Origin Stories

Quilting runs in my DNA. In fact, my modest collection of vintage quilts includes the work of my maternal great-grandmother, my paternal grandmother, my favorite great aunt, as well as my mother. Even so, I was reared in an environment where men didn't sew (or make art, for that matter). They tended crops, raised livestock, fixed stuff, opened stubborn jar lids, and lifted heavy things. Nonetheless, I grew up experiencing the warmth and comfort a well-crafted quilt can provide and I developed a deep appreciation for the artistry and skill the craft requires.

Detail of Flower Garden quilt pieced by my Mother in the late 1950s

Over the years, I have also gathered textiles as mementos of loved ones and meaningful places and always hoped to find a way to share this passion. When I moved to rural Maine, I met a neighbor who is an accomplished fiber artist. While admiring her work, I wistfully mentioned my longstanding interest in learning the art. Without hesitation, she said, "I'll teach you!" The timing couldn’t have been better as my retirement from university life neared. She helped me select an appropriate machine and the tutorials began. Sometime later, she started referring to me as her “best student.” A moniker that means a great deal to me, even knowing that it’s not so difficult to be the best when you are the only! Although we now live miles apart, we still connect and consult on the phone on a regular basis.

Detail of Bicentennial quilt pieced by my Grandmother in 1976

I generally prefer improvisational piecing and am fond of mixing bold patterns, often those that derive from world cultures with long textile traditions. A viewer once quipped “He isn’t afraid of color!,” a comment I accepted as high praise. I might begin with a sense of the layout of a new piece, but once started, these things often go in directions I hadn’t planned! In some cases, I find ways to add texture to the surface, including incorporating couched fiber, bits of crochet, or other vintage textiles. When I’m not using bits and pieces of cotton or silk that others have offered as gifts, I really enjoy using batik and hand-dyed cottons, as the colors and patterns tend to be more saturated. I guess I really do love color.

Detail of quilt cross stitched by my Great Aunt

When I discovered I would soon become a “great uncle” for the first time, rather than make a baby quilt from scratch, I decided to replace the well-worn binding on a small lap quilt my grandmother had made for me 40 years earlier with the hope that doing so would keep it in service for at least another generation. Repairing this little heirloom for the new baby reminded me once again of the care and skill Grandma put into everything she did. The gift also meant my grandmother was “present,” at least in spirit, for the arrival of her first great, great, granddaughter! When the arrival of my second great niece was announced, I had to start from scratch! Seems to me every newborn deserves to have a quilt of their own! 

Detail of baby quilt made for me by my Great Grandmother

Although my handiwork will never match that of my foremothers or my mentor, I hope the pieces I create bring a measure of pleasure, if not comfort, to the people whose lives they touch.