Kimber Van Heukelom
Photos
Title
Kimber Van Heukelom
Date
2/13/2025
Identifier
IA50003-001
Format
audio
Interviewee
Kimber Van Heukelom
Interviewer
Meredith Ahmed
Interview Date
2/13/2025
Interview indexer
Meredith Ahmed
Transcription
[Meredith Ahmed]
Hello everyone, I'm Meredith Ahmed. Today is February 13th, 2025, and it is 10.15 a.m, and I am in Newland, North Carolina, and today I'm interviewing Kimber.
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, and hi, my name is Kimber Van Heukelom I am here from Adel, Iowa.
[Meredith Ahmed]
Perfect, and do you wanna tell me about the quilt that you brought in today?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Oh yes, okay, so I call this quilt Scrap Happy. That's the name I've given to this. I made it early in my quilting journey, and this kind of began my love affair with scrappy quilts. So ironically, at the time I made it, I hadn't really developed much of a quilt stash yet, so I had to purchase most of the prints to create the look I wanted. Usually quilters will just take these scraps from their stash, they don't even really need to go out and buy anything new. So that's kind of the irony of this, but it's actually a pattern called Nancy's Glory by Carol Hopkins, and she is a designer behind Civil War legacies patterns. And so when you see this quilt, it looks very similar to hers in terms of the scrappiness, just because I share her love of these 19th century reproduction prints.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And why did you choose this quilt to bring to your interview?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
You know, I can still remember the feeling of accomplishment I had after completing this quilt. While the blocks are pretty straightforward, the construction of the one inch squares in this border was a little bit tricky. They require precision, which really matters if you want the border
to fit properly. So I think completing this quilt marked my passage into my own perception of myself as an official quilter, because the quilts I'd done before were pretty basic, and I was a little worried about maybe being stuck doing nine patches forever, not to knock nine patches, because I
think they're just a classic design that really stand the test of time. But I really wanted to tackle some of the patterns that I'd seen in antique quilts. And I just like to continually grow as a quilter and in whatever I'm doing. So I think that's probably why this matters so much to me, because in my mind, it was just like, okay, I really am a quilter now.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And could you just describe the quilt, like maybe some of the colors or what it looks like?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yeah, the quilt has a medley of colors, predominantly pinks and browns, but in true scrappy fashion, I had to incorporate other colors as well. So we have some blues, we have some greens, there's some creams, and they're all calicos, so they're patterns. They're not just like solid, solid colors. So, and that's what I love about these fabrics is just the patterns and the different designs.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And do you feel that this quilt represents your quilting or creative practice?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
This quilt definitely captures who I am as a quilter, because I'm very drawn to antique quilts and the scrappier, the better. But to me, like scrappy doesn't necessarily mean like, you know, just kind of all over the place. I mean, I auditioned several blocks before deciding on this layout until I got what I thought was a decent layout. I always lay these things out before I actually start piecing. So, and that really does reflect my
creative practice. I mean, I like the spontaneity of the creative process and with scrappy quilts, you're never quite sure how they're going to turn out and that's part of the fun of it. But I'm very intentional about arranging blocks and I can be a little bit finicky about what goes
where. It's kind of amazing how your eye will go to this one ill-positioned block and that bothers somebody like me. Now for some other quilters, they couldn't care less, but that's kind of my creative process.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And tell me about your interest in quilt making. What brought you to begin quilt making?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yeah, there are a couple of things that come to mind. First, you know, I never really thought much about quilts until I saw my friend's nine patch quilt that she had made. I tried sewing clothes as a kid. My mom was a terrific sewer and she really wanted my sister and I to learn how to sew clothes, but we just didn't have an interest in it. It didn't speak to us, but there was something about seeing my friend's quilt that got me thinking about it again. And I don't know that it was even the fabrics or the actual quilt, but more just the fact that my friend was a total novice too, and somehow she was able to make this spectacular quilt. And so when I left, I just kept thinking about that and asking myself, well, could I do this even though I don't know how to sew? Well, after a few days of pondering it, I decided to go for it. My friend told me the name of the quilt shop where she'd taken these lessons. And the instructor, who was a longtime award-winning quilter came highly recommended, so I knew I'd have good instruction. And before I knew it, I'd signed up for the class and I was making my own nine patch quilt. So I kind of had a little bit of an imposter syndrome going on just because I was so out of my element, but I got over that fairly quickly. And the other thing that got me interested in quilt making was seeing this vintage double wedding ring quilt while I was antiquing. And everyone who knows me knows that I love pink. So I fell in love with it just because pink was a predominant hue in this quilt, in all the rings. So fell in love with it, and that was my first vintage quilt purchase and the one that kind of would spark a kind of a collecting craze, if you want to call it. So that's the other thing that got me interested.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And how long have you been a quilt maker?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Hard to believe, but it has been 20 years. I just, in thinking about this, it's been maybe even a little longer. So I focus primarily on doll-sized quilts or wall hangings because those were the sizes that fit my work schedule best. I did most of my quilting in the evening hours or on Sunday afternoons. And they had another benefit too, because the smaller sizes are fairly easy to assemble depending on what design you're doing. But they were very easy to quilt and piece on my home sewing machine.
It can be very tricky to squeeze all that fabric under a home machine if you have like a really large or full-size quilts.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And we touched on this a little bit, but does anyone else in your family quilt?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, they do. My maternal grandma, Leona, quilted and my husband's grandma, Evelyn, who I was very close to, was a prolific quilter. Although I didn't quilt while my grandma, Leona, was alive, I think I kind of share her attention to detail because she was a really meticulous seamstress who sewed all my mom's clothes, cute little wool trousers with a matching cape, all these cute little outfits. And I tend to be pretty detail-oriented like that. In fact, sometimes I feel like I can fall into some
perfectionist tendencies. But so I think maybe that's how she's influenced me. And then my grandma, Evelyn, was a longtime quilter and she used to make a lot of quilts for Project Linus, a charity during the last, probably, I would say five years of her life. I'm sure she sewed more than 100 quilts for Project Linus. And unlike me, she did not care if her seams matched up or her fabrics matched. She just loved making quilts for other people. And she reminds me not to take my quilting or myself too seriously. It's just kind of a reminder that the joy is in the journey, not the destination or not just a destination. And I miss her a lot. And the quilts she gave me still bring a lot of comfort. They're almost like this surrogate for her in a way.
Though, of course, nothing can replace her generosity and warmth.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what was your first quilting project and how did it turn out?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Well, my first quilting project was that nine-patch quilt I mentioned just a little earlier. And it turned out okay. I followed all the instructions, figured out how to quilt it on my own. But honestly, I wasn't in love with it more probably because of the fabrics and the construction. I hadn't yet developed that confidence about fabric choices and I hadn't yet realized that I loved those 19th century reproduction prints. But it's still a good reminder of how far I've come as a quilter though.
[Meredith Ahmed]
You still have it?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, I do. I don't display it like the other quilts, but I have it just as a reminder. I like those reminders of kind of how far I've come in the creative process. I think that really motivates me to keep growing.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what techniques do you like to use in your quilting?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I have experimented with so many techniques over the years. I mean, like machine piecing, hand piecing, red work, machine and hand applique, hand quilting, fussy cutting, English paper piecing, free motion quilting, I did that. And even like the trapunto once. So I think like experimenting with those different techniques is a great way to learn and exercise your creativity because you don't know what techniques might resonate with you. That's kind of how I got into some of the applique designs. So great way to experiment, yeah.
[Meredith Ahmed]
Do you have like some preferred techniques?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I am, you know, I am mostly drawn to the hand piecing, that patchwork kind of in the quilt that I just showed. So that is probably my favorite thing to do. I do like to sometimes do the applique though, like mix it with the piece blocks because that can be a really fun look too. And sometimes I'll even mix like wool applique on top of the cotton patchwork. And that adds a nice dimension and texture to your quilts.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I am definitely a traditionalist. I don't tend to reinvent the wheel. I mean, I can count on maybe one hand the number of designs I've created. I did create one for an American patchwork and quilting calendar, and then a few for a local museum that they asked me to kind of recreate some of the designs in their quilts. But I really, yeah, I really find inspiration in those designs of yesteryear. Even when I was a kid, I was just, I think I was just passionate about history so that when we went on like a family trip, I would want to go visit a historic house or a museum. I just like old things. And I feel like I like to decorate that way too. I mean, sometimes I feel like my decorating resembles a lot of my grandma's style. I mean, I have a lot of like old furniture, a lot of her heirlooms that she passed down to me, like this little embroidered clock, things like that, so.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what kinds of fabrics do you like to work with and why?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I work primarily with the 19th century reproduction prints. They're the ones that really capture my heart just because they resemble the antique quilts that I love so much. And I feel such a kinship with those quilters of the past who had a lot more ingenuity than I will ever have. I'm just amazed at what they were able to do with so little and what they were able to create from those scraps. And I'm so grateful that someone cared enough to look after them over the years so that I could eventually give them a home. When I really got into collecting them, we just moved into this Victorian home with these really tall ceilings and it was hard to make anything feel cozy. And these quilts proved to be the perfect solution. You could just drape one over the back of the sofa or stack three on a bench or put one on the wall. And suddenly this old drafty house didn't feel so uninviting anymore. I just feel like nothing adds comfort to a home like a quilt can.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And have you ever participated in a quilting bee or quilting guilds and what was that like?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, soon after I started my quilt journey, I joined the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild and it was a great way to meet other quilters and learn new skills because they had monthly workshops often with really well-known quilt designers. They'd have an annual quilt show where you could
get new inspiration and purchase products through different vendors. And they also had the option to join a small quilt group based on your particular interests. So it was kind of a great opportunity to find your own tribe of quilters, so to speak. And I've made a lot of friendships through that guild and there were just so many perks of being a member in a group like that. I mean, I'm trying to remember all the famous quilters that I encountered through here, like people like Kathleen Tracy, she's known for her doll-sized quilt designs as well. Joe Morton, Terry Clothier Thompson is a quilt historian who talked to us once. So just lots of inspiration.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
For me, it's pretty simple. It's when it speaks to you. I mean, the ones that call my name typically are the 19th century ones or made in that spirit.
So I've fallen in love with a lot of very recently made ones that just are inspired by those prints. And I also really like quilts with the 1930s prints and feed sacks, like the yo-yo quilts, the double wedding rings, the grandma's flower garden. That's kind of why I wanted to experiment with
the English paper piecing because of the grandma's flower garden design.
But I just think also some of the simplest quilts can speak volumes just through their color combinations. I think the color is just really key to me, but I'm also like awestruck by these scrappy quilts and how makers have combined so many prints and to make this kind of harmonious whole. Because it seems like they should be really easy to make, but I think they
can actually be quite a challenge to put that together in an effective way. So.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And are there any quilters or artists that inspire your work?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I have, you know, I have been a fan of the Civil War legacies designer. She's designed a lot with the quilt that I had shared earlier. And then I also like, she used to design under Liberty Star. Her name is Renee Plains. And unfortunately she's no longer designing, but I love her. I love,
absolutely love her designs. And I really liked the Blackbird Designs team because they have this like little, like kind of a folk art twist to their quilts. And they, I got into them basically because I'd been cross-stitching
before. And then I noticed that they were also designing quilts.
So another person who stands out to me is the Mary Campbell Gormley doll quilt. She authored a book called Childhood Treasures, Doll Quilts by and for Children. This was a while back, but it had basically 80 doll quilts in it. Now, not all of those had patterns, but I saw an exhibit of her quilts. And that's kind of what got me interested also in the doll quilts, but also there's some interest in vintage doll beds because she had this enormous collection of them. And I can remember making an early morning round
trip to her, a road trip to her house because she was having this sale of the select antique quilts and doll beds. And so I had no idea if I would actually get one because I thought, oh, I'm sure that, you know, there are a lot of people who are going to be coming here. But luckily I managed to get three doll beds and then a couple quilts at that sale. So that's something that, that's kind of a memory that stands out too when I'm thinking about people who, you know, I've been drawn to as far as their designs.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And we talked about this a little bit, but do you want to speak to an era of quilting that you're most drawn to or inspired by?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Well, I really feel it is, to me it's like what a lot of people call maybe the civil war era, but actually spans probably up to like the turn of the 20th century. And that's really, really where my, my love lies. It's just been something that has been a constant. It's the first thing that I gravitated to and it's still the same thing that I, that I like now. I don't
really collect them as much as I used to anymore, just because of maybe space reasons. I don't, you know, I don't want to get more than I can properly care for, but that is really, that is really my first love.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And is there a particular quilt that you've made that holds deep personal significance?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
After serving as a newsletter editor for the local quilt guild for a couple of years, I was gifted back quarters in my favorite prints by members of the guild. It's kind of a tradition of theirs, just as a way of thanking board members for their service. And it was really, you know, touching to
see all the fabrics people had selected for me, that they took the time to actually remember what I liked and, you know, didn't give me something different, but some had even made little signature blocks with their names on it. And so I use these prints to make what I call my green briar quilt. It's another little quilt. And as you might guess, I use the greens for the setting blocks, so that's the predominant color.
And the rest of the blocks are these little piece baskets with embroidered handles, and then, you know, some of the signature blocks as well. But honestly, I have to say that the quilts really with the most significance to me are the ones that friends and family have entrusted to my
care. Because, you know, when you, this is my feeling about, as a quilt maker, when you give someone a gift you made with your own hands, you're giving them a piece of yourself, and that can be incredibly vulnerable, or at least that's how I feel when I would gift a quilt.
And so I feel incredibly privileged when someone decides to give me a quilt, whether it's made by their own hands or an antique quilt that they picked up, you know, years ago. And I've been really fortunate to be the recipient of these. A friend who owned a local quilt shop gifted me
this incredible floral applique quilt And I just remember being stunned that she would give something so precious away. It just made me realize that, you know, quilters are some of the most generous humans. And both my mom and my mother-in-law have also gifted me quilts. My mom gifted me my grandma's quilts. Leona, the person I mentioned earlier, a couple of the quilts that she made. So now I have those in my home.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And have you ever used quilting to get through a difficult time?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Definitely. I think it can be a way to navigate life's challenges because, of course, we all encounter those. And it's nice to have something that you have control over as far as an activity, that I could just go into my quilting room. It's not really, I can't really call it a studio. It's just a little room in the house, but just kind of, you know, start sewing on blocks, start, you know, thinking about my next project and just kind of shut out some of those other cares for, even if it's only an afternoon. So I think that that's a
great point because that is something I use to help me get through life's challenges.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what role does quilting play in your sense of identity?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
It is really pretty central to my life, as is just, I would say, creativity is central to my life. It's been something that I've always valued. And I love the act of creating something that will outlive me, I guess.
And for me, quilting has not just been an avocation. It's been a vocation because I've been lucky enough to write for quilt magazines and edit a quilt magazine and quilt books. And it's given me a chance to meet some of my favorite designers. And a highlight was probably working with the founders of the, they call themselves the 19th century patchwork divas because they love those same types of quilts I do. And then, I've also
ended up designing some, mostly I focus on pin cushion designs more than quilts or something. They're a little faster to do, but I also have this love affair with pin cushions too. So I've made those for some of the fabric companies before. And I really like making these little strawberry pin cushion make-do's that they're just, I think originally they were just made with whatever someone had on hand, like a candlestick and little bits of scraps or things like that. So that art of making do inspires me too.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And have you ever gifted or donated a quilt and how did that feel?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, I have worked on charity quilts as part of a group for the Quilt Guild. We always have an annual auction. And so we've worked on one together as a group. And then I've also gifted quilts to members of the small group because we always have a holiday exchange and of course, a lot of us like to make a quilt or other project for who we're partnered with. But the first person I think I actually gifted a quilt to was my mom because it
felt safe to me. It was like I said earlier, giving a handmade gift is an incredibly personal experience and that can make it a little bit scary but I knew my mom would accept it no matter what and would think it was great. So that was my first experience giving a quilt to somebody. It took me a while to do that because I felt like I needed to make like about 10 quilts before they were good enough to give to anybody.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And how has your quilting changed over the years?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I would say at first I really stuck with the 19th century reproductions and just to an extent the 1930s prints. But about eight years ago, I started playing with some of the more modern novelty prints and I don't mean really modern because I know there's a modern quilt movement and some of those get really modern but these are more like just, you know, kind of
fun loving prints and things like that. Like for example, some of the designs by Tula Pink and the Ruby Star Society have so many fun colors.
And again, I'm responding to that color again and I think they're just artistic wonders at that. But I don't think they'll ever eclipse the antique prints for me but they're kind of a way to break out of my proverbial box and try something new. And I like using those more for like little
accessories maybe more so than even the quilts. Although I have made, I would say I probably made like maybe five quilts with those types of
fabrics.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And have you seen a shift in quilting styles or trends during your time spent quilting?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yeah, when I started, I felt like the 19th century reproduction prints were incredibly popular. I mean, it seemed like a kind of a new area of focus for people and even locally, there was so much interest in it. There were like new designers focusing on that. A lot of new fabric collections were popping up but over time that modern quilt movement took
root and now I feel like that has kind of eclipsed the reproduction prints, at least here in this area. And I know, I hear about it nationwide as well. So that's something that I've really seen even to the extent that I don't see as many fabric designers focusing on the 19th century prints anymore.
And also I see that a lot in the shops as far as where their focus is on fabric selection.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And are there any quilting traditions you fear are being lost?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I think that hand quilting is something that is a loss or is becoming a lost art even when I was
starting to quilt. I just didn't see it very often. And I mean, I probably wasn't helping with that because I was focusing mainly on machine quilting because that's what I had the time to do. And I love my Bernina machine. I still have it, that one that, I mean, these machines are
workhorses. They really, I mean, they really go the distance and I still have it. And I did actually try hand quilting at one point and I bought even this Roxanne like thimble, Roxanne brand thimble to help with this because that was kind of, you know, popular thimble to use back at that time. And I still am kind of gradually working on it still. I haven't given up,
but I think that's one thing that has unfortunately been lost for a while.
So I also think kind of the stories behind the quilts themselves are being lost. I often wish that, oh, if quilts could only talk, you know, can you imagine the stories they would tell us? And I think that's probably something that I really enjoyed actually about editing that quilt magazine
because I would get to hear those stories as we would always ask the designers, the project designers for their inspiration behind the quilts.
We'd ask them to kind of write a paragraph or two on what inspired it or, you know, what they thought was most important about it. And I think that's part of what I really liked about that now that I think about it. So, yeah.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what do you think is the biggest challenge confronting quilt makers today?
[Kimber Van Heukelom] Well, I can only speak from my own experience, but I think number one is fabric stash management, what a lot of us call fabric stash management. As you might've already discovered, you know, fabric stashes can easily get out of hand. And I'm quite sure I have more
than enough to last my lifetime, although that doesn't stop me from going out and buying something else if I feel like, you know, okay, I don't have the right fabric for this project. I need something that doesn't prevent me at all from doing that. So I would say that's something I hear from a lot of quilters. And also, you know, just to after editing a quilt
magazine too, and like, you know, interviewing quilt shops for Quilt Sampler Magazine, which I used to do when I talked to the quilt shop owners, they would say a lot about like how color selection was such a tough process for their customers that people often get stymied on, like
they wanna do a project, but they don't know how to bring it to life with colors. And they're really afraid to try that. So they actually end up asking the shop owners a lot, or maybe they just replicate what's on a
pattern cover, which is totally fine. But I think those are two challenges that seem to be kind of, you know, have been a challenge for many years from the quilters that I've encountered.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And how has technology influenced your quilting if it has at all?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I would just say just in the sense that I've always, I've always quilted on a computerized sewing machine, which sounded so strange to me at first. I mean, I just, you know, I just thought I would probably, you know, quilt on an electric machine or something like that. But at the time I was quilting, I thought, well, I could use all the help I can get. So I just went for the computerized Bernina machines at my local quilt shop where I took that
first class because they offered detailed instruction on how to use it. And one-on-one, which I was really impressed by. I mean, someone sat with me for about four hours teaching me how to use this machine because it was very, you know, intimidating being this computerized machine.
And I thought I would use it to also create embroidery designs because it could actually embroider a block in like, you know, just a few minutes or something, depending on how detailed the design was. But I have found I don't really use it that much for that purpose. But in that sense, I think technology has influenced my quilting.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what role do you think quilting has played in women's history?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I think it's just, it's been a way to share their stories with others. I mean, I think about what my grandma has done with her quilts and, you know, what I've learned from her and how quilts have served as a way for me to, you know, think of myself as, not just even as a quilter, like, you
know, the process of quilting, but just in terms of how I want to live as someone with kindness and generosity and empathy. In that sense, I feel like they're these, kind of to speak to your other question, these keepers of memory because they also spark memories of these women in
my life. Anytime I look at them, they're just an instant magnet for that to remember the good times that I've shared with them. So I think that's a big part of what quilts can do, especially for, yeah. I mean, everybody I've known in my family who has quilted has, you know, they've all been
women. And I know so many other talented women who have taken up this craft or art, you know, it's both a craft and an art. So it's a way of kind of, you know, a connection with them as well, because it's this shared passion for creating something. And I don't want to say creating
something from nothing, but something, you know, like I said, we take these, you know, cut up these pieces of fabric and turn them into something that's pretty unique to us because no two
quilts really turn out the same even if we are using the same design.
I found it's just, it's highly individual for me.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what advice would you give to someone that just started out in their quilting journey?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
You know, as someone who tends to have some, you know, or has some perfectionist tendencies, I think that kind of got in my way a lot as I was starting my quilting journey. I was so focused on wanting to do it the right way, making everything perfect, making sure all my seams lined up, you know, that there wasn't any kind of misalignment there, that I kind of
forgot that quilting is about the journey and not just the destination. In fact, some people I know say it is about the journey and not the destination. For me, it's kind of both. But, you know, no one really expects you to produce this award winning quilt on your first try. Now, it took me, like I said, like 10 quilts, I think, before I felt my work was good enough to gift somebody, which is probably silly now that in retrospect. So slowing down, giving yourself grace and embracing imperfection, I think helped me become a better quilter. And see, the other bit of advice I would say, especially for those who don't have a quilter in their life, like me at the time, I was interested. I mean, my mom didn't quilt. My mom-in-law didn't quilt. You know, I didn't really know anyone who quilted. I just say, don't
shy away from reaching out to someone, whether that might be a friend who happens to know, or like for me at the local quilt shop, I mean, total strangers, people who can help launch you on that journey.
So I think sometimes we can be afraid to ask for that help, but I think we need to develop the courage to do that.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And in what ways do you see quilting as an act of preservation, either of memory, tradition, or even resistance?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
One of the things that stands out to me is, in this era of mass production, where society is putting more and more emphasis on doing something faster, doing it cheaper, the act of quilt making totally defies that to me. I mean, there's nothing particularly fast about the processes of
making a quilt. That's not the reason that the quilters embark on these creative processes either. And there's certainly nothing cheap about quilting cottons and computerized sewing machines. So this is not a cheap hobby. I will, I should, I guess I should think about that. I mean, it doesn't need to be a really expensive hobby either, but it's not what I would think of as a really, really cheap hobby. And so these endeavors are a labor of love, which I think is a process that's kindly been, that's sadly been overshadowed in today's world. So to me, they're also this way of preserving the traditions of our quilting predecessors, those keepers of
memory that I kind of mentioned before. Like there's a story in the stitches of every quilt passed down in my family. You know, it's a story
about that quilter's journey, what they loved about quilting. I mean, my grandma loved embroidery and patchwork, so she often combined those.
And just some memories that those quilts will spark of the people who made them. It's a way I think that they really live on in our lives and our hearts. I mean, when I look at a quilt that was made by a friend, I, my mind automatically will go to the good times we shared and what I
learned from them. And I just think it's that legacy that they leave through those quilts. That they can live on through them. And that's an amazing thing for me.
[Meredith Ahmed]
Well, now that we're at our final question, is there something that you wish that I had asked or anything else you would like to share about your quilting journey?
[Kimber Van Heukelom] I think that this has really been a wonderful, comprehensive look at my quilting journey. So I can't think of anything that I can add. You've done a terrific job.
[Meredith Ahmed]
Great, so we're gonna wrap up here. It is 10 56 AM and this is Meredith Ahmed signing off. Thank you.
Hello everyone, I'm Meredith Ahmed. Today is February 13th, 2025, and it is 10.15 a.m, and I am in Newland, North Carolina, and today I'm interviewing Kimber.
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, and hi, my name is Kimber Van Heukelom I am here from Adel, Iowa.
[Meredith Ahmed]
Perfect, and do you wanna tell me about the quilt that you brought in today?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Oh yes, okay, so I call this quilt Scrap Happy. That's the name I've given to this. I made it early in my quilting journey, and this kind of began my love affair with scrappy quilts. So ironically, at the time I made it, I hadn't really developed much of a quilt stash yet, so I had to purchase most of the prints to create the look I wanted. Usually quilters will just take these scraps from their stash, they don't even really need to go out and buy anything new. So that's kind of the irony of this, but it's actually a pattern called Nancy's Glory by Carol Hopkins, and she is a designer behind Civil War legacies patterns. And so when you see this quilt, it looks very similar to hers in terms of the scrappiness, just because I share her love of these 19th century reproduction prints.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And why did you choose this quilt to bring to your interview?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
You know, I can still remember the feeling of accomplishment I had after completing this quilt. While the blocks are pretty straightforward, the construction of the one inch squares in this border was a little bit tricky. They require precision, which really matters if you want the border
to fit properly. So I think completing this quilt marked my passage into my own perception of myself as an official quilter, because the quilts I'd done before were pretty basic, and I was a little worried about maybe being stuck doing nine patches forever, not to knock nine patches, because I
think they're just a classic design that really stand the test of time. But I really wanted to tackle some of the patterns that I'd seen in antique quilts. And I just like to continually grow as a quilter and in whatever I'm doing. So I think that's probably why this matters so much to me, because in my mind, it was just like, okay, I really am a quilter now.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And could you just describe the quilt, like maybe some of the colors or what it looks like?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yeah, the quilt has a medley of colors, predominantly pinks and browns, but in true scrappy fashion, I had to incorporate other colors as well. So we have some blues, we have some greens, there's some creams, and they're all calicos, so they're patterns. They're not just like solid, solid colors. So, and that's what I love about these fabrics is just the patterns and the different designs.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And do you feel that this quilt represents your quilting or creative practice?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
This quilt definitely captures who I am as a quilter, because I'm very drawn to antique quilts and the scrappier, the better. But to me, like scrappy doesn't necessarily mean like, you know, just kind of all over the place. I mean, I auditioned several blocks before deciding on this layout until I got what I thought was a decent layout. I always lay these things out before I actually start piecing. So, and that really does reflect my
creative practice. I mean, I like the spontaneity of the creative process and with scrappy quilts, you're never quite sure how they're going to turn out and that's part of the fun of it. But I'm very intentional about arranging blocks and I can be a little bit finicky about what goes
where. It's kind of amazing how your eye will go to this one ill-positioned block and that bothers somebody like me. Now for some other quilters, they couldn't care less, but that's kind of my creative process.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And tell me about your interest in quilt making. What brought you to begin quilt making?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yeah, there are a couple of things that come to mind. First, you know, I never really thought much about quilts until I saw my friend's nine patch quilt that she had made. I tried sewing clothes as a kid. My mom was a terrific sewer and she really wanted my sister and I to learn how to sew clothes, but we just didn't have an interest in it. It didn't speak to us, but there was something about seeing my friend's quilt that got me thinking about it again. And I don't know that it was even the fabrics or the actual quilt, but more just the fact that my friend was a total novice too, and somehow she was able to make this spectacular quilt. And so when I left, I just kept thinking about that and asking myself, well, could I do this even though I don't know how to sew? Well, after a few days of pondering it, I decided to go for it. My friend told me the name of the quilt shop where she'd taken these lessons. And the instructor, who was a longtime award-winning quilter came highly recommended, so I knew I'd have good instruction. And before I knew it, I'd signed up for the class and I was making my own nine patch quilt. So I kind of had a little bit of an imposter syndrome going on just because I was so out of my element, but I got over that fairly quickly. And the other thing that got me interested in quilt making was seeing this vintage double wedding ring quilt while I was antiquing. And everyone who knows me knows that I love pink. So I fell in love with it just because pink was a predominant hue in this quilt, in all the rings. So fell in love with it, and that was my first vintage quilt purchase and the one that kind of would spark a kind of a collecting craze, if you want to call it. So that's the other thing that got me interested.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And how long have you been a quilt maker?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Hard to believe, but it has been 20 years. I just, in thinking about this, it's been maybe even a little longer. So I focus primarily on doll-sized quilts or wall hangings because those were the sizes that fit my work schedule best. I did most of my quilting in the evening hours or on Sunday afternoons. And they had another benefit too, because the smaller sizes are fairly easy to assemble depending on what design you're doing. But they were very easy to quilt and piece on my home sewing machine.
It can be very tricky to squeeze all that fabric under a home machine if you have like a really large or full-size quilts.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And we touched on this a little bit, but does anyone else in your family quilt?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, they do. My maternal grandma, Leona, quilted and my husband's grandma, Evelyn, who I was very close to, was a prolific quilter. Although I didn't quilt while my grandma, Leona, was alive, I think I kind of share her attention to detail because she was a really meticulous seamstress who sewed all my mom's clothes, cute little wool trousers with a matching cape, all these cute little outfits. And I tend to be pretty detail-oriented like that. In fact, sometimes I feel like I can fall into some
perfectionist tendencies. But so I think maybe that's how she's influenced me. And then my grandma, Evelyn, was a longtime quilter and she used to make a lot of quilts for Project Linus, a charity during the last, probably, I would say five years of her life. I'm sure she sewed more than 100 quilts for Project Linus. And unlike me, she did not care if her seams matched up or her fabrics matched. She just loved making quilts for other people. And she reminds me not to take my quilting or myself too seriously. It's just kind of a reminder that the joy is in the journey, not the destination or not just a destination. And I miss her a lot. And the quilts she gave me still bring a lot of comfort. They're almost like this surrogate for her in a way.
Though, of course, nothing can replace her generosity and warmth.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what was your first quilting project and how did it turn out?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Well, my first quilting project was that nine-patch quilt I mentioned just a little earlier. And it turned out okay. I followed all the instructions, figured out how to quilt it on my own. But honestly, I wasn't in love with it more probably because of the fabrics and the construction. I hadn't yet developed that confidence about fabric choices and I hadn't yet realized that I loved those 19th century reproduction prints. But it's still a good reminder of how far I've come as a quilter though.
[Meredith Ahmed]
You still have it?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, I do. I don't display it like the other quilts, but I have it just as a reminder. I like those reminders of kind of how far I've come in the creative process. I think that really motivates me to keep growing.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what techniques do you like to use in your quilting?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I have experimented with so many techniques over the years. I mean, like machine piecing, hand piecing, red work, machine and hand applique, hand quilting, fussy cutting, English paper piecing, free motion quilting, I did that. And even like the trapunto once. So I think like experimenting with those different techniques is a great way to learn and exercise your creativity because you don't know what techniques might resonate with you. That's kind of how I got into some of the applique designs. So great way to experiment, yeah.
[Meredith Ahmed]
Do you have like some preferred techniques?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I am, you know, I am mostly drawn to the hand piecing, that patchwork kind of in the quilt that I just showed. So that is probably my favorite thing to do. I do like to sometimes do the applique though, like mix it with the piece blocks because that can be a really fun look too. And sometimes I'll even mix like wool applique on top of the cotton patchwork. And that adds a nice dimension and texture to your quilts.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I am definitely a traditionalist. I don't tend to reinvent the wheel. I mean, I can count on maybe one hand the number of designs I've created. I did create one for an American patchwork and quilting calendar, and then a few for a local museum that they asked me to kind of recreate some of the designs in their quilts. But I really, yeah, I really find inspiration in those designs of yesteryear. Even when I was a kid, I was just, I think I was just passionate about history so that when we went on like a family trip, I would want to go visit a historic house or a museum. I just like old things. And I feel like I like to decorate that way too. I mean, sometimes I feel like my decorating resembles a lot of my grandma's style. I mean, I have a lot of like old furniture, a lot of her heirlooms that she passed down to me, like this little embroidered clock, things like that, so.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what kinds of fabrics do you like to work with and why?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I work primarily with the 19th century reproduction prints. They're the ones that really capture my heart just because they resemble the antique quilts that I love so much. And I feel such a kinship with those quilters of the past who had a lot more ingenuity than I will ever have. I'm just amazed at what they were able to do with so little and what they were able to create from those scraps. And I'm so grateful that someone cared enough to look after them over the years so that I could eventually give them a home. When I really got into collecting them, we just moved into this Victorian home with these really tall ceilings and it was hard to make anything feel cozy. And these quilts proved to be the perfect solution. You could just drape one over the back of the sofa or stack three on a bench or put one on the wall. And suddenly this old drafty house didn't feel so uninviting anymore. I just feel like nothing adds comfort to a home like a quilt can.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And have you ever participated in a quilting bee or quilting guilds and what was that like?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, soon after I started my quilt journey, I joined the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild and it was a great way to meet other quilters and learn new skills because they had monthly workshops often with really well-known quilt designers. They'd have an annual quilt show where you could
get new inspiration and purchase products through different vendors. And they also had the option to join a small quilt group based on your particular interests. So it was kind of a great opportunity to find your own tribe of quilters, so to speak. And I've made a lot of friendships through that guild and there were just so many perks of being a member in a group like that. I mean, I'm trying to remember all the famous quilters that I encountered through here, like people like Kathleen Tracy, she's known for her doll-sized quilt designs as well. Joe Morton, Terry Clothier Thompson is a quilt historian who talked to us once. So just lots of inspiration.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
For me, it's pretty simple. It's when it speaks to you. I mean, the ones that call my name typically are the 19th century ones or made in that spirit.
So I've fallen in love with a lot of very recently made ones that just are inspired by those prints. And I also really like quilts with the 1930s prints and feed sacks, like the yo-yo quilts, the double wedding rings, the grandma's flower garden. That's kind of why I wanted to experiment with
the English paper piecing because of the grandma's flower garden design.
But I just think also some of the simplest quilts can speak volumes just through their color combinations. I think the color is just really key to me, but I'm also like awestruck by these scrappy quilts and how makers have combined so many prints and to make this kind of harmonious whole. Because it seems like they should be really easy to make, but I think they
can actually be quite a challenge to put that together in an effective way. So.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And are there any quilters or artists that inspire your work?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I have, you know, I have been a fan of the Civil War legacies designer. She's designed a lot with the quilt that I had shared earlier. And then I also like, she used to design under Liberty Star. Her name is Renee Plains. And unfortunately she's no longer designing, but I love her. I love,
absolutely love her designs. And I really liked the Blackbird Designs team because they have this like little, like kind of a folk art twist to their quilts. And they, I got into them basically because I'd been cross-stitching
before. And then I noticed that they were also designing quilts.
So another person who stands out to me is the Mary Campbell Gormley doll quilt. She authored a book called Childhood Treasures, Doll Quilts by and for Children. This was a while back, but it had basically 80 doll quilts in it. Now, not all of those had patterns, but I saw an exhibit of her quilts. And that's kind of what got me interested also in the doll quilts, but also there's some interest in vintage doll beds because she had this enormous collection of them. And I can remember making an early morning round
trip to her, a road trip to her house because she was having this sale of the select antique quilts and doll beds. And so I had no idea if I would actually get one because I thought, oh, I'm sure that, you know, there are a lot of people who are going to be coming here. But luckily I managed to get three doll beds and then a couple quilts at that sale. So that's something that, that's kind of a memory that stands out too when I'm thinking about people who, you know, I've been drawn to as far as their designs.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And we talked about this a little bit, but do you want to speak to an era of quilting that you're most drawn to or inspired by?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Well, I really feel it is, to me it's like what a lot of people call maybe the civil war era, but actually spans probably up to like the turn of the 20th century. And that's really, really where my, my love lies. It's just been something that has been a constant. It's the first thing that I gravitated to and it's still the same thing that I, that I like now. I don't
really collect them as much as I used to anymore, just because of maybe space reasons. I don't, you know, I don't want to get more than I can properly care for, but that is really, that is really my first love.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And is there a particular quilt that you've made that holds deep personal significance?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
After serving as a newsletter editor for the local quilt guild for a couple of years, I was gifted back quarters in my favorite prints by members of the guild. It's kind of a tradition of theirs, just as a way of thanking board members for their service. And it was really, you know, touching to
see all the fabrics people had selected for me, that they took the time to actually remember what I liked and, you know, didn't give me something different, but some had even made little signature blocks with their names on it. And so I use these prints to make what I call my green briar quilt. It's another little quilt. And as you might guess, I use the greens for the setting blocks, so that's the predominant color.
And the rest of the blocks are these little piece baskets with embroidered handles, and then, you know, some of the signature blocks as well. But honestly, I have to say that the quilts really with the most significance to me are the ones that friends and family have entrusted to my
care. Because, you know, when you, this is my feeling about, as a quilt maker, when you give someone a gift you made with your own hands, you're giving them a piece of yourself, and that can be incredibly vulnerable, or at least that's how I feel when I would gift a quilt.
And so I feel incredibly privileged when someone decides to give me a quilt, whether it's made by their own hands or an antique quilt that they picked up, you know, years ago. And I've been really fortunate to be the recipient of these. A friend who owned a local quilt shop gifted me
this incredible floral applique quilt And I just remember being stunned that she would give something so precious away. It just made me realize that, you know, quilters are some of the most generous humans. And both my mom and my mother-in-law have also gifted me quilts. My mom gifted me my grandma's quilts. Leona, the person I mentioned earlier, a couple of the quilts that she made. So now I have those in my home.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And have you ever used quilting to get through a difficult time?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Definitely. I think it can be a way to navigate life's challenges because, of course, we all encounter those. And it's nice to have something that you have control over as far as an activity, that I could just go into my quilting room. It's not really, I can't really call it a studio. It's just a little room in the house, but just kind of, you know, start sewing on blocks, start, you know, thinking about my next project and just kind of shut out some of those other cares for, even if it's only an afternoon. So I think that that's a
great point because that is something I use to help me get through life's challenges.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what role does quilting play in your sense of identity?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
It is really pretty central to my life, as is just, I would say, creativity is central to my life. It's been something that I've always valued. And I love the act of creating something that will outlive me, I guess.
And for me, quilting has not just been an avocation. It's been a vocation because I've been lucky enough to write for quilt magazines and edit a quilt magazine and quilt books. And it's given me a chance to meet some of my favorite designers. And a highlight was probably working with the founders of the, they call themselves the 19th century patchwork divas because they love those same types of quilts I do. And then, I've also
ended up designing some, mostly I focus on pin cushion designs more than quilts or something. They're a little faster to do, but I also have this love affair with pin cushions too. So I've made those for some of the fabric companies before. And I really like making these little strawberry pin cushion make-do's that they're just, I think originally they were just made with whatever someone had on hand, like a candlestick and little bits of scraps or things like that. So that art of making do inspires me too.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And have you ever gifted or donated a quilt and how did that feel?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yes, I have worked on charity quilts as part of a group for the Quilt Guild. We always have an annual auction. And so we've worked on one together as a group. And then I've also gifted quilts to members of the small group because we always have a holiday exchange and of course, a lot of us like to make a quilt or other project for who we're partnered with. But the first person I think I actually gifted a quilt to was my mom because it
felt safe to me. It was like I said earlier, giving a handmade gift is an incredibly personal experience and that can make it a little bit scary but I knew my mom would accept it no matter what and would think it was great. So that was my first experience giving a quilt to somebody. It took me a while to do that because I felt like I needed to make like about 10 quilts before they were good enough to give to anybody.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And how has your quilting changed over the years?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I would say at first I really stuck with the 19th century reproductions and just to an extent the 1930s prints. But about eight years ago, I started playing with some of the more modern novelty prints and I don't mean really modern because I know there's a modern quilt movement and some of those get really modern but these are more like just, you know, kind of
fun loving prints and things like that. Like for example, some of the designs by Tula Pink and the Ruby Star Society have so many fun colors.
And again, I'm responding to that color again and I think they're just artistic wonders at that. But I don't think they'll ever eclipse the antique prints for me but they're kind of a way to break out of my proverbial box and try something new. And I like using those more for like little
accessories maybe more so than even the quilts. Although I have made, I would say I probably made like maybe five quilts with those types of
fabrics.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And have you seen a shift in quilting styles or trends during your time spent quilting?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
Yeah, when I started, I felt like the 19th century reproduction prints were incredibly popular. I mean, it seemed like a kind of a new area of focus for people and even locally, there was so much interest in it. There were like new designers focusing on that. A lot of new fabric collections were popping up but over time that modern quilt movement took
root and now I feel like that has kind of eclipsed the reproduction prints, at least here in this area. And I know, I hear about it nationwide as well. So that's something that I've really seen even to the extent that I don't see as many fabric designers focusing on the 19th century prints anymore.
And also I see that a lot in the shops as far as where their focus is on fabric selection.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And are there any quilting traditions you fear are being lost?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I think that hand quilting is something that is a loss or is becoming a lost art even when I was
starting to quilt. I just didn't see it very often. And I mean, I probably wasn't helping with that because I was focusing mainly on machine quilting because that's what I had the time to do. And I love my Bernina machine. I still have it, that one that, I mean, these machines are
workhorses. They really, I mean, they really go the distance and I still have it. And I did actually try hand quilting at one point and I bought even this Roxanne like thimble, Roxanne brand thimble to help with this because that was kind of, you know, popular thimble to use back at that time. And I still am kind of gradually working on it still. I haven't given up,
but I think that's one thing that has unfortunately been lost for a while.
So I also think kind of the stories behind the quilts themselves are being lost. I often wish that, oh, if quilts could only talk, you know, can you imagine the stories they would tell us? And I think that's probably something that I really enjoyed actually about editing that quilt magazine
because I would get to hear those stories as we would always ask the designers, the project designers for their inspiration behind the quilts.
We'd ask them to kind of write a paragraph or two on what inspired it or, you know, what they thought was most important about it. And I think that's part of what I really liked about that now that I think about it. So, yeah.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what do you think is the biggest challenge confronting quilt makers today?
[Kimber Van Heukelom] Well, I can only speak from my own experience, but I think number one is fabric stash management, what a lot of us call fabric stash management. As you might've already discovered, you know, fabric stashes can easily get out of hand. And I'm quite sure I have more
than enough to last my lifetime, although that doesn't stop me from going out and buying something else if I feel like, you know, okay, I don't have the right fabric for this project. I need something that doesn't prevent me at all from doing that. So I would say that's something I hear from a lot of quilters. And also, you know, just to after editing a quilt
magazine too, and like, you know, interviewing quilt shops for Quilt Sampler Magazine, which I used to do when I talked to the quilt shop owners, they would say a lot about like how color selection was such a tough process for their customers that people often get stymied on, like
they wanna do a project, but they don't know how to bring it to life with colors. And they're really afraid to try that. So they actually end up asking the shop owners a lot, or maybe they just replicate what's on a
pattern cover, which is totally fine. But I think those are two challenges that seem to be kind of, you know, have been a challenge for many years from the quilters that I've encountered.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And how has technology influenced your quilting if it has at all?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I would just say just in the sense that I've always, I've always quilted on a computerized sewing machine, which sounded so strange to me at first. I mean, I just, you know, I just thought I would probably, you know, quilt on an electric machine or something like that. But at the time I was quilting, I thought, well, I could use all the help I can get. So I just went for the computerized Bernina machines at my local quilt shop where I took that
first class because they offered detailed instruction on how to use it. And one-on-one, which I was really impressed by. I mean, someone sat with me for about four hours teaching me how to use this machine because it was very, you know, intimidating being this computerized machine.
And I thought I would use it to also create embroidery designs because it could actually embroider a block in like, you know, just a few minutes or something, depending on how detailed the design was. But I have found I don't really use it that much for that purpose. But in that sense, I think technology has influenced my quilting.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what role do you think quilting has played in women's history?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
I think it's just, it's been a way to share their stories with others. I mean, I think about what my grandma has done with her quilts and, you know, what I've learned from her and how quilts have served as a way for me to, you know, think of myself as, not just even as a quilter, like, you
know, the process of quilting, but just in terms of how I want to live as someone with kindness and generosity and empathy. In that sense, I feel like they're these, kind of to speak to your other question, these keepers of memory because they also spark memories of these women in
my life. Anytime I look at them, they're just an instant magnet for that to remember the good times that I've shared with them. So I think that's a big part of what quilts can do, especially for, yeah. I mean, everybody I've known in my family who has quilted has, you know, they've all been
women. And I know so many other talented women who have taken up this craft or art, you know, it's both a craft and an art. So it's a way of kind of, you know, a connection with them as well, because it's this shared passion for creating something. And I don't want to say creating
something from nothing, but something, you know, like I said, we take these, you know, cut up these pieces of fabric and turn them into something that's pretty unique to us because no two
quilts really turn out the same even if we are using the same design.
I found it's just, it's highly individual for me.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And what advice would you give to someone that just started out in their quilting journey?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
You know, as someone who tends to have some, you know, or has some perfectionist tendencies, I think that kind of got in my way a lot as I was starting my quilting journey. I was so focused on wanting to do it the right way, making everything perfect, making sure all my seams lined up, you know, that there wasn't any kind of misalignment there, that I kind of
forgot that quilting is about the journey and not just the destination. In fact, some people I know say it is about the journey and not the destination. For me, it's kind of both. But, you know, no one really expects you to produce this award winning quilt on your first try. Now, it took me, like I said, like 10 quilts, I think, before I felt my work was good enough to gift somebody, which is probably silly now that in retrospect. So slowing down, giving yourself grace and embracing imperfection, I think helped me become a better quilter. And see, the other bit of advice I would say, especially for those who don't have a quilter in their life, like me at the time, I was interested. I mean, my mom didn't quilt. My mom-in-law didn't quilt. You know, I didn't really know anyone who quilted. I just say, don't
shy away from reaching out to someone, whether that might be a friend who happens to know, or like for me at the local quilt shop, I mean, total strangers, people who can help launch you on that journey.
So I think sometimes we can be afraid to ask for that help, but I think we need to develop the courage to do that.
[Meredith Ahmed]
And in what ways do you see quilting as an act of preservation, either of memory, tradition, or even resistance?
[Kimber Van Heukelom]
One of the things that stands out to me is, in this era of mass production, where society is putting more and more emphasis on doing something faster, doing it cheaper, the act of quilt making totally defies that to me. I mean, there's nothing particularly fast about the processes of
making a quilt. That's not the reason that the quilters embark on these creative processes either. And there's certainly nothing cheap about quilting cottons and computerized sewing machines. So this is not a cheap hobby. I will, I should, I guess I should think about that. I mean, it doesn't need to be a really expensive hobby either, but it's not what I would think of as a really, really cheap hobby. And so these endeavors are a labor of love, which I think is a process that's kindly been, that's sadly been overshadowed in today's world. So to me, they're also this way of preserving the traditions of our quilting predecessors, those keepers of
memory that I kind of mentioned before. Like there's a story in the stitches of every quilt passed down in my family. You know, it's a story
about that quilter's journey, what they loved about quilting. I mean, my grandma loved embroidery and patchwork, so she often combined those.
And just some memories that those quilts will spark of the people who made them. It's a way I think that they really live on in our lives and our hearts. I mean, when I look at a quilt that was made by a friend, I, my mind automatically will go to the good times we shared and what I
learned from them. And I just think it's that legacy that they leave through those quilts. That they can live on through them. And that's an amazing thing for me.
[Meredith Ahmed]
Well, now that we're at our final question, is there something that you wish that I had asked or anything else you would like to share about your quilting journey?
[Kimber Van Heukelom] I think that this has really been a wonderful, comprehensive look at my quilting journey. So I can't think of anything that I can add. You've done a terrific job.
[Meredith Ahmed]
Great, so we're gonna wrap up here. It is 10 56 AM and this is Meredith Ahmed signing off. Thank you.
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<title>Touchstone Quilt</title>
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<partial_transcript>Hello everyone, I'm Meredith Ahmed. Today is February 13th, 2025, and it is 10.15 a.m, and I am in Newland, North Carolina, and today I'm interviewing Kimber.</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom discusses her quilt Scrap Happy, which she made early in her quilting journey, sparking her love for scrappy quilts. Although traditionally made from fabric scraps, she had to purchase most of the prints since she had not yet built a fabric stash. The quilt follows the Nancy’s Glory pattern by Carol Hopkins, featuring 19th-century reproduction prints that reflect her admiration for antique quilts. She selected this quilt for the interview because it marked a personal milestone—completing it gave her a sense of legitimacy as a quilter. The intricate one-inch square border required precise construction, making it a challenge beyond the simpler quilts she had previously sewn. Describing the quilt, Van Heukelom notes its scrappy yet intentional design, predominantly featuring pinks and browns, with blues, greens, and creams in calico prints. She talks about her intentional creative practice. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Scrap quilts; Antique quilts; Aesthetics; Design process</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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<point>
<time>272</time>
<title>Interest in quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And tell me about your interest in quilt making. What brought you to begin quilt making?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom discovered quilting after seeing a friend's nine-patch quilt. Though she had unsuccessfully attempted sewing clothing as a child—despite her mother’s encouragement—quilting piqued her interest. She was particularly inspired by the fact that her friend, a beginner, had created a beautiful quilt. Encouraged, she enrolled in a quilting class at a recommended quilt shop. Another key influence was a vintage double wedding ring quilt she discovered while antiquing. The quilt’s predominant pink hues, a favorite color of hers, led her to purchase it, sparking a passion for collecting vintage quilts. She has been quilting for over 20 years, primarily creating doll-sized quilts and wall hangings due to time constraints. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Time management; Doll quilts; Learning quiltmaking; Double Wedding Ring - quilt pattern; Aesthetics</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
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<time>459</time>
<title>Family influence on quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And we touched on this a little bit, but does anyone else in your family quilt?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Quilting runs in Van Heukelom’s family, with influences from both her maternal grandmother, Leona, and her husband's grandmother, Evelyn. Although she did not quilt while Leona was alive, she feels a connection to her meticulous approach to sewing. Her husband's grandmother, Evelyn, created over 100 quilts for Project Linus in the last years of her life. She speaks about how the quilts Evelyn gifted her remain a source of comfort.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Aesthetics; Generational quiltmaking; Female quiltmakers; Home sewing machine</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
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<hyperlink_text_alt/>
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<point>
<time>582</time>
<title>First quilt / Techniques </title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what was your first quilting project and how did it turn out?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom’s first quilting project was a nine-patch quilt, while she was not particularly fond of the fabrics or construction the quilt remains an important milestone. Over the years, she has experimented with a wide range of quilting techniques, including machine and hand piecing, redwork, machine and hand appliqué, hand quilting, fussy cutting, English paper piecing, free-motion quilting, and trapunto. Her preferred techniques center on hand piecing and patchwork, but she also enjoys mixing appliqué with pieced blocks for a unique effect. She sometimes incorporates wool appliqué on cotton patchwork, adding dimension and texture to her quilts.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Patchwork quilts; applique; English paper piecing; Hand applique; Machine piecing; Hand piecing; Redwork; Hand quilting; fussy cut; Free motion quilting; Aesthetics</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting; Quilting today</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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<point>
<time>738</time>
<title>Patterns</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom considers herself a traditionalist. She has created a few for projects like an American patchwork and quilting calendar and a local museum. She states that she appreciates the historical designs, and ever since childhood has been interested in history.
</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Aesthetics; childhood; Knowledge transfer</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>812</time>
<title>Fabric choice </title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what kinds of fabrics do you like to work with and why?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom primarily works with 19th-century reproduction prints, drawn to their resemblance to antique quilts. She feels a deep connection to the quilters of the past, admiring their ingenuity in creating beautiful works from limited materials. She is grateful for those who preserved these quilts over the years, allowing her to collect and care for them. Her interest in antique quilts deepened after moving into a Victorian home with tall ceilings, which initially felt uninviting. Quilts became the perfect way to add warmth and coziness.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>fabric selection; Fabric - Multiple scrap; Fiber - Cotton; Home sewing machine</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
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<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
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<point>
<time>888</time>
<title>Quilt guild membership</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And have you ever participated in a quilting bee or quilting guilds and what was that like?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Shortly after beginning her quilting journey, Van Heukelom joined the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild, which provided valuable opportunities to learn new skills, connect with other quilters, and gain inspiration. She recalls learning from quilt designer Kathleen Tracy, known for her doll-sized quilts, Joe Morton, and quilt historian Terry Clothier Thompson. The guild experience played a significant role in her growth as a quilter, offering both education and a sense of community.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Doll quilts; Female quiltmakers; Aesthetics; professional quiltmaker; Social quiltmaking activities; Guild activities</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilt Guild series; Quilts; Quilt; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
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<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
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</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>977</time>
<title>Quilting influences and inspiration </title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?
</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom is drawn to 19th-century quilts or those inspired by their aesthetic, as well as 1930s prints, feed sack fabrics, and classic patterns such as yo-yo quilts, double wedding rings, and grandma’s flower garden. Van Heukelom has been deeply influenced by designers such as Carol Hopkins (Civil War Legacies) and Renee Plains (formerly of Liberty Star), as well as the Blackbird Designs team, whose folk-art-inspired quilts first caught her attention through cross-stitching. Another significant influence is Mary Campbell Gormley, whose book Childhood Treasures: Doll Quilts by and for Children introduced her to historical doll quilts.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Doll quilts; Aesthetics; Antique quilts; Collecting quilts</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1190</time>
<title>Favorite era of quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And we talked about this a little bit, but do you want to speak to an era of quilting that you're most drawn to or inspired by?
</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom is inspired by 'Civil War Quilt' or quilts spanning up until the turn of the 20th century, while she used to collect them she has slowed down in her collecting so she can care for the ones that she has.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Aesthetics; Collecting quilts; Antique quilts</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1232</time>
<title>Quilting as community and identity </title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And is there a particular quilt that you've made that holds deep personal significance?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>After serving as a newsletter editor for the local quilt guild, Van Heukelom received fat quarters in her favorite prints as a thank-you tradition. Some members even created signature blocks, which she incorporated into her Green Briar Quilt, a basket-patterned quilt featuring green setting blocks. However, the most meaningful quilts to her are those entrusted by friends and family. She has received cherished quilts from her mother, mother-in-law, and a friend who owned a quilt shop. Van Heukelom sees quilting as a way to navigate life's challenges. It is central to her identity, not just as a hobby but as a vocation—she has written for and edited quilt magazines and books. A highlight of her career was collaborating with the 19th Century Patchwork Divas, who share her passion for historical quilting.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Collecting quilts; blocks; Signature quilts; Design process; Guild activities; quiltmaking process</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1546</time>
<title>Charity and gifting quilts</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And have you ever gifted or donated a quilt and how did that feel?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom has participated in charity quilting through her Quilt Guild, contributing to group quilts for their annual auction. She has also made quilts for members of her small quilt group, particularly for holiday exchanges. The first quilt she gifted was to her mother, as it felt like a safe choice—she knew her mother would appreciate it regardless of imperfections. She describes gifting a handmade quilt as a deeply personal and sometimes intimidating experience, which is why she waited until she had completed around ten quilts before feeling confident enough to give one away.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Design process; Quilt Purpose - Charity; Quilt Purpose - Gift or presentation</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1616</time>
<title>Changes in quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And how has your quilting changed over the years?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Initially, Van Heukelom primarily used 19th-century reproduction and 1930s prints. However, about eight years ago, she began experimenting with modern novelty prints, like Tula Pink and Ruby Star Society. She has seen changes in quilting trends, such as 19th-century reproduction prints were highly popular, with many fabric designers and collections dedicated to them. However, she has observed a shift over time, as the modern quilt movement has gained prominence and, in many ways, overshadowed the reproduction style. This trend is reflected both locally and nationally, with fewer fabric designers and quilt shops focusing on 19th-century prints.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Fabric - Reproduction; fabric selection; Aesthetics; Fabric - Premium type</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1755</time>
<title>Challenges faced by quiltmakers</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And are there any quilting traditions you fear are being lost?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom believes that hand quilting is becoming a lost art, noting that even when she began quilting, it was already less common. While she primarily machine quilts for efficiency, she has attempted hand quilting and still works on it gradually. Another concern is the loss of quilt stories, her work editing a quilt magazine reinforced the importance of preserving these stories. One major challenge for quilters is fabric stash management, as fabric collections can quickly become overwhelming. Another common difficulty is color selection, a challenge frequently mentioned by quilt shop owners she interviewed for Quilt Sampler Magazine. Many quilters struggle with choosing colors for their projects, often relying on shop owners for guidance or replicating pattern covers instead of experimenting with their own palettes.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Hand quilting; Hand piecing; Aesthetics; Color theory; quilt shop; Fabric stash; Work or Studio space</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1973</time>
<title>Technological influnce</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And how has technology influenced your quilting if it has at all?
</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom has always quilted using a computerized sewing machine, which initially felt unfamiliar but ultimately proved beneficial. When she first started quilting, she opted for a Bernina computerized machine from her local quilt shop, where she received in-depth, one-on-one instruction on its operation. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Technology in quiltmaking; Learning quiltmaking; Home sewing machine; Bernina; Embroidery</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>2052</time>
<title>Quiltings role in women's history</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what role do you think quilting has played in women's history?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>For Van Heukelom, quilts serve as a way to share stories and preserve memories, particularly of the women in her life. She notes that quilts act as keepers of memory, instantly sparking recollections of meaningful moments with loved ones. She sees quilting as both a craft and an art, deeply tied to a shared tradition among women she admires. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Gender in quiltmaking; Generational quiltmaking; Female quiltmakers</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting; Quilting today</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
<gps_text_alt/>
</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
<hyperlink_text/>
<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>2177</time>
<title>Advice for new quilters / Quilting as preservation</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what advice would you give to someone that just started out in their quilting journey?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom encourages new quilters to embrace imperfection and enjoy the quilting journey rather than striving for immediate perfection. Additionally, she stresses the importance of seeking support—whether from friends, local quilt shops, or quilting communities—especially for those who do not have quilters in their immediate circle. Quilting, in Van Heukelom’s view, serves as an act of preservation in multiple ways. In an era of mass production and disposable goods, quilt making defies the push for speed and cheapness, standing as a labor of love that values craftsmanship and tradition. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Aesthetics; Learning quiltmaking; Teaching quiltmaking; Generational quiltmaking; Quilt memory</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
<gps_text/>
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</gpspoints>
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<type>Oral History </type>
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<vtt_transcript><![CDATA[WEBVTT
NOTE
TRANSCRIPTION BEGIN
00:00:06.047 --> 00:00:13.964
<v Meredith Ahmed> Hello everyone, I'm Meredith Ahmed.
00:00:13.964 --> 00:00:21.760
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Today is February 13th, 2025, and it is 10.15 a.m. And I am in Newland, North Carolina, and today I'm interviewing Kimber.
00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:24.620
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, and hi, my name is Kimber Van Heukelom
00:00:24.620 --> 00:00:30.199
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I am here from Adel, Iowa.
00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:34.340
<v Meredith Ahmed> Perfect, and do you wanna tell me about the quilt that you brought in today?
00:00:34.340 --> 00:00:40.543
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Oh yes, okay, so I call this quilt Scrap Happy.
00:00:40.543 --> 00:00:42.679
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That's the name I've given to this.
00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:50.178
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I made it early in my quilting journey, and this kind of began my love affair with scrappy quilts.
00:00:50.178 --> 00:01:02.117
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So ironically, at the time I made it, I hadn't really developed much of a quilt stash yet, so I had to purchase most of the prints to create the look I wanted.
00:01:02.117 --> 00:01:07.959
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Usually quilters will just take these scraps from their stash, they don't even really need to go out and buy anything new.
00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:21.622
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that's kind of the irony of this, but it's actually a pattern called Nancy's Glory by Carol Hopkins, and she is a designer behind Civil War legacies patterns.
00:01:21.622 --> 00:01:31.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so when you see this quilt, it looks very similar to hers in terms of the scrappiness, just because I share her love of these 19th century reproduction prints.
00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:38.749
<v Meredith Ahmed> And why did you choose this quilt to bring to your interview?
00:01:38.749 --> 00:01:43.500
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You know, I can still remember the feeling of accomplishment I had after completing this quilt.
00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:51.763
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> While the blocks are pretty straightforward, the construction of the one inch squares in this border was a little bit tricky.
00:01:51.763 --> 00:01:57.420
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They require precision, which really matters if you want the border to fit properly.
00:01:57.420 --> 00:02:23.088
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think completing this quilt marked my passage into my own perception of myself as an official quilter, because the quilts I'd done before were pretty basic, and I was a little worried about maybe being stuck doing nine patches forever, not to knock nine patches, because I think they're just a classic design that really stand the test of time.
00:02:23.088 --> 00:02:28.520
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I really wanted to tackle some of the patterns that I'd seen in antique quilts.
00:02:28.520 --> 00:02:35.500
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I just like to continually grow as a quilter and in whatever I'm doing.
00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:44.159
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think that's probably why this matters so much to me, because in my mind, it was just like, okay, I really am a quilter now.
00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:50.580
<v Meredith Ahmed> And could you just describe the quilt, like maybe some of the colors or what it looks like?
00:02:50.580 --> 00:03:03.717
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yeah, the quilt has a medley of colors, predominantly pinks and browns, but in true scrappy fashion, I had to incorporate other colors as well.
00:03:03.717 --> 00:03:09.539
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So we have some blues, we have some greens, there's some creams, and they're all calicos, so they're patterns.
00:03:09.539 --> 00:03:12.860
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They're not just like solid, solid colors.
00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:21.109
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So, and that's what I love about these fabrics is just the patterns and the different designs.
00:03:21.109 --> 00:03:28.310
<v Meredith Ahmed> And do you feel that this quilt represents your quilting or creative practice?
00:03:28.310 --> 00:03:37.810
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> This quilt definitely captures who I am as a quilter, because I'm very drawn to antique quilts and the scrappier, the better.
00:03:37.810 --> 00:03:42.629
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But to me, like scrappy doesn't necessarily mean like, you know, just kind of all over the place.
00:03:42.629 --> 00:03:51.867
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I auditioned several blocks before deciding on this layout until I got what I thought was a decent layout.
00:03:51.867 --> 00:03:54.710
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I always lay these things out before I actually start piecing.
00:03:54.710 --> 00:03:58.310
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So, and that really does reflect my creative practice.
00:03:58.310 --> 00:04:08.590
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I like the spontaneity of the creative process and with scrappy quilts, you're never quite sure how they're going to turn out and that's part of the fun of it.
00:04:08.590 --> 00:04:16.329
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I'm very intentional about arranging blocks and I can be a little bit finicky about what goes where.
00:04:16.329 --> 00:04:24.410
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's kind of amazing how your eye will go to this one ill-positioned block and that bothers somebody like me.
00:04:24.410 --> 00:04:30.670
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Now for some other quilters, they couldn't care less, but that's kind of my creative process.
00:04:30.670 --> 00:04:34.509
<v Meredith Ahmed> And tell me about your interest in quilt making.
00:04:34.509 --> 00:04:38.449
<v Meredith Ahmed> What brought you to begin quilt making?
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<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yeah, there are a couple of things that come to mind.
00:04:40.930 --> 00:04:51.864
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> First, you know, I never really thought much about quilts until I saw my friend's nine patch quilt that she had made.
00:04:51.864 --> 00:04:53.470
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I tried sewing clothes as a kid.
00:04:53.470 --> 00:05:02.209
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My mom was a terrific sewer and she really wanted my sister and I to learn how to sew clothes, but we just didn't have an interest in it.
00:05:02.209 --> 00:05:08.910
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It didn't speak to us, but there was something about seeing my friend's quilt that got me thinking about it again.
00:05:08.910 --> 00:05:20.629
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I don't know that it was even the fabrics or the actual quilt, but more just the fact that my friend was a total novice too, and somehow she was able to make this spectacular quilt.
00:05:20.629 --> 00:05:30.490
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so when I left, I just kept thinking about that and asking myself, well, could I do this even though I don't know how to sew?
00:05:30.490 --> 00:05:35.689
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Well, after a few days of pondering it, I decided to go for it.
00:05:35.689 --> 00:05:40.389
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My friend told me the name of the quilt shop where she'd taken these lessons.
00:05:40.389 --> 00:05:49.829
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And the instructor, who was a longtime award-winning quilter came highly recommended, so I knew I'd have good instruction.
00:05:49.829 --> 00:05:55.750
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And before I knew it, I'd signed up for the class and I was making my own nine patch quilt.
00:05:55.750 --> 00:06:05.529
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I kind of had a little bit of an imposter syndrome going on just because I was so out of my element, but I got over that fairly quickly.
00:06:05.529 --> 00:06:14.970
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And the other thing that got me interested in quilt making was seeing this vintage double wedding ring quilt while I was antiquing.
00:06:14.970 --> 00:06:18.430
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And everyone who knows me knows that I love pink.
00:06:18.430 --> 00:06:26.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I fell in love with it just because pink was a predominant hue in this quilt, in all the rings.
00:06:26.730 --> 00:06:38.850
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So fell in love with it, and that was my first vintage quilt purchase and the one that kind of would spark a kind of a collecting craze, if you want to call it.
00:06:38.850 --> 00:06:42.129
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that's the other thing that got me interested.
00:06:42.129 --> 00:06:46.420
<v Meredith Ahmed> And how long have you been a quilt maker?
00:06:46.420 --> 00:06:50.279
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Hard to believe, but it has been 20 years.
00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:54.459
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just, in thinking about this, it's been maybe even a little longer.
00:06:54.459 --> 00:07:05.199
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I focus primarily on doll-sized quilts or wall hangings because those were the sizes that fit my work schedule best.
00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:10.819
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I did most of my quilting in the evening hours or on Sunday afternoons.
00:07:10.819 --> 00:07:19.319
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And they had another benefit too, because the smaller sizes are fairly easy to assemble depending on what design you're doing.
00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:27.860
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But they were very easy to quilt and piece on my home sewing machine.
00:07:27.860 --> 00:07:37.120
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It can be very tricky to squeeze all that fabric under a home machine if you have like a really large or full-size quilts.
00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:42.730
<v Meredith Ahmed> And we touched on this a little bit, but does anyone else in your family quilt?
00:07:42.730 --> 00:07:44.509
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, they do.
00:07:44.509 --> 00:07:57.370
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My maternal grandma, Leona, quilted and my husband's grandma, Evelyn, who I was very close to, was a prolific quilter.
00:07:57.370 --> 00:08:18.149
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Although I didn't quilt while my grandma, Leona, was alive, I think I kind of share her attention to detail because she was a really meticulous seamstress who sewed all my mom's clothes, cute little wool trousers with a matching cape, all these cute little outfits.
00:08:18.149 --> 00:08:23.430
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I tend to be pretty detail-oriented like that.
00:08:23.430 --> 00:08:28.110
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> In fact, sometimes I feel like I can fall into some perfectionist tendencies.
00:08:28.110 --> 00:08:33.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But so I think maybe that's how she's influenced me.
00:08:33.730 --> 00:08:49.509
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then my grandma, Evelyn, was a longtime quilter and she used to make a lot of quilts for Project Linus, a charity during the last, probably, I would say five years of her life.
00:08:49.509 --> 00:09:00.640
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I'm sure she sewed more than 100 quilts for Project Linus.
00:09:00.640 --> 00:09:06.240
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And unlike me, she did not care if her seams matched up or her fabrics matched.
00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:09.669
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> She just loved making quilts for other people.
00:09:09.669 --> 00:09:16.669
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And she reminds me not to take my quilting or myself too seriously.
00:09:16.669 --> 00:09:24.077
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's just kind of a reminder that the joy is in the journey, not the destination or not just a destination.
00:09:24.077 --> 00:09:27.774
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I miss her a lot.
00:09:27.774 --> 00:09:31.126
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And the quilts she gave me still bring a lot of comfort.
00:09:31.126 --> 00:09:35.228
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They're almost like this surrogate for her in a way.
00:09:35.228 --> 00:09:41.181
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Though, of course, nothing can replace her generosity and warmth.
00:09:41.181 --> 00:09:48.678
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what was your first quilting project and how did it turn out?
00:09:48.678 --> 00:09:54.596
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Well, my first quilting project was that nine-patch quilt I mentioned just a little earlier.
00:09:54.596 --> 00:09:57.275
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And it turned out okay.
00:09:57.275 --> 00:10:02.575
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I followed all the instructions, figured out how to quilt it on my own.
00:10:02.575 --> 00:10:10.823
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But honestly, I wasn't in love with it more probably because of the fabrics and the construction.
00:10:10.823 --> 00:10:21.998
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I hadn't yet developed that confidence about fabric choices and I hadn't yet realized that I loved those 19th century reproduction prints.
00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:30.552
<v Meredith Ahmed> You still have it?
00:10:21.998 --> 00:10:21.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But it's still a good reminder of how far I've come as a quilter though.
00:10:30.552 --> 00:10:32.379
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, I do.
00:10:32.379 --> 00:10:37.717
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I don't display it like the other quilts, but I have it just as a reminder.
00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:48.392
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think that really motivates me to keep growing.
00:10:37.717 --> 00:10:37.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I like those reminders of kind of how far I've come in the creative process.
00:10:48.392 --> 00:10:53.713
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what techniques do you like to use in your quilting?
00:10:53.713 --> 00:10:59.627
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I have experimented with so many techniques over the years.
00:10:59.627 --> 00:11:16.767
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, like machine piecing, hand piecing, red work, machine and hand applique, hand quilting, fussy cutting, English paper piecing, free motion quilting, I did that.
00:11:16.767 --> 00:11:21.842
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And even like the trapunto once.
00:11:21.842 --> 00:11:31.969
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think like experimenting with those different techniques is a great way to learn and exercise your creativity because you don't know what techniques might resonate with you.
00:11:31.969 --> 00:11:37.494
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That's kind of how I got into some of the applique designs.
00:11:37.494 --> 00:11:39.805
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So great way to experiment, yeah.
00:11:39.805 --> 00:11:44.649
<v Meredith Ahmed> Do you have like some preferred techniques?
00:11:44.649 --> 00:11:54.389
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I am, you know, I am mostly drawn to the hand piecing, that patchwork kind of in the quilt that I just showed.
00:11:54.389 --> 00:11:56.809
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that is probably my favorite thing to do.
00:11:56.809 --> 00:12:03.449
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I do like to sometimes do the applique though, like mix it with the piece blocks because that can be a really fun look too.
00:12:03.449 --> 00:12:11.468
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And sometimes I'll even mix like wool applique on top of the cotton patchwork.
00:12:11.468 --> 00:12:17.087
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And that adds a nice dimension and texture to your quilts.
00:12:17.087 --> 00:12:23.228
<v Meredith Ahmed> And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
00:12:23.228 --> 00:12:25.513
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I am definitely a traditionalist.
00:12:25.513 --> 00:12:28.764
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I don't tend to reinvent the wheel.
00:12:28.764 --> 00:12:33.216
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I can count on maybe one hand the number of designs I've created.
00:12:33.216 --> 00:12:48.889
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I did create one for an American patchwork and quilting calendar, and then a few for a local museum that they asked me to kind of recreate some of the designs in their quilts.
00:12:48.889 --> 00:12:54.914
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I really, yeah, I really find inspiration in those designs of yesteryear.
00:12:54.914 --> 00:13:07.401
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Even when I was a kid, I was just, I think I was just passionate about history so that when we went on like a family trip, I would want to go visit a historic house or a museum.
00:13:07.401 --> 00:13:10.877
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just like old things.
00:13:10.877 --> 00:13:14.824
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I feel like I like to decorate that way too.
00:13:14.824 --> 00:13:21.738
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, sometimes I feel like my decorating resembles a lot of my grandma's style.
00:13:21.738 --> 00:13:37.145
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I have a lot of like old furniture, a lot of her heirlooms that she passed down to me, like this little embroidered clock, things like that, so.
00:13:37.145 --> 00:13:43.248
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what kinds of fabrics do you like to work with and why?
00:13:43.248 --> 00:13:46.932
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I work primarily with the 19th century reproduction prints.
00:13:46.932 --> 00:13:54.148
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They're the ones that really capture my heart just because they resemble the antique quilts that I love so much.
00:13:54.148 --> 00:14:03.869
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I feel such a kinship with those quilters of the past who had a lot more ingenuity than I will ever have.
00:14:03.869 --> 00:14:14.258
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I'm just amazed at what they were able to do with so little and what they were able to create from those scraps.
00:14:14.258 --> 00:14:21.320
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I'm so grateful that someone cared enough to look after them over the years so that I could eventually give them a home.
00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:33.515
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> When I really got into collecting them, we just moved into this Victorian home with these really tall ceilings and it was hard to make anything feel cozy.
00:14:33.515 --> 00:14:35.861
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And these quilts proved to be the perfect solution.
00:14:35.861 --> 00:14:41.355
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You could just drape one over the back of the sofa or stack three on a bench or put one on the wall.
00:14:41.355 --> 00:14:47.987
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And suddenly this old drafty house didn't feel so uninviting anymore.
00:14:47.987 --> 00:14:52.755
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just feel like nothing adds comfort to a home like a quilt can.
00:14:52.755 --> 00:15:00.824
<v Meredith Ahmed> And have you ever participated in a quilting bee or quilting guilds and what was that like?
00:15:00.824 --> 00:15:16.416
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, soon after I started my quilt journey, I joined the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild and it was a great way to meet other quilters and learn new skills because they had monthly workshops often with really well-known quilt designers.
00:15:16.416 --> 00:15:22.090
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They'd have an annual quilt show where you could get new inspiration and purchase products through different vendors.
00:15:22.090 --> 00:15:26.500
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And they also had the option to join a small quilt group based on your particular interests.
00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:33.139
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So it was kind of a great opportunity to find your own tribe of quilters, so to speak.
00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:44.259
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I've made a lot of friendships through that guild and there were just so many perks of being a member in a group like that.
00:15:44.259 --> 00:15:58.399
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I'm trying to remember all the famous quilters that I encountered through here, like people like Kathleen Tracy, she's known for her doll-sized quilt designs as well.
00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:06.399
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Joe Morton, Terry Clothier Thompson is a quilt historian who talked to us once.
00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:16.408
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So just lots of inspiration.
00:16:16.408 --> 00:16:18.200
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?
00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:20.419
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> For me, it's pretty simple.
00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:22.299
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's when it speaks to you.
00:16:22.299 --> 00:16:30.059
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, the ones that call my name typically are the 19th century ones or made in that spirit.
00:16:30.059 --> 00:16:37.320
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I've fallen in love with a lot of very recently made ones that just are inspired by those prints.
00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:47.840
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I also really like quilts with the 1930s prints and feed sacks, like the yo-yo quilts, the double wedding rings, the grandma's flower garden.
00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:56.740
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That's kind of why I wanted to experiment with the English paper piecing because of the grandma's flower garden design.
00:16:56.740 --> 00:17:04.818
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I just think also some of the simplest quilts can speak volumes just through their color combinations.
00:17:04.818 --> 00:17:22.980
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think the color is just really key to me, but I'm also like awestruck by these scrappy quilts and how makers have combined so many prints and to make this kind of harmonious whole.
00:17:22.980 --> 00:17:32.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Because it seems like they should be really easy to make, but I think they can actually be quite a challenge to put that together in an effective way.
00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.430
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So.
00:17:34.430 --> 00:17:40.349
<v Meredith Ahmed> And are there any quilters or artists that inspire your work?
00:17:40.349 --> 00:17:46.190
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I have, you know, I have been a fan of the Civil War legacies designer.
00:17:46.190 --> 00:17:50.769
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> She's designed a lot with the quilt that I had shared earlier.
00:17:50.769 --> 00:17:56.230
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then I also like, she used to design under Liberty Star.
00:17:56.230 --> 00:17:58.349
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Her name is Renee Plains.
00:17:58.349 --> 00:18:02.470
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And unfortunately she's no longer designing, but I love her.
00:18:02.470 --> 00:18:04.650
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I love, absolutely love her designs.
00:18:04.650 --> 00:18:14.670
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I really liked the Blackbird Designs team because they have this like little, like kind of a folk art twist to their quilts.
00:18:14.670 --> 00:18:19.089
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And they, I got into them basically because I'd been cross-stitching before.
00:18:19.089 --> 00:18:22.609
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then I noticed that they were also designing quilts.
00:18:22.609 --> 00:18:29.789
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So another person who stands out to me is the Mary Campbell Ghormley doll quilt.
00:18:29.789 --> 00:18:35.490
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> She authored a book called Childhood Treasures, Doll Quilts by and for Children.
00:18:35.490 --> 00:18:40.410
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> This was a while back, but it had basically 80 doll quilts in it.
00:18:40.410 --> 00:18:45.170
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Now, not all of those had patterns, but I saw an exhibit of her quilts.
00:18:45.170 --> 00:19:00.990
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And that's kind of what got me interested also in the doll quilts, but also there's some interest in vintage doll beds because she had this enormous collection of them.
00:19:00.990 --> 00:19:15.289
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I can remember making an early morning round trip to her, a road trip to her house because she was having this sale of the select antique quilts and doll beds.
00:19:15.289 --> 00:19:23.829
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so I had no idea if I would actually get one because I thought, oh, I'm sure that, you know, there are a lot of people who are going to be coming here.
00:19:23.829 --> 00:19:31.670
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But luckily I managed to get three doll beds and then a couple quilts at that sale.
00:19:31.670 --> 00:19:44.029
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that's something that, that's kind of a memory that stands out too when I'm thinking about people who, you know, I've been drawn to as far as their designs.
00:19:44.029 --> 00:19:50.710
<v Meredith Ahmed> And we talked about this a little bit, but do you want to speak to an era of quilting that you're most drawn to or inspired by?
00:19:50.710 --> 00:20:04.049
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Well, I really feel it is, to me it's like what a lot of people call maybe the civil war era, but actually spans probably up to like the turn of the 20th century.
00:20:04.049 --> 00:20:09.869
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And that's really, really where my, my love lies.
00:20:09.869 --> 00:20:12.630
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's just been something that has been a constant.
00:20:12.630 --> 00:20:17.609
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's the first thing that I gravitated to and it's still the same thing that I, that I like now.
00:20:17.609 --> 00:20:26.190
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I don't really collect them as much as I used to anymore, just because of maybe space reasons.
00:20:26.190 --> 00:20:35.450
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I don't, you know, I don't want to get more than I can properly care for, but that is really, that is really my first love.
00:20:35.450 --> 00:20:42.700
<v Meredith Ahmed> And is there a particular quilt that you've made that holds deep personal significance?
00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:53.880
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> After serving as a newsletter editor for the local quilt guild for a couple of years, I was gifted back quarters in my favorite prints by members of the guild.
00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:58.660
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's kind of a tradition of theirs, just as a way of thanking board members for their service.
00:20:58.660 --> 00:21:13.880
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And it was really, you know, touching to see all the fabrics people had selected for me, that they took the time to actually remember what I liked and, you know, didn't give me something different, but some had even made little signature blocks with their names on it.
00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:18.859
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so I use these prints to make what I call my green briar quilt.
00:21:18.859 --> 00:21:21.799
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's another little quilt.
00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:30.220
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And as you might guess, I use the greens for the setting blocks, so that's the predominant color.
00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:39.740
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And the rest of the blocks are these little piece baskets with embroidered handles, and then, you know, some of the signature blocks as well.
00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:52.579
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But honestly, I have to say that the quilts really with the most significance to me are the ones that friends and family have entrusted to my care.
00:21:52.579 --> 00:22:18.611
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Because, you know, when you, this is my feeling about, as a quilt maker, when you give someone a gift you made with your own hands, you're giving them a piece of yourself, and that can be incredibly vulnerable, or at least that's how I feel when I would gift a quilt.
00:22:18.611 --> 00:22:19.880
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so I feel incredibly privileged when someone decides to give me a quilt, whether it's made by their own hands or an antique quilt that they picked up, you know, years ago.
00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:25.279
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I've been really fortunate to be the recipient of these.
00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:30.619
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> A friend who owned a local quilt shop gifted me this incredible floral applique quilt.
00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:37.559
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I just remember being stunned that she would give something so precious away.
00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:43.420
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It just made me realize that, you know, quilters are some of the most generous humans.
00:22:43.420 --> 00:22:50.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And both my mom and my mother-in-law have also gifted me quilts.
00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:55.660
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My mom gifted me my grandma's quilts.
00:22:55.660 --> 00:23:00.640
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Leona, the person I mentioned earlier, a couple of the quilts that she made.
00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:17.112
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So now I have those in my home.
00:23:17.112 --> 00:23:23.805
<v Meredith Ahmed> And have you ever used quilting to get through a difficult time?
00:23:23.805 --> 00:23:25.790
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Definitely.
00:23:25.790 --> 00:23:31.327
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think it can be a way to navigate life's challenges because, of course, we all encounter those.
00:23:30.150 --> 00:23:32.069
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's not really, I can't really call it a studio.
00:23:31.327 --> 00:23:30.150
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And it's nice to have something that you have control over as far as an activity, that I could just go into my quilting room.
00:23:32.069 --> 00:23:48.250
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's just a little room in the house, but just kind of, you know, start sewing on blocks, start, you know, thinking about my next project and just kind of shut out some of those other cares for, even if it's only an afternoon.
00:23:48.250 --> 00:24:02.816
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think that that's a great point because that is something I use to help me get through life's challenges.
00:24:02.816 --> 00:24:10.585
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what role does quilting play in your sense of identity?
00:24:10.585 --> 00:24:16.665
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It is really pretty central to my life, as is just, I would say, creativity is central to my life.
00:24:16.665 --> 00:24:20.764
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's been something that I've always valued.
00:24:20.764 --> 00:24:23.859
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I love the act of creating something that will outlive me, I guess.
00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:30.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And for me, quilting has not just been an avocation.
00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:39.400
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's been a vocation because I've been lucky enough to write for quilt magazines and edit a quilt magazine and quilt books.
00:24:39.400 --> 00:24:45.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And it's given me a chance to meet some of my favorite designers.
00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:57.960
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And a highlight was probably working with the founders of the, they call themselves the 19th century patchwork divas because they love those same types of quilts I do.
00:24:57.960 --> 00:25:07.519
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then, I've also ended up designing some, mostly I focus on pin cushion designs more than quilts or something.
00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:15.359
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They're a little faster to do, but I also have this love affair with pin cushions too.
00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:19.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I've made those for some of the fabric companies before.
00:25:19.900 --> 00:25:37.140
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I really like making these little strawberry pin cushion make-do's that they're just, I think originally they were just made with whatever someone had on hand, like a candlestick and little bits of scraps or things like that.
00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:47.804
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that art of making do inspires me too.
00:25:47.804 --> 00:25:52.489
<v Meredith Ahmed> And have you ever gifted or donated a quilt and how did that feel?
00:25:52.489 --> 00:25:55.380
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, I have worked on charity quilts as part of a group for the Quilt Guild.
00:25:55.380 --> 00:25:57.819
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> We always have an annual auction.
00:25:57.819 --> 00:26:02.039
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so we've worked on one together as a group.
00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:16.700
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then I've also gifted quilts to members of the small group because we always have a holiday exchange and of course, a lot of us like to make a quilt or other project for who we're partnered with.
00:26:16.700 --> 00:26:23.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But the first person I think I actually gifted a quilt to was my mom because it felt safe to me.
00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:37.759
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It was like I said earlier, giving a handmade gift is an incredibly personal experience and that can make it a little bit scary but I knew my mom would accept it no matter what and would think it was great.
00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:42.319
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that was my first experience giving a quilt to somebody.
00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:57.755
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It took me a while to do that because I felt like I needed to make like about 10 quilts before they were good enough to give to anybody.
00:26:57.755 --> 00:27:03.741
<v Meredith Ahmed> And how has your quilting changed over the years?
00:27:03.741 --> 00:27:06.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I would say at first I really stuck with the 19th century reproductions and just to an extent the 1930s prints.
00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:26.220
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But about eight years ago, I started playing with some of the more modern novelty prints and I don't mean really modern because I know there's a modern quilt movement and some of those get really modern but these are more like just, you know, kind of fun loving prints and things like that.
00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:33.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Like for example, some of the designs by Tula Pink and the Ruby Star Society have so many fun colors.
00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:43.299
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And again, I'm responding to that color again and I think they're just artistic wonders at that.
00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:52.740
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I don't think they'll ever eclipse the antique prints for me but they're kind of a way to break out of my proverbial box and try something new.
00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:58.740
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I like using those more for like little accessories maybe more so than even the quilts.
00:27:58.740 --> 00:28:17.550
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Although I have made, I would say I probably made like maybe five quilts with those types of fabrics.
00:28:17.550 --> 00:28:24.981
<v Meredith Ahmed> And have you seen a shift in quilting styles or trends during your time spent quilting?
00:28:24.981 --> 00:28:32.191
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yeah, when I started, I felt like the 19th century reproduction prints were incredibly popular.
00:28:32.191 --> 00:28:39.131
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, it seemed like a kind of a new area of focus for people and even locally, there was so much interest in it.
00:28:39.131 --> 00:28:42.557
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> There were like new designers focusing on that.
00:28:42.557 --> 00:28:56.688
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> A lot of new fabric collections were popping up but over time that modern quilt movement took root and now I feel like that has kind of eclipsed the reproduction prints, at least here in this area.
00:28:56.688 --> 00:29:00.510
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I know, I hear about it nationwide as well.
00:29:00.510 --> 00:29:01.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that's something that I've really seen even to the extent that I don't see as many fabric designers focusing on the 19th century prints anymore.
00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:09.339
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And also I see that a lot in the shops as far as where their focus is on fabric selection.
00:29:09.339 --> 00:29:16.230
<v Meredith Ahmed> And are there any quilting traditions you fear are being lost?
00:29:16.230 --> 00:29:26.569
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think that hand quilting is something that is a loss or is becoming a lost art even when I was starting to quilt.
00:29:26.569 --> 00:29:28.910
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just didn't see it very often.
00:29:28.910 --> 00:29:38.089
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I mean, I probably wasn't helping with that because I was focusing mainly on machine quilting because that's what I had the time to do.
00:29:38.089 --> 00:29:40.470
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I love my Bernina machine.
00:29:40.470 --> 00:29:46.250
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I still have it, that one that, I mean, these machines are workhorses.
00:29:46.250 --> 00:29:50.569
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They really, I mean, they really go the distance and I still have it.
00:29:50.569 --> 00:30:05.390
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I did actually try hand quilting at one point and I bought even this Roxanne like thimble, Roxanne brand thimble to help with this because that was kind of, you know, popular thimble to use back at that time.
00:30:05.390 --> 00:30:10.190
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I still am kind of gradually working on it still.
00:30:10.190 --> 00:30:19.710
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I haven't given up, but I think that's one thing that has unfortunately been lost for a while.
00:30:19.710 --> 00:30:25.049
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I also think kind of the stories behind the quilts themselves are being lost.
00:30:25.049 --> 00:30:32.029
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I often wish that, oh, if quilts could only talk, you know, can you imagine the stories they would tell us?
00:30:32.029 --> 00:30:47.029
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I think that's probably something that I really enjoyed actually about editing that quilt magazine because I would get to hear those stories as we would always ask the designers, the project designers for their inspiration behind the quilts.
00:30:47.029 --> 00:30:57.849
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> We'd ask them to kind of write a paragraph or two on what inspired it or, you know, what they thought was most important about it.
00:30:57.849 --> 00:31:01.769
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I think that's part of what I really liked about that now that I think about it.
00:31:01.769 --> 00:31:04.210
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So, yeah.
00:31:04.210 --> 00:31:11.240
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what do you think is the biggest challenge confronting quilt makers today?
00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:22.160
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Well, I can only speak from my own experience, but I think number one is fabric stash management, what a lot of us call fabric stash management.
00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:29.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> As you might've already discovered, you know, fabric stashes can easily get out of hand.
00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:42.259
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I'm quite sure I have more than enough to last my lifetime, although that doesn't stop me from going out and buying something else if I feel like, you know, okay, I don't have the right fabric for this project.
00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:46.380
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I need something that doesn't prevent me at all from doing that.
00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:50.480
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I would say that's something I hear from a lot of quilters.
00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:53.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And also, you know, just to after editing
00:31:53.900 --> 00:31:57.460
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> a quilt magazine too, and like, you know,
00:31:57.460 --> 00:32:00.559
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> interviewing quilt shops for Quilt Sampler Magazine,
00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:04.259
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> which I used to do when I talked to the quilt shop owners,
00:32:04.259 --> 00:32:07.339
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> they would say a lot about like how color selection
00:32:07.339 --> 00:32:12.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> was such a tough process for their customers
00:32:12.440 --> 00:32:14.940
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> that people often get stymied on,
00:32:14.940 --> 00:32:16.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> like they wanna do a project,
00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:20.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> but they don't know how to bring it to life with colors.
00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:22.059
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And they're really afraid to try that.
00:32:22.059 --> 00:32:29.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So they actually end up asking the shop owners a lot, or maybe they just replicate what's on a pattern cover, which is totally fine.
00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:46.059
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I think those are two challenges that seem to be kind of, you know, have been a challenge for many years from the quilters that I've encountered.
00:32:46.059 --> 00:32:52.259
<v Meredith Ahmed> And how has technology influenced your quilting if it has at all?
00:32:52.259 --> 00:33:00.380
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I would just say just in the sense that I've always, I've always quilted on a computerized sewing machine, which sounded so strange to me at first.
00:33:00.380 --> 00:33:08.519
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I just, you know, I just thought I would probably, you know, quilt on an electric machine or something like that.
00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:13.759
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But at the time I was quilting, I thought, well, I could use all the help I can get.
00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:23.859
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I just went for the computerized Bernina machines at my local quilt shop where I took that first class because they offered detailed instruction on how to use it.
00:33:23.859 --> 00:33:26.180
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And one-on-one, which I was really impressed by.
00:33:26.180 --> 00:33:37.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, someone sat with me for about four hours teaching me how to use this machine because it was very, you know, intimidating being this computerized machine.
00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:52.400
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I thought I would use it to also create embroidery designs because it could actually embroider a block in like, you know, just a few minutes or something, depending on how detailed the design was.
00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:57.539
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I have found I don't really use it that much for that purpose.
00:33:57.539 --> 00:34:06.668
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But in that sense, I think technology has influenced my quilting.
00:34:06.668 --> 00:34:08.769
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what role do you think quilting has played in women's history?
00:34:08.769 --> 00:34:14.989
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think it's just, it's been a way to share their stories with others.
00:34:14.989 --> 00:34:43.309
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I think about what my grandma has done with her quilts and, you know, what I've learned from her and how quilts have served as a way for me to, you know, think of myself as, not just even as a quilter, like, you know, the process of quilting, but just in terms of how I want to live as someone with kindness and generosity and empathy.
00:34:43.309 --> 00:34:56.590
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> In that sense, I feel like they're these, kind of to speak to your other question, these keepers of memory because they also spark memories of these women in my life.
00:34:56.590 --> 00:35:06.349
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Anytime I look at them, they're just an instant magnet for that to remember the good times that I've shared with them.
00:35:06.349 --> 00:35:12.409
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think that's a big part of what quilts can do, especially for, yeah.
00:35:12.409 --> 00:35:20.929
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, everybody I've known in my family who has quilted has, you know, they've all been women.
00:35:20.929 --> 00:35:30.510
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I know so many other talented women who have taken up this craft or art, you know, it's both a craft and an art.
00:35:30.510 --> 00:35:44.590
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So it's a way of kind of, you know, a connection with them as well, because it's this shared passion for creating something.
00:35:44.590 --> 00:36:03.849
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I don't want to say creating something from nothing, but something, you know, like I said, we take these, you know, cut up these pieces of fabric and turn them into something that's pretty unique to us because no two quilts really turn out the same even if we are using the same design.
00:36:03.849 --> 00:36:09.989
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I found it's just, it's highly individual for me.
00:36:09.989 --> 00:36:17.219
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what advice would you give to someone that just started out in their quilting journey?
00:36:17.219 --> 00:36:30.179
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You know, as someone who tends to have some, you know, or has some perfectionist tendencies, I think that kind of got in my way a lot as I was starting my quilting journey.
00:36:30.179 --> 00:36:47.639
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I was so focused on wanting to do it the right way, making everything perfect, making sure all my seams lined up, you know, that there wasn't any kind of misalignment there, that I kind of forgot that quilting is about the journey and not just the destination.
00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:51.360
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> In fact, some people I know say it is about the journey and not the destination.
00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:52.280
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> For me, it's kind of both.
00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:58.400
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But, you know, no one really expects you to produce this award-winning quilt on your first try.
00:36:58.400 --> 00:37:08.099
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Now, it took me, like I said, like 10 quilts, I think, before I felt my work was good enough to gift somebody, which is probably silly now that in retrospect.
00:37:08.099 --> 00:37:21.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So slowing down, giving yourself grace and embracing imperfection, I think helped me become a better quilter.
00:37:21.900 --> 00:37:32.579
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And see, the other bit of advice I would say, especially for those who don't have a quilter in their life, like me at the time, I was interested.
00:37:32.579 --> 00:37:34.239
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, my mom didn't quilt.
00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:35.840
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My mom-in-law didn't quilt.
00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:38.179
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You know, I didn't really know anyone who quilted.
00:37:38.179 --> 00:37:52.159
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just say, don't shy away from reaching out to someone, whether that might be a friend who happens to know, or like for me at the local quilt shop, I mean, total strangers, people who can help launch you on that journey.
00:37:52.159 --> 00:38:03.199
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think sometimes we can be afraid to ask for that help, but I think we need to develop the courage to do that.
00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:13.289
<v Meredith Ahmed> And in what ways do you see quilting as an act of preservation, either of memory, tradition, or even resistance?
00:38:13.289 --> 00:38:29.630
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> One of the things that stands out to me is, in this era of mass production, where society is putting more and more emphasis on doing something faster, doing it cheaper, the act of quilt making totally defies that to me.
00:38:29.630 --> 00:38:35.110
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, there's nothing particularly fast about the processes of making a quilt.
00:38:35.110 --> 00:38:40.309
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That's not the reason that the quilters embark on these creative processes either.
00:38:40.309 --> 00:38:46.829
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And there's certainly nothing cheap about quilting cottons and computerized sewing machines.
00:38:46.829 --> 00:38:49.130
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So this is not a cheap hobby.
00:38:49.130 --> 00:38:53.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I will, I should, I guess I should think about that.
00:38:53.730 --> 00:39:00.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, it doesn't need to be a really expensive hobby either, but it's not what I would think of as a really, really cheap hobby.
00:39:00.730 --> 00:39:13.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so these endeavors are a labor of love, which I think is a process that's kindly been, that's sadly been overshadowed in today's world.
00:39:13.730 --> 00:39:25.250
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So to me, they're also this way of preserving the traditions of our quilting predecessors, those keepers of memory that I kind of mentioned before.
00:39:25.250 --> 00:39:30.829
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Like there's a story in the stitches of every quilt passed down in my family.
00:39:30.829 --> 00:39:35.070
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You know, it's a story about that quilter's journey, what they loved about quilting.
00:39:35.070 --> 00:39:41.389
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, my grandma loved embroidery and patchwork, so she often combined those.
00:39:41.389 --> 00:39:46.530
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And just some memories that those quilts will spark of the people who made them.
00:39:46.530 --> 00:39:53.010
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's a way I think that they really live on in our lives and our hearts.
00:39:53.010 --> 00:40:03.469
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, when I look at a quilt that was made by a friend, I, my mind automatically will go to the good times we shared and what I learned from them.
00:40:03.469 --> 00:40:08.849
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I just think it's that legacy that they leave through those quilts.
00:40:08.849 --> 00:40:12.690
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That they can live on through them.
00:40:12.690 --> 00:40:16.150
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And that's an amazing thing for me.
00:40:16.150 --> 00:40:26.820
<v Meredith Ahmed> Well, now that we're at our final question, is there something that you wish that I had asked or anything else you would like to share about your quilting journey?
00:40:26.820 --> 00:40:34.420
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think that this has really been a wonderful, comprehensive look at my quilting journey.
00:40:34.420 --> 00:40:37.199
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I can't think of anything that I can add.
00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:40.980
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You've done a terrific job.
00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:43.260
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Great, so we're gonna wrap up here.
00:40:43.260 --> 00:40:48.179
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It is 10 56 AM and this is Meredith Ahmed signing off.
00:40:48.179 --> 00:40:48.780
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Thank you.
NOTE
TRANSCRIPTION END
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<title>Touchstone Quilt</title>
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<partial_transcript>Hello everyone, I'm Meredith Ahmed. Today is February 13th, 2025, and it is 10.15 a.m, and I am in Newland, North Carolina, and today I'm interviewing Kimber.</partial_transcript>
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<synopsis>Van Heukelom discusses her quilt Scrap Happy, which she made early in her quilting journey, sparking her love for scrappy quilts. Although traditionally made from fabric scraps, she had to purchase most of the prints since she had not yet built a fabric stash. The quilt follows the Nancy’s Glory pattern by Carol Hopkins, featuring 19th-century reproduction prints that reflect her admiration for antique quilts. She selected this quilt for the interview because it marked a personal milestone—completing it gave her a sense of legitimacy as a quilter. The intricate one-inch square border required precise construction, making it a challenge beyond the simpler quilts she had previously sewn. Describing the quilt, Van Heukelom notes its scrappy yet intentional design, predominantly featuring pinks and browns, with blues, greens, and creams in calico prints. She talks about her intentional creative practice. </synopsis>
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<keywords>Scrap quilts; Antique quilts; Aesthetics; Design process</keywords>
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<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
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</gpspoints>
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<hyperlink/>
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<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>272</time>
<title>Interest in quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And tell me about your interest in quilt making. What brought you to begin quilt making?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom discovered quilting after seeing a friend's nine-patch quilt. Though she had unsuccessfully attempted sewing clothing as a child—despite her mother’s encouragement—quilting piqued her interest. She was particularly inspired by the fact that her friend, a beginner, had created a beautiful quilt. Encouraged, she enrolled in a quilting class at a recommended quilt shop. Another key influence was a vintage double wedding ring quilt she discovered while antiquing. The quilt’s predominant pink hues, a favorite color of hers, led her to purchase it, sparking a passion for collecting vintage quilts. She has been quilting for over 20 years, primarily creating doll-sized quilts and wall hangings due to time constraints. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Time management; Doll quilts; Learning quiltmaking; Double Wedding Ring - quilt pattern; Aesthetics</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>459</time>
<title>Family influence on quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And we touched on this a little bit, but does anyone else in your family quilt?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Quilting runs in Van Heukelom’s family, with influences from both her maternal grandmother, Leona, and her husband's grandmother, Evelyn. Although she did not quilt while Leona was alive, she feels a connection to her meticulous approach to sewing. Her husband's grandmother, Evelyn, created over 100 quilts for Project Linus in the last years of her life. She speaks about how the quilts Evelyn gifted her remain a source of comfort.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Aesthetics; Generational quiltmaking; Female quiltmakers; Home sewing machine</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>582</time>
<title>First quilt / Techniques </title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what was your first quilting project and how did it turn out?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom’s first quilting project was a nine-patch quilt, while she was not particularly fond of the fabrics or construction the quilt remains an important milestone. Over the years, she has experimented with a wide range of quilting techniques, including machine and hand piecing, redwork, machine and hand appliqué, hand quilting, fussy cutting, English paper piecing, free-motion quilting, and trapunto. Her preferred techniques center on hand piecing and patchwork, but she also enjoys mixing appliqué with pieced blocks for a unique effect. She sometimes incorporates wool appliqué on cotton patchwork, adding dimension and texture to her quilts.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Patchwork quilts; applique; English paper piecing; Hand applique; Machine piecing; Hand piecing; Redwork; Hand quilting; fussy cut; Free motion quilting; Aesthetics</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting; Quilting today</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</point>
<point>
<time>738</time>
<title>Patterns</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom considers herself a traditionalist. She has created a few for projects like an American patchwork and quilting calendar and a local museum. She states that she appreciates the historical designs, and ever since childhood has been interested in history.
</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Aesthetics; childhood; Knowledge transfer</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>812</time>
<title>Fabric choice </title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what kinds of fabrics do you like to work with and why?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom primarily works with 19th-century reproduction prints, drawn to their resemblance to antique quilts. She feels a deep connection to the quilters of the past, admiring their ingenuity in creating beautiful works from limited materials. She is grateful for those who preserved these quilts over the years, allowing her to collect and care for them. Her interest in antique quilts deepened after moving into a Victorian home with tall ceilings, which initially felt uninviting. Quilts became the perfect way to add warmth and coziness.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>fabric selection; Fabric - Multiple scrap; Fiber - Cotton; Home sewing machine</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>888</time>
<title>Quilt guild membership</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And have you ever participated in a quilting bee or quilting guilds and what was that like?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Shortly after beginning her quilting journey, Van Heukelom joined the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild, which provided valuable opportunities to learn new skills, connect with other quilters, and gain inspiration. She recalls learning from quilt designer Kathleen Tracy, known for her doll-sized quilts, Joe Morton, and quilt historian Terry Clothier Thompson. The guild experience played a significant role in her growth as a quilter, offering both education and a sense of community.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Doll quilts; Female quiltmakers; Aesthetics; professional quiltmaker; Social quiltmaking activities; Guild activities</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilt Guild series; Quilts; Quilt; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>977</time>
<title>Quilting influences and inspiration </title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?
</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom is drawn to 19th-century quilts or those inspired by their aesthetic, as well as 1930s prints, feed sack fabrics, and classic patterns such as yo-yo quilts, double wedding rings, and grandma’s flower garden. Van Heukelom has been deeply influenced by designers such as Carol Hopkins (Civil War Legacies) and Renee Plains (formerly of Liberty Star), as well as the Blackbird Designs team, whose folk-art-inspired quilts first caught her attention through cross-stitching. Another significant influence is Mary Campbell Gormley, whose book Childhood Treasures: Doll Quilts by and for Children introduced her to historical doll quilts.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Doll quilts; Aesthetics; Antique quilts; Collecting quilts</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1190</time>
<title>Favorite era of quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And we talked about this a little bit, but do you want to speak to an era of quilting that you're most drawn to or inspired by?
</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom is inspired by 'Civil War Quilt' or quilts spanning up until the turn of the 20th century, while she used to collect them she has slowed down in her collecting so she can care for the ones that she has.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Aesthetics; Collecting quilts; Antique quilts</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1232</time>
<title>Quilting as community and identity </title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And is there a particular quilt that you've made that holds deep personal significance?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>After serving as a newsletter editor for the local quilt guild, Van Heukelom received fat quarters in her favorite prints as a thank-you tradition. Some members even created signature blocks, which she incorporated into her Green Briar Quilt, a basket-patterned quilt featuring green setting blocks. However, the most meaningful quilts to her are those entrusted by friends and family. She has received cherished quilts from her mother, mother-in-law, and a friend who owned a quilt shop. Van Heukelom sees quilting as a way to navigate life's challenges. It is central to her identity, not just as a hobby but as a vocation—she has written for and edited quilt magazines and books. A highlight of her career was collaborating with the 19th Century Patchwork Divas, who share her passion for historical quilting.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Collecting quilts; blocks; Signature quilts; Design process; Guild activities; quiltmaking process</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1546</time>
<title>Charity and gifting quilts</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And have you ever gifted or donated a quilt and how did that feel?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom has participated in charity quilting through her Quilt Guild, contributing to group quilts for their annual auction. She has also made quilts for members of her small quilt group, particularly for holiday exchanges. The first quilt she gifted was to her mother, as it felt like a safe choice—she knew her mother would appreciate it regardless of imperfections. She describes gifting a handmade quilt as a deeply personal and sometimes intimidating experience, which is why she waited until she had completed around ten quilts before feeling confident enough to give one away.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Design process; Quilt Purpose - Charity; Quilt Purpose - Gift or presentation</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1616</time>
<title>Changes in quilting</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And how has your quilting changed over the years?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Initially, Van Heukelom primarily used 19th-century reproduction and 1930s prints. However, about eight years ago, she began experimenting with modern novelty prints, like Tula Pink and Ruby Star Society. She has seen changes in quilting trends, such as 19th-century reproduction prints were highly popular, with many fabric designers and collections dedicated to them. However, she has observed a shift over time, as the modern quilt movement has gained prominence and, in many ways, overshadowed the reproduction style. This trend is reflected both locally and nationally, with fewer fabric designers and quilt shops focusing on 19th-century prints.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Fabric - Reproduction; fabric selection; Aesthetics; Fabric - Premium type</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1755</time>
<title>Challenges faced by quiltmakers</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And are there any quilting traditions you fear are being lost?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom believes that hand quilting is becoming a lost art, noting that even when she began quilting, it was already less common. While she primarily machine quilts for efficiency, she has attempted hand quilting and still works on it gradually. Another concern is the loss of quilt stories, her work editing a quilt magazine reinforced the importance of preserving these stories. One major challenge for quilters is fabric stash management, as fabric collections can quickly become overwhelming. Another common difficulty is color selection, a challenge frequently mentioned by quilt shop owners she interviewed for Quilt Sampler Magazine. Many quilters struggle with choosing colors for their projects, often relying on shop owners for guidance or replicating pattern covers instead of experimenting with their own palettes.</synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Hand quilting; Hand piecing; Aesthetics; Color theory; quilt shop; Fabric stash; Work or Studio space</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
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<hyperlink/>
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<hyperlink_text_alt/>
</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>1973</time>
<title>Technological influnce</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And how has technology influenced your quilting if it has at all?
</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom has always quilted using a computerized sewing machine, which initially felt unfamiliar but ultimately proved beneficial. When she first started quilting, she opted for a Bernina computerized machine from her local quilt shop, where she received in-depth, one-on-one instruction on its operation. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Technology in quiltmaking; Learning quiltmaking; Home sewing machine; Bernina; Embroidery</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
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</gpspoints>
<hyperlinks>
<hyperlink/>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>2052</time>
<title>Quiltings role in women's history</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what role do you think quilting has played in women's history?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>For Van Heukelom, quilts serve as a way to share stories and preserve memories, particularly of the women in her life. She notes that quilts act as keepers of memory, instantly sparking recollections of meaningful moments with loved ones. She sees quilting as both a craft and an art, deeply tied to a shared tradition among women she admires. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Gender in quiltmaking; Generational quiltmaking; Female quiltmakers</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting; Quilting today</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
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</gpspoints>
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</hyperlinks>
</point>
<point>
<time>2177</time>
<title>Advice for new quilters / Quilting as preservation</title>
<title_alt/>
<partial_transcript>And what advice would you give to someone that just started out in their quilting journey?</partial_transcript>
<partial_transcript_alt/>
<synopsis>Van Heukelom encourages new quilters to embrace imperfection and enjoy the quilting journey rather than striving for immediate perfection. Additionally, she stresses the importance of seeking support—whether from friends, local quilt shops, or quilting communities—especially for those who do not have quilters in their immediate circle. Quilting, in Van Heukelom’s view, serves as an act of preservation in multiple ways. In an era of mass production and disposable goods, quilt making defies the push for speed and cheapness, standing as a labor of love that values craftsmanship and tradition. </synopsis>
<synopsis_alt/>
<keywords>Aesthetics; Learning quiltmaking; Teaching quiltmaking; Generational quiltmaking; Quilt memory</keywords>
<keywords_alt/>
<subjects>Quilts; Quilting</subjects>
<subjects_alt/>
<gpspoints>
<gps/>
<gps_zoom>0</gps_zoom>
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</point>
</index>
<type>Oral History </type>
<description/>
<rel/>
<vtt_transcript><![CDATA[WEBVTT
NOTE
TRANSCRIPTION BEGIN
00:00:06.047 --> 00:00:13.964
<v Meredith Ahmed> Hello everyone, I'm Meredith Ahmed.
00:00:13.964 --> 00:00:21.760
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Today is February 13th, 2025, and it is 10.15 a.m. And I am in Newland, North Carolina, and today I'm interviewing Kimber.
00:00:21.760 --> 00:00:24.620
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, and hi, my name is Kimber Van Heukelom
00:00:24.620 --> 00:00:30.199
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I am here from Adel, Iowa.
00:00:30.199 --> 00:00:34.340
<v Meredith Ahmed> Perfect, and do you wanna tell me about the quilt that you brought in today?
00:00:34.340 --> 00:00:40.543
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Oh yes, okay, so I call this quilt Scrap Happy.
00:00:40.543 --> 00:00:42.679
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That's the name I've given to this.
00:00:42.679 --> 00:00:50.178
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I made it early in my quilting journey, and this kind of began my love affair with scrappy quilts.
00:00:50.178 --> 00:01:02.117
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So ironically, at the time I made it, I hadn't really developed much of a quilt stash yet, so I had to purchase most of the prints to create the look I wanted.
00:01:02.117 --> 00:01:07.959
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Usually quilters will just take these scraps from their stash, they don't even really need to go out and buy anything new.
00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:21.622
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that's kind of the irony of this, but it's actually a pattern called Nancy's Glory by Carol Hopkins, and she is a designer behind Civil War legacies patterns.
00:01:21.622 --> 00:01:31.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so when you see this quilt, it looks very similar to hers in terms of the scrappiness, just because I share her love of these 19th century reproduction prints.
00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:38.749
<v Meredith Ahmed> And why did you choose this quilt to bring to your interview?
00:01:38.749 --> 00:01:43.500
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You know, I can still remember the feeling of accomplishment I had after completing this quilt.
00:01:43.500 --> 00:01:51.763
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> While the blocks are pretty straightforward, the construction of the one inch squares in this border was a little bit tricky.
00:01:51.763 --> 00:01:57.420
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They require precision, which really matters if you want the border to fit properly.
00:01:57.420 --> 00:02:23.088
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think completing this quilt marked my passage into my own perception of myself as an official quilter, because the quilts I'd done before were pretty basic, and I was a little worried about maybe being stuck doing nine patches forever, not to knock nine patches, because I think they're just a classic design that really stand the test of time.
00:02:23.088 --> 00:02:28.520
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I really wanted to tackle some of the patterns that I'd seen in antique quilts.
00:02:28.520 --> 00:02:35.500
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I just like to continually grow as a quilter and in whatever I'm doing.
00:02:35.500 --> 00:02:44.159
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think that's probably why this matters so much to me, because in my mind, it was just like, okay, I really am a quilter now.
00:02:44.159 --> 00:02:50.580
<v Meredith Ahmed> And could you just describe the quilt, like maybe some of the colors or what it looks like?
00:02:50.580 --> 00:03:03.717
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yeah, the quilt has a medley of colors, predominantly pinks and browns, but in true scrappy fashion, I had to incorporate other colors as well.
00:03:03.717 --> 00:03:09.539
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So we have some blues, we have some greens, there's some creams, and they're all calicos, so they're patterns.
00:03:09.539 --> 00:03:12.860
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They're not just like solid, solid colors.
00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:21.109
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So, and that's what I love about these fabrics is just the patterns and the different designs.
00:03:21.109 --> 00:03:28.310
<v Meredith Ahmed> And do you feel that this quilt represents your quilting or creative practice?
00:03:28.310 --> 00:03:37.810
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> This quilt definitely captures who I am as a quilter, because I'm very drawn to antique quilts and the scrappier, the better.
00:03:37.810 --> 00:03:42.629
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But to me, like scrappy doesn't necessarily mean like, you know, just kind of all over the place.
00:03:42.629 --> 00:03:51.867
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I auditioned several blocks before deciding on this layout until I got what I thought was a decent layout.
00:03:51.867 --> 00:03:54.710
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I always lay these things out before I actually start piecing.
00:03:54.710 --> 00:03:58.310
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So, and that really does reflect my creative practice.
00:03:58.310 --> 00:04:08.590
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I like the spontaneity of the creative process and with scrappy quilts, you're never quite sure how they're going to turn out and that's part of the fun of it.
00:04:08.590 --> 00:04:16.329
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I'm very intentional about arranging blocks and I can be a little bit finicky about what goes where.
00:04:16.329 --> 00:04:24.410
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's kind of amazing how your eye will go to this one ill-positioned block and that bothers somebody like me.
00:04:24.410 --> 00:04:30.670
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Now for some other quilters, they couldn't care less, but that's kind of my creative process.
00:04:30.670 --> 00:04:34.509
<v Meredith Ahmed> And tell me about your interest in quilt making.
00:04:34.509 --> 00:04:38.449
<v Meredith Ahmed> What brought you to begin quilt making?
00:04:38.449 --> 00:04:40.930
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yeah, there are a couple of things that come to mind.
00:04:40.930 --> 00:04:51.864
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> First, you know, I never really thought much about quilts until I saw my friend's nine patch quilt that she had made.
00:04:51.864 --> 00:04:53.470
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I tried sewing clothes as a kid.
00:04:53.470 --> 00:05:02.209
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My mom was a terrific sewer and she really wanted my sister and I to learn how to sew clothes, but we just didn't have an interest in it.
00:05:02.209 --> 00:05:08.910
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It didn't speak to us, but there was something about seeing my friend's quilt that got me thinking about it again.
00:05:08.910 --> 00:05:20.629
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I don't know that it was even the fabrics or the actual quilt, but more just the fact that my friend was a total novice too, and somehow she was able to make this spectacular quilt.
00:05:20.629 --> 00:05:30.490
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so when I left, I just kept thinking about that and asking myself, well, could I do this even though I don't know how to sew?
00:05:30.490 --> 00:05:35.689
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Well, after a few days of pondering it, I decided to go for it.
00:05:35.689 --> 00:05:40.389
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My friend told me the name of the quilt shop where she'd taken these lessons.
00:05:40.389 --> 00:05:49.829
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And the instructor, who was a longtime award-winning quilter came highly recommended, so I knew I'd have good instruction.
00:05:49.829 --> 00:05:55.750
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And before I knew it, I'd signed up for the class and I was making my own nine patch quilt.
00:05:55.750 --> 00:06:05.529
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I kind of had a little bit of an imposter syndrome going on just because I was so out of my element, but I got over that fairly quickly.
00:06:05.529 --> 00:06:14.970
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And the other thing that got me interested in quilt making was seeing this vintage double wedding ring quilt while I was antiquing.
00:06:14.970 --> 00:06:18.430
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And everyone who knows me knows that I love pink.
00:06:18.430 --> 00:06:26.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I fell in love with it just because pink was a predominant hue in this quilt, in all the rings.
00:06:26.730 --> 00:06:38.850
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So fell in love with it, and that was my first vintage quilt purchase and the one that kind of would spark a kind of a collecting craze, if you want to call it.
00:06:38.850 --> 00:06:42.129
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that's the other thing that got me interested.
00:06:42.129 --> 00:06:46.420
<v Meredith Ahmed> And how long have you been a quilt maker?
00:06:46.420 --> 00:06:50.279
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Hard to believe, but it has been 20 years.
00:06:50.279 --> 00:06:54.459
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just, in thinking about this, it's been maybe even a little longer.
00:06:54.459 --> 00:07:05.199
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I focus primarily on doll-sized quilts or wall hangings because those were the sizes that fit my work schedule best.
00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:10.819
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I did most of my quilting in the evening hours or on Sunday afternoons.
00:07:10.819 --> 00:07:19.319
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And they had another benefit too, because the smaller sizes are fairly easy to assemble depending on what design you're doing.
00:07:19.319 --> 00:07:27.860
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But they were very easy to quilt and piece on my home sewing machine.
00:07:27.860 --> 00:07:37.120
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It can be very tricky to squeeze all that fabric under a home machine if you have like a really large or full-size quilts.
00:07:37.120 --> 00:07:42.730
<v Meredith Ahmed> And we touched on this a little bit, but does anyone else in your family quilt?
00:07:42.730 --> 00:07:44.509
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, they do.
00:07:44.509 --> 00:07:57.370
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My maternal grandma, Leona, quilted and my husband's grandma, Evelyn, who I was very close to, was a prolific quilter.
00:07:57.370 --> 00:08:18.149
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Although I didn't quilt while my grandma, Leona, was alive, I think I kind of share her attention to detail because she was a really meticulous seamstress who sewed all my mom's clothes, cute little wool trousers with a matching cape, all these cute little outfits.
00:08:18.149 --> 00:08:23.430
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I tend to be pretty detail-oriented like that.
00:08:23.430 --> 00:08:28.110
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> In fact, sometimes I feel like I can fall into some perfectionist tendencies.
00:08:28.110 --> 00:08:33.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But so I think maybe that's how she's influenced me.
00:08:33.730 --> 00:08:49.509
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then my grandma, Evelyn, was a longtime quilter and she used to make a lot of quilts for Project Linus, a charity during the last, probably, I would say five years of her life.
00:08:49.509 --> 00:09:00.640
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I'm sure she sewed more than 100 quilts for Project Linus.
00:09:00.640 --> 00:09:06.240
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And unlike me, she did not care if her seams matched up or her fabrics matched.
00:09:06.240 --> 00:09:09.669
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> She just loved making quilts for other people.
00:09:09.669 --> 00:09:16.669
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And she reminds me not to take my quilting or myself too seriously.
00:09:16.669 --> 00:09:24.077
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's just kind of a reminder that the joy is in the journey, not the destination or not just a destination.
00:09:24.077 --> 00:09:27.774
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I miss her a lot.
00:09:27.774 --> 00:09:31.126
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And the quilts she gave me still bring a lot of comfort.
00:09:31.126 --> 00:09:35.228
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They're almost like this surrogate for her in a way.
00:09:35.228 --> 00:09:41.181
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Though, of course, nothing can replace her generosity and warmth.
00:09:41.181 --> 00:09:48.678
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what was your first quilting project and how did it turn out?
00:09:48.678 --> 00:09:54.596
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Well, my first quilting project was that nine-patch quilt I mentioned just a little earlier.
00:09:54.596 --> 00:09:57.275
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And it turned out okay.
00:09:57.275 --> 00:10:02.575
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I followed all the instructions, figured out how to quilt it on my own.
00:10:02.575 --> 00:10:10.823
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But honestly, I wasn't in love with it more probably because of the fabrics and the construction.
00:10:10.823 --> 00:10:21.998
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I hadn't yet developed that confidence about fabric choices and I hadn't yet realized that I loved those 19th century reproduction prints.
00:10:21.000 --> 00:10:30.552
<v Meredith Ahmed> You still have it?
00:10:21.998 --> 00:10:21.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But it's still a good reminder of how far I've come as a quilter though.
00:10:30.552 --> 00:10:32.379
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, I do.
00:10:32.379 --> 00:10:37.717
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I don't display it like the other quilts, but I have it just as a reminder.
00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:48.392
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think that really motivates me to keep growing.
00:10:37.717 --> 00:10:37.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I like those reminders of kind of how far I've come in the creative process.
00:10:48.392 --> 00:10:53.713
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what techniques do you like to use in your quilting?
00:10:53.713 --> 00:10:59.627
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I have experimented with so many techniques over the years.
00:10:59.627 --> 00:11:16.767
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, like machine piecing, hand piecing, red work, machine and hand applique, hand quilting, fussy cutting, English paper piecing, free motion quilting, I did that.
00:11:16.767 --> 00:11:21.842
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And even like the trapunto once.
00:11:21.842 --> 00:11:31.969
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think like experimenting with those different techniques is a great way to learn and exercise your creativity because you don't know what techniques might resonate with you.
00:11:31.969 --> 00:11:37.494
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That's kind of how I got into some of the applique designs.
00:11:37.494 --> 00:11:39.805
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So great way to experiment, yeah.
00:11:39.805 --> 00:11:44.649
<v Meredith Ahmed> Do you have like some preferred techniques?
00:11:44.649 --> 00:11:54.389
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I am, you know, I am mostly drawn to the hand piecing, that patchwork kind of in the quilt that I just showed.
00:11:54.389 --> 00:11:56.809
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that is probably my favorite thing to do.
00:11:56.809 --> 00:12:03.449
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I do like to sometimes do the applique though, like mix it with the piece blocks because that can be a really fun look too.
00:12:03.449 --> 00:12:11.468
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And sometimes I'll even mix like wool applique on top of the cotton patchwork.
00:12:11.468 --> 00:12:17.087
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And that adds a nice dimension and texture to your quilts.
00:12:17.087 --> 00:12:23.228
<v Meredith Ahmed> And do you prefer to use traditional patterns or do you create your own designs?
00:12:23.228 --> 00:12:25.513
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I am definitely a traditionalist.
00:12:25.513 --> 00:12:28.764
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I don't tend to reinvent the wheel.
00:12:28.764 --> 00:12:33.216
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I can count on maybe one hand the number of designs I've created.
00:12:33.216 --> 00:12:48.889
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I did create one for an American patchwork and quilting calendar, and then a few for a local museum that they asked me to kind of recreate some of the designs in their quilts.
00:12:48.889 --> 00:12:54.914
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I really, yeah, I really find inspiration in those designs of yesteryear.
00:12:54.914 --> 00:13:07.401
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Even when I was a kid, I was just, I think I was just passionate about history so that when we went on like a family trip, I would want to go visit a historic house or a museum.
00:13:07.401 --> 00:13:10.877
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just like old things.
00:13:10.877 --> 00:13:14.824
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I feel like I like to decorate that way too.
00:13:14.824 --> 00:13:21.738
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, sometimes I feel like my decorating resembles a lot of my grandma's style.
00:13:21.738 --> 00:13:37.145
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I have a lot of like old furniture, a lot of her heirlooms that she passed down to me, like this little embroidered clock, things like that, so.
00:13:37.145 --> 00:13:43.248
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what kinds of fabrics do you like to work with and why?
00:13:43.248 --> 00:13:46.932
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I work primarily with the 19th century reproduction prints.
00:13:46.932 --> 00:13:54.148
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They're the ones that really capture my heart just because they resemble the antique quilts that I love so much.
00:13:54.148 --> 00:14:03.869
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I feel such a kinship with those quilters of the past who had a lot more ingenuity than I will ever have.
00:14:03.869 --> 00:14:14.258
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I'm just amazed at what they were able to do with so little and what they were able to create from those scraps.
00:14:14.258 --> 00:14:21.320
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I'm so grateful that someone cared enough to look after them over the years so that I could eventually give them a home.
00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:33.515
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> When I really got into collecting them, we just moved into this Victorian home with these really tall ceilings and it was hard to make anything feel cozy.
00:14:33.515 --> 00:14:35.861
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And these quilts proved to be the perfect solution.
00:14:35.861 --> 00:14:41.355
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You could just drape one over the back of the sofa or stack three on a bench or put one on the wall.
00:14:41.355 --> 00:14:47.987
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And suddenly this old drafty house didn't feel so uninviting anymore.
00:14:47.987 --> 00:14:52.755
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just feel like nothing adds comfort to a home like a quilt can.
00:14:52.755 --> 00:15:00.824
<v Meredith Ahmed> And have you ever participated in a quilting bee or quilting guilds and what was that like?
00:15:00.824 --> 00:15:16.416
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, soon after I started my quilt journey, I joined the Des Moines Area Quilters Guild and it was a great way to meet other quilters and learn new skills because they had monthly workshops often with really well-known quilt designers.
00:15:16.416 --> 00:15:22.090
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They'd have an annual quilt show where you could get new inspiration and purchase products through different vendors.
00:15:22.090 --> 00:15:26.500
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And they also had the option to join a small quilt group based on your particular interests.
00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:33.139
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So it was kind of a great opportunity to find your own tribe of quilters, so to speak.
00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:44.259
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I've made a lot of friendships through that guild and there were just so many perks of being a member in a group like that.
00:15:44.259 --> 00:15:58.399
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I'm trying to remember all the famous quilters that I encountered through here, like people like Kathleen Tracy, she's known for her doll-sized quilt designs as well.
00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:06.399
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Joe Morton, Terry Clothier Thompson is a quilt historian who talked to us once.
00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:16.408
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So just lots of inspiration.
00:16:16.408 --> 00:16:18.200
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what do you think makes a quilt artistically powerful?
00:16:18.200 --> 00:16:20.419
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> For me, it's pretty simple.
00:16:20.419 --> 00:16:22.299
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's when it speaks to you.
00:16:22.299 --> 00:16:30.059
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, the ones that call my name typically are the 19th century ones or made in that spirit.
00:16:30.059 --> 00:16:37.320
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I've fallen in love with a lot of very recently made ones that just are inspired by those prints.
00:16:37.320 --> 00:16:47.840
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I also really like quilts with the 1930s prints and feed sacks, like the yo-yo quilts, the double wedding rings, the grandma's flower garden.
00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:56.740
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That's kind of why I wanted to experiment with the English paper piecing because of the grandma's flower garden design.
00:16:56.740 --> 00:17:04.818
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I just think also some of the simplest quilts can speak volumes just through their color combinations.
00:17:04.818 --> 00:17:22.980
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think the color is just really key to me, but I'm also like awestruck by these scrappy quilts and how makers have combined so many prints and to make this kind of harmonious whole.
00:17:22.980 --> 00:17:32.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Because it seems like they should be really easy to make, but I think they can actually be quite a challenge to put that together in an effective way.
00:17:32.000 --> 00:17:34.430
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So.
00:17:34.430 --> 00:17:40.349
<v Meredith Ahmed> And are there any quilters or artists that inspire your work?
00:17:40.349 --> 00:17:46.190
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I have, you know, I have been a fan of the Civil War legacies designer.
00:17:46.190 --> 00:17:50.769
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> She's designed a lot with the quilt that I had shared earlier.
00:17:50.769 --> 00:17:56.230
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then I also like, she used to design under Liberty Star.
00:17:56.230 --> 00:17:58.349
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Her name is Renee Plains.
00:17:58.349 --> 00:18:02.470
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And unfortunately she's no longer designing, but I love her.
00:18:02.470 --> 00:18:04.650
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I love, absolutely love her designs.
00:18:04.650 --> 00:18:14.670
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I really liked the Blackbird Designs team because they have this like little, like kind of a folk art twist to their quilts.
00:18:14.670 --> 00:18:19.089
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And they, I got into them basically because I'd been cross-stitching before.
00:18:19.089 --> 00:18:22.609
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then I noticed that they were also designing quilts.
00:18:22.609 --> 00:18:29.789
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So another person who stands out to me is the Mary Campbell Ghormley doll quilt.
00:18:29.789 --> 00:18:35.490
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> She authored a book called Childhood Treasures, Doll Quilts by and for Children.
00:18:35.490 --> 00:18:40.410
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> This was a while back, but it had basically 80 doll quilts in it.
00:18:40.410 --> 00:18:45.170
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Now, not all of those had patterns, but I saw an exhibit of her quilts.
00:18:45.170 --> 00:19:00.990
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And that's kind of what got me interested also in the doll quilts, but also there's some interest in vintage doll beds because she had this enormous collection of them.
00:19:00.990 --> 00:19:15.289
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I can remember making an early morning round trip to her, a road trip to her house because she was having this sale of the select antique quilts and doll beds.
00:19:15.289 --> 00:19:23.829
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so I had no idea if I would actually get one because I thought, oh, I'm sure that, you know, there are a lot of people who are going to be coming here.
00:19:23.829 --> 00:19:31.670
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But luckily I managed to get three doll beds and then a couple quilts at that sale.
00:19:31.670 --> 00:19:44.029
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that's something that, that's kind of a memory that stands out too when I'm thinking about people who, you know, I've been drawn to as far as their designs.
00:19:44.029 --> 00:19:50.710
<v Meredith Ahmed> And we talked about this a little bit, but do you want to speak to an era of quilting that you're most drawn to or inspired by?
00:19:50.710 --> 00:20:04.049
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Well, I really feel it is, to me it's like what a lot of people call maybe the civil war era, but actually spans probably up to like the turn of the 20th century.
00:20:04.049 --> 00:20:09.869
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And that's really, really where my, my love lies.
00:20:09.869 --> 00:20:12.630
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's just been something that has been a constant.
00:20:12.630 --> 00:20:17.609
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's the first thing that I gravitated to and it's still the same thing that I, that I like now.
00:20:17.609 --> 00:20:26.190
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I don't really collect them as much as I used to anymore, just because of maybe space reasons.
00:20:26.190 --> 00:20:35.450
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I don't, you know, I don't want to get more than I can properly care for, but that is really, that is really my first love.
00:20:35.450 --> 00:20:42.700
<v Meredith Ahmed> And is there a particular quilt that you've made that holds deep personal significance?
00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:53.880
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> After serving as a newsletter editor for the local quilt guild for a couple of years, I was gifted back quarters in my favorite prints by members of the guild.
00:20:53.880 --> 00:20:58.660
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's kind of a tradition of theirs, just as a way of thanking board members for their service.
00:20:58.660 --> 00:21:13.880
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And it was really, you know, touching to see all the fabrics people had selected for me, that they took the time to actually remember what I liked and, you know, didn't give me something different, but some had even made little signature blocks with their names on it.
00:21:13.880 --> 00:21:18.859
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so I use these prints to make what I call my green briar quilt.
00:21:18.859 --> 00:21:21.799
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's another little quilt.
00:21:21.799 --> 00:21:30.220
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And as you might guess, I use the greens for the setting blocks, so that's the predominant color.
00:21:30.220 --> 00:21:39.740
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And the rest of the blocks are these little piece baskets with embroidered handles, and then, you know, some of the signature blocks as well.
00:21:39.740 --> 00:21:52.579
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But honestly, I have to say that the quilts really with the most significance to me are the ones that friends and family have entrusted to my care.
00:21:52.579 --> 00:22:18.611
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Because, you know, when you, this is my feeling about, as a quilt maker, when you give someone a gift you made with your own hands, you're giving them a piece of yourself, and that can be incredibly vulnerable, or at least that's how I feel when I would gift a quilt.
00:22:18.611 --> 00:22:19.880
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so I feel incredibly privileged when someone decides to give me a quilt, whether it's made by their own hands or an antique quilt that they picked up, you know, years ago.
00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:25.279
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I've been really fortunate to be the recipient of these.
00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:30.619
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> A friend who owned a local quilt shop gifted me this incredible floral applique quilt.
00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:37.559
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I just remember being stunned that she would give something so precious away.
00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:43.420
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It just made me realize that, you know, quilters are some of the most generous humans.
00:22:43.420 --> 00:22:50.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And both my mom and my mother-in-law have also gifted me quilts.
00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:55.660
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My mom gifted me my grandma's quilts.
00:22:55.660 --> 00:23:00.640
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Leona, the person I mentioned earlier, a couple of the quilts that she made.
00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:17.112
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So now I have those in my home.
00:23:17.112 --> 00:23:23.805
<v Meredith Ahmed> And have you ever used quilting to get through a difficult time?
00:23:23.805 --> 00:23:25.790
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Definitely.
00:23:25.790 --> 00:23:31.327
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think it can be a way to navigate life's challenges because, of course, we all encounter those.
00:23:30.150 --> 00:23:32.069
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's not really, I can't really call it a studio.
00:23:31.327 --> 00:23:30.150
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And it's nice to have something that you have control over as far as an activity, that I could just go into my quilting room.
00:23:32.069 --> 00:23:48.250
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's just a little room in the house, but just kind of, you know, start sewing on blocks, start, you know, thinking about my next project and just kind of shut out some of those other cares for, even if it's only an afternoon.
00:23:48.250 --> 00:24:02.816
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think that that's a great point because that is something I use to help me get through life's challenges.
00:24:02.816 --> 00:24:10.585
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what role does quilting play in your sense of identity?
00:24:10.585 --> 00:24:16.665
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It is really pretty central to my life, as is just, I would say, creativity is central to my life.
00:24:16.665 --> 00:24:20.764
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's been something that I've always valued.
00:24:20.764 --> 00:24:23.859
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I love the act of creating something that will outlive me, I guess.
00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:30.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And for me, quilting has not just been an avocation.
00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:39.400
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's been a vocation because I've been lucky enough to write for quilt magazines and edit a quilt magazine and quilt books.
00:24:39.400 --> 00:24:45.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And it's given me a chance to meet some of my favorite designers.
00:24:45.920 --> 00:24:57.960
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And a highlight was probably working with the founders of the, they call themselves the 19th century patchwork divas because they love those same types of quilts I do.
00:24:57.960 --> 00:25:07.519
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then, I've also ended up designing some, mostly I focus on pin cushion designs more than quilts or something.
00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:15.359
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They're a little faster to do, but I also have this love affair with pin cushions too.
00:25:15.359 --> 00:25:19.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I've made those for some of the fabric companies before.
00:25:19.900 --> 00:25:37.140
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I really like making these little strawberry pin cushion make-do's that they're just, I think originally they were just made with whatever someone had on hand, like a candlestick and little bits of scraps or things like that.
00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:47.804
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that art of making do inspires me too.
00:25:47.804 --> 00:25:52.489
<v Meredith Ahmed> And have you ever gifted or donated a quilt and how did that feel?
00:25:52.489 --> 00:25:55.380
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yes, I have worked on charity quilts as part of a group for the Quilt Guild.
00:25:55.380 --> 00:25:57.819
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> We always have an annual auction.
00:25:57.819 --> 00:26:02.039
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so we've worked on one together as a group.
00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:16.700
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And then I've also gifted quilts to members of the small group because we always have a holiday exchange and of course, a lot of us like to make a quilt or other project for who we're partnered with.
00:26:16.700 --> 00:26:23.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But the first person I think I actually gifted a quilt to was my mom because it felt safe to me.
00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:37.759
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It was like I said earlier, giving a handmade gift is an incredibly personal experience and that can make it a little bit scary but I knew my mom would accept it no matter what and would think it was great.
00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:42.319
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that was my first experience giving a quilt to somebody.
00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:57.755
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It took me a while to do that because I felt like I needed to make like about 10 quilts before they were good enough to give to anybody.
00:26:57.755 --> 00:27:03.741
<v Meredith Ahmed> And how has your quilting changed over the years?
00:27:03.741 --> 00:27:06.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I would say at first I really stuck with the 19th century reproductions and just to an extent the 1930s prints.
00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:26.220
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But about eight years ago, I started playing with some of the more modern novelty prints and I don't mean really modern because I know there's a modern quilt movement and some of those get really modern but these are more like just, you know, kind of fun loving prints and things like that.
00:27:26.220 --> 00:27:33.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Like for example, some of the designs by Tula Pink and the Ruby Star Society have so many fun colors.
00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:43.299
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And again, I'm responding to that color again and I think they're just artistic wonders at that.
00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:52.740
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I don't think they'll ever eclipse the antique prints for me but they're kind of a way to break out of my proverbial box and try something new.
00:27:52.740 --> 00:27:58.740
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I like using those more for like little accessories maybe more so than even the quilts.
00:27:58.740 --> 00:28:17.550
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Although I have made, I would say I probably made like maybe five quilts with those types of fabrics.
00:28:17.550 --> 00:28:24.981
<v Meredith Ahmed> And have you seen a shift in quilting styles or trends during your time spent quilting?
00:28:24.981 --> 00:28:32.191
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Yeah, when I started, I felt like the 19th century reproduction prints were incredibly popular.
00:28:32.191 --> 00:28:39.131
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, it seemed like a kind of a new area of focus for people and even locally, there was so much interest in it.
00:28:39.131 --> 00:28:42.557
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> There were like new designers focusing on that.
00:28:42.557 --> 00:28:56.688
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> A lot of new fabric collections were popping up but over time that modern quilt movement took root and now I feel like that has kind of eclipsed the reproduction prints, at least here in this area.
00:28:56.688 --> 00:29:00.510
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I know, I hear about it nationwide as well.
00:29:00.510 --> 00:29:01.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So that's something that I've really seen even to the extent that I don't see as many fabric designers focusing on the 19th century prints anymore.
00:29:01.920 --> 00:29:09.339
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And also I see that a lot in the shops as far as where their focus is on fabric selection.
00:29:09.339 --> 00:29:16.230
<v Meredith Ahmed> And are there any quilting traditions you fear are being lost?
00:29:16.230 --> 00:29:26.569
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think that hand quilting is something that is a loss or is becoming a lost art even when I was starting to quilt.
00:29:26.569 --> 00:29:28.910
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just didn't see it very often.
00:29:28.910 --> 00:29:38.089
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I mean, I probably wasn't helping with that because I was focusing mainly on machine quilting because that's what I had the time to do.
00:29:38.089 --> 00:29:40.470
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I love my Bernina machine.
00:29:40.470 --> 00:29:46.250
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I still have it, that one that, I mean, these machines are workhorses.
00:29:46.250 --> 00:29:50.569
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> They really, I mean, they really go the distance and I still have it.
00:29:50.569 --> 00:30:05.390
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I did actually try hand quilting at one point and I bought even this Roxanne like thimble, Roxanne brand thimble to help with this because that was kind of, you know, popular thimble to use back at that time.
00:30:05.390 --> 00:30:10.190
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I still am kind of gradually working on it still.
00:30:10.190 --> 00:30:19.710
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I haven't given up, but I think that's one thing that has unfortunately been lost for a while.
00:30:19.710 --> 00:30:25.049
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I also think kind of the stories behind the quilts themselves are being lost.
00:30:25.049 --> 00:30:32.029
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I often wish that, oh, if quilts could only talk, you know, can you imagine the stories they would tell us?
00:30:32.029 --> 00:30:47.029
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I think that's probably something that I really enjoyed actually about editing that quilt magazine because I would get to hear those stories as we would always ask the designers, the project designers for their inspiration behind the quilts.
00:30:47.029 --> 00:30:57.849
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> We'd ask them to kind of write a paragraph or two on what inspired it or, you know, what they thought was most important about it.
00:30:57.849 --> 00:31:01.769
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I think that's part of what I really liked about that now that I think about it.
00:31:01.769 --> 00:31:04.210
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So, yeah.
00:31:04.210 --> 00:31:11.240
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what do you think is the biggest challenge confronting quilt makers today?
00:31:11.240 --> 00:31:22.160
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Well, I can only speak from my own experience, but I think number one is fabric stash management, what a lot of us call fabric stash management.
00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:29.000
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> As you might've already discovered, you know, fabric stashes can easily get out of hand.
00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:42.259
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I'm quite sure I have more than enough to last my lifetime, although that doesn't stop me from going out and buying something else if I feel like, you know, okay, I don't have the right fabric for this project.
00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:46.380
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I need something that doesn't prevent me at all from doing that.
00:31:46.380 --> 00:31:50.480
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I would say that's something I hear from a lot of quilters.
00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:53.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And also, you know, just to after editing
00:31:53.900 --> 00:31:57.460
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> a quilt magazine too, and like, you know,
00:31:57.460 --> 00:32:00.559
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> interviewing quilt shops for Quilt Sampler Magazine,
00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:04.259
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> which I used to do when I talked to the quilt shop owners,
00:32:04.259 --> 00:32:07.339
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> they would say a lot about like how color selection
00:32:07.339 --> 00:32:12.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> was such a tough process for their customers
00:32:12.440 --> 00:32:14.940
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> that people often get stymied on,
00:32:14.940 --> 00:32:16.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> like they wanna do a project,
00:32:16.440 --> 00:32:20.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> but they don't know how to bring it to life with colors.
00:32:20.440 --> 00:32:22.059
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And they're really afraid to try that.
00:32:22.059 --> 00:32:29.920
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So they actually end up asking the shop owners a lot, or maybe they just replicate what's on a pattern cover, which is totally fine.
00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:46.059
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I think those are two challenges that seem to be kind of, you know, have been a challenge for many years from the quilters that I've encountered.
00:32:46.059 --> 00:32:52.259
<v Meredith Ahmed> And how has technology influenced your quilting if it has at all?
00:32:52.259 --> 00:33:00.380
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I would just say just in the sense that I've always, I've always quilted on a computerized sewing machine, which sounded so strange to me at first.
00:33:00.380 --> 00:33:08.519
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I just, you know, I just thought I would probably, you know, quilt on an electric machine or something like that.
00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:13.759
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But at the time I was quilting, I thought, well, I could use all the help I can get.
00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:23.859
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I just went for the computerized Bernina machines at my local quilt shop where I took that first class because they offered detailed instruction on how to use it.
00:33:23.859 --> 00:33:26.180
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And one-on-one, which I was really impressed by.
00:33:26.180 --> 00:33:37.440
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, someone sat with me for about four hours teaching me how to use this machine because it was very, you know, intimidating being this computerized machine.
00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:52.400
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I thought I would use it to also create embroidery designs because it could actually embroider a block in like, you know, just a few minutes or something, depending on how detailed the design was.
00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:57.539
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But I have found I don't really use it that much for that purpose.
00:33:57.539 --> 00:34:06.668
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But in that sense, I think technology has influenced my quilting.
00:34:06.668 --> 00:34:08.769
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what role do you think quilting has played in women's history?
00:34:08.769 --> 00:34:14.989
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think it's just, it's been a way to share their stories with others.
00:34:14.989 --> 00:34:43.309
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, I think about what my grandma has done with her quilts and, you know, what I've learned from her and how quilts have served as a way for me to, you know, think of myself as, not just even as a quilter, like, you know, the process of quilting, but just in terms of how I want to live as someone with kindness and generosity and empathy.
00:34:43.309 --> 00:34:56.590
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> In that sense, I feel like they're these, kind of to speak to your other question, these keepers of memory because they also spark memories of these women in my life.
00:34:56.590 --> 00:35:06.349
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Anytime I look at them, they're just an instant magnet for that to remember the good times that I've shared with them.
00:35:06.349 --> 00:35:12.409
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think that's a big part of what quilts can do, especially for, yeah.
00:35:12.409 --> 00:35:20.929
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, everybody I've known in my family who has quilted has, you know, they've all been women.
00:35:20.929 --> 00:35:30.510
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I know so many other talented women who have taken up this craft or art, you know, it's both a craft and an art.
00:35:30.510 --> 00:35:44.590
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So it's a way of kind of, you know, a connection with them as well, because it's this shared passion for creating something.
00:35:44.590 --> 00:36:03.849
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I don't want to say creating something from nothing, but something, you know, like I said, we take these, you know, cut up these pieces of fabric and turn them into something that's pretty unique to us because no two quilts really turn out the same even if we are using the same design.
00:36:03.849 --> 00:36:09.989
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I found it's just, it's highly individual for me.
00:36:09.989 --> 00:36:17.219
<v Meredith Ahmed> And what advice would you give to someone that just started out in their quilting journey?
00:36:17.219 --> 00:36:30.179
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You know, as someone who tends to have some, you know, or has some perfectionist tendencies, I think that kind of got in my way a lot as I was starting my quilting journey.
00:36:30.179 --> 00:36:47.639
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I was so focused on wanting to do it the right way, making everything perfect, making sure all my seams lined up, you know, that there wasn't any kind of misalignment there, that I kind of forgot that quilting is about the journey and not just the destination.
00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:51.360
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> In fact, some people I know say it is about the journey and not the destination.
00:36:51.360 --> 00:36:52.280
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> For me, it's kind of both.
00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:58.400
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> But, you know, no one really expects you to produce this award-winning quilt on your first try.
00:36:58.400 --> 00:37:08.099
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Now, it took me, like I said, like 10 quilts, I think, before I felt my work was good enough to gift somebody, which is probably silly now that in retrospect.
00:37:08.099 --> 00:37:21.900
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So slowing down, giving yourself grace and embracing imperfection, I think helped me become a better quilter.
00:37:21.900 --> 00:37:32.579
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And see, the other bit of advice I would say, especially for those who don't have a quilter in their life, like me at the time, I was interested.
00:37:32.579 --> 00:37:34.239
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, my mom didn't quilt.
00:37:34.239 --> 00:37:35.840
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> My mom-in-law didn't quilt.
00:37:35.840 --> 00:37:38.179
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You know, I didn't really know anyone who quilted.
00:37:38.179 --> 00:37:52.159
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I just say, don't shy away from reaching out to someone, whether that might be a friend who happens to know, or like for me at the local quilt shop, I mean, total strangers, people who can help launch you on that journey.
00:37:52.159 --> 00:38:03.199
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I think sometimes we can be afraid to ask for that help, but I think we need to develop the courage to do that.
00:38:03.199 --> 00:38:13.289
<v Meredith Ahmed> And in what ways do you see quilting as an act of preservation, either of memory, tradition, or even resistance?
00:38:13.289 --> 00:38:29.630
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> One of the things that stands out to me is, in this era of mass production, where society is putting more and more emphasis on doing something faster, doing it cheaper, the act of quilt making totally defies that to me.
00:38:29.630 --> 00:38:35.110
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, there's nothing particularly fast about the processes of making a quilt.
00:38:35.110 --> 00:38:40.309
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That's not the reason that the quilters embark on these creative processes either.
00:38:40.309 --> 00:38:46.829
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And there's certainly nothing cheap about quilting cottons and computerized sewing machines.
00:38:46.829 --> 00:38:49.130
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So this is not a cheap hobby.
00:38:49.130 --> 00:38:53.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I will, I should, I guess I should think about that.
00:38:53.730 --> 00:39:00.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, it doesn't need to be a really expensive hobby either, but it's not what I would think of as a really, really cheap hobby.
00:39:00.730 --> 00:39:13.730
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And so these endeavors are a labor of love, which I think is a process that's kindly been, that's sadly been overshadowed in today's world.
00:39:13.730 --> 00:39:25.250
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So to me, they're also this way of preserving the traditions of our quilting predecessors, those keepers of memory that I kind of mentioned before.
00:39:25.250 --> 00:39:30.829
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Like there's a story in the stitches of every quilt passed down in my family.
00:39:30.829 --> 00:39:35.070
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You know, it's a story about that quilter's journey, what they loved about quilting.
00:39:35.070 --> 00:39:41.389
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, my grandma loved embroidery and patchwork, so she often combined those.
00:39:41.389 --> 00:39:46.530
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And just some memories that those quilts will spark of the people who made them.
00:39:46.530 --> 00:39:53.010
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It's a way I think that they really live on in our lives and our hearts.
00:39:53.010 --> 00:40:03.469
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I mean, when I look at a quilt that was made by a friend, I, my mind automatically will go to the good times we shared and what I learned from them.
00:40:03.469 --> 00:40:08.849
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And I just think it's that legacy that they leave through those quilts.
00:40:08.849 --> 00:40:12.690
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> That they can live on through them.
00:40:12.690 --> 00:40:16.150
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> And that's an amazing thing for me.
00:40:16.150 --> 00:40:26.820
<v Meredith Ahmed> Well, now that we're at our final question, is there something that you wish that I had asked or anything else you would like to share about your quilting journey?
00:40:26.820 --> 00:40:34.420
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> I think that this has really been a wonderful, comprehensive look at my quilting journey.
00:40:34.420 --> 00:40:37.199
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> So I can't think of anything that I can add.
00:40:37.199 --> 00:40:40.980
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> You've done a terrific job.
00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:43.260
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Great, so we're gonna wrap up here.
00:40:43.260 --> 00:40:48.179
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> It is 10 56 AM and this is Meredith Ahmed signing off.
00:40:48.179 --> 00:40:48.780
<v Kimber Van Heukelom> Thank you.
NOTE
TRANSCRIPTION END
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Interview Indexed
Yes
Citation
“Kimber Van Heukelom,” Quilters' S.O.S. -- Save Our Stories, accessed October 15, 2026, https://qsos.quiltalliance.org/items/show/2726.