"Simply Quilts" Behind The Scenes...

Southern California’s winter rains let up just in time for longarm machine quilters Marilyn Badger and Noriko Endo to slip into Los Angeles and work a little APQS magic on Home and Garden Television. In mid-January, 2005, Marilyn drove from her home in Utah and Noriko jetted over the Pacific Ocean from Chiba, Japan, to tape segments for the hit show, Simply Quilts.

Rehearsal began at 7 a.m. sharp, so Marilyn checked into her room at the Burbank Hilton the night before to shake the wrinkles from the dozen garments she planned to showcase and to get a good night’s sleep.

Noriko arrived the same day and despite her long flight, radiated her trademark vitality and good cheer.

Pulling up to the studio the next morning, Marilyn and Noriko got their first glimpse of the Hollywood glamour machine.

“There was a big, roll-up door, then all these rooms within. Meeting rooms, recording studios and the set," Marilyn said, "outside the production studio is very plain and simple, but inside it was beautiful.”

The producers had scheduled Noriko’s spot for the afternoon, in case language differences slowed taping, so Marilyn took the stage first.

“Veronica Penn-Turner was my producer, “Marilyn relates. “She organized the entire show, wrote the script, brought in three nice, really pretty models. She really took a personal interest in it.

“Veronica met me in the morning and we rehearsed,” she continues. “We went through the script, the sequence of everything and then the models arrived. By nine we were taping and we were done by noon.”

Penn-Turner divided Marilyn’s performance into four segments, with a break between each one. First, host Alex Anderson described the garments Marilyn had brought, and then presented a fashion show of the colorful thread dusters, ponchos and dresses.

“We took a break,” Marilyn remembers, “and then set up the APQS Millennium. Alex was wearing a poncho I had made for her and we demonstrated how to make it.  It was a pleasure to work with Alex.  She was a gracious host and a lot of fun to work with.  We started out with thread dusters then went into lined dresses.

The producers asked Noriko to bring several outfits – no plaids, checks or spiral designs – so they could choose one with camera-friendly fabric. She arrived loaded with wardrobe possibilities, but ended up taping her segment wearing the bright red jacket she had donned for her trip to the studio.

The producers needn’t have worried about Noriko’s performance, for she wowed everyone with her charm and professionalism, and delivered her message in clear, lilting English.

“Veronica, was a friendly person and made me relaxed,” Noriko remembers. “The atmosphere in the studio was so nice, I didn't get nervous at all. I never thought I’d be invited to be on Simply Quilts in my life. I was so excited.

I was worried that because English was my second language it may take time for re-taping, she beams, but we got through the show with no re-taping, which I didn't expect.  Afterwards, several staff members asked me about my quilts.  Everyone was so nice, especially Alex Anderson.  She was wonderful to work with.  She made me feel very comfortable and relaxed in front of the cameras.

“This was my second visit to Hollywood,” she says, “but I had time to stay just for one day because our first grandchild was coming soon, so I didn't go any place but to the studio. And the next day I went home!”

When Marilyn asked about her Tinsletown experience, Noriko answered that it was the highlight of her life.

“I said ‘greater than your kids? Your husband?’” Marilyn chuckles. “She said ‘Yes! Yes!’”

HGTV’s Simply Quilts rarely features the same quilt artist more than once, but Marilyn Badger and Noriko Endo may be invited to bend that rule.

“Veronica sent an email thanking me,” Marilyn says with wonder. “Then she wrote, ‘I look forward to working with you again…get ready for season 12!’”