Frances "Sue" Whitaker

Frances "Sue" Whitaker

April 23, 2003

2019oh0434_qsosde0021
DE19711-005

Whitaker discusses her involvement in quilting. In particular, she discusses why she became involved with long arm quilting as a style. She notes how she develops patterns and ideas with her clients, as well as where her quilts have gone following their completion.

audio

Quilting shops

Quilts.

Quilting.

Sewing machines.

Frances "Sue" Whitaker

Linda Brammer

Janneken Smucker

5.2 2019oh0434_qsosde0021 Interview with Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker, April 23, 2003 2019oh0434_qsosde0021 qsosde Quilt Alliance’s Quilters' S.O.S.- Save Our Stories Oral History Project: Delaware Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries Quilting shops Quilts. Quilting. Sewing machines. Frances Whitaker Linda Brammer Long arm quilting Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker Linda Brammer 2019oh0434_qsosde0021_whitaker_acc001.mp3 0 https://oralhistory.uky.edu/spokedbaudio/2019oh0434_qsosde0021_whitaker_acc001.mp3 Other NULL audio 13 Personal background / Quilt she brought to the interview Um, this is Linda Brammer. Whitaker provides her basic background information and how she created this quilt after she retired. She describes her quilts as watercolor quilts. She discusses her disinterest in wreaths and garlands as design choices, opting instead for a baby giraffe design for this quilt. Baby giraffe quilt ; Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Linda Brammer ; Retirees ; Watercolor quilts ; West Virginia natives Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 118 Process of making her giraffe quilt --had all those fabrics in your stack to start off with, or did you a lot of, um, chopping to come up with all that? Whitaker discusses the process of making the quilt. She notes that she already had the fabrics without needing to alter it. She describes this as her first &quot ; real&quot ; quilt. She talks about finding and adapting the design from a children's book. Whitaker describes the process as a stress release. She notes that this quilt was designed to be hung, and was displayed at the Delaware Museum of Natural History. Children's book grid ; Delaware Museum of Natural History ; First &quot ; real&quot ; quilt ; Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Giraffe quilt ; In stack fabrics ; Jungle fabrics ; Linda Brammer ; Stress release ; Tiger fabrics ; Watercolor quilts Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 39.798210, -75.609797 17 Delaware Museum of Natural History (Wilmington, Del.) 255 Origin of interest in quilting Tell me about your interest in, in quilting? At what age did you start quilting? Whitaker discusses her interest in quilting. She describes how she first became interested in quilting around 35 or 40 years of age. She notes that she learned a little from her mother, but mostly was self-taught and used classes to learn how to quilt. Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Gift quilts ; Interest in quilting ; Linda Brammer ; Quilting classes ; Quilting interest ; Self-taught Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 317 Introduction to long arm quilting --more about how you got into, um, the long arm quilting business and, and, what, what possessed you to --(laughs)--to, um, buy a q--a long arm quilting machine? Whitaker discusses how she came to learn about long arm quilting. She discusses how it began following her retirement and her displeasure at using a regular sized sewing machine. She notes how she bought a long arm sewing machine around 1994 based on several advertisements she saw. Advertisements ; Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Linda Brammer ; Long arm quilting ; Long arm quilting machine ; Retirees Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 402 Clients' quilts Do you know what happens to your quilts after they leave you at the quilt--quilted, and, you know, are they entered in shows, or do people get back to you about where your quilts have gone? Whitaker discusses what happens to the quilts she helps make for her clients following finishing them. She notes how few people actually tell her what happens with the quilts, which she occasionally helps bind. She also discusses how there has been an increase in quilting classes compared to when she first started. Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Linda Brammer ; Quilt binding ; Quilting business ; Quilting clients Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 447 Membership in the International Machine Quilter's Association --a little bit about your association with the, uh, Long Arm Quilting Association. Whitaker discusses her connections with long arm quilting associations. In particular, she notes her work with the International Machine Quilter's Association in Springfield, Illinois. She talks about how the association will have six-thousand quilters coming to Springfield in May for a convention. She notes the tools and resources the association has, as well as some basic information about the guild. Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; International Machine Quilter's Association ; Linda Brammer ; Long arm quilters ; Long arm quilting ; Long Arm Quilting Association ; Springfield (Ill.) Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 525 Quilting and family Uh, you mentioned having some quilters in your family. What is your first quilt memory? Whitaker discusses the relationship between quilting and her family, noting that quilting plays a large role in her personal life. She discusses how as a judge for quilting competitions, she will often get calls to home which requires her husband to get involved and take those calls. Family quilting ; Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Husbands ; Linda Brammer ; Quilting family ; Quilting friends ; Quilting judging ; Quilting juries Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 626 Pleasure of quilting --you find pleasing about quilting? Whitaker discusses what she enjoys the most about quilting. She notes that she enjoys the challenge of colors and making a perfect project. If she is not pleased, she is willing to start over. Her least enjoyable aspect is when she is forced to work with a small sewing machine. She discusses enjoying binding and creating new projects as well. Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Linda Brammer ; Quilt binding ; Quilt projects ; Quilting colors ; Small sewing machines Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 709 Designing quilts with clients How do you--what kind of quilting should be done on? Whitaker discusses designing quilts with clients, and how she determines what sort of quilt they are looking for. She notes that she is often trusted to provide her own personal tastes as an expert quilter. In those cases, she notes how she takes a couple of weeks and uses reference books to help design the quilt. Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Linda Brammer ; Long arm quilting ; Quilting business ; Quilting clients ; Quilting experience ; Quilting experts Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 801 Artistically appealing quilts What makes a quilt artistically powerful? Whitaker discusses what she considers an artistically powerful quilt. She discusses how soft colors appeal to her, as well as the quality of the stitching. She notes that she appreciates well done quilts that are not necessarily incredibly elaborate. She discusses her appreciation of the technical proficiency. Colors ; Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Great quilts ; Linda Brammer ; Quilt aesthetics ; Quilting quality ; Stitching Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 876 Art background / Community background to quilts --great quilters learn the art of quilting, simply how to design a pattern and choose fabrics and colors. Whitaker discusses how her art background helps her in designing quilts and coordinating colors and fabrics. When asked about the possibility of community and regional influences on her quilts, Whitaker denies really being influenced by her community. Art background ; Community background ; Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Linda Brammer ; Quilt designing ; Quilting process ; Regional background Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 932 Importance of quilts in American life and women's history --think about the importance of quilts in American life? Whitaker discusses what meaning quilting has had in American history. She notes in particular the importance of maintaining and carrying on the skills of sewing and weaving towards future generations. She discusses how there has been an increase in understanding of the history of quilting. She also discusses how she has not spent much time working with how to preserve quilts, but that there are experts who have developed philosophies on preservation. American life ; Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Linda Brammer ; Quilt history ; Quilt preservation ; Quilting and American life ; Quilting and women's history ; Women's history Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 1040 Future of her family quilts What has happened to the quilts that you've made, uh, for friends and family? Whitaker discusses making quilts for nieces and nephews who have had children. She expresses her desire that her quilts be used by the children, with the ability to get dirty and used. However, she discusses how when she visits the quilts are actually used by being hung on the wall. Family quilts ; Frances &quot ; Sue&quot ; Whitaker ; Gift quilts ; Hanging quilts ; Linda Brammer ; Quilt preservation Quilting shops ; Quilting--United States--Patterns. ; Quilting. ; Quilts--Design. ; Quilts--United States--Exhibitions. ; Quilts. ; Sewing machines. 17 interview Whitaker discusses her involvement in quilting. In particular, she discusses why she became involved with long arm quilting as a style. She notes how she develops patterns and ideas with her clients, as well as where her quilts have gone following their completion. No transcript. All rights to the Quilters' S.O.S. -- Save Our Stories (QSOS) oral history project, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred from the Quilt Alliance to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Please contact the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History regarding rights pertaining to individual interviews. audio Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries. 0 https://nunncenter.net/ohms-spokedb/render.php?cachefile=2019oh0434_qsosde0021_whitaker_ohm.xml 2019oh0434_qsosde0021_whitaker_ohm.xml https://kentuckyoralhistory.org/ark:/16417/xt7wnxvlf9mg3

Frances Whitaker

Linda Brammer

Long arm quilting