Biographies
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New folks joining QuiltingFrenzy may be curious to know who the wacky people already members are. When you join, you are asked to send a bio. Following are the bios received of our members so far, in alphabetical order by email address. Some edits, typographical, spelling, etc. may have been made.

Alexconnections@aol.com - I'm Cheri. I have five children ages 18, 17, 15, 10, and 8. All boys except for the 10 year old. Been married for forever!!! We homeschool and our oldest is in college via distance learning; graduated from our homeschool program last August. I and several of my children have a rare metabolic disease called mitochondrial myopathy with my youngest being the first to be diagnosed and the most affected of us at this time. This is degenerative disease with similar to muscular dystrophy, but one can have some pretty significant organ involvement too. My background is in music. I used to teach private piano and keyboard in my home, but I now can't teach due to my and the children's medical needs. I became very interested in crafting of all sorts at the age of 8; started crocheting first and made my first afghan at the age of 11. That progressed into sewing, knitting, a variety of crafts and needlework. When I was expecting my first, I made my first quilt and have been hooked ever since!!! Unfortunately I have so little time!! Quilting is a pure joy and something I look forward to doing whenever time allows. Sometimes I can't sew well due to medical needs and that is when conversations of quilting seems to bring a sense of calm to my life!!

barb2001@tampabay.rr.com - Hello All, My name is Barbara Newman and I live in Clearwater Beach Florida with my DH , Our children our grown and out on their own now. I am the proud grandmother of two grandchildren an 11 girl and 5 year old boy. I have been quilting for about five years now and still consider myself to be a beginner. I was working full time as an accountant and have decided to take some time off to pamper myself and to do some of the things I love doing like quilting. I hope to learn a lot from all of you and look forward to getting to know you all better.

clep55@syrfirecu.net - I am married for 15 years to husband James. I was unable to have children. I too have medical problems. We have 2 "sons" with 4 legs (dogs). Maxamillion is 9 and his little brother is Bridgey and he is 4 . GRINS Here is a list of things I like to do. In the warm months I love to garden. The rest of the year I love to quilt, make teddy bears, make baskets, do stained glass, do handmade bobbin lace, and I do crochet. Enough hobbies. grins. I am also a vegetarian who loves to cross the borders and try new things. Cross-cultural cooking. Hugs cindy from syracuse

CQworks@aol.com - I just joined the group last night when I spotted it on the Yahoo Group list. I'm Linda, 51, WAHM, dh Steve (disabled 2 years ago from strokes). We have four children, 3 girls ages 20, 18, and 16, and a son,14. I've been quilting for 30+ years, and now have two websites, which I started in an attempt to help out with income (Social Security disability payments don't quite make it for us, with two children still at home!) My favorite quilts are traditional--I love to work in miniature, and I'm especially into doing reproductions of vintage quilts (Civil War Era, Redwork, and 1930's).

creativeone@carolina.rr.com - I am Yavonne from NC, USA. I live not far from our dear Kathyrn. She coerced me (LOLOL and grins) to join all of you on QF. She said I would enjoy this little group. So far, I have decided to do the block of the month deal. We'll see what else I can come up with. Anyhow, I just did turn 35. Have 2 sometimes not so DS's,Gabriel (5) and Michael (10); and Terry, an adorable DH-so Kathryn keeps telling me!! LOL animals include a hamster-Oliver, and a parakeet, SweetCheeks, all male. So, this big mama rules the roost, so to speak!!! I am a nurse who works weekend nights in a large teaching hospital. BOY, do I ever learn a lot. I lead a quiet life (aka-boring!!), but fulfilling. I have grasped to quilting like a duck to water. I have sewn/sewed since I was a small child, did lots of garment construction. You all ought to see Kathryn and I go fabric shopping. She goes one way and I go the other and we meet in the middle. I live 5 minutes from the mecca of all fabric stores-MaryJo's in Gastonia. I have not found one to rival it yet. Then again, I haven't been everywhere yet!!

dana@larkfarm.com - My name's Dana. I'm 27 and have been married since May 23, 1999 to Mike, the (hands-down) most wonderful DH in the world. We have one son, Adam, who was born August 14, 2000. We have 2 dogs, lots of cats, 2 llamas, 2 sheep, a flock of chickens, turkeys, ducks, peacocks, guineas, and 2 horses. You guessed it - we live on a farm. I grew up in Texas but moved here to eastern Washington when I got married. We have 87 acres of "scrub" land in the middle of wheat country - beautiful land. I've been quilting since our honeymoon. In my prior (pre-marriage, pre-quilting) life I was a tech support rep and manager. DH - who is 42 - is a computer programmer, author, editor, and all-around computer GOD. I love paper piecing; it's my favorite technique. But patchwork's not so bad either. I machine quilt just about everything I make, although I do sometimes stitch my binding down by hand. These days I'm into hand-dyes. Teal, yum!  I started QuiltingFrenzy when another list I was on started having a bit of a growing pangs problem. I've had lots of fun here, and hope to have lots more.

jhawkes@ns.sympatico.ca - I have been quilting for about 11 years. Have made about 40 quilts (Queen Size) by machine, hand quilted. I love quilting better than anything else, piecing is okay, but hand quilting is very relaxing. I am 63 today. I worked for Sears Canada Inc. for 27 years. I am married to dh Vernon for 42 years. I have 4 children and 4 grand-children. Donna 41, Debbie 38, Patrick 34 and Paul 33. Grand-Children Brennan 12 and Caitlin 10 belong to Donna, Simon 5 belongs to Debbie and Christopher 8 months belongs to Paul. Simon is about an hour away and the rest are about 10 minutes. They all come here for Christmas except Patrick in Montreal. I love Christmas, these lists, swapping siggys, ziggys, and fat quarters. I love shopping and workshops. Joyce in Nova Scotia Canada

garrettgretchen@yahoo.com - My name is Gretchen Garrett. I'm a stay-at-home Mom of three wonderful children (I'm biased of course): Emily 7, Jacob 5, and Samantha 3. I've been married to DH, Michael for 10 years and we live on our 120 acre farm in rural northern Missouri. Our farm is mostly hay field, with brush, timber, and an 18 acre lake. The view is beautiful and we love being out in the country. I've been quilting for about 5 years now, pretty much since I was able to quit my job as a high school science teacher to be home with the kids. I feel so fortunate to have this special time with my children. I also enjoy gardening, photography, and just about any other type of craft. I volunteer as a Breast-feeding Peer Counselor at the local health department and also sell Tupperware.

jmcginn@kc.rr.com - I am Cath, Mom to 6 children, Jackie (12), Mary (10), Mikey and Danny (8 -identical twins), Joey (3.5) and Missy Kate (18mos and full of it). My hubby Jim drags us all over the place, as he is an F-15E pilot in the US AirForce. We have been lucky enough to live in many places (MS<AZ<NM<NC<SC<KS<UK) but especially Lakenheath, England where my love for quilting was truly born. I have been quilting for 9 years. I started my own business last April online. My hubby decided (because when I don't "get" to sew, I get really crabby) that I needed a sanity outlet and that doing something I had such a passion for was worth supporting. He helped me create our webshop online. It has been a wonderful project that we work on together and it is the sanity break that I need from wiping noses and doing dishes. We are currently at Ft. Leavenworth Army Post outside of Kansas City while Jim attends Command General and Staff College. It has been great having him "play" student this year. It is a welcomed break from the painful separations of military life. We are looking at a move shortly back into the world of flying in a squadron. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it will be North Carolina! I look forward to getting to know everyone on the list. I decided to jump on here after reading some of Dana's stuff on the website. I spend a good bit of time online and find the quilt friends a welcome "coffee break" from the biz.

joann@modempool.com - I live in Michigan and I am surrounded by a number of great quilt shops. I am married almost 7 years (second time). I have 3 kids --2 girls and a son. I will be a Grandmother for the first time in April and for the second time in July. I work in a Mental Health outpatient clinic as a Assistant Finance Officer. I have been quilting since 1988 and have made numerous quilts. I hope to learn how to hand quilt this year and also I am working on improving my machine quilting. Sure does take practice. I have found that I don't care for appliqué--just not my cup of tea.

kbcyr@webtv.net - Kay has three grown married children and let's see, 8 grandchildren (my haven't her children been busy)! She's new to quilting and her daughter has been trying to talk her through it all via email and the phone (this is where it gets very entertaining cause they never understand what each other is talking about)! What she has discovered is that she likes to buy the material more than anything else (now is that a sign of a true budding quilter or what)!!!!!!! She also confesses she doesn't like to sew so 1) what is she going to do when it is time to start piecing her blocks and 2) why did she let her daughter talk her into this!

kgm6312@ccp.com - My name is Maria. I am a married mom of three kids. 18, 15, and 19, months. I live 1 and a half hours north of Kansas City, Missouri. I live in the country in a 112 year old, 11 room farm house. I am lucky. I get an extra room for a sewing room. I like to do all kinds of crafts, but my main passion is quilting. I am working mostly on memory quilts right now. Thank you for letting me join your group. I look forward to chatting with you.

kkillian@novell.com - I am single, never married, no children; I love to do all sorts of handwork (quilting, tatting, knitting, crochet). I also love to cook, travel, read, and paint. I am a computer engineer for a computer software company. I have been quilting for about two years. I never wanted to learn but while on a visit to a quilt store with a friend of mine, I signed up for a Santa wallhanging by Debbie Mumm. That hooked me. I like primitive styles the best and love paper piecing. Well, enough about me. I look forward to being on this list. KarenK from Utah

ktetrick@pomeroy-wa.com - I'm Jackie from southeastern wa. I met Dana and Amanda at quilt camp in Nov. I want to join the fun! My DH (of 10 years) and I have 2 children Jamie 9 and Jessica 7, so we are always busy with them. The kids are involved in Boys and Girls Scouts and 4-H. I have been quilting for about 15 years. I also like to crochet, knit, sew clothes, do general crafts, read and am the girl scout leader. I am a nurse and work full time (it is somewhat flexible) for public health. I don't have alot of spare time but it is usually spent handquilting or piecing on the project that I'm working on. This year I've actually finished three quilts. Am excited to be on this list and want to meet everyone.

mariasweatfield@yahoo.com - Well, my daughter is 11 mos old, my unemployed husband 41. My daughter's older brother would have been 7 last month. Right now we are in the process of trying to get settled permanently somewhere where my husband can get work of some kind. He's kind of ran out of opportunities in the town we're in right now. Mama and Bill live in Fallon, my 5 sisters are who knows where. Except Elizabeth; she died at 14 months old of pneumonia. When I started quilting... I think I was about 6 or so, and Mama was making a Fairy Tales embroidered quilt for my sister Elizabeth. I asked her if I could help, and she said No, but here's one for you to do. I believe it was a 12-block Shoe Fly pattern with green sashing. I can not begin to tell you what happened to it, that was 20 years ago, after all! Maria in NV

mjsr@telusplanet.net - I'm a 32 year old SAHM to a 3 year old daughter (Basia), been married for 8 years to a great guy (Rick) and I am owned by my Jack Russell Terrorist of a dog (K'Niggit). I live in St. Albert, Alberta (which is about 10 kms north of Edmonton). Maureen (aka Mo) in Canada

mmcfa2@worldnet.att.net - I am mom to Grant, wife to Chuck and owned by two cats and a golden retriever. So when I get a little time to be me, I am a quilter and a nurse who practices in psychiatry. Quilting entered my life about 6 years ago, when on my honeymoon I found some must have fabric and had to do something with it. I went out and bought a used machine and went to work. The quilt was made with every possible mistake and alot of love for my new dear husband. About 100 or so quilts later, Here I sit, sometimes proficient at quilting. before the birth of my son I made about 3 quilts a month. Now, 3 or 4 a year, but I dearly love it. I own probably 50 percent of the quilt books on the market and have never had the fortune of taking a class, so those books have been my teachers. I love animals and home and dream of a place in the mountains where friends can come and stay for weeks, not hours. Kathryn

northwoodsquilter@yahoo.com - I am once again re-introducing myself. I have had the privilege of being a member of this wonderful quilters' group before but I had to leave. I really had no choice in that matter. Hopefully, things at this end have calmed themselves considerably so I can now remain here. I really missed all the fun that was going here. My name is Jeannie Zastawny and I am now 51 years old. I live here in Central New York, 350 miles due north of NYC. A quilters' passion of mine is anything woodsy. I just adore anything that McKenna Ryan turns out. I own both of her BOM series plus several other patterns. I also have three or four of Granola Girl's books. I guess I am just passionate about quilting the outdooors. Well, let me rephrase that: I am just passionate about quilting and fabric collecting - period. LOL It does not have to have an outdoors theme. Just toss me some fabric and a needle and thread. I'll be happy for hours!!

pdwag@hoosierlink.net - Diane Wagley - A little about myself. I have been quilting of and on for about 20 yrs. Mostly crazy quilts, using fabric from regular sewing projects. Learning to make different quilt blocks, thanks to the quilting pals I have made thru the quilting lists I am on. Have even met some of them in person. I have 3 married sons. And 7 gr'kids that I keep in supply of quilts. If it's their birthday, or Christmas, they get a quilt. LOLs. Married to my high school sweetheart for almost 35 yrs.

sandiemackintosh@yahoo.com - I am 36 and the adoptive mother of three special needs teenagers- James soon to be 18, Lissa 14, and Ian 14. They are all full siblings, and my husband's niece and nephews by birth, and have been with Dan and I for 5 1/2 years, since about a month before our marriage. (How they came to be with us is a story best left for "The Jerry Springer Show"!) I live in Western PA with my family and our border collie Ceilidgh, and feline from Hades, Grace.I have been a quilter for 19 years, and in my living room I have a long-arm machine patiently waiting to move into its studio, if life doesn't keep getting in the way of its completion! I too am a Thimbleberries addict, and my proudest quilting-related accomplishment was being selected as one of the 24 finalists in The American Patchwork & Quilting Magazine Thimbleberries Challenge. Had never shown my work anywhere or entered any contests but the lure of Thimbleberries was too much to resist!

shutchison@earthlink.net - I'm Sheila and I'm a quilter. LOL I live in Dallas, Texas, having moved here from Central Ohio a few years ago after getting my son tucked away into a university and decided it was time for "Mom" to be "Sheila" instead. My son is Chris, 21, who informed me last week he's getting married THIS summer instead of next summer. Thankfully it's to the same girl he planned to marry next summer. LOL In addition to my son, I share my life with my DSO (Norman) and his daughter, Alessandra, who's 6. Well, the truth is, I haven't "quilted" anything yet, but I've made quite a few tops in the past 1.5 years since bitten by the bug. BUT! Last night I did lay out and start to baste an I Spy top that's been finished for more than a year. :) I favor traditional blocks/quilts, and really love scrap quilts. I took an applique class a few months ago but haven't really applied it yet (no pun intended!). I didn't think I'd enjoy it, but I did... just have to wade through a few other projects before I start that. I'm involved in quite a few Round Robin/Pass-Around Quilt projects online, most of which are enjoyable. I also just joined a local guild and a mini-group from that guild. I had thought that this year I would like to finish all my UFO's before starting another project, but that's already gone out the window. LOL I spend more time online looking at others' quilts, getting new ideas, learning new techniques, and buying books and (more) fabric, than I do sewing.

sleepygal_101348@yahoo.com - Elaine - I am 51 yrs old and married to Terry for 27 years. We have 3 sons. Don, age 25, out on his own with his fiance. Jim, 23, still at home, just started new job and has a new girlfriend. And Tom, 20(on Nov.28), also out on his own with his fiance. When Tom moved out Aug.1 I got his bedroom to make into a sewing room!!! WHHOOO!!! I crochet, knit, cross stitch and work on genealogy. I also LOVE HOCKEY! Especially the Detroit Red Wings!!!!! I have been trying to learn to quilt off and on for 18 years, mostly off! I have taken a few classes but never gotten as far as actually QUILTING anything. I am in the midst of taking a class right now. Most of my previous classes have been hand-piecing/quilting ones. We have 2 kitties. Lucy, a 3 yr. old shorthaired calico. She is a survivor of the housefire we had last Christmas. And Bitsy, a b/w med. haired 7 1/2 month old "mutt". She is so sweet!! She thinks I'm her mama. She climbs up on me, "nurses" on the collar of whatever shirt I'm wearing and then falls asleep on me. She loves to do this while I'm on the computer. It was ok when she was tiny, but it's getting increasingly awkward. But I love her and don't mind all that much.

tjakson@hotmail.com - My name is Tracy and I am from Denmark in Western Australia. I am 38 years old (no telling anyone else) and have two children - a daughter Lauren (14) and a son Cameron (12). I have been very happily married for 20 years on the 24th November!! Howz that! I started quilting about 10 years ago by firstly doing a sampler quilt which was all done by hand. The teacher was simply dreadful - and kept referring to me as the slow one. I finished the course - and due to the trauma (sob) I eventually threw the quilt blocks all away and decided that I would never patchwork again. Then along came my dear friend Anne. She is my bestest friend even tho she is 62. She turned my life back into wonderful....You see at this time my real birth parents were causing a lot of problems for me - Anne stepped in and gave me so much love and understanding, she is now my surrogate mum and my kids call her Anne-ma. Anne is the greatest machine quilter you ever did see - and she showed me how to have fun sewing again. I realize that the teacher probably wasn't my problem - I just didn't like hand sewing and I suppose I expected better of myself. Now I quilt quilt and quilt whenever I can. I have a stash to die for - and have a happy balance once again in my life. I like to help out when I can, as do all quilters and send baby quilts to the local hospital for the babies that don't make it. It gives the parents something to remember the baby by or they decide to wrap the babe in luv as they say good bye. Quilting for me is a personal god-send and I really enjoy it.

tz@micron.net - I'm Tracey Zebedeo, and I know some of you all from other lists .... (Hi Ulrika!) I live in the panhandle of Idaho, moved there from Virginia with my husband and five children (18-9) My current projects are a hand pieced clam shell quilt (I am able to sew at my job), a machine pieced 30's top, and various UFO's.

ulrika@cyradisdata.com - Ulrika - I was born in 1971, which makes me 28 this year. I am married to Peter, since August 1 1998. I have two boys, Andreas who was born in 1993 (from a previous relationship) and Christian who was born in 1997 (Peter is his dad). We live in a house in a small town called Kopparberg, in Sweden. Kopparberg is about 240 km north west of Stockholm and about the same distance east from Oslo, Norway. :-) Kopparberg has about 4000 inhabitants and is surrounded by forests. In the middle of nowhere in other words... LOL I don't have a job, though I sometimes help Peter in his business (computers). My passion in life is sewing, and mainly quilting. I've only been at it since March this year, so I consider myself a beginner. I also love to read, mostly mysteries, and I like to knit, and well, all sorts of things really. I won't bore you with a long list. *smile*

vanshell@home.com - My name is Terry, and I have lived with Brian who is my DH, here in Southern Oregon since 1996. I have been quilting for almost that long; one day I walked into what has become my favorite LQS, and the rest is history. I took a class in Paper Piecing, and then another class in Paper Piecing; at which point I vowed I would never do any other kind of quilting! Yeah right! I am 47, and Brian and I made a joint decision not to have kids. We have 2 Labrador Retrievers and a cat, and those are enough KIDS for us! Our newest yellow lab is an 8-week-old puppy, and BOY is she cute! Her name is Molly, her "big brother" (1½ years) is Max, a black one; and our cat is Maggie. We love our animals. An accident (another LONG story) was responsible for a medical discharge from the Navy, where I was an RN, in 1987. Since then, I have a good income from a related lawsuit/annuity, so I am able to quilt, sew, take care of animals; basically do the things I love to do, while still having an income. I am SO lucky. My recovery has been almost total; I still have double vision and a right hip that gives me some trouble. But for someone that was comatose for 18 days with brain damage, etc. etc. etc., I feel blessed, and now I look at life with a whole new perspective.

If you have comments or questions, please email the list owner at dana@larkfarm.com.