Early Settlers

Back to the Quilt

Needlepoint by Priscilla Chase Heindel

My mother taught me to knit when I was six years old – and I have been a confirmed "needle-woman" ever since – knitting; crocheting; sewing for myself, three daughters, and four granddaughters; smocking; cross-stitch; embroidery; crewel work; counted cross stitch; bargello; and traditional needlepoint. I owned and managed my own yarn shop in Winchester, Massachusetts, for eleven years.

Rhett's Mill

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Photo Transfer by Georgia Jinkinson Bonesteel

Saying that Georgia quilts is like saying that Meryl Streep acts – it is a little short of the full story. Georgia not only quilts, she teaches, she judges quilt shows, she is the creator of the PBS television series "Lap Quilting," and she is the author of seven books related to quilt making. Most recently Georgia has served as President of the International Quilt Association. "Teaching," Georgia says, "is my first love, since in this way I am able to do my small part to perpetuate the art of quiltmaking."

Mountain Lodge

Back to the Quilt

Needlepoint by Wilhelmina Grathwol Norlin

I grew up in Stratford, Connecticut. I have lived all over the country and finally arrived "home" in North Carolina ten years ago when my husband retired. I have done sewing, knitting, needlepoint, quilting and heirloom hooking for several years.

Old Post Office

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Embroidery by Eunice M. Saum

My sewing career began in the late 1950’s after the birth of three daughters. My interest in quilting began in the early 1980’s, and when we moved to the Hendersonville area in December of 1988, my new love for sewing changed to quilting. I joined the Western North Carolina Quilters’ Guild, learned new techniques and was an active participant in the group.

Argyle

Back to the Quilt

Applique by Ladonna Marie Gerding Benning

Born on a farm near Glandorf, Ohio, I was introduced to quilting at a young age by my mother. She created many lovely quilts that her children and grandchildren cherish. I graduated from Mary Manse College, Toledo, Ohio, and taught elementary grades in Ohio and Illinois for a few years. In the seventies I moved to New Jersey, where I taught craft classes and discovered an interest in quilting as a hobby. Since moving to Flat Rock I joined a quilt guild and have taken classes at Georgia Bonesteel’s to learn more about this folk art. My family consists of my husband, Tom, two children, Diane and John, and one granddaughter, Katie.

Woodfield Inn (Farmer's Hotel)

Back to the Quilt

Embroidery and Painting by Marianne Holloway Kidd

Marianne was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been involved with crafts and sewing for over twenty-five years. While living in Richmond, Virginia, she had a Finishing Business for five years for several Needlework Shops. She has been making Teddy Bears and related items for about eighteen years. She is married to John P. Kidd. They have two children and six grandchildren and have lived in Flat Rock since 1994.

Many Pines

Back to the Quilt

Embroidery and Painting by Linda Diane Yurk Sokalski, Ph. D

Linda was born in Flint, Michigan. She took three degrees in Electrical Engineering: B.S.E. (summa cum laude) from the University of Michigan, M.S. from the California Institute of Technology, and Ph. D from Stanford University. She was employed by the Bell Telephone System and its successors until she retired in 1992. She and her husband moved to Flat Rock in 1996. She is a Master Craftsman of Counted Thread Embroidery, a teacher certified in Knitting, is currently the Vice President of the Flat Rock chapter of the Embroiders’ Guild of America and librarian for the Western North Carolina Quilters’ Guild. Her work has been juried into numerous national, regional, and local quilt and needlework shows.

Mud Creek Church

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Embroidery by Sharon Rae Lantz Hurley

I was born and raised in Clarksburg, West Virginia, and I guess you might say quilting and the love of quilts was in my blood. I never had any lessons other than seeing my mother always working on a quilt. Today, making a quilt is still my favorite pastime.

It only seemed natural that when the Village of Flat Rock asked for needle workers, quilters, I would just have to volunteer. I spent about six months collecting all the materials to do the Mud Creek Baptist Church, and after much trial and error, I finally was able to produce the panel. My husband, Austin, and I have lived in Flat Rock for almost seven years. I can’t think of a better place to live. After all, "It takes a Village."

Flat Rock Depot

Back to the Quilt

Counted Cross Stitch Depot by Emerentia (Emmy) Maria Smits Buiting

I attended the Kunst Academy in The Hague, Holland, and concentrated on "Holbein" and "Tambouret net," and the designs for both. Holbein is needlework that is exactly the same on both sides. Tambouret net (a variation of Limeick Lace and Needlerun net Lace) is mostly worked in chain stitch either with a needle or a fine hook.

Embroidery, Counted Cross Stitch and Painting for Train and Background by Gretchen Highlander

Beaumont

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Painting by Jane Celeste Hughey Mellon

I have been a quilter for thirty-eight years and have been painting for many more.

Louise Howe Bailey

Back to the Quilt

Silk Ribbon Embroidery by Kathryn Jean Clark Wells

My husband, Andrew, and I moved to this area in 1994, from Memphis, Tennessee, where I had been engaged in the practice of law. At the present time I am enjoying the active life of being a mother of two seven year old and one six year old. I began sewing at a very young age and discovered the joys of silk ribbon embroidery nearly four years ago.

Silhouette Cut and Appliqued by Gretchen Highlander

Cherokee and Trader on the Great Flat Rock

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Embroidery by Ann Katherine (Kat) Karinja-Wells

Katherine, with her husband of 30 years, Jeremy, are the owners/officers of Wells Nursery, Inc., a wholesale grower of rhododendrons and other specialty plants. Born and raised in Rumson, New Jersey, she is a self-taught artist and designer under her label of "Dreamkeeper Cottage Studio and Workshop." The mother of two, grandmother of one, she designed the home she and Jeremy built in Flat Rock in 1996. As a returning college student in her thirties, she earned a B.S. in Financial Management and a B.A. in Monetary Economics and Finance from the University of North Carolina in Asheville, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1989.

Frank L. Fitzsimmons

Back to the Quilt

Silk Ribbon Embroidery by Kathryn Jean Clark Wells

My husband, Andrew, and I moved to this area in 1994, from Memphis, Tennessee, where I had been engaged in the practice of law. At the present time I am enjoying the active life of being a mother of two seven year olds and one six year old. I began sewing at a very young age and discovered the joys of silk ribbon embroidery nearly four years ago.

Silhouette Cut and Appliqued by Gretchen Highlander

Connemara (Rock Hill)

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Painting by Jane Celeste Hughey Mellon

I have been a quilter for thirty-eight years and have been painting for many more.

Chanteloup (deChoisuel's "Castle")

Back to the Quilt

Applique by Ladonna Marie Gerding Benning

Born on a farm near Glandorf, Ohio, I was introduced to quilting at a young age by my mother. She created many lovely quilts that her children and grandchildren cherish. I graduated from Mary Manse College, Toledo, Ohio, and taught elementary grades in Ohio and Illinois for a few years. In the seventies I moved to New Jersey, where I taught craft classes and discovered an interest in quilting as a hobby. Since moving to Flat Rock I joined a quilt guild and have taken classes at Georgia Bonesteel’s to learn more about this folk art. My family consists of my husband, Tom, two children, Diane and John, and one granddaughter, Katie.

I' on Lowndes House with Flat Rock Playhouse

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Embroidery by Carol Rabberman Price

In college I majored in Fine Arts doing studio work in painting and sculpture. I subsequently got degrees in both Occupational Therapy and Nursing and worked at those, at separate times, for some years. I began sewing at age ten and my first quilting experiences were designing and making bed quilts for the family. On moving to the Hendersonville area in 1990, I began taking quilting classes, and also began weaving. I now work at both as much as time will allow. As a member of the Western North Carolina Quilters’ Guild I have entered quilt shows and contributed quilted items to various charities. My husband, Al, and I have one daughter and two sons.

St. John in the Wilderness Church

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Embroidery by Eunice Saum

My sewing career began in the late 1950’s after the birth of three daughters. My interest in quilting began in the early 1980’s, and when we moved to the Hendersonville area in December of 1988, my new love for sewing changed to quilting. I joined the Western North Carolina Quilters’ Guild, learned new techniques and was an active participant in the group.

Bonclarken

Back to the Quilt

Applique by Georgia Bonesteel

Georgia’s very contemporary rendering uses as the background a fabric reproduction of Cora Minty’s pen and ink drawing of Bonclarken as it used to look. The foreground shows an impression of the roofline of the current building. (For Georgia’s short biography, see Panel 2.)

Kenmure (Glenroy)

Back to the Quilt

Needlepoint by Anne Zabriskie

I moved from Fairfax, Virginia, to Flat Rock in 1991. My husband and I have three children and six grandchildren. My hobbies are knitting, needlepoint and golf.

Marley's Blacksmith Shop

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Embroidery by Ann Katherine (Kat) Karinja-Wells

Katherine, with her husband of 30 years, Jeremy, are the owners/officers of Wells Nursery, Inc., a wholesale grower of rhododendrons and other specialty plants. Born and raised in Rumson, New Jersey, she is a self-taught artist and designer under her label of "Dreamkeeper Cottage Studio and Workshop." The mother of two, grandmother of one, she designed the home she and Jeremy built in Flat Rock in 1996. As a returning college student in her thirties, she earned a B.S. in Financial Management and A B.A. in Monetary Economics and Finance from the University of North Carolina in Asheville, graduating Summa Cum Laude in 1989.

Saluda Cottages

Back to the Quilt

Counted Cross Stitch and Embroidery by Marianne Holloway Kidd

Marianne was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been involved with crafts and sewing for over twenty-five years. While living in Richmond, Virginia, she had a Finishing Business for five years for several Needlework Shops. She has been making Teddy Bears and related items for about eighteen years. She is married to John P. Kidd. They have two children and six grandchildren and have lived in Flat Rock since 1994.

Peace's Store

Back to the Quilt

Applique and Embroidery by Anne Marie Garry

My husband and I moved to Flat Rock from Connecticut nine years ago. We have four sons. Quilting was a natural development from an early fondness for sewing and knitting.

Painting by Jane Mellon

Flat Rock Village Office

Back to the Quilt

Embroidery by Gretchen Habighorst Highlander

My Habighorst grandmother taught me to knit. I loved her and treasured her love for me, which most likely is why needlework and her memory have filled my life. The "History of Flat Rock" has been a special kind of needlework for me. I have seen at close hand the processes by which the stitchers have produced their beautiful works of art. I’ve spent lots of time with wonderful women I hadn’t known at all before, and, in the course of this endeavor, I’ve learned much about the people and history of our small town. I was once a Northerner, but at the end of this project, I find myself rather pleasantly and firmly embedded in Old Flat Rock. Perhaps I’ve turned into a Southerner. Wouldn’t that be nice?

P.S. Cyrus and I have seven children and six grandchildren. We came to Flat Rock in 1988.