Who’s Who in Pieced Together Quilters - Loretta Phillips

Loretta Phillips doesn’t know how long she’s been quilting, but it must be at least 20 years. She had always sewed and taught across the playground from Kathy Honeycutt and Linda Cumming so decided to join the fun!  She took baby beginner class in 1975 from Linda Cumming.  She still has her sampler quilt – not completely finished.  Her granddaughter has a messy room so doesn’t get the quilt until her bedroom is in shape to appreciate the quilt.  One summer when she had nothing to do, she made nine baby quilts for a great grand baby and her granddaughter had her pick of quilts when the wee one was born. Loretta is very organized!  After I showed her a picture of my sewing room she thinks I’d croak if I saw her sewing room – it is so neat and put away.  All her fabric is in binds and color coded.

Married 57 years to her high school sweetheart, Doug, they have two daughters, five grandchildren and one great grandson. The great grandson has lots of quilts!  Loretta grew up in Oakland and now has lived 50 years in Castro Valley.

Other that quilting, her teaching certification is in sewing, knitting and crocheting. She taught at San Lorenzo Adult School for 21 years and retired 15 years ago. So, Loretta still knits and crochets every day. It also gave her a great chance to get to know all of the San Lorenzo Adult School students. 

Cooking is not one of her hobbies, she cooks only to eat. She reads all kinds of  books. Her favorite activity is camping. She and Doug camped in Alaska for 22 summers. She knows how to catch and cook salmon. (She also knows how to freeze, smoke and can salmon too).

She has a real soft spot for animals and is wearing a gecko charm on her necklace, loon earrings and loon markings on her socks.  In Alaska the loons are in salt water and they are huge!  She has two cats, Candy and Baby. Candy is a calico and Baby is sand colored Domestic Short Haired and Candy is a wicked sister who beats up little Baby daily. Baby is now almost five year old.