I come from a long line of quilters. My Great Grandmother used to make quilts to support her family. So I can’t remember a time when quilts were not a part of my life. She would be cutting out patches or have a quilt in her quilting frame every time we went to her house I found that her quilting frame made a great fort. My next step on my quilting journey was making baby doll quilts. I was hooked, turning tiny fabric pieces into useable items. Next, I learned to sew clothes.
My Aunt Jolanda reintroduced me to quilting. She had been challenged by her Grandmother, my Great Grandmother, to make a quilt by hand. She chose a postage patch size quilt (I don’t think she realized what she was starting.) Today she still is working on that king size quilt. When I purchased my new sewing machine, I realized I could make quilts too, only faster!
Then, about 16 years ago, I started to get more serious about quilting. I began to take classes at my local quilt store, classes in Houston at the International Quilt Festival; and I even went to Hawaii to take classes. About 14 year ago a friend introduced me to mystery quilts. I fell in love with the concept. Since then I have sewn many mystery quilts, both in the classroom setting and with my quilting buddy, Chris.
Then 2 years ago I came up with the concept of taking a twist or turn, like you find in a good mystery novel, that allows the quilter to end up with a different result. Taking this into my mystery quilt patterns has taken time. Each pattern has a simple solution and a “twist” or a “twist and turn” for a more complex quilt. All my quilts are designed using Electric Quilt Program. I also have taught this at a local quilt shop. Here are the first patterns. Current plans are to add more mystery quilt patterns as I’m able to write and have them field tested by experienced quilt detectives.
I have a younger sister who has given me a nephew, Ricky, and a niece, Mikayla, to pass my quilting and sewing addiction to.
– Mary Sue Luther