Stack of pink, purple, and blue quilts.

Terry Stitcher’s Epic Year of Quilting

lantern quilt
Terry showing off her favorite “Lantern Quilt” for a “Reddit-style quilt photo.”

Terry’s been sewing most of her life, but until last spring (2022) had never tried quilting. Now, one year later, she’s made 13 quilt tops and counting! When you ask what prompted her to start, she isn’t exactly sure apart from her “fabric hoarding” tendencies.

I’ve started thinking about my life as a maker life. Making things has always been my favorite part of every job I’ve ever had.

The inspiration for her quilts tends to come from the fabrics she’s collected over the years and her experiences both past and present. She made her first quilt at Ace from a stash of batik and paisley shirts she no longer wears but couldn’t bear to part with. 

Blue and orange quilt block with ceramic motif.
This block from Terry’s first quilt represents her past as a ceramic sculptor and features her “signature fabric” with a vessel motif.

She uses a special notebook to sketch and plan the layout letting the basic shapes in the fabric dictate what “kind of quilt they want to be.”

Terry holds up a preliminary sketch for her "Angry Birds" crow quilt.
Terry showing her preliminary sketch for her “Angry Birds” crow quilt.
Terry with indigo quilt
Terry talks about how the shape of this tie-dye skirt inspired the curved pattern for her quilt.
indigo quilt top
You can really see the how the skirt shape and fabric influenced the design for this quilt top.

While she really enjoys the process of making quilt tops, she tends to procrastinate on assembly admitting to a closet full of UFOs (unfinished objects).

Pinned quilt top
It took Terry two tries to get this quilt sandwich pinned.
Quilt top
Terry’s “Racoon” quilt top.

What’s Next?

Terry is getting really into playing with embroidery, applique, and geometric shapes. She’s also planning a Scrub Jay quilt inspired by the birds she and her partner hand feed in their neighborhood.

Cockatoo quilt square
This embroidered quilt square represents Terry’s experience teaching her parakeet to say, “You’re pretty smart.”

Terry’s Tips and Takeaways for New Quilters

  • “Don’t go it alone.” Find community whether its online, at Ace, or a local quilting guild.
  • Try a smaller project like quilted oven mitts or throw pillows to learn the mechanics.
  • It’s helpful to have a space to work away from the distractions at home (like Ace).
crow quilt
Terry examines her finished “Angry Birds” crow quilt.

3 comments

  1. Kim Kuperschmid says:

    I love your quilts
    And UFO’s.

    Me too.

    Do you do Memorial quilts for those who lost Loved ones? To Covid or other things? I lost my Dad to covid in 2020, previously my grandmother in 2016, my mom in 2001 (cancer) and grandfather in 1997.
    Being that my Dad was the last of my elders, I have alot of old clothing from all of them and my whole life in my childhood home since I was 3 (now being rented) that I can’t bear to part with as I feel they are extensions of them in some way. 💔

    I have a whole community of friends from FB who have also had unexpected and sudden lost to covid who may be Interested in something similar like a Memorial Quilt.

    • Hello Kim. Thank you for your kind words about Terry’s quilts. Terry does not take commissions but there are a lot of artists on Etsy that do! Folks that specialize in the kind of memory quilt you describe.

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