Interview with Maria Goodwin

Maria Goodwin - member of the Daughters of Dorcas and Sons quilt guild - discusses her quilting experience, the evolution of quilt making, and the Washington, D.C. based quilting group - Daughters of Dorcas and Sons. Goodwin recalls her early memories of cutting out triangles and sewing them together with her mother, who was a seamstress; she states her mother taught her an appreciation for fabric. She explains she was not interested in clothes making, and decided to explore quilting because she found quilt making less confining. Goodwin explains how the members of Daughters of Dorcas and Sons interact with one another, and describes the various styles the members employ in their quilt making. She talks about how the quilt has evolved from a functional piece to a piece of artwork displayed on the wall; the development and evolution of art quilt; use of technology in quilting; the increase in pricing of quilting and sewing machines; the evolution of fabric house; special quilting fabric lines; the various types of quilting; and working with colors in quilting. Goodwin explains the debate and development of categories in quilt competition shows; use of other media, in addition to fabric, in quilting; the intersection between quilting, family history, and scrapbooking; the growth of quilting communities; the importance of a foundation for beginner quilters; and how quilters build their skills over time. Goodwin talks about her creative style, her creative process, how she designs her quilt, where she finds inspiration, and how her interest in quilting grew. She loves the challenge of designing and incorporating ancient history, including illuminated manuscripts, into her quilts. Goodwin talks about the future of quilting, including children learning to quilt; the importance of preserving old quilts because they document family and quilting heritage; and the importance of documenting the creation of the quilts through video and photographs so the creation process is preserved.

Interview. Dated 20110131.