Whenever I meet another quilter, my first question is always, "How did you get started making quilts?" and I am always fascinated to hear each person's quilting history. In my case, my sewing history goes back a couple of generations to my maternal grandmother. Some of my fondest childhood memories are the visits to my grandparent's home in Cowling , Illinois. It seemed that each time my family visited, my grandmother always had a completed quilt to show us. Since it was the 1950s and my grandmother seldom wasted anything, many of her quilts were made from leftover scraps from my mother's sewing projects or recycled clothing that had either been outgrown or had seen better days.
I still remember how much fun it was when Grandma would unfurl her latest patchwork creation, because there before my eyes in a kaleidoscope of colors would be a beautiful quilt made from dresses, blouses, or any number of items once belonging to my sister and me combined with pieces donated from neighbors, friends and other family members. It was almost like a fifties version of today's I Spy game as I quickly identified all the fabrics that had come from my family and used in Grandma's quilts! Little did I realize then how those experiences would later affect me.... and would culminate in what has become "Paradise Quilts".
My husband, Steve, and I moved to Newburgh from Kentucky in early 2003 because Indiana was "home". We both grew up in Gibson County and had many friends and family members in this area. We live very near the community of "Paradise" just north of Newburgh, so I am "in Paradise" in more ways than one when I am quilting.
My husband, Steve, has been the leader of my cheering section from the very beginning and has given me such encouragement through the years to do what I love to do. He understands my love of sewing because he was raised in a wonderful family by a mother who was a multi-talented lady. Her greatest talent though was her sewing. Although she has been gone from us for many years, those who knew her still remember her extraordinary ability to sew anything, and she was (I am told) able to do it at lightning speed.
One of our most precious possessions is.... you guessed it.... a quilt she made not long before she passed away. Although I am not certain, I believe it is the only quilt she ever made. We have it lovingly displayed in our home and Steve and I have an understanding that if there is ever a fire..... grab the quilt and run!
After raising a family and retiring from teaching 4th grade, I purchased an embroidery machine (Babylock Ellageo) and started doing projects for family and friends. Over time, I expanded my interests to include quilting and have completed a number of quilts including the design, layout, piecework and the quilting process - piecework by machine and quilting by hand. I decided very quickly than hand quilting was not "my thing" because of the length of time it took to complete one quilt.
After a lot of planning and significant effort, I was able to purchase a Gammill Optimum Statler Stitcher. I am now offering my services to customers under the business name of "Paradise Quilts". It is a labor of love and I hope to share the excitement and enthusiasm that I have for quilting with you.
Please feel free to contact me anytime - email or phone - whichever works best for you. If you get a message I will call back as soon as possible, probably in just a few minutes. If a man answers, it is my husband Steve. He is not very knowledgeable about quilting but he makes a good secretary:)
I look forward to hearing from you. Send any suggestions you think might improve the website. It is a work in progress. ..... And a note just to say hello is always welcome.... but I hope you will include some information about your quilting experiences. I am always ready to learn something new about quilting.
Thanks for stopping by...........
Best wishes,
Dee
Paradise Quilts
Newburgh, IN
email - dee@paradisequilts.com
phone - 812.490.0910
812.430.3336
