YHQ - Peggy Gelbrich

I started quilting in the mid 70's. Loving all types of needlework and crafts, I kept coming back to quilt making. From that point on I've been making quilts. I love the creative aspect of quilting and especially love giving a gift of a quilt I made. I love teaching people how to make quilts. As with most beginning quilt classes, we started with a sampler quilt. At that time we used cardboard templates and scissors. Thinking back it's how our foremothers made quilts and it works. But, thank you to rotary cutters which have made our passion to create quilts easier. I love hanging out with quilters and sharing new patterns and ideas. It's the camaraderie with the quilters that makes teaching so special. It's a joy to be able to teach across the United States. For me it's not a hobby; it's my passion. I love all types of quilting but traditional quilts are my favorite, preferring machine piecing, hand quilting, needle-turn appliqué and crazy quilting. The challenge of figuring out how to make a complicated looking pattern easier is great fun and especially when I can share that technique with students. Everyone can make any pattern. It's just that some patterns take a little longer than others. I've had quilts published in Quilters Newsletter and Fonz and Porter’s Love of Quilting magazines. I've been nominated as Teacher of the Year for the Professional Quilter magazine.