I began quilting in 2014, shortly before leaving a 37-year career in teaching and librarianship. I started small, with crib quilts and wall hangings, and now I also make twin-size, queen-size, and t-shirt quilts. Commissions are welcome.
Quilting for me is about texture, color, and design. I do use patterns, but I am much happier creating a more modern or free form design. I also enjoy creating beautiful objects that are functional: almost all of the quilts I make are designed to be used (and washed and dried). A number of them are backed with vintage sheets. I label all quilts with a title, my name, a location, a date, and an appliqued yo-yo. Yo-yos are round, rosette-like pieces that were popular in the 1930s & 1940s—great for using up fabric scraps—and were typically sewn together to make delicate coverlets. I was given a collection of 800 yo-yos made by a friend’s mother, and now use them as part of my signature. I think that it’s a safe bet that I will never run out. I take classes, belong to two quilt guilds, and am continually pushing myself to learn new techniques. I also love vintage quilts, study quilt history, and can appraise quilts from any era. Boston Voyager profile, January 2019 |
"We stitch together quilts of meaning to keep us warm and safe, with whatever patches of beauty and utility we have on hand." |