with our few of a kind quilts, textiles and DIY kits.
new in the shop!
Change your view… For many, your home is now also the place where you work, play and attend school. Adding a new piece of artwork that can be rotated with others from time to time can help refresh a space and your mood! Check out our quilted wall hangings here.
In the span of a few short months, the global pandemic has brought about overwhelming change and uncertainty – and has reminded us all how precarious life can be.
Food banks are seeing unprecedented demand as many in our communities face food insecurity. Restaurants, organizations, and many volunteers are stepping up to help.
Here, we are donating $5 from the sale of each Connected Hearts Mini Quilt pattern and kit to the Greater Chicago Food Depository. So, if you’re looking for a small project that is perfect for the beginner or experienced quilter, we hope you will consider making this purchase.
When it comes to making, we’re about slowing down and building your repertoire of techniques. The focus is on the process, not the finish line. Connect with us in person at a workshop. Don’t see one in your area? Contact us to schedule.
Learn to hand quilt, embroider or sew – or refresh your skills – at one of our workshops or events.
Quilter • Designer • Teacher
In 2004, I put my sewing skills to work and launched my quilt-making business. In the years since, I’ve made many quilts and expanded into other textiles – always with a focus on creating pieces that are meant to be used in everyday life and a belief that a few well-made, well-designed items (quilts, clothes, you name it) make for a much more sustainable lifestyle than a bunch of poorly constructed ones.
These days, I can be found making in my studio, teaching workshops, hanging out with family and friends, and, as co-director of The Art Department, making our community more art-centric by designing and hosting exhibits, community art projects and other events.
Making something with our hands is an antidote to this fast-paced, hyper-connected world in which we live.
It presents an opportunity to turn off our devices, make space for quiet, and get lost in the flow – that place where we lose track of time and simply embrace the process of making. It also provides the opportunity to connect with others in our community, start conversations and link generations.
Find time to make something on a regular basis: It could be a made from scratch dinner (nothing fancy here but nothing out of a box either), a floral arrangement thoughtfully arranged with what you find in your neighborhood (think fallen branches, dried flower heads, even weeds), or organizing a collection of found objects (could even be all those random little parts you find in the house now and then that you have no idea where they came from but they look interesting).
Short on time – slow down your walk when you’re on the go and notice the “art” that is all around like the leaves arranged on this drain.
We’re here to help – with our DIY kits, classes (in person now, online in the future), and inspiration.
