Something About Me:
I have interests that go in many directions. I view this as a good thing and hope that your own interests take you in many directions as well. My undergraduate degree was in political science and then I moved to South Carolina and completed law school. I am a member of the South Carolina Bar (but retired from the actual practice of law) and active in several gardening and quilting groups. My hobbies include everything from genealogy to travel and my outdoor activities involve horses, hiking, gardening, and - if I travel elsewhere - snow skiing. I have a wonderful family, some really special pets, and enjoy getting to know new friends.
I share my interests through my writing, art, and presentations in lecture and workshop format. I have had many articles published and taught classes for adults for over 15 years. Check out the various categories on my blog and see what I have been up to lately.
...and don't miss seeing the pictures of my grandsons who are triplets!!!
Services Provided
Quilts that were made by my great grandmother stirred me to learn more about quilting. Shortly before I retired, I signed up for a beginner quilting class, thinking that might be the one and only quilting class I would take, but I never stopped quilting. What a fun way to express your artistic side and to take your mind off everyday worries!
No time to make a full quilt? You can always express yourself with smaller fiber arts projects.
I encourage savoring the important things in life: our heritage and our loved ones, our gardens and the decorations that make them fun, our photographs, and our quilts along with other fiber arts. How many of us have special and treasured items stored away in a cedar chest, or in the attic, or in a plastic bin? I encourage individuals to use and display these items while giving proper concern to their preservation. If this historical emphasis is too dry for your taste, I steps outside of this "historical corridor" to use computer technology and to create imaginative and cutting edge art as well.
What future heritage items will represent our period of time? That is up to each of us and what we create. Tell your story. If not for others, just tell it to yourself and remember each of those special, unique pieces of time that are given to us.
I try to make time available to do minor repairs on quilts that have been loved a bit too much. Check with me if you have a quilt that needs some areas stabilized. The repair will be made with special care and concern and to maintain the original character of the quilt. I also undertake to create one-of-a-kind custom quilts made to order as time permits.
Lectures That Are Available
From Grandmother's Trunk - Using Vintage Fabrics in New Ways
In addition to those quilts made by my great grandmother, I have embroidered items made by my grandmother and crocheted items made by each of them, tatted items made by my aunt, antique buttons, vintage costume jewelry, old lace, old greeting cards, notebooks recording everyday life, newspaper clippings, work related sketches made by one of my grandfathers... the list goes on and on. All of these items, are special, but my decorating style does not emphasize "antiques." I will discuss ways to use these items in your quilting and other fabric arts and will show examples. Do not worry if you didn't inherit such things, just go to a consignment shop, flea market, garage sale or antique store and buy exactly what you would like to use or create something that looks old, but is actually new.
History and Politics Reflected in Quilting
Quilting has a rich heritage and it is fascinating to see the ways in which women followed the candidates and political events around them through their quilts. Can you imagine the discussions that took place around the quilting frame? In this lecture I will trace some of these developments with you and share blocks that relate to specific events. I will give you some ideas of how to interpret history and political events in your own quilting.
Workshops Being Offered
Hot Fudge Sundae with a Cherry on Top
This workshop is an adaptation of the pattern Chocolate Ripple by Janet Jones Worley found in her book Quilts for Ice Cream Lovers. Anyone taking the class will be required to purchase this book. The results produce a fun quilt and who doesn't love ice cream - even if we are talking about fabric?
Venetian Tiles
This workshop guides the quilter through the pattern Venetian Tiles by Patricia Pepe. Students must purchase a copy of the pattern and a special X-Block Ruler, also developed by Patricia Pepe. If students prefer to simply get an introduction to various ways to use the X-Block Ruler, an overview of the types of patterns that can be created and a guide on how to use the ruler can be the basis for the class rather than a specific pattern.
Lectures are normally priced beginning at $150. Pricing for a workshop consisting of 3 hours begins at $175 for 10 (or fewer) students or $200 for up to 20 students. Creating a 6 hour workshop (one hour of which is for lunch) is just a little more. Unless you are in the immediate area, the guild or organization will be responsible for accommodations and reimbursement for mileage. Mileage and overnight arrangements will be discussed with you prior to booking.
(The photo at the top of the page is of a quilt that was lovingly used, made by my great grandmother, Hermina. The fan design is so beautiful in quilting. The quilt shown at the bottom was hand embroidered by my grandmother, Eva, and quilted by Eva's mother, Hermina. It was never used and looks absolutely perfect. Both of these quilts were probably made some time around 1940. Remember to label your quilts or to identify them in a journal. There is no identifying information on these quilt, as is true for all the quilts that my great grandmother made.)
Thanks to a very kind quilter, I found out the identity of this embroidered quilt pattern. It is Ruby McKim's Flower Garden quilt first published in the newspaper in 1929-1930!
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