I have been quilting since I was 12 years old when my mother spent afternoons teaching hand stitching to me on the family front porch in rural Pennsylvania in a small town outside of Pittsburgh (coal country). I completed my first quilt at 14 years old and haven’t stopped since. I have made hundreds of quilts for friends, family and for non-profit organizations as my way of keeping the quilting legacy alive. My quilts have a wide range of themes and patterns. I like color and modern designs. My favorite is hand stitching whether it is EPP, applique or hand quilting. I recall the ladies from the community setting the quilting frames up in the living room after Christmas and quilting in the afternoons at my house until spring. I am certain many great stories were told around that quilt frame.
After graduating from high school I went to Philadelphia to attend Moore College of Art and Design. The only all women’s art college in the US. It was the first time I could fully express myself as a designer and an artist. I graduated in the mid 80’s during the recession but was fortunate to get a job as a graphic designer in Pittsburgh, PA. As the story goes the money got tight and I needed to find a better paying job and Washington DC was close but yet far enough from home. I moved here and continued on my career as a designer. I wasn’t quilting as much then but was still always drawn to fabric and creating. I worked part time at a local fabric store to pay for my hobby.
My love for quilting picked back up in my late 30’s and I haven’t looked back exploring and growing and coming into the quilter I am today. Constantly on a journey of discovery not waiting for it to be perfect anymore all a while enjoying the process. I’m thrilled to be discovering my creative side in a new way at this point in life. I have never been one for spotlights in shows or awards. Instead my joy is in seeing the eyes light up of someone who I make a quilt for and the joy in their face.
I started with QOV in March 2020 just as COVID hit. I think it was a blessing for me personally as it gave me a passion to work on although remotely. I was looking for a project that my sister and I can work on together. We are the daughters of a WWII Navy vet who loved his country. We dedicate our work in his honor and the honor of the “Greatest Generation”. It has been a joy to learn more about my new home state of Virginia as I work with various Group Leaders and Guilds across the Commonwealth.
In addition, I have volunteered for over 10 years at various horse farms that provide adaptive riding for individuals with special needs. Currently I volunteer at Sprout Therapeutic Riding in Alde, VA as a horse leader and side walker. My role is to lead the horse in lessons so that riders can develop their skills in riding.