For the Love of Creating

My dear Aunt Donna had the patience to teach me to hand-piece and hand-quilt a small doll quilt  when I was 12.  I worked on it my entire visit that summer.  It lovingly covered her sock monkey, Ziffield Horatio, for years and now it's in my shop. It was then that I knew I loved quilting but little did I know it would be some nine years later that the love would be renewed through new  techniques, encouragement to be creative, and being reunited  through  someone with sheer natural talent  —  my (then) soon-to-be mother-in-law.

I set  straight  into  my  first  full-sized  strip-pieced,  hand-quilted,  72”x70” quilt.  You‘ll  see it hanging  in the  shop.  It has been  loved  and  used  and  treated  like  a  member  of  the  family.   It  made sense  it  debuted  in  the  store.  Over the years and as life goes I went on stints of quilting and not quilting so much but always loving it when I did.

Six years ago, a change in employers brought me to Winnipeg and a lucky day at a fabric store a little  over  four  years  ago  connected  me  with  a  new  friend  and  an incredible  close-knit  community  of  quilters,  crafters,  and  genuinely  incredible  people  from  all  backgrounds,  all  skill  levels,  and  all  age  groups.  

My passion  for  quilt-making  was once again  restored!

My  first  full  year  here,  I completed  6  projects, my  next  full year  here  12,  last  year  18, and  in 2019, 4  quilts, countless samples  +  1  entire  quilt  shop!!!  Since then I've run my little shop with the door locked longer than when it was unlocked and I've still managed to meet such an incredible group of artisans.

Why  Design Wall?

Because  I wanted  to  help expand the  passion,  creativity  &  pure  enjoyment  of  those  around  me. One  of  my core  values  is  creating  something  where  once  there  was  nothing. What  better  way  than  through  that  which  I too  am  passionate?

To all those  who  learn  this  craft  through Design Wall, I dedicate  that  to  the  memory of  Aunt  Donna.

To all  those  who will  have  the  flame  sparked  or  rekindled,   I  dedicate  that  to  Kathy.

To  all  those  needing  to  find  their  way,  I welcome  you  to  Design  Wall  like Susan  welcomed  me  to  the  Winnipeg  community of quilters & artisans.

Sew happy to be here with you!  Sew excited to see your excitement too!

Thank you - you’re all the reason I’m here.

~Simone Clayton