About 17 years ago, I began a journey into quilting & had no idea where it would take me. I've been blessed to have something that I love to do be appreciated by a larger world. I should say, though, that Ive been sewing since the age of 14 when I took a Home Ec course in high school and found I loved it. We had to make a garment with at least 3 darts so I went shopping with my mother & I chose a jumper with 18 darts! I'm sure my mother thought this was an overambitious choice, but smiled & assured me I could do it. Thanks to her great instruction, I managed to get an A+! This was my start in making lots of skirts & dresses for high school. There was actually a dress code back in the day - no pants! The dress code was done away with the last 2 years of high school - yay!. After my husband and I were married, I continued sewing & making all kinds of home dec items for our home. When our children were born I made everything for their nurseries & their clothese too. Having twin girls, I began making dolls for them. Some time after that I made dolls that were sold in a local gift shop called "Heirlooms". Each doll was named after a wild flower, i.e. there was Cori Sorrel, Merri Baneberry, Carrie Columbine, Sissy Thistle, Beth Bee Balm ....etc.. Naming them was part of the fun. My grandmother also loved to sew and made beautiful things on her treadle sewing machine pictured in sketch below, which now resides in our great room. She especially loved making her sheets &pillow cases look elegant by adding different types of lace & was known for her beautiful work. She also made many of her six children's clothes. As I listened to my mother who taught me to sew, tell of all the beautiful things my grandmother made on her treadle sewing machine, I realized that my grandmother's love of sewing was passed on to me.
Artist's Statement:
I have always loved art &it has always been present in my life in many different forms. Artistic creation has always found a way to surface no matter what my path. A poet writes poetry not because he wants to, but because he has to. I make quilts because I have to. The process of making a quilt provides a creative outlet which brings me to new places of learning and feeds my soul. While on this wonderful journey of creating with fabric, I strive for uniqueness in my style & hold myself to a high standard for the integrity of my work. In sharing my quilts & designs, I hope to help promote the realization that making quilts is a very real & wonderful art form & has been from it's earliest beginnings. Whether utilitarian; commemorating an event such as a birth, death, wedding, etc.; or purely for artistic enjoyment quilts provide us with beauty, warmth & a glimpse into history. Some might say they are the perfect existential object. When asked how long it takes me to make a quilt, I have to say, "all my life", because truly everything I've done up to that point has brought me to the level of expertise needed for that quilt. I began sewing at the age of 14 & am glad all these years later for the journey that has brought me where I am today!
My daughter Jennifer has created this site with much love & patience, listening carefully to what I'd like & then making it happen beautifully! I have to say, we've had each other "in stitches" at times too! While working closely with her, she's taught me web design making it possible for me to create, design & add to the pages of Willow Hill Quilts!
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