Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Mary Wickersham

Mary first made a quilt with her grandmother in the 1950s, maybe when she was in the first grade. It was six, half square triangles on both sides of the quilt. However, she began quilting with Kathy in 1994 at San Lorenzo Adult School. She started in Baby Beginners on Thursday night then move to Wednesday mornings for a couple of years. She was on and off for a while but then settled into Thursday night.

Tired of making clothes, Mary had a work friend who quilted and invited her to San Lorenzo Adult School but Mary also took a class a Going To Pieces in Pleasanton.  She loves the feel of the textiles and favors hand quilting and hand appliqué.

She has a daughter who teaches in San Ramon who is married to a very nice man and is a CPA. Mary is still hoping for grandchildren. She grew up in San Jose and is fifth generation Californian. Now she lives in Danville.

Mary is getting back into cooking and has discovered 30-minute meals turn out FANTASTIC! She also enjoys reading and gardening. She hikes, loves movies and can’t wait to see “Lincoln Lawyer.”

A little know fact about Mary – her last Milestone Birthday – she went zip-lining in Canada.  On a calmer note, she will do the “Gadspy Pick Nick” where they dress in period clothing (20s and 30s).  Her other bucket list item is traveling to Italy to learn cooking.

Charity Quilt

Today I received a photo of one of our charity quilts....hanging in one of FESCO's shelters - it looks great!  I know all the families who visit there will be welcomed....just like home!

Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Cindy Ayers

Cindy began quilting 24 years ago – she knows because her youngest daughter is 24, almost 25. She always wanted to quilt in High School during the 70's quilting revival but waited until she was having a child. Her grandmother was from Arbuckel, CA, pop 1000. The aunties had quilts hanging from the ceiling – on pulleys to raise and lower the quilt frame with the quilt in progress.

She got the flyer from the San Lorenzo Adult School and started quilting with Kathy in 1988.  Cindy was 30 and Kathy was 32. Kathy’s boys were only 12 then. In those days baby beginners was on Monday. After moving the baby beginners class to Thursday, most of the ladies stayed in Monday.  Cindy remembers Kathy back then being the Chief of the Quilting Police.  No rotary cutters, they used cardboard cut-outs and hand piecing only!!!!

Born and raised in the Bay Area, except four years in LA, Cindy lives in San Lorenzo. She was born in Eden Hospital in Castro Valley.

Tim, Cindy’s husband, and she have been married for 33 years. They were High School sweethearts. Tim is still the love of her life and her best friend. She is dying for grandkids!!! Cindy would have loved more children, but had lots of trouble carrying the babies to term. Her youngest was born at 35 weeks after mom went into early labor at 26 weeks.

Cindy is our embellishment queen putting beads and stuff on everything. She loves embroidery and is learning crochet.  She also enjoys gardening, cooking and reading but mainly quilts.

Growing up in a Catholic family, she has five brothers and sisters. (Three of each).  Most people don’t know she has so many children in her family.  They aren’t as close as people might think. Family dynamics are hard to manage.

I so enjoyed hearing about Kathy IN THE OLD DAYS from Cindy. Such a sweet lady.  Cindy declined having her picture inserted. But we know who she is.

Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Diana Davallou

Diana began quilting six to seven years ago with Kathy in the Wednesday morning class. Having made dolls and sewed for 15 years, her sisters – quilters both – (one sister doesn’t quilt) encouraged her to make quilts.

One of the other ladies in her church who played hand-bells, mentioned San Lorenzo Adult School and Diana joined ASAP!

Diana Johnson told her about Pieced Together Quilters and she joined last winter.  Diana so loves being with people who have the same interest and learn new things and socialize with loving quilters.

We love Pieced Together Quilters – as Diana says – because it was as if  we all came here alone. There was no long history of being together and forming cliques but we were able to come together quickly as friends.

Married 43 years to the most wonderful man in the world. Diana’s husband is Persian – they we met in college in Montana. David was studying mechanical engineering and Diana was studying psychology. They met in a college bar and when Diana saw him across the dance floor – she fell in love! It was December 1^st and they were married June 11 – just six months later.

They have a boy and a girl who gave them three grandchildren.  Diana was born in Montana and came to the Bay Area by way of Oregon. After a few years in Oregon, work brought them to Fremont. They now live in Oakland.

Diana is a twin. Her fraternal twin sister is also a quilter and lives in Bend, Oregon.  

Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Linda Louise Long

Our sweet Linda began quilting in 1999 but started buying the magazines in the 1970s. So, she has wanted to quilt forever! She began quilting at Hayward Adult School in 1999. After the Hayward school was cancelled she and her best quilting buddy, Linda Blackburn, transferred to San Lorenzo Adult School with Kathy in the intermediate class. They had finished their sampler quilts but after spending time in Kathy’s class, they moved back to baby-beginners to learn “Kathy’s” way.

She had wanted to quilt after seeing a Crazy Quilt on display at the Oakland Museum. It made her heart stop! She stood and stared at it for at least two hours. This mush have been around the early 1980s.  She thought it was too special a skill that she’d never master but her sister signed them up at the Hayward class.

Married to the most wonderful man in the world since 1970, 41 years in July, they have two daughters and one grandson. She gets to sit with "Jack Danger" four times a week. Isn’t being a grandmother bliss!

Linda was born in Hayward and excepted for two years in Oregon, she has lived in Hayward all her life.

A little known fact is Linda volunteers for the Hayward Police Department, is a block captain in the neighborhood watch, supplies goodies to the DUI checkpoints and was the DARE organizer for over ten years.  She was PTA president and room mother even though she doesn’t drive! She had a day care in her home for over 30 years.

Linda collects antique dolls, doll houses and teddy bears. At one point she had a doll hospital but we know her best as the Yo-Yo queen.

Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Sharon Clarke

Quilting since 2001 in Kathy’s class, Sharon never quilted prior to that date. She lived in Napa for 22 years raising miniature horses and chickens and llamas but never quilted. She’d made horse blankets and dog blankets and was ready for a real challenge. She moved here to take care of her dad, who passed away in 2008.

Her sister,  Linda, was in Kathy’s class and invited her to join San Lorenzo Adult School.

Sharon has always wanted to quilt so three days after arriving she joined Kathy’s class two weeks late into baby beginners. Known as one of Kathy’s “Over-Achievers,” Sharon demonstrated a quilt-as-you-go project my first meeting with Pieced Together Quilters. It was a fantastic lesson and one I always wanted to try.

Sharon grew up in Washington Manor and her dad was in the Navy. They moved between Alameda and Naval Station San Diego. After retiring from the Navy, her father owned an air charter service.

This is the first time in her life she hasn’t had an animal – after losing her dog and cat in 2006, she hasn’t replaced the little critters. She took care of her dad and now feels a little lonely.

Gardening, canoeing and fishing are great outings for Sharon but she also crochets to keep her hands busy.

She has two boys, one in Minnesota is the oldest and the second son is in Washington State. He is a professor of economics at Pacific Lutheran Universary. He is married with two grandchildren, a boy and girl. Granny quilts for EVERONE!

A little known fact is Sharon super Sci-Fi fan. She loves Star Trek, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel – anything that is “way-out.”

Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Jo Anna Collins

Jo Anna began quilting 11 years ago but has always sewed.  She was a tailor and a sewer and began sewing in 4H in junior high school. Jo Anna’s mother, even though she hated home-made anything – bought Jo Anna a sewing machine.

Joining Kathy’s class around 2000, she took baby-beginners but never finished the quilt. She didn't like the colors and finally donated the UFOs to a guild.

Kathy and her two boys used to shop in Jo Anna’s store, but didn’t remember her when Jo Anna joined San Lorenzo Adult School.

When she learned she was having a grandchild, a friend insisted Jo Anna make a quilt for the new baby. Pink quilt is not her color but she made a pink and purple – baby-doll – quilt for the new granddaughter. After finishing that quilt, Jo Anna joined Kathy’s class.

She loves to bake but doesn’t enjoy cooking. However, her husband and her mother-in-law really like to eat so, Jo Anna cooks. Her favorite thing to do is make chocolate chip cookies and her oldest granddaughter comes to help her bake cookies. Married for 47 years, Jo Anna has been cooking and cleaning and doing all the wifely chores for Ron – the father of her two boys. Some of her other hobbies are gardening and reading – Civil War books. (Civil war quilting books, histories, biographies).

Jo Anna is one of our long-arm quilters – working for 7 ½ years. It was an easy transition from piecing to long-arm quilting and she loves every minute of it. She grew up in Castro Valley and lives right around the corner from her old homestead.

A little known fact – Jo Anna is a tap-dancer, having tapped for eight years. She dances at “Bedazzled” dance school in San Leandro.  

Who’s Who in Pieced Together - Juanita Jones

Juanita Jones began quilting in 1982 with Linda Cumming and Kathy Honeycutt was her classmate then.  Juanita misses Kathy so much – after having has so many years to learn from her – it is a daily reminder just how special Kathy was.

She started quilting with her other friends – but Juanita had always done hand sewing and embroidery and loved working with her hands. She most enjoys small projects but she and her mother hand pieced and quilted a double wedding ring. They won a First Place ribbon from the Alameda County Fair.

Some of her other hobbies are gardening, reading (books and magazines) mostly Romantic Novels and biographies.  She is a good cook and can get something on the table quickly – to joy of her family.

Juanita has been married since 1969 – 41 years – to the greatest man in the world, Paul. He retired from the railroad and Juanita retired last year from the Castro Valley School District. They have two daughters and one granddaughter – the joy of her life. The sweet baby is seven years-old and plays basketball, soccer, sings – dances and loves to read books.

A dear friend mentioned Pieced Together Quilters. Juanita was in Monday night class at San Lorenzo Adult School and particularly loves our group because we all knew and love Kathy.  It is so easy to talk about Kathy here and we don’t feel disrespectful to the leader.

A little known fact about Juanita is she would love to travel in Europe, especially France and Italy. She would love to sit in the sidewalk café and watch the Parisians walk by.