In 1990, my quilting aunts, Ruth and Ellen, were visiting from Massachusetts , and like all good quilters they wanted to visit all the quilt shops in the area. As they left to go back home, Ruth gave me money to take a beginner’s quilt class and Ellen gave me a mat, rotary cutter and ruler. I was on my way.
Soon after starting my class I attended my first River City Quilters’ Guild meeting. Lila Erl was president and the meetings were held at the PacBell building over by Watt & Marconi. As I sat in the back row watching Show & Sew, Nancy MacDonald came on stage and showed ten or twelve quilts that she had completed in the last month, and I thought, “What have I gotten myself into? Do they expect this from all their members?” I later found out that Nancy was an overachiever extraordinaire.
Then I met my good friend Tracey List at another quilting class, and we came to the RCQG meetings together. Eventually we became co-editors for the Needle Notes for a couple of years. Other board positions that I took on included Historian, Quilt Show Chair Elect and Quilt Show Chair (1997). I met many RCQG members by serving on the board.
For over 12 years I belonged to a zany, productive quilt group called the Quilteaters. Currently, I am inspired by my friends, various RCQG members, the monthly speakers and people I have met at many quilt camps.
A number of years ago, Gwen Marsden spoke at a guild meeting, and I was motivated by her liberated quilt making rules that said there are no rules. I have since used those non-principles to make many of my quilts. I am also very impressed by the bright colors and patterns fabrics of Kaffee Fassett.
I have many 30’s and 40’s reproduction fabrics that influence me to make more traditional quilts like the pineapple quilt I made back in the late 90’s. That quilt went on to have its own 15 seconds of fame, first being accepted into the 1998 Paducah show, and then being included in an issue of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine as well as a book, Paper Piecing Picnic.
Many of my family (especially my mom, who passed away in 2000) and friends (Sharon Moos, who nominated me) have been very encouraging about my quilt making over the years and it’s because of their encouragement and love that I have been able to accomplish so much. Thank you for this honor. I will work hard to represent RCQG at this year’s show.
QUILT SHOW