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 quilted for the Stitch It Forward Society and I steadily donate items to the Rise Above Mental Health & Community Support Group. Throughout these organizations and others, I aim to create and donate a minimum of 12 quilts annually (1/month).
Over the years, I have taken hands on courses from Carrie Behlke (Carrie-On-The-Prairie) and Sharon Blackmore and online training from Angela Walters, Tracey Gardner, Angela Huffman, 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 almost 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 starting at $0.06/square inch
Longarm Training available on request
