1.  How did this get started, how did you get involved with this project?
For the past three years HGTV.com has created a block-of-the-month pattern for their online audience. This year they decided to use the pattern to bring awareness to the 12 focus properties that are part 2004-05 Restore America: A Salute to Preservation Campaign, which is a joint effort between HGTV and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Once this decision was made, HGTV.com sent a request to submit a design to several designers, mine was lucky enough to be the one selected.

2.  How do you come up with the designs and how are they quilted?
I researched each property extensively as I was trying to come up with a design plan. HGTV.com requested that the quilt designs be contemporary and somehow reflect each of the properties. My first thought was to create a quilt using blocks from the various property’s time periods, or at least use block designs who’s names relate to the area of the country the properties are in. I also considered a Baltimore Album style quilt. On both of these approaches I planned to update the look of each design with contemporary fabrics and colors. Before I submitted a design I asked my contact at HGTV what they thought of these approaches . . . They didn’t care for them.

HGTV was looking for something different. They wanted a design that would reflect some aspect of each property in through some detail, so that if you went to the property represented you could see where the design elements came from. A Baltimore Album style design would do that, but they also wanted people to be able to learn different techniques while working on the quilt. The dilemma was how do you incorporate detailed illustrative elements with pieced elements into a cohesive contemporary design? I tried several different design approaches. Some approaches worked well for the properties that were focused on homes, but fell apart when I had to apply the same approach to the gardens. The same would hold true in the other direction.

I tried approaches that focused on the homes and used botanical elements to represent the gardens, but when you looked at the design you weren’t able to tell Dunn Gardens from Hakone Gardens. This was a problem. Remember, this was also supposed to be a block-of the-month. I was getting worried because everything I was thinking of wasn’t working out. I was beginning to wonder if I could even solve the problem.

As I was working on this project, I was reading a book on quilt history. While I read, I would look at each quilt to see if I could alter the design elements in a way to make them applicable to my needs. If I found a quilt design that had potential I would take out my photos of the properties and see if I could make them work. Sometimes I had success, other times not.

Finally I ran across a photo of a New York Beauty. I loved the fact that even though it was an older design it still looked quite contemporary. I poured through my property images again. I was able to find elements from each property that I could morph into the New York Beauty structure.

The thing I loved most about this approach was that I could combine the two quilt styles—Baltimore Album and New York Beauty. This approach also felt like it was reflecting what the Restore America project was all about, taking something old and making it new again.

Each block is heavily quilted, and has detailed trapunto elements. Sometimes Kathy used the quilting to elaborate on the design elements, as in the Edison & Ford Winter Estates block. There is a car tire to represent Henry Ford, Kathy both trapuntoed the tire, and quilted tread on it. Throughout the quilt you will find amazing quilted elements. In the border Kathy even trapuntoed a wrought iron fence element.

Kathy’s skill always brings my quilts to the next level, and her efforts add so much interest to the quilt when you view it close up.

3.  Where can people see the designs monthly?
Yes, they can see the quilt as a whole, and as the blocks are unveiled each month. There is also a streaming video program on the site that people can watch as I explain how each block’s design came to be. http://www.hgtv.com

4.  Anything you want to tell us about your style of quilting or experience?
My style of quilting is still developing. I’ve only been quilting for 4 years, and there is still so much to this craft to explore. The only thing I’m certain of is that I love to embellish my quilts. Once the quilting is completed the process of elaborating on them is just beginning for me. I usually spend almost as much time embellishing my quilts I do in making the quilt the top. The more I learn I can do, the longer it seems to take me to finish them.

5.  How did you get started quilting?
I was approaching 40 and trying to figure out what I was going to leave as my legacy. I have done a lot of things creatively, like cooking, gardening, etc., but none of them was what I wanted my family to remember me for. I was searching for that something. On a visit home (Morrilton, AR) I stopped by to visit my junior high/high school art teacher. His name is Jim Gatling, and he and I have been friends for years. He started teaching when I was in the 7th grade and somehow in spite of my teenage years our friendship has lasted.

On that visit he told me that he had a tape of a program featuring him and the quilts created by the students in his classes over the last 30 years. I was one of those students and remembered him making me do a quilt block. I thought it was kind of fun to do, but nothing special. That was the last experience I had with quilts, other than appreciating them, until now.

Though my relationship with Jim I knew he made students create quilts all these years, but didn’t think anything beyond that. Jim is a very accomplished quilter, and I always enjoyed seeing his work, but only looked at it as something he did not something I would do.

As I watched the tape I realized that Jim had intentionally or unknowingly chronicled a part of history in my small town through these quilts. I realized as I watched the tape that through Jim’s efforts he had captured a period of time in all these kids lives-mine included.

None of us would ever be that age again, or look at life the same way we did back then. I also realized that some of those kids may have never picked up a needle and thread again after that project. It was an eye opening experience.

When the tape was through I realized I had found the thing I had been searching for. The thing that I wanted to be remembered for...I would create quilts as my legacy.

I decided when I got back home I would learn to quilt. I realized that if I was going to really do this I needed to make the time to learn how to do it right. So I went to a continuing education class in my area to sign up for a quilting class. When it came time to register for class they said I couldn’t take the class. I was shocked. I wanted to learn to quilt. They told me I first needed to learn how to use a sewing machine first. Well, one grudgingly made vest later I was ready to take my first quilting class.


6.  Any quilting stories you'd like to share: good experiences or challenges?
All my quilting experiences have been good. Every quilt I make will mean the next one will be even better. I work very hard at making my quilts as perfect as I can, but if a point isn’t perfect, or a join is two threads off, I only take it out twice and after that I move on. I’ve got other quilts to do. Also quilting is a source of pleasure for me. When it becomes work I don’t want to do it any more.

I really love the challenges quilting brings. Each new quilt offers endless opportunity to learn and share. The more I learn, the more I am in awe of those who are already masterful in their creations. The talent that’s out there is truly inspiring. I’m never intimidated by other people’s ability. I know that if I keep at it I can do it too. It may take me a while, but if I keep at it, I’ll get there.

My biggest challenge so far from a design standpoint has been the Restore America quilt. It is by far the most elaborate quilt I’ve ever worked on.

My second biggest challenge is learning to quilt my own work. I am much better at constructing a quilt than I am at quilting one. I realized a while ago that I didn’t want to ruin my work with poor quilting, just to say I did it all myself.

Having found Kathy to quilt my quilts has been a blessing. To see what she can do to my work, sometimes leaves me speechless. Having her as a friend and collaborator allows me to see my quilts from a different point of view. Through our collaboration I am slowly beginning to be able to visualize what the quilting can be in a quilt. Before her, I was stumped.

After seeing what Kathy was able to do with her Millennium I wanted to be able to achieve the same thing—on my own.

So I bought one. It has been a lot of fun to play on. Kathy has been great about giving me advice, and is an excellent teacher. It’ll be a long time before I can even come close to her skill, but I’m enjoying the journey.

Even if I get close to Kathy’s skill we will always collaborate on projects. When we collaborate on a quilt magic happens.