A Journey Through Time
In 1982, my husband and I lived in a small apartment outside of New York City. Having recently moved there from my home-state of Ohio, I found myself far removed from the quilt shops that abounded in Ohio. My local store was Judie and Bob Rothermel's, The Schoolhouse Quilt Shop, and I missed them and the store terribly.
My husband, who has always been my guiding light and most avid supporter, suggested that I use my teaching skills to form my own classes for the various Continuing Education classes in the area. This would provide me the opportunity to keep up my own hand piecing skills and have a network of friends in my new community. Because my space was so limited, I began piecing samples for my classes in miniature. I formulated pattern booklets for each student to have, and included wonderful metal templates that I bought from Roy Daniel in Maine. I had discovered his tin template business at the Schoolhouse, as Judie used them for her classes.
My classes went well and just as they were becoming quite popular, we decided that a move outside the New York City area was needed. We had a baby now, and wanted a house and more outside space. After much research, we chose to move to Vermont. I was ecstatic! Certainly, now, I would be near many quilt shops! To my dismay, I discovered that only a few dotted the area. Now with TWO babies, and a small mail order business for my miniature patterns in place, I was thrilled when Mr. Daniel offered me his template business. I had also discovered by then the Shelburne Museum, which gave me exposure to antique quilts that I had never had before.
After several years of living in the area and working at my small business, I approached the Shelburne Museum about patterning their antique quilts so the general public could make reproductions of their wonderful collection. They were enthusiastic about the idea and the rest, as they say, is history. It took several years (between raising children and a dog) to establish this new niche of my business. I was then offered the opportunity to work with RJR Fashion Fabrics who produced fabric lines from the Shelburne Museum and C & T Publishing who asked me to write the patterns for Enduring Grace; Quilts from the Shelburne Museum Collection. This project has led to working with Old Sturbridge Village, the Lancaster Quilt and Textile Museum, and the New England Quilt Museum as a licensed designer to pattern their quilt collections. Another highlight in my career was an invitation to tape a segment on HGTV's Quilts with Alex Anderson.
I presently have 18 museum reproduction patterns, and a couple of my own patterns of miniature quilts, with more to come, and am no longer involved with the metal templates. I sell both wholesale and retail. The immediate future finds me continuing my work with The Shelburne Museum and completing the pattern for The Major Ringgold Quilt which is a beautiful 1850 Baltimore Album Quilt. It is being issued one block at a time with each block instructions containing lots of history!
What does the future entail? I love hand piecing, antique quilts and miniatures. I will continue with my hand piecing classes with an extra emphasis on museum quilts. Retirement from writing more museum patterns is in the near future, however.
My objective with these patterns is to write them with an attention to detail. I want to entice the modern day quilter whether he/she is compelled to make the quilt or not, and I want to perpetuate an interest in the old construction methods and an appreciation of the roots of the modern day methods. My patterns include The Historical Method of construction and The Modern Method of construction within one pattern, so the reproduction can be pieced by either the hand or machine piecer. Many people have told me that since they can never afford an antique quilt, this is the next best thing!
I have been very fortunate. My husband, Mike, my two girls, and four beautiful grandchildren are the love of my life. My family has been supportive, encouraging, and thrilled for me as each opportunity arises. I have become acquainted with the wonderful people at the various museums, C&T Publishing, the staff of Simply Quilts, Florence Peto's family, Red Rooster Fabrics, Newcastle Fabrics, not to mention all the quilters who continue to inspire me with kind letters, phone calls, and emails. I have also been on the ground floor of a wonderful project that transcends all quilters - the reproduction of patterns and fabrics of antique quilts from beautiful museums that may otherwise have remained unnoticed to the average quilter. It's almost worth the fact that I don't have time to quilt myself anymore!
You can read more about Froncie and HOOPLA at: https://www.hooplapatterns.com/about-us.htm
