Coastal Carolina Quilters
of Surfside Beach, SC
Kathy Aparicio
I was very fortunate to have a mother that was a tailor and a seamstress. I remember watching my mother create beautiful wedding gowns; seeing all of the hours of work and care that went into each one of these creations. It wasn’t long before I’d sit beside her learning the basics; from hand stitching to garment construction. The more she would give me do, the more I wanted to take on and learn. She was an excellent teacher, stressing the basics of good materials and good construction. Thus my love of fabric and design was born and how the road ahead was being paved.
I spent countless hours with my mother shopping for just the right fabric, drafting proper patterns, practicing basic construction, and adding beautiful embellishments and finishing touches. The emphasis always being on quality. As these formative years passed I worked hard to win my mother’s approval and so she gave me more and more to do. Before I realized it I was working side by side with her and had become part of her business.
The years went by quickly. I had 2 children and I spent many hours creating clothing for them. As the times changed so did my interests. I needed something new and different. At that point I started working with home décor, and did so for many years. In 2000 I relocated from New Jersey to Florida.
By 2001, I was looking to replace my sewing machine by that time was at least 25 years old. As luck would have it, I found my prospective new machine very near my home. Moreover, I found something new that would get my creative juices flowing at a very high rate. Quilting! It had been many years since I had something new and exciting to learn. I dedicated a huge number of hours taking lessons and trying my hand at this new craft with endless possibilities.
In 2006 we moved to Myrtle Beach and I continued making quilts. They were mostly utilitarian pieces at that stage. However, I joined a number of guilds and met new friends and a new mission. We explore quilting through the eyes of an artist. This medium is only limited to our imagination and our willingness to try new things both in design and technique.
Since coming to Myrtle Beach I’ve been honored to receive a number of awards and prizes.