2019 Featured Quilter

Pat Sprecher

My path to quilting began many years ago, in my early 20’s, but unfortunately I didn’t take my first quilting class until 2009. I spent many years doing everything from knitting, crocheting, tatting, crafting, painting, drawing, framing, and any other art- related technique I could find. But I never had time or resources to begin quilting until two years before I retired from a 30 plus year career with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I retired from my Human Resource career with the Department of Corrections after serving as the Chief of Transactions and Payroll Section. Ensuring that 17,000 plus employees got paid every two weeks took a toll and I decided quilting would be much better for my health and sanity.

I started quilting thinking that old-fashioned hand quilting is what I wanted to learn to do first. But the thoughtful and knowledgeable folks at my local Hershey quilt shop guided me to take a machine quilting class, starting with a simple nine-patch table runner. I fell in love immediately. My second project was a quilt pattern that I had been carrying around with me since my late 20’s...a queen size bed quilt with applique cats. The rest is history...I try to take as many classes, read as much as I can about quilting, new techniques, talk to as many quilters as possible to learn as much as possible about all things related to quilting and fabric. I now have the disease most quilters have...I’m a fabric-aholic.

Still being a permanent resident of Middletown, PA makes me an official snow-bird, a designation that I am desperately trying to change to full time Myrtle Beach resident. My husband and I love the Myrtle Beach area and I’m keeping my fingers crossed I’ll be here permanently very soon.

I belong to both Coastal Carolina Quilters and Grand Strand Quilters in addition to my Pennsylvania guilds, Piecemakers of Middletown and the American Sewing Guild. I’m also a member of the Myrtle Beach Shore Birds, Quilts of Valor. I love making quilt tops that I know will go to deserving veterans in our area here in Myrtle Beach.

In addition to my sewing guilds I’m also a member of the PA Ladies’ VFW Auxiliary, Post 1620 and a member of the Women of the Moose, Lodge 410, both in Middletown, PA.

One last thing...remember...sharing our knowledge through fellowship and friendship, about all things sewing, is the thread that binds us all together.