3DQ - 3 Dudes Quilting Designs- Raymond Steeves

This is my quilting story. And stories should start at the beginning. The 3 Dudes, of 3 Dudes Quilting, have been a family unit for greater than 20 years. We met thru friends. The families we were born with are a great blessing, but the families we create are extremely special and rewarding. Anyway, as family we have had many hobbies over the last twenty plus years. We bred and showed Miniature Poodles, with several award winning champion dogs. We raised birds, koi, turtles, plus had a farm yard of chickens, geese, goats, peacocks, and turkeys. We became serious rose growers with over 130 different rose bushes.

About 15 years ago, there was a lull in our breeding and showing of dogs, and Jeff and Frank took a beginning quilting class at A Quilter’s Bee in Peoria, AZ. None of us had every sewn before, and they took the class on the recommendation of a friend. Well, that started it all. They came home from the very first class, and there was talk of us opening a quilt shop. Jeff taught me how to quilt, and we were off and running. We spent a year learning the craft, studying the retail quilting market, and planning our store.