Quilters of the Month August 2022: Carol Cochran and Valerie Minor

Carol and Valerie are our first ever Quilters of the month. This pair, along with two other friends, made this delightfully detailed wall-hanging from the pattern “Quilt Squad” by Amy Bradley designs. The applique figures all have little three-D details like earrings, buttons, and straight pins. The entire project is completely appliqued in beautiful, tiny blanket stitch!! Carol, Valerie and their two other friends were nurses, and nursing educators that met and later became colleagues. Their friendship and sense of humor is evident is these wall-hangings!!

Carol had never really sewn before she did this project. She did not even own a machine! She did some practicing on a table runner before she started the project. In fact, both ladies had never done applique before!!! Valerie had done some sewing of maternity clothes and children’s clothes on her Grandmother’s featherweight. She retired in 2014 and rediscovered sewing again. She likes to sew clothes and recently has started making rugs from jellyrolls. The both currently live in Phillipi, WV.

When asked what advice they would give a beginning quilter, Carol quickly said, “Don’t do THIS!” Valerie’s advice was, “Don’t be intimidated… blissful ignorance can be good!” These ladies were so much fun to talk with. If you are downtown, stop in at the Elkins Sewing Center and check these.

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