I remember my maternal grandmother quilting and my paternal grandmother still quilts, but I'm not exactly sure what compelled me to make my first quilt in 2010. Now I'm somewhat obsessed with fabrics and patterns and can't seem to stop making more of them. I'm largely self-taught and while I may not make any quilts with a pattern that my grandmothers would recognize, I've come to realize that most older quilters are thrilled that younger generations are taking up quilting again.
Appalachian quilters often reused fabric from old clothes in their quilts when new material wasn't available or was too costly. I also prefer to use fabrics repurposed from old clothing and linens in my quilts. I suppose this makes me an environmentally friendly artisan, but really I'm just doing what generations of quilters have done before me. I also craft with felted wool from old sweaters and coats, and I use buttons and trim from old clothes to decorate my work. For these reasons all of my pieces are one-of-a-kind, upcycled items.
New River Quilts and Wool Works is the name I've given my blog showcasing some of my projects. Currently I sell my items at several local craft shows around the New River Valley and in an antique mall in Williamsburg, Virginia. I also plan to open a store online at Etsy.com in the near future.
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