February 2018: Lorna Shapiro Trunk Show
At the February meeting we thoroughly enjoyed having Lorna Shapiro as our guest speaker. A member of the Vancouver MQG, Lorna started quilting when she retired, and a wise friend suggested making a quilt because she would need something to do or she would go crazy. Lorna took a class, joined a guild, and started learning. Soon she had made quilts for everyone she knew, and then for people she thought she might get to know one day! Her hobby became a business – Quilter’s Dream Fabrics, specializing in Asian and batik fabric.
Lorna was a source of much wisdom and encouragement. She advised to “never not design your own quilt because of inexperience.” Yours will be at your own level, wherever you are at, and you’ll learn from each one you make. For that reason, she never apologizes for her early quilts.
She said a range of values is what makes a quilt, and the most important thing is to recognize subconsciously what it is you like. At quilt shows, she will walk by 95% of the quilts because they don’t move her, and spend a lot of time looking at the 5% that do. You’ll never design quilts you’re happy with until you learn what your 5% is, and what matters is that you are happy with your quilt!
In addition to showing many quilts, Lorna passed several of them around the room so we could feel them – a treat, as many of her quilts are made of kimono silk with silk batting, so they are soft, lightweight, breathable but warm, and fit into regular washing machines.
Thank you, Lorna!