A Quilt by Dolores
Dolores Schilling
I was a sewer from a young age. My mom used to sew us our clothing and at one time, she was a manufacturer of many sewn items under her own label with two of her own stores! I guess I gained the ability to sew through osmosis because we do not remember there being actual instructions on How To Sew. I would get help with patterns; but actual instruction on how to sew or use the machine? We don't recall this ever happening.
One day, after not having sewn anything for almost a decade, I made a quilt for friends who were having a baby. The quilt was small but completely hand done and even hand quilted. Immediately the work involved in making such a precious gift was dismissed and made out to be insignificant. Needless to say, I was very discouraged, and it was a long while later before I made another quilt.
When I did, the quilt was for friends with whom I’d met while on a trip. They had recently engaged, and I was invited to their wedding. When their Big Day came and the gift was presented, it was very well received.
Later that year, I made a pieced quilt (self-designed) for my first born son. I soon discovered that I sewed as a way of getting time to myself and I enjoyed what I was making. It was when I was in the throws of burning-the-candle-at-both-ends, when I would do my midnight (literally) sewing; literally nursing my 3rd child and getting just a few stitches in at the same time.
Jump ahead a few years and I was making 100cm x 100cm blankets for Lethbridge Victim Services. Simple, but enabled me to work on and build my quilting skills. I gained a lot of knowledge from taking an on-line quilting course around in the early 2000's. It gave me the courage to do ‘my own thing’ and I have been off and stitching ever since. Now a quilter for over 20 years, and as a business since 2017, I absolutely LIVE to quilt.
I am a member of the Lethbridge Centennial Quilters Guild and I donate my time and skills to quilt some of their Community Quilts. I have donated my time and products to various community initiatives such as Stitch It Forward Society, Rise Above Mental Health & Community Support Group, Victims Services, Alberta Health Services (Pincher Creek, Coaldale and Lethbridge hospitals) and many more. Throughout these organizations and others, I have created and donated over 350 quilts.
Over the years, I have taken hands on courses from Carrie Behlke (Carrie-On-The-Prairie) and Sharon Blackmore (Loveshack Quilts, Praire Quilt Militia) and online training from Karlee Porter, Angela Walters, Tracey Gardner (APQS), Angela Huffman (APQS), Hester Helena Jeffrey (Lady Jane Quilting), Lisa Calle and more.
I absolutely LOVE Custom and Heirloom quilting; just have a peek at my work and see what can be produced with a little love and time. I can make those features POP for you
Have a piece that is special to you? Let me help you finish it.
Edge to Edge quilting is available with a selection of 100+ pantograph patterns to choose from.
*Traditional style t-shirt quilts, Memory quilts, Photo quilts, lap quilts, baby-twin-double-queen-king quilts, table runners and placemats - I’ve done them all.
Rates: E2E starts at $0.025/square inch
Custom stitching rates vary, please inquire with your project.
Longarm Training available on request
