About four years ago, Marianne bought a quilting frame and long-arm domestic sewing machine so she could machine-quilt her own works, but she also does quite a few made by members of her local group for the Quilts for Keeps program at the Children's Hospital in Westmead.

BELINDA CRESTANI - Assistant Editor

Belinda has written witty, enjoyable features for most of the craft titles at Express including Australian Patchwork & Quilting, Patchwork & Stitching, Handmade and Australian Country Threads, but admits she has a soft spot for Australian Country Craft and Decorating. “I love working with Marianne everyday on such an elegant magazine,” she says, “I think it really does have everything - beautiful projects, expert advice and interesting stories.” Prior to landing the job at Express, she had just graduated from studying Journalism. She describes a recent trip to New York City, Seattle and San Francisco with her mum as, “the best time of my life,” and she won’t say no to a delicious Thai meal which she confesses is her favourite.

She’s a fan of old movies, rainy days and never goes anywhere without a good book stashed in her handbag. Belinda’s most prized possession is a beautifully crafted quilt her aunty made for her 21st birthday, so it’s no surprise she’s always in awe of the amazing artwork she sees around the office everyday. With a passion for writing, her New Year’s resolution for 2008 is to get started on her own novel.