Sew Inspired: My Quilting Journey
After retiring in 2011 from 32 years of teaching, I have been inspired to reconnect with my creative side and proceed more earnestly on my quilting journey. My love of fiber arts began as a Girl Scout back in the day when learning to darn a sock helped earn a sewing badge. Hand sewing with my grandmother, and machine sewing with my mother, led to other craft interests like tie-dying, crocheting and jewelry-making. Under the tutelage of my beloved aunt, Dr. Roberta Mays, I also studied weaving.
As an educator, I was able to create reading, math and science quilts with my students, to reinforce concepts and summarize learning, from grades pre-k to grade 6. This led to working with a team of volunteers to design and construct liturgical banners for my church. Our work helped develop my applique and design skills on large scale pieces.
Nature, music, cultural, and spiritual themes permeate my quilted wall hangings. Although I love experimenting with a varied color palette, I feel most comfortable in the cooler blues, purples, and greens that I often ued to decorate my classrooms. As I go forward, I hope to also use quilting to preserve family memories and respond to social issues. However, my greatest creations are my three wonderful children and two awesome grandchildren, who will inevitable inherit a treasure chest filled with quilts.