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Quilting Partnerships
There’s a spouse in the house!
by Halisha Hayworth
Six quilting couples from various parts of the country and backgrounds are profiled to find the common threads. In doing so, it is discovered that as well as many commonalities, there are unique aspects to each couple.
Have you noticed more men attending quilt shows or in quilt shops recently? This is because men have begun to discover their creative sides with quilting, especially on the high-tech longarm machines. Men seem to like working on the big machines. Couples are enjoying their quilting as a hobby and a business together all over the country. The men’s contribution of their creative energy infuses balance to an activity that has been dominated by women. This is a good thing!
Ladies, wouldn’t you just love to have the man in your life suggest that he go to a quilt festival with you and share the joy of discovering the perfect fabric or thread to complete a quilt design?
Six quilting couples from various parts of the country and backgrounds are profiled to find the common threads. In doing so it is discovered that as well as many commonalities, there are unique aspects to each couple. It seems more often than not, it is the wife who starts quilting first. The husbands become attracted to it when they see the longarm quilting machines in action. The mechanical and technical aspects of these machines are appealing to many men.
More of the wives prefer to do the piecing and sewing of the quilt tops and the guys like to run the machine. Artistic expression is abundant in their families. Most of the couples have developed successful and fast growing longarm quilting businesses from their homes. Each has discovered their own way to blend the abilities of each other while solving the challenges of a married couple working together.
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Jim and Wilma Cogliantry of Berlin, CT, are prolific, having quilted almost 4,000 quilts! Wilma said, “Although Jim is an extremely good quilter who can make even a not-so-great quilt top turn out very well, I think his greatest talent is his ability to believe in me for 36 years.” They met in 1968 at a technical school that taught hand engraving, jewelry making and clock repair. FULL STORY |
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Meanwhile in Harleysville, PA, Bob & Marla Moyer met and married 28 years ago. Since 1984 they have lived in East Greenville where Bob worked as an electrician and she worked as a tile maker. When she established a cleaning service for private homes, Bob began working with her in their new company. He is still running the cleaning service to this day. FULL STORY |
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Cricket and Jeff Lomicka of Chelmsford, MA, are another longarm quilting couple. For the Lomickas, the joy of their work comes from collaborating with one another. They said, “It’s gratifying to be able to have something to share together and bounce ideas off each other.” Cricket and Jeff met at church in Acton, MA, in 1981 and immediately became good friends. FULL STORY |
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The next quilting couple lives in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina, 30 miles down the hill from Asheville in Marion. Laurie and Dave Dennis tripled their machine quilting business in the first year after moving to Marion from the Florida Keys. They credit the quick expansion to a greater demand in their new area, announcements of their service at their quilt guild, placement of small ads in quilting magazines... FULL STORY |
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Married for 36 years, Kathy and Jürgen Nittner first met in Chesterton, IN. He was from Black Forest, in southwest Germany originally, and came here in 1962. Jürgen was out for the evening with friends at a restaurant where Kathy worked. He spilled a pitcher of milk which she cleaned up. They clicked immediately and soon married, settling in Westville, IN. |
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Bob and Carol Lyon of Lyon Den Quilting in Powhatan, VA, began their life partnership in the 1970’s when they met while working in the aerospace industry. Bob was a facilities engineer and Carol was an aircraft coordinator. After getting laid off from these jobs, they moved to Virginia, to the old homestead where he grew up. At that time, he went to work in utility construction and she had a chance to try her hand at quilting. FULL STORY |
Reprinted from Quilting Now, May 2007