Hey! I’m Jess.
My friends and family also call me Jessie. Just don’t call me Jessica - it’s a sure-fire sign that we don’t know each other and I don’t want that to be true.
I love helping people who love to quilt!
Since 2019, my main gig is the “commissioner” of Longarm League. It’s a membership of longarm quilters who are in the business of quilting for others. We have a small team that works hard providing relevant resources for today’s longarm quilters, including supporting first time business owners through their beginning steps in a class called Rookie Season. I also design digital pantographs for computerized quilting machines.
I’ve got 17 years of quilting under my belt and 10 years of longarm quilting expertise. I've had quilts featured in Quilts and More, Love Patchwork and Quilting, QuiltCon Magazine, and have self-published a number of patterns.
Sea of Stars quilt in the Winter 2019 issue of Quilts and More.
Used with permission from Quilts and More™ magazine. ©2019 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.
Yes, I have a thing for star quilts. You might know me as the feathered star lady. I realllllly like using fun and modern color combos for this traditional block. I've kind of gone overboard in writing instructions for a bunch of different sizes of feathered stars for both paper piecing fans and non-paper piecing fans. The one below is 36" square, which is basically giant.
Personal tid-bits:
I was raised in small-town Iowa and graduated in a class of about 60.
I go to a shopping mall about once a year, and even then it’s not because I want to. It's pretty much online shopping (including groceries) or nothing. Shopping avoidance is STRONG with me.
I once had 2 babies 12 months and 25 days apart. That was different.
When my oldest son was born, he had 15 blood-related and living grandparents! We were able to take a 5-generation picture 4 different ways!
I listen to audiobooks and podcasts as much as possible. I play Tetris to problematic levels.
My celebrity crushes in the past have included Tim Russert (of Meet the Press) and David Gilmour of Pink Floyd (more like pictures of David Gilmour circa 1972 - google if you must). Don't worry, my husband knows about this.
I dabbled in homeschooling one of my sons for two years (and loved it, actually).
I’m fluent in movie quotes, but only if they’re 25 years or older. Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Dirty Dancing, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Wayne’s World, Waiting for Guffman, Raising Arizona… oh man, CLASSICS!
Although I don’t design and write quilting patterns as much these days, I have a library of patterns that I’m still very proud of. I want them to inspire you–of course–but I also want to share my experience and techniques along the way. I want quilters to have more fun, create wonderful quilts, and love more people through the gift of quilt-making.
