I have been quilting for the last 10 years and a guild member since 2018. I learned to quilt when I found out I was going to be an aunt and wanted to be able to make something special for my nephews. My inspiration was a vintage quilt that was started in the 1940’s, by my great grandmother, who I never met. My grandmother finished the quilt and gave it to my mom when I was born. It is one of my most prized possessions and goes with me everywhere, including overseas for a time.
Nowadays I love taking my Pfaff Passport 3.0 and Great Dane Bullwinkle camping with me along with my kayak. I get on the water in the morning then quilt for the rest of the day, with breaks on or in the water in between.
If I could pass on advice to new quilters, it would be this: do not worry about being perfect. Every new quilt is a learning process, make a trial block to work out the kinks, and save those blocks for a quilt to be a memento of your work. And save your scraps! You never know where you are going to need extra fabric for a project.
Vice President: Marian Alter
I am your vice president, I handle correspondence for the guild. If you know of someone who needs a word of encouragement, condolences, or help please contact me. I will send a card or call and offer what I can.
I grew up in San Diego and was one of those kids who sewed my own basic clothing until I discovered tshirts and jeans. I began quilting with an appliqued quilt (not the best choice), and have been piecing and appliqueing since. I did have some large gaps in my quilting time as I was an accountant who traveled quite a bit. We retired from Orange County (CA) to this area to renew my husband’s childhood love of trees and water. (He’s a Maryland boy.) I also have siblings in the Valley, which was another reason to choose this area. One of my requirements for a retirement home was an active quilt guild. I’m so glad I found EVQ, as you’re not only active but very friendly as well!
At this time, I sew tops for NICU, hoping to use more of my stash. I also like to provide relatives and friends with quilts that are used and loved. I spend time with the Leaburg Sew&So’s, which has been a source of help and laughter for several years. Additionally, if you have bird ID questions, we’re open to “20 questions” and can probably help ID or at least narrow the possibilities.
Secretary: Judy Schuler
My husband Steve and I moved from Southern Indiana in 2011 to Eugene to be closer to our two daughters and my brother. As a young girl in Indiana I started sewing as a member of 4-H. After our girls were born I made dresses for them. I also made a dancing rag doll for each of them and to this day they will recall how much fun they had strapping them to their feet and dancing. I started my quilting journey back in Indiana when our daughters were toddlers by joining the quilting group at our parish and quickly fell in love with the art of hand quilting. From there I was guided by my mentor towards making and marking tops. I have met many fascinating and talented people since joining the guild in 2013. There are many members willing to share ideas and “how to’s” at every meeting. I look forward to the meetings for that very reason. There’s always someone there who can get you over that hump.
Community Service: Nancy Sucamele
Co Chair: Betty Dennison
Treasurer: Betty Dennison
My mother sewed a lot of my dresses, was always crocheting, and made all of our quilts. I started sewing with her when I was about 9. I always remembered asking mom why all of our quilts were hand sewn (I had to take quite a few stitches out because they were not the same length.) She said they were not homemade if they were not hand sewn.
While working for over 40 years in all aspects of accounting and personnel services, I enjoyed accounting so much I took college Accounting I and II, Personnel Management, and Business Communication.
I made a few quilts for my 3 daughters and 7 grandchildren. I started collecting material to make quilts when I retired.
I retired almost 11 years ago and started making quilts in my spare time. (They are not hand sewn, sorry mom) I moved to the Springfield/Eugene area 3 and a half years ago. I found EVQ on your website and joined the Guild. I enjoy sewing here at the Church on Thursdays and have found wonderful friends and even better some of them are now family.
Quilting is a terrific hobby. Oh, I didn’t collect enough material while I was working. I have a new hobby Shop Hopping with friends. Quilting retreats are wonderful also.
Programs and Workshops Chair: Sandie Massett
Co Chair: Karen Klemme
Sandie: From an early age, I had many interests: drawing, painting and sewing. I was encouraged by my grandmother who introduced me to the sewing machine at the age of seven. My mother bought my first sewing machine, a used old black Singer that didn’t have fancy stitches but was very dependable. As my skills improved with my sewing, my grandmother decided to buy a new little Singer sewing machine for a Christmas gift, for me and my sister Kathy to share. Let the truth be known there was not much sharing of the sewing machine as Kathy did not care to sew. So, I saved up money and paid my sister off for her share of the sewing machine. Through the years I made all sorts of clothes and household items and found out that I could not be without a sewing machine!
I continued my many interests through the years and in college by studying life drawing, art history, color and design, and graphics. But life changed when I was expecting my son Elliot. As a young mother I decided to decorate his nursery and wanted to make something else special for him, a baby quilt. I used a Simplicity pattern because in those days there were not many quilt books, and you did not hear of a quilt shop or even a rotary cutter. I loved appliquéing even then; my son’s quilt was appliquéd with a happy sun on the pillow and a clothesline of children’s clothes running up the middle of the quilt. Since I had so much fun creating his quilt, I decided to look through my sewing books and found a few block patterns, so I decided to try a full-size quilt and made a happy mix of white, peach and yellows log cabin quilt. Having a young baby made it hard to paint so I turned more and more toward quilting and have been doing so for the past forty years. Oh, there were many lessons learned since then because there are always new products with new methods coming out. This quilting thing is fun!
In the mid 1990’s, I moved to Beautiful Eugene, Oregon with my family, our chosen place to live. My husband, Donn, had suggested to me several times to join a quilt guild and so I did with Emerald Valley Quilters in 1999. I became very active with the guild volunteering to help in several ways and with that I brushed up and taught myself computer skills, it’s sort of like using a new paint brush. I decided to apply this skill with my quilting and design my own patterns.
My lessons learned are that value is the most important thing in a quilt, not the color. I have found that it’s not about the quantity of quilts you make either but the journey you are on while making them, enjoy yourself when you quilt and don’t be afraid to make a change. When you have finished your quilt, don’t look for the flaws or point them out to others, because if you Look for it, you will find it. Look for the beauty, the moment, or the story and just enjoy. Happy Quilting
Karen: I took my 1st quilting class in 1975 … before rotary cutters and mats. I began making quilts in earnest when I moved to Coburg in 2005 and got involved in the Coburg Quilt Show and joined the “Sew’n Sews” at the Grange here in Coburg. I love scrappy and traditional-style quilts, but I love bold/colorful quilts as well. I have never made a log-cabin quilt – so that is on my bucket list!
Newsletter: Rita Grimes
Hi, I am Rita and I run the newsletter. If you have any questions please contact me.
Membership Chair: Holly Ohrt
Membership Committee: Patty Biasca
Hello I am Holly Ohrt with the Membership Committee. I am a retired pharmacist and have lived in Eugene for 30 years. I have been a member of EVQ for close to 13 years. I started sewing when I was 12 years old, taught by our next door neighbor Betty. I primarily sewed clothing but started getting interested in quilting in my late teens. However it wasn’t until the 1990’s until I really embraced quilting- Holly Ohrt
Holly Ohrt
“It seems I have always sewed. As a young girl, I made all my own clothes and started quilting short after high school. My first quilt was entirely by hand … never again! But work put a halt to all sewing for many years and it was only about 20 years ago when I took it up again. Of course I had to learn all the new techniques of cutting, cutting mats, rotary cutters, and strip piecing but I have enjoyed every moment of it. As a one-year resident of Oregon, I’m thrilled that I found this wonderful, dedicated, active group of quilters.” Patty Biasca
Patty Biasca
Intra-guild: Ginny Morrow
I began sewing out of necessity as a young teen, back in the way cool early ‘70s. I could never find any pants or dresses long enough to fit my 5’12” frame. Haha. Many years passed and I found myself sewing costumes for my two boys, both of whom were aspiring young thespians. It was great fun to make costumes and be one of those backstage drama mamas, bonding with my sons and their friends. Sooner than I wanted, empty nest appeared. It was then that a quilting friend strongly encouraged me to make a quilt. After much trepidation, I got the courage to begin, a tee shirt quilt of all the shows my oldest son had done over his youth; the younger son of course got one too. I then took a class to learn, in earnest, how to do some other styles of quilting and found there was no turning back. Fairly recently, my husband & I moved to Eugene/Springfield from out of state to retire. Feeling lost, I joined Pioneer Quilters, followed by EVQ, not quite a year ago, and very recently the Quilt of Valor Pieceful Posse. You all have saved my life! Thank you for being so welcoming, encouraging and especially tolerant of my inexperience. I am truly in awe of all your amazing talents!
Librarian: Elaine Clark
Historian/ Photographer: Jillian Drake
I have been quilting for about 20 years – like a lot of people, I got into it because I wandered into a fabric store one day and took a substantial portion of it home with me. I especially like saturated colors with black backgrounds and scrap/charm quilts. Most of my projects have been done by hand.
Parliamentarian: Joan Wooten
Co Chair: Niki Kilday
Hospitality Chair: Michelle Marroquin
As a self taught quilter that started in 1999 making quilts for orphans around the world, I’ve been the NICU quilts of hope program coordinator ever since we moved here from the coast I’m grateful that I get to sew everyday for a wonderful cause, and learn and grow in the process.
Michelle Marroquin
Raffle Ticket Sales: Bev Harrison
I have been quilting since the late ‘80’s and have been a guild member for 21 years. I am married to Nick, for 48 years now, and have three adult daughters who have given me four wonderful grandchildren. The grands are all teenagers now, so they keep me on my toes, trying to keep up with their activities and interests. In addition to making quilts for my family, I love to make them for NICU, the Pete Moore Hospice House, and Sunshine Quilts, an online group. I especially like scrap quilts because I love using lots of different fabrics and colors
Hello my name is Sherry Galloway. I joined in 2007, I had picked up a flyer at the county fair many years prior. I found it again while cleaning up my sewing room. It was the right day and I went. I am a very shy person so when I walked into the room and I knew at least a half a dozen people that were already there. I felt very welcome. Thinking back over the years my EVQ friends have been my lifeline in life’s trials. I have learned so much from all the people that I have met. And will forever be grateful.
Bev Harrison
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Resources/Publicity Chair: Sandie Massett and Karen Klemme
Retreat 2024: Laura Lowe and Ken Casey
Satellite Chair:Michelle Marrouquin
Michelle Marroquin
Challenge and BOM: Tina Batori
Although I had done some clothing sewing as a youngster, my quilting journey began with a sampler quilt class at my church about 20 years ago. As a result of that, I joined EVQ and participated as a board member with Intraguild and Programs responsibilities. I did less quilt making after a while, trying out jewelry making, card making, and scrapbooking. I visited my cousin Rose in England in 2016, who I brought to one of our retreats when she was visiting me. She took me to her satellite group and got me going again. I came back to EVQ and have enjoyed being with all these talented, generous people again. In my current living situation, I do all my crafting at my dining room table, so it’s a start-and-stop situation. My favorite part of quilting is choosing the fabrics! If you have any suggestions for Block of the Month, which I co-chair, please be sure to let me know. I hope the PhD (Projects Half-Done) project helps you move through those quilts which are in process and get them onto your bed or wall.
Travel Club:Ken Casey
Ken Casey is a native of Phoenix, AZ and has been quilting for over 35 years. He grew up making articles of clothing for his stuffed rabbit then for himself. In his early twenties, he worked in stained glass, then began quilting after it was suggested to him by his sister. Ken spent several summers at a Quilt Camp in Flagstaff, taking classes from internationally known teachers; further developed his skills. He has had quilts in shows across the country and is a certified instructor for AnglePlay Templates. Ken spent many years working in quilt shops teaching and helping others. He is also a member of the Eugene Modern Quilt Guild and SAQA. He LOVES to play with color and use unexpected combinations, but his favorite thing is to teach others the craft of quilting. Ken lives in Eugene with his husband Ron; and their sweet and comical dogs Gracie and Elphie.
Ken Casey
Webmaster: Patrice Baker
I’m Patrice and I started quilting in 2012 after I had to retire early. Before that I never stitched anything. I am a HUGE Tula Pink fanatic and I love her bold bright colors. I live in Springfield with my husband and 4 dachshunds.
