Alaska Adventure

West Linn, OR• www.LoopyTulips.com

I’m Jaimie and I am passionate about making quilts, but it wasn’t always that way. Even though I spent a lot of time doing creative things as a child and young adult, I didn’t think of myself as someone who could be an artist. I studied math and science in college, but spent most of my study time making sure my notes were illustrated nicely. It never occurred to me that I had the wrong major. 

After graduation, my husband went to law school, giving me a lot of time alone. I decided to try quilting, so I bought a few books, taught myself how and was hooked right from the beginning. To my surprise, I found that knowledge of math and science was actually a big help in the creative arena.  I began teaching a few years later and discovered the joy of connecting with other quilters and helping them learn new skills. I love to pick apart every part of making a quilt to discover not just what works but why it works, and then passing that knowledge on. To see someone’s eyes light up when they accomplish something they never thought they could is one of the best feelings in life!

I approach my lectures the exact same way I make my quilts, only with words: I choose a subject, pick it apart and then stitch it back together with stories from my own life.  Helping people learn something new, or see something from a different perspective never gets old.

I have taught and lectured for theInternational Quilt Festival in Houston, Texas, The American Quilters Society, Mancuso Quiltfest Virtual Schoolhouse and Road to California as well as guilds throughout the United States and in England. My work has been shown in national and international exhibits including the International Quilt Show in Houston, Texas, and the Pacific International Quilt Festival in Santa Clara, California.

My husband eventually got out of law school and we now live in Portland, Oregon with a whole bunch of quilts, a lot of great books, a silly turtle our kids left behind and a never-ending supply of Diet Coke.

Nationally award-winning fiber artist Sally Manke’s mission is to delight others with textile art that exemplifies her passion for joyful, creative expression through color and texture. Sally creates her art quilts and fiber art in her home studio in Arcadia, Michigan. Nature is a theme in her work, as the wildflower-dotted woods, Lake Michigan shoreline, snowy trails, and country roads surrounding her home often inspire her contemporary art quilts. Sally’s passion for teaching rivals her zeal for creating fiber art. After a 25-year career teaching art and life skills, she continues to share the joy of quilting and fiber art with students around the country through workshops, speaking, classes, and trunk shows. She designs her line of art quilt patterns, creates for various challenges, and writes a blog to share her techniques.