Who's Who in Pieced Together Quilters

Kristy Hanson

When one of her twin daughters learned she was pregnant, Kristy decided it was about time she learned how to quilt. That grandson, Adam, is now nine years old. She took a class at In Between Stitches in Pleasanton in 2001 and that first quilt was fussy cut three feet square. Since it’s a boy’s quilt, Kristy used animal prints. The quilt stays at her house for Adam to use when he visits Nana K. Kristy’s granddaughter, Rachel, attends Orion Elementary School in Redwood City. She is the lucky little girl who gets her Nana every week to teach sewing to her first grade class.

Kristy met Nan (Nancy Gerace from Kathy’s Tuesday night class and Pieced Together Quilters evening group) in 2004 when they both took a class at Adobe Art Center in Castro Valley. A little known fact: Kristy is naturally an introvert but worked hard to be the outgoing, happy lady we know now. She had grown up a Navy brat and had to move often – never having close friends. Kristy said she was very intimidated by Nan and another lady from San Lorenzo Adult School Tuesday night, M.J., and didn’t get close to them at this time. Later, Kristy was shopping in Smart and Final and kept running into a lady in the aisles who looked familiar but couldn’t place her. Finally at the checkout counter they recalled it was quilt class. Nan mentioned she attended San Lorenzo Adult School so they both took Kathy’s baby beginner class maybe in 2005.

One of the very interesting things about Kristy and Nan is they are probably some sort of soul mates as their lives keep intertwining. Although a non-Catholic, Kristy attended Catholic High School and one of her teachers, a then priest, also taught Nan’s son at Ohlone. He is no longer a priest, but is still a beloved teacher. Many of their family members are in touch in various other ways.

Some of Kristy’s other hobbies are gardening, cooking, traveling and golf. She has been married 41 years and calls her husband her best friend. When they married everyone gave them two weeks. Now most of those nay-sayers are divorced.

When asked how she came to Pieced Together Quilters she said it was the e-mail notices she sent out. You may recall Kristy kept us up-to-date about Kathy’s progress while she was in the hospital and had the sad task of e-mailing us when Kathy passed away. Our sweet Joy e-mailed Kristy and invited her to join the Pieced Together Quilters group. Kristy was still very sad and grieving in profound ways but decided to call Joy back. Kristy teared up telling me about the first time they spoke. She said that Joy turned her heart. “I mean, her name is Joy!”

Kristy said we all need to reach out to each other more - not less. We never know when we will need each other. Our quilting group has filled her life with happiness – thanks to Joy.