Sewing became a part of my life at the age of nine upon successfully making my first 4-H project. Since retiring, quilting has become my passion.
There are several reasons why I quilt. It’s my legacy because people will remember me through my quilts long after my time on this earth. I love the challenge of finding an interesting design and selecting the fabric to make it. Going into a quilt shop is candy for the eyes. The fabric these days can reflect designs from the 1800’s to modern ideas. |
Quilting has a long history. Early settlers made hand stitched quilts for a variety of reasons. Some were made as blankets and some were decorative. Tools and notions have helped catapult quilting to new levels. Sewists have gone from hand quilting, often done in groups (quilting bees), to machine quilting with very intricate designs.
I do the piecing of the quilt tops with my regular domestic machine and quilt the “sandwich” (top, batting and backing) on my longarm machine. I’m able to do free-motion and computer assisted designs to enhance a quilt. I am probably considered an eclectic quilter. I make quilts reflecting the 1800’s up to modern designs. |
Part of the joy of quilting is sharing with other quilters. There are many ways to do that: buddies sewing together, show and share, Quilt Shows, weekly sewing groups, and retreats.
Quilt retreats or quilt camps can take many structures. Usually, the quilters go to an off-site location for 3 – 5 days. They can bring projects of their own or take classes if they are offered. Sometimes there is a mystery quilt that is in the agenda. A “Mystery Quilt” is just that. The quilters are given the yardage and select their fabrics not knowing what the quilt design looks like. Clues are given throughout the retreat and by the end of the 3-5 days a beautiful quilt top is completed. These photos capture a bit of a couple retreats I’ve attended in 2019. In 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic most of the retreats were Virtual on ZOOM. Many of the same components were included – mystery quilt, door prizes, charitable projects and individual projects. An advantage was you didn’t have to pack up all our projects and sewed at home. The down side was the lack of in-person collegiality. I’m looking forward to our next in-person retreat. |
My quilts are usually displayed in our home, given to family and friends, or donated to various charities.
While I usually don’t sell my quilts, I will do commissions. Contact me through this form to discuss a special commission. |