Quilting

Coat Fabric Patchwork

Janis began making quilts many years ago.  It started when she was 14 and working during her summer break at a coat factory in the garment district.  Most of the women working there were post-war immigrants from Europe – Italy, Greece and Yugoslavia.  The sewing machines ran very fast – must faster than the Singer she used at home.  She sewed the long seams on the satin linings.  It was a production line and she had to keep up.  She wanted to learn to operate the button hole machine but was not permitted.  She ran errands and swept the floor.

Her first quilt was made from the fabric scraps that fell from the cutters table.

In making this quilt she new nothing about patchwork except that it was logical to cut the fabric into rectangles and then join them all together.  For the backing she used an old sheet that had been discarded by her grandmother.  She was very proud of this quilt.  A genuine scrappy quilt.  It laid on the foot of her bed  and kept her feet warm for many years.

Years later, with more leisure time to spare, she started making quilts in earnest.  She found it very relaxing – like meditation.

Here are  the quilts she made for her Family.

Here are the quilts she made for her Friends.