In Stitches (Not Really)

When Monday saw me hiding behind a colleague’s large coif to avoid Shelby’s finest reporters instead of peacefully devouring a day-old sandwich while flipping through a well-worn Robin Maxwell novel in the darkened recess that is my office, I knew I had an hour coming to me.

I knew few better ways to spend it than at the Cleveland County Arts Council, viewing the Foothills Quilters Guild quilt show, “In Stitches,” Friday afternoon.



The hour was made even more perfect by spending it side-by-side with my dear friend, quilting guru, and this year’s ribbon stealer, Leah Day.


Leah is both brilliant and certifiably insane. She recently challenged herself to design a new quilting filler stitch every day for a year. A year. The blog she uses to chronicle her journey is attracting a lot of attention.

And as offers pour in for all-expenses-paid trips to teach workshops in Bermuda—in November!—I am reminded how jealous I am of Leah’s creative genius. And her cleaning lady. Yet, she is forgiving of my comparable idiocy, never bats an eye when I call her to troubleshoot a sewing machine ‘malfunction’ that is always user error, and generously flatters by giving me advanced copies of her myriad of quilting products.

She is a pioneer in her field not just because she is transforming the way quilters use their stitches but because she is young. So young in fact that at the North Carolina Symposium, where her stunning quilt, “The Duchess”, earned a first-place ribbon for machine quilting, she was told by an ignorant fellow quilter, “You must just be getting into quilting.”

Yes, Leah’s just getting into quilting like Ford is just getting into mass assembly.


Her show-stopping quilt (literally--it created quite a crowd at the entry), "Release Your Light," was inspired by a dream and speaks to the release of creativity.

As she is exceptionally humble and at times self-depricating, Leah will only casually reference the 300+ hours to handpaint this wholecloth masterpiece.

300. Hand paint. See, I told you. Leah is certifiably insane.

And there were times during the quilt's creation that Leah thought she was losing it as well. But, she still has both ears attached. Or at least she appears to. She is a remarkable handpiecer as well. Hmm.

The quilting, as always, is impeccable. The quilt a showcase of a myriad of intricate filler stitches. The back of the quilt just as breathtaking as the front.

Yet, Leah is just one of many exceptionally talented members of the Foothills Quilters Guild. And they all outdid themselves this year.

Later, I'll post some of my favorites from the show. But don't wait for me! The show continues this weekend and only happens every two years. Admission is only $3.00 at the door and a beautiful raffle quilt still awaits awarding.

Plus, I have it on good authority that Leah just might make another appearance today. Just look for the quiet, unassuming young woman who most pass by without knowing that a rising quilting star is in their midst...