I remember as a child in the 40’s and 50’s sitting on the front porch with my grandparents after their day’s work was done and watching my grandmother hand sew pieces of fabric into a quilt top that would eventually be used to keep her family warm on the cold winter nights in a little farm house that had no heating. Only when I was an adult did I come to realize that those “utility quilts” were no
t just something to keep her family warm, but were actually “maps” of her lifetime. Fortunately, I was able to acquire two or three of those quilts and they are now a part of some of my most precious memories of her. I had always wanted to carry on her passion for quilting, but raising a child as a single parent just seemed to get in the way. Only within the last fifteen years or so have I been able to pick up needle and thread – well, okay, to be honest, thread the needle on a sewing machine! – and discover the same passion for quilting my grandmother had, although I’m quite sure her passion leaned more towards the needs of her family than the simple pleasure of creating something that would be passed down to her children and grandchildren. From the very beginning of picking a pattern, selecting fabrics, cutting fabrics into smaller pieces and sewing them back together to create a quilt top, sewing the top, batting and backing together (with the home sewing machine, of course!), and hand stitching the binding to complete the entire project, I love every step. I love creating something that is unique in itself, all by myself. These quilts are not what are now considered “art quilts,” that is to say fabric art that is meant to be admired and awe-inspiring. While I certainly admire those who have this talent – because it takes a very special talent to create these works of art – I prefer to make “traditional quilts” that will be used, loved, wrapped around babies, cuddled under in front of a fire, or slept under to keep warm on cold winter nights. And even if they are used and loved, if they are handled with loving care, they can still be passed down to the next generation. I read once that when you are buying from an artist – and a quiltmaker is an artist, whether making an art quilt or a traditional quilt – you are buying more than just an object or thing. You are buying hundreds of hours of failures and experimentation. You are buying days, weeks and months of frustration and moments of pure joy. You are not just buying an object or thing. In my case, you are buying a piece of a my heart, a part of my soul, a moment of my life. Most importantly, you are buying me more time to do something am I passionate about. Now, to answer a few questions you may have. Prices are based on size, intricacy of quilt and quilting patterns, and cost of materials. I don’t take credit cards, but I do have an account with PayPal and you can pay with a credit card through them. I will also accept payment by check or money order, with the understanding that the quilt will be held for ten days until the check clears. I will also allow you to make payments, with the understanding that payment must be made in full amount before the quilt is released. The price includes sales tax and, if necessary, shipping up to $10.00. Shipping costs over $10.00 will be added to the price and I will advise you of the estimated cost prior to payment. If you see a pre-made quilt you like on the website, but are looking for a similar quilt in different colors or in a different size, please send me a private message with a contact number and I will call you to discuss the details. Most of the fabrics used in the pre-made quilts have been discontinued, but if you like the theme or colors in a quilt, I may be able to custom make one for you using a similar theme and similar fabrics. Custom quilts will run a little more than the pre-made quilts because many of the quilts on the website were made with fabrics from my “stash” and did not require purchase of fabrics to be used specifically for that quilt. If you have any questions, send me a private message with a contact number and I will get with you as soon as I can. Pinkie Leatherwood
PinkLady Quilts
