I have always been fascinated by the artwork, the detail, and the time that goes into creating quilts. There is just something magical about wrapping one's self up in a hand sewn or machine sewn quilt; especially when the material used comes from personal history or has been passed down from generation to generation. So when I heard about Catherine's talents as a quilter and her passion for teaching the art, I knew I had to interview her. And as you read her interview below, I am sure you'll agree that she was the perfect choice.

How old were you when you first learned to quilt? I started sewing before I started reading. My mom taught me to make clothing. She is an excellent dressmaker. We did some "crafty" quilting when I was younger, but I became interested in traditional quilt making when I was pregnant with my second son. I was 24.

What was it about quilting that captured your interest and why has it held you captive for over 16 years?

Quilt Making makes sense to me. It's a creative outlet, and it can be very artistic, but I am a math person.

I like the orderliness of it. I like drafting the pattern, selecting and arranging the fabrics within the pattern, measuring and cutting precisely, and sewing it together. I like drawing it on the auto-cad software and writing the cutting charts and lesson plans. I also admit to a very frugal streak - I get satisfaction from making an attractive and functional item from materials I have on hand.

What is the history behind quilt making?

An entire book could be written on this subject! Quilted items were found in the Egyptian pyramids. In the Middle Ages, soldiers wore them as armor and later as padding under the uncomfortable metal armor. By the time the Puritans came to America, most of the women wore quilted petticoats of wool and linen.

At the time of our War of Independence, the word "quilt" was starting to be used primarily for bedcovers. The wealthy women of the colonies made elaborate appliquéd quilts from imported chintz prints or whole cloth quilts. These were usually wool or linen, or a blend of the two, quilted heavily with extravagant patterns.

It wasn't until the industrial revolution in the early 1800's that fabric was readily available to the average woman. That was when quilt making became common in the United States. I think interesting patterns developed for the same reasons that I like quilt making.

In an unpredictable and war-torn world, they had little control over their lives. They could, however, control their quilts, creating them carefully to be attractive as well as warm. Over time, and especially after 1900, store-bought blankets became inexpensive and practical. The handcrafted things became just old-fashioned enough to be outdated without the status of being antiques.

In the Depression years, there was a resurgence of interest in quilt making as poverty led people to think fondly of "the good old days." Fabric from those years is surprisingly bright and cheerful with whimsical patterns of animals and children. Quilts were commonly made in bubble gum pink and acid green with a muslin background, but included many other bright pastels as well.

Feed sacks are seen in quilts (and clothing) of this era. WWII changed everything. Quilt making was not a regular activity for most women, although certainly some still did it. Again, it was a flood of nostalgia; this time brought on by the American bicentennial celebrations, which rekindled an interest in quilting. This time it was different, though. The new quilters did not make quilts out of necessity but from a desire to be creative. The fact that the quilt was useful was certainly important, but it was no longer the main reason for quilt making. Women started making wall quilts and other decorative items at this time.

Now quilt making has become much more than a part of homemaking. It is actually closer to what the wealthy colonial women did - making beautiful bedcovers to showcase their artistic ability, skill, and beautiful fabrics. We make bed quilts, wall quilts, lap quilts, table runners, door toppers, potholders, pillows, garments, and more. Some wall quilts are a form of modern art, incorporating unusual materials and making a "statement" - like abstract art.

A huge industry has developed to serve this new quilt maker. Early quilts that took months and months to make can be reproduced in a week or two, using modern tools and techniques. Sure, our quilts keep us warm. That's a bonus. We quilt because we want to.

It is my understanding that quilts can tell stories, what kind of stories can they tell?

In the 1800's women made quilts to cover their beds, but they also used them to express their opinions and emotions. Political names for quilts were very common. The name of the still-popular quilt block, "54-40 or Fight" describes attitudes about the borders drawn between the United States and Canada. The numbers refer to lines of latitude and longitude.

Clay's Choice and Whig Rose are also block patterns that remind us that women were just as opinionated then are we are now!

Biblical names for quilt blocks also abound such as, Jacob's Ladder, Rose of Sharon, Tree of Life, Crown of Thorns, Golgotha, and many more!

Some quilt blocks were related to work, such as, Millstone, Anvil, Mariner's Compass, Fields and Furrows. Some were about their home and environment: Ocean Waves, Log Cabin, Maple Leaf, Bear's Paw, baskets and stars of all kinds, Wedding Ring, Snowball, Pineapple, etc.

Some were named for places, especially by the traveling pioneers, names such as, Rocky Road to California, Kansas Dugout, Texas Star, and similar names were given to new or existing blocks as people moved across the nation.

In the Victorian era, mourning quilts were common. The Kentucky Graveyard Quilt is an example. This particular quilt features a picket fence surrounding a cemetery with little appliquéd coffins, each embroidered with the name of a deceased family member. That in itself isn't particularly gruesome, but on the outer edges of the quilt, outside of the cemetery fence, were coffins embroidered with the names of the still-living family members, ready to be picked out and re-stitched into the graveyard when they died!

Sometimes quilt history gets romanticized and false stories grow up and get spread as fact (just like other types of history!) Recently, a book called "Hidden in Plain View" was published and became wildly popular. It told how quilts were used to direct escaping slaves along the Underground Railroad. Different patterns or symbols in the stitching conveyed messages to the travelers. It might indicate a "safe house" or tell of danger. Schoolteachers read this to their students and organized projects around it. Quilt shops held classes to make the quilts in the book. Unfortunately, there is no historical foundation for this idea and many indications that it is completely untrue. Scholars of African American history are indignant.

What is a "quilting social?"

A quilt guild is a group that meets once a month to talk about quilt making, show off their projects, and learn something new. Smaller groups may get together to sew quilts for charity or work on group projects. A guild may sponsor workshops or have quilt shows. It is not a service organization, but they usually do support other community groups. They put out a monthly newsletter. Members take turns presenting programs or special speakers are hired.

How would one start an "old-fashioned" quilting social, in his or her hometown?

First, visit your local quilt shop to see if there is a group in your town already. If not, then you need to start one yourself.

To get things started, post notices on bulletin boards and in the newspaper that you are having an organizational meeting for the purpose of forming a quilt guild.

At this meeting, you can decide just what you want to do in your group. You will probably need to establish an executive committee, bylaws, and a legal nonprofit or corporate status, so it helps if you get advice from someone experienced in these things. (I know this doesn't sound very old-fashioned, but you don't want to get into trouble.)

Once you have the legal matters out of the way and you have started the monthly meetings, it's a lot of fun. I strongly urge you to encourage the newcomers and beginning quilters in your guild. If there is a flaw in some of these groups, it is a tendency to be "quilt snobs" or to plan projects that exclude less-experienced or lower-income people. A good quilt guild is encouraging and friendly!

When did you realize that you could make a business out of quilting?

Quilt making is very time-consuming and so are babies! I didn't start by making quilts to sell; that pays about one cent per hour.

I started by teaching others to make quilts. That was fun for me, since it helped me to meet people. I had three boys then, as well as a husband, so being with other grown-up women was a real treat. I found that I liked teaching very much.

To teach, I had to make class samples. After a while, I had plenty of quilts myself, so I started selling the samples. That was a sensible business move. I had already made some income from the samples, so I didn't mind selling them for a very low hourly wage.

Do you need special licenses to start a quilting business?

I have no traffic to my home, so I only needed a resale (tax collector) number. Most of my business comes from teaching, but I have to collect Wisconsin sales tax on the quilts I sell in Wisconsin. I also had to file a self-employment tax form.

What was your first step in starting your quilting business?

I continued teaching independently and in shops for several years while selling my quilts at art shows and privately -- by word-of-mouth.

Eventually, my brother did me the great favor of marrying a woman who designs websites and this beloved new sister got me thoroughly organized. Janice built my website just as I would have made it if I were able and she directed me to websites and forums that would help me in the Internet market.

How much does it cost in materials and supplies to make a basic, queen-size quilt?

If you buy inexpensive fabric at a chain store, like JoAnn's or Wal-Mart, you can make one for about $120 (assuming you have all the patterns, tools and equipment.)

If you purchase your fabric at a quilt shop, the quilt will cost approximately $200. I usually use quilt shop fabric.

How many hours does it take to make such a quilt?

I can make a quilt in a week or I can take two years! It depends on the pattern and techniques used. Quilt making is no longer something that requires patience! Most machine-made bed quilts probably take about 30 hours to cut and piece and baste. If it's machine quilted, that may take another 16 hours. If it's hand pieced and quilted, you measure in months and not hours.

How long had you been quilting and selling your beautiful creations before you decided to teach classes on the subject?

It was the other way around!

Where did you hold your first class and what was it like?

I did do some teaching to 4H kids, but my first experience-teaching adults was at Akers' Pharmacy Craft House in Chewelah, Washington. I was very nervous, but the ladies were kind. I think every one of those ladies in that first class are still good friends and still take classes when I go there.

It was a class in traditional quilt making, where you cut trace around templates and cut with scissors and do all the sewing by hand. They all did great! I teach that same class every year, but I've gone from hand-written supply lists and patterns drawn on graph paper to computer-generated documents and patterns drafted in auto-cad software.

When I first began teaching, it was hard for me to let the students make their own decisions and set their own standards. If they didn't finish their quilt, or didn't like the way it turned out, I felt horribly responsible. My vision of myself, as the teacher, has changed a lot in the past ten years. I will teach the students to the best of my ability, but I also need to keep quilt making joyful for them. If they aren't enjoying the process, they may as well go buy a quilt at JC Penney.

It's been good for me to take some classes in teaching, as well.

I understand that you now take "working vacations." Can you explain what these are?

It started with Chewelah again. We had moved to the Midwest, and two years later I got a telephone call from Debbie Akers, asking me if I could possibly come to teach classes for a couple weeks. She would pay for my airfare and provide me with a car while I was there, and I would stay with my best friend. WOW! It was a great success, and I now go there at least once a year for two weeks.

I have done weekend workshops, too. These are usually held in a camp or resort. Sometimes it's a church group or a quilt guild, and sometimes the resort or quilt shop organizes them. The church groups usually include Bible study or devotions in the schedule, and we develop a theme to tie together the study and the quilt project.

It's easier and more fun for today's busy women to get away for a weekend and do marathon sewing than to work on a project an hour at a time at home.

How do you find organizations to pay you for your time, room and board on these "working vacations?"

Before I had my own website, I relied upon personal recommendations and contacts I had made on the Internet.

It helped that we have lived in many different places as my husband was in the Air Force, so we moved a lot. Now I am hoping that my website will bring me more teaching opportunities.

I understand that you teach an online denim chenille quilt class. How did you get started in teaching online?

Preston Speed Publications has great websites for historical literature and educators, including one for homeschoolers. I have participated in their forums for three years, and they asked if I would be interested in doing an online project.

I chose the Denim Chenille Quilt because it was a good project for beginners. It's more of a blanket than a quilt. Preston Speed has also asked me to write a series of articles on quilt history for their new magazine, "The Captain."

Would an online class better benefit a veteran or beginner?

I think it would be hard to teach a "real" quilt class online. An experienced quilter can find lots of patterns and projects online and figure out how to do them, but I strongly recommend that a beginner find a class at his or her local quilt shop or community college. It does help.

What book would you recommend for someone who does not know how to sew and would like to learn to quilt?

"Quilter's Complete Guide" by Fons and Porter. It's a technique book more than a collection of patterns.

Are there any beginner-videos that would teach a more hands on approach?

Eleanor Burns' Quilt in a Day videos and television shows are excellent for beginners. She makes it all very understandable.

Visit her at

http://www.gloryquilts.com/