I am a contemporary quilter and fiber artist. My specialty is threadwork---something I taught at quilt shops for many years before I retired from teaching, although I still do teach one-on-one classes at my clients homes. I have been sewing since I was seven years old, but only started quilting about 12 years ago. It quickly became apparent to me that I really did not enjoy doing traditional quilts, even though I admire them and can and have taught traditional quilting methods.

I dye and paint the fabric that I use in my quilts and also sell some of it to fellow quilters. I also wholesale for Superior Threads and some other places, but I do not have a website because I want to spend my time designing and sewing my own quilts. I get enough clients because I belong to three quilt guilds and also my former students order from me. As a contemporary quilter I like being able to use anything and everything in my quilts---and I love not having any rules. However, I am glad I learned the rules first so that now when I break them I do it for a reason. Some of my quilts have 3D elements to them and most are just full of thread and lots of embellishments. I also love trying new things not related to quilting and have just started do encaustic works. I was lucky enough to take a class locally from a nationally known teacher and am enjoying the experience of doing something totally different from my sewing and quilting. Don't know if it will lead to anything, but I really like doing it.

I have been married to my husband for 38 years. We don't have any children of our own, but have been blessed by our nieces and nephews and now our great-niece and two great-nephews, Since we spoiled our nieces and nephews when they were little we are still very close to them. We are also blessed by our cousin's and friend's children who have always called us Aunt and Uncle and we still keep up with what is going on in their lives.

I also knit and make handmade cards, and since my husband is a very fine woodworker I have recently started painting on wood. I also sew purses (I have a 1952 Singer upholstery machine that goes through 6 layers of leather like butter). I also remake watches. Usually I just do that for myself, but have been known to sell a watch I am wearing to someone who really wants it. I guess I am a jo-of-all-trades, but I do enjoy trying new things. I graduated from Hamline University with a degree in English with a concentration in writing, but discovered that quilting satisfies the same creative urge without the angst of staring at a blank screen wondering what to write. When I put a piece of my hand-dyed fabric up on my design wall it usually only takes me a few days(or sometimes only a few hours) of studying it before I know exactly what to do with it. And there is no pressure involved because I always have more than one quilt or project going at the same time so if I get a little bored or stuck on something I am doing I just move on to another project until I have worked out the problem I was having with the first project!

I have had some health problems in the last few years and in the last year I have had three surgeries---the last one being a right shoulder replacement. Since I am very right-handed it has been hard to deal with, but the surgery was a great success and I am slowly gaining more strength back in my right arm. I am able to quilt and knit and paint fabric, but I still don't have the strength I need to dye fabric. However, I know that it is only a matter of time until I can get back to dyeing and I feel very lucky that I am doing so well so soon after surgery. (It was on September 29, 2011.)