tomiquilts

Our Business

This is a one woman show, in a spare room with several tubs and shelves of material.

Bed quilts take an average of 6 to 8 weeks. Some take longer, some a lot less.

I like using fabrics with printed designs. I have dyed and bleached fabric to get a special look, but only for two quilts. I rarely paint on quilts. It feels like cheating. If I need an embellishment, I sew it on or glue it, if sewing is impossible (but only on wall quilts).

Do I need to mention my obsession with Lord of the Rings? Didn't think so.

I am a long time Austin resident and life long Texan, born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley. I began playing with a sewing machine at an early age making doll clothes. In an attempt to save her sewing machine, my mother enrolled me in Mrs. Pikes' sewing class. I was 12. After high school, I attended and graduated from Stephen F. Austin U. with a BFA in Studio Art. Although Art was my major, my true love was fabric, so I took every tailoring and textile course I could.

Years later, I sewed my first quilt. It was a baby quilt for my only niece and that re-kindled a love affair with sewing and started one with piecing and applique. Since then, I've designed and quilted dozens of quilts for friends, family and the South Austin First Thursday.

I prefer designing my own quilts (squares bore me) but have sewn an old fashioned fan, wedding ring, nine patch and more.

Thanks to my son Jason, I have a spare room that I converted into a sewing room. John, my husband of 20+ years is kind and understanding and does not try to store anything in my room except his camera equipment and a couple of suits in the closet. Kathryn, our daughter, now in high school, occasionally will find her scrap booking or beading supplies missing and knows where to find them. Jack, our dog, will always try to follow me into my inner sanctum but since I won't let our cat Hazel sit in my chair, she rarely ventures in.