A Quilter's Life

Jackie Brown

I’d have to give Jackie Brown the extra patience award.  I am so thankful that she worked around my schedule  when I not only had to cancel on her once, but twice because of my medical issues.  Then what a thrill it was for me that her daughter, Amy, popped in to say HI as we started the interview.  Such a wonderful day for me! Jackie is passionate about her work as a teacher, designer and long arm quilter.  She simply can't think of anything sheI'd rather do!  For her the most rewarding part of her work is seeing the look of excitement and satisfaction on the faces of her customers, whether she’s finishing their quilt or teaching them how to quilt for themselves. She thanks God for her husband, children, and grandchildren as well as the people who have given her the opportunity to serve them through Jackie’s Machine Quilting. You can see Jackie's amazing quilting here. [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jackie-Brown-Jackies-Machine-Quilting-300x300.png] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Jackie-Brown-Jackies-Machine-Quilting-2-300x300.png] Connect with Jackie: Website: Jackie's Machine Quilting [https://jackiesmachinequilting.com/] Facebook: Jackie's Machine Quilting [https://www.facebook.com/JackiesMQ] Instagram: jackiesmachinequilting [https://www.instagram.com/jackiesmachinequilting/] Pinterest: Jackie's Machine Quilting [https://www.pinterest.com/jackiesmachinequilting/] YouTube: Jackie's Machine Quilting [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcAfEGG_8TlxjXgWKpWHBUw]

Christine Lindebak

Christine Lindebak is forever grateful to her parents for supporting her on her sewing journey from such a young age to where she is now.  Can you imagine being so young when you began to sew that you can’t even imagine not being able to do so?  Sewing runs through the fiber of who Christine is and it’s exciting to hear how it has shaped her life. Here are a couple of quilts that Christine has made  [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_4510-200x300.jpg] This is the dress she made when she was young that we chatted about [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_0761-198x300.jpg] Here are some of Christine's clothing patterns that she has used quilts in [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_6526-200x300.jpg]  [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_2374-200x300.jpg]  [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_0114-200x300.jpg][https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/IMG_5150-200x300.jpg]  [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Back-of-Nine-Patch-Jacket-199x300.png] Here's Christine's mom that had so much patience and encouragement for Christine [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-mom-awhile-ago-300x225.jpg] Can't forget Christine's sewing buddy, Owen, and her fetherweight [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/My-sewing-buddy-Owen-and-my-featherweight-200x300.jpg] Connect with Christine: Website: Sewing and the City [https://sewingandthecity.com/] Instagram: sewingandthecity [https://www.instagram.com/sewingandthecity] Pinterest: Sewing and the City [https://www.pinterest.com/sewingandthecity/]

Phyllis Biffle Elmore

The way Phyllis Biffle Elmore feels about the quilt that her Grandmother Lula gave her is how I think many quilters hope others feel when we give them a quilt.  With significant history and mesmerizing storytelling Phyllis has written Quilt of Souls transforming oral tradition into a beautifully written document, powerfully presented and preserved for posterity.  She stitches together true tales of racism, sexism, and colorism, but also strength and pride, creating a multigenerational patchwork honoring her family and ancestors. This is the quilt that Phyllis' Grandmother Lula made for Phyllis and a picture of Lula Horn. [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lula-268x300.png] This was the last quilt that Phyllis' Grandmother Lula made when she was over 100 years old [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Phyllis-Biffle-Elmore-Grandma-Lulas-Last-Quilt-300x273.jpg] And this quilt Phyllis calls it Smokey Quilt.  It was in a fire but wasn't destroyed. [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Phyllis-Biffle-Elmore-Smokey-Quilt-300x298.jpg] Connect with Phyllis Website: Phyllis Biffle Elmore [https://www.thequiltofsouls.com/] Facebook: Phyllis Biffle Elmore [https://www.facebook.com/phyllistene.lawson] Instagram: Phyllis Biffle Elmore [https://www.instagram.com/phyllisbiffleelmore/] X: phyllis lawson [https://x.com/quiltofsouls]

Sara Browne

I see Sara Browne and her cousins as heroes. When Covid and the lockdown began she could have just looked after herself, but she reached out to others to lift them up!  She continues to add value to people’s lives even after the lockdown has ended.   She sees herself as an enabler by helping people learn the parts they don’t know how to do for themselves. You might find yourself looking at the sky in a different way after this interview with Sara.  There is color all around us if we look for it. This beautiful scrappy quilt was made with the scraps that had been thrown in the trash after one of the sewing classes. Here's her Scrappy Jewel and Scrappy Confetti [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-Scrappy-Jewel-225x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-Scrappy-Confetti-244x300.jpg] Quilts made for her niece and nephew [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-9-300x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-6-300x300.jpg] Barn Storming Quilt [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-12-225x300.jpg] Several more wonderful quilts [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-2-225x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-3-225x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-4-225x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-5-225x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-11-300x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-13-225x300.jpg] And a couple of lovely table runners [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-8-300x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-7-300x300.jpg] And of course Ruby and Sara's girls (chickens) [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Sara-Browne-dog-300x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/chickens-225x300.jpg] Connect with Sara Facebook: The Lockdown Patchwork Project [https://www.facebook.com/groups/1376921325962260] YouTube: The Lockdown Patchwork Project [https://www.youtube.com/@lockdownpatchworkproject5850] And thanks again Helen for connecting me with Sara!

Kena Tangi Dorsey

Kena Tangi Dorsey lives her life the way she wants to live her life.  It’s taken her in different directions throughout the years, but each step has added knowledge that she is able to use now. While living in Harlem, New York, Kena had an abundance of access to African shops and boutiques along 125th Street, so she began infusing African wax prints, kente cloth and mud cloth textiles into her quilting projects -  by making wall hangings, table runners and quilted bags with them.  She also loves working with Indonesian Batiks and had fun purchasing a large collection of them on her trip to Indonesia a few years ago!   This is one of Kena's favorite quilts! She calls it “Black Butterfly.” “Oba!” was Kena's first Benartex Ambassador project for 2024. For her fabrics, she chose the “Transparency” collection by Modern Quilt Studio. [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kena-Tangi-Dorsey-Lion-with-Benartex-Fabric-300x225.jpg] The purple quilt is a wall hanging quilt made of all African Ankara fabrics and a lavishly lavender organic cotton solid fabric for the background. [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kena-Tangi-Dorsey-Purple-225x300.jpg] Making portrait quilts is one of Kena's favorite things to do,  “Marvalous” was published in Art Quilting Studio Magazine! [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kena-Tangi-Dorsey-Self-Portrait-225x300.jpg] [https://aquilterslife.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Kena-300x225.jpg] Connect with Kena Website: Kena Quilt Studio [https://kenaquiltstudio.com/] Facebook: Kena Quilt Studio [https://www.facebook.com/kenaquilts/#] Instagram: kenaquilts [https://www.instagram.com/kenaquilts]   And Thanks to Shelly Martella for connecting us with Kena! Connect with Shelly Website: Threads & Ewe [https://www.threadsandewe.com/] Facebook: Threads & Ewe [https://www.facebook.com/threadsandewe] Instagram: threadsandewe [https://www.instagram.com/threadsandewe/] Pinterest: Threads & Ewe [https://www.pinterest.com/threadsewe/_created/] X: https://twitter.com/ThreadsandEwe [https://twitter.com/ThreadsandEwe] My interview with Shelly Martella [https://aquilterslife.com/episodes/shelly-martella/]