2022 Featured Artist, Dawn Gerber
Dawn Gerber is a member of the York Quilter's Guild and has several award winning quilts!
My earliest memory of sewing was embroidering pillowcases at the age of five. While my mother would add a laced tatting edge, I enjoyed enhancing a plain white piece of fabric with a colorful design for others to use and enjoy. This early experience is probably why I still enjoy handwork.
Throughout the years I was surrounded by quilts and quilters and participated in the making of many quilts. During the Polyester Years when cotton fabric wasn’t available, clothing scraps were used. One of my favorite quilts was made of leaves on a muslin background. I can still identify many leaves with someone’s apron, shirt, or dress. While it is worn and probably wouldn’t sell for twenty dollars, it is one of my treasures.
When the Calico Years arrived in the 1970’s, one quilt I still have and remember helping to make is the oak leaf reel done in red and green calicos. I probably hand appliquéd about half of the blocks. It was hand quilted by my mother and great aunt. Their stitches are remarkably similar.
In 2002, a friend and I went to the Quilt Odyssey when it was in Gettysburg. We attended a lecture by Karen Kay Buckley. Her quilts were breathtaking! One of her quilts was a Baltimore Album. After the show, we went to a local quilt shop. It was offering a twelve session Baltimore Album class taught by Karen Buckley. What a fortunate stroke of serendipity! My friend wanted to sign up, but I was reluctant. I complained it would take forever and lamented my age by the time it was completed. My friend said, “You’ll be that old whether you make the quilt or not. This way you’ll be old with a beautiful quilt.” Who can argue with that logic? I signed up, learned Karen’s incredible techniques, and now I enjoy my finished album quilt. I love the visible signs of invisible things of album quilts.
Entering quilts in national shows is enjoyable. I have been fortunate to win awards. However, my favorite quilts to make, like my pillowcases, are those used and enjoyed by others.
I remember reading that quilting doesn’t bring world peace, but it can bring peace to your world. As every quilter knows, that is so true!
Dawn Gerber
My earliest memory of sewing was embroidering pillowcases at the age of five. While my mother would add a laced tatting edge, I enjoyed enhancing a plain white piece of fabric with a colorful design for others to use and enjoy. This early experience is probably why I still enjoy handwork.
Throughout the years I was surrounded by quilts and quilters and participated in the making of many quilts. During the Polyester Years when cotton fabric wasn’t available, clothing scraps were used. One of my favorite quilts was made of leaves on a muslin background. I can still identify many leaves with someone’s apron, shirt, or dress. While it is worn and probably wouldn’t sell for twenty dollars, it is one of my treasures.
When the Calico Years arrived in the 1970’s, one quilt I still have and remember helping to make is the oak leaf reel done in red and green calicos. I probably hand appliquéd about half of the blocks. It was hand quilted by my mother and great aunt. Their stitches are remarkably similar.
In 2002, a friend and I went to the Quilt Odyssey when it was in Gettysburg. We attended a lecture by Karen Kay Buckley. Her quilts were breathtaking! One of her quilts was a Baltimore Album. After the show, we went to a local quilt shop. It was offering a twelve session Baltimore Album class taught by Karen Buckley. What a fortunate stroke of serendipity! My friend wanted to sign up, but I was reluctant. I complained it would take forever and lamented my age by the time it was completed. My friend said, “You’ll be that old whether you make the quilt or not. This way you’ll be old with a beautiful quilt.” Who can argue with that logic? I signed up, learned Karen’s incredible techniques, and now I enjoy my finished album quilt. I love the visible signs of invisible things of album quilts.
Entering quilts in national shows is enjoyable. I have been fortunate to win awards. However, my favorite quilts to make, like my pillowcases, are those used and enjoyed by others.
I remember reading that quilting doesn’t bring world peace, but it can bring peace to your world. As every quilter knows, that is so true!
Dawn Gerber