November 2006

Pat Mensing

1.     How did you get started in quilting?

I spent many years sitting near my mother while she quilted.  My quilted for many years and pieced all of her quilts by hand.  In 1976 my son was graduating from college in the upper peninsula of Michigan. Since he was graduating and it was the bicentennial of America I thought I make a red, white, and blue quilt for him.  It was going to be a 13 hour trip (one way) to his graduation so I thought I’d have all this time to sew the squares by hand in the car.  I bought the material and was ready for the trip.  My mother had always pieced her quilts by hand so I just thought that was the way it was done.  By the time the trip to my son’s graduation was ended I had exactly 2 squares completed.  All I can say is my son did get his red, white, and blue quilt but it was NOT in 1976.  Since then I have come to realize it goes much faster using the sewing machine.

I am friends of Sharon Knoop who took me to my first quilt guild meeting in March of 1996 and have been active in the guild ever since.

2.     What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Raising my family.  All my children, grandchildren and one great grandchild have quilts!

3.     Have you ever put one of your quilted pieces in a quilt show?

Not in a juried show.  No – No – No!  I know what’s wrong with each of my quilts.  I do not need anyone else telling me what’s wrong as well.

4.     Finish these sentences.

I still can’t get the hang of . . .

   Curved piecing

The biggest enemy of creativity is . . .

   I don’t know.  I am not very creative.  Some people have the innate ability to create.  I also have trouble with color.  I rely on the people who work in the quilt shops to help make color suggestion.

5.     What was your worst quilting disaster?

My first appliqué – absolutely VERY bad.  I keep it around as a gentle reminder of how bad I was when I first started and how far I have come over the years.

6.     Which quilter’s work do you most admire and why?

From a personal/local view – Carol Swope.  She is so low key and her work is BEAUTIFUL. 

I most admire professional quilters:

Mary Clark

Carol Armstrong (appliqué artist)

Irma Gail Hatcher – www.irmagailhatcher.com

7.     What creative endeavor do you plan to learn next?

I want to continue to learn more about hooking.  I find it most challenging and relaxing.  I was fortunate enough to attend a rug hooking camp this past summer.

8.     What advice would you give to someone starting out in quilting?

Just keep going – endure – keep trying new things.  We are our own worst enemies; we are usually VERY critical of ourselves.  Just do the best that you can do and remember that there is always room for improvement.