Many of you know Marianne Michaels as "the wool lady" at Corn Wagon Quilt Co. Indeed, her wisdom of all things wooly is above and beyond but I'm here to tell you she is oh, so much more! Marianne is a wellspring of creativity and experience. With a twinkle in her eye, she's known to bring creative perspective and quick wit to every conversation. We rely on Marianne to answer our questions, not just about quilting, but about life in general.
One of Marianne's favorite designers is Tone Finnanger of Tilda. These three quilts pieced by Marianne all feature lovely fabrics by Tilda. Patterns for all three can be found in in the book Quilts from Tilda's Studio sold here and at the quilt shop. Look close at the kitties for a bit of Marianne's humor -- one kitty seems to be missing his bird, but has a clever smile instead. ;-)
Marianne's earliest lessons in handwork came from her mother who, back in 1941, was a Home Economics grad. At age five, hand-knit dishcloths were her first stitching endeavor followed by work with a small embroidery kit which proved to be a bit more challenging. Surrounded by her talented mother's handwork all of her life, Marianne pieced her first quilt in High School during what came to be a great resurgence in the art of quilt making. An extensive background in art was built over many months of travel abroad, visiting all major museums and architectural wonders across Europe.The gorgeous quilt above is one of Marianne's most recent finishes. The historic William Morris Mineral collection by Free Spirit Fabrics provided a spring board for this stormy palette. The Hollow Star pattern by Krista Moser is perfect for showcasing favorite prints. We have kits for this 81" x 84" stunner for $132.99 in-store!
Marianne went on to receive her own masters degree in Home Economics. With a minor in nutrition, she spent thirteen years as a nutritionist and lactation specialist for WIC. In fact, Marianne wrote the training manual for the Utah Coalition to Promote Breast Feeding. She very much enjoyed helping women learn the art of nurturing their newborns but left this occupation to be home with her young children after her last child was born. Five years later, Corn Wagon came calling! Recognizing her unique affinity for handwork, she was asked to join the team and has remained a vital part of building the shop for the past twenty years. Marianne is our resident expert in wool and applique and her quilt-making skills are unmatched. She is the leader of our Handwork Club and coordinator of all our wool block of the month programs. The full-spectrum collection of wool in our shop is hand-dyed my this magician of making and she hand appliques most of our wool samples. We often ask if she ever sleeps and her answer is always a shrug and a laugh. She really loves primitive rug hooking and we have several of her pieces on display as well as a class coming up (see below for more details!) The Utah Wool and Fiber Guild is lucky to have her as a seasoned member. It's safe to say she can do just about anything with wool -- all but sheer the sheep.
But wait there's more to Marianne! Outside of sewing time, Marianne has been working with her husband, Roger, to refurbish a historic 1870's home in Toquerville, Utah. She has a knack for collecting and curating vintage finds and her home is a sanctuary dedicated to her personal history and antique collection. Most treasured of all is her time spent with her husband, four children and several darling grandchildren.
When we asked Marianne to curate a fat quarter bundle, I was delighted to see her selection of artfully woven fabrics in shades ranging from nectarine to rust -- perfect for fall! I can just imagine a unique pumpkin quilt made from these earthy sunset tones. Pick up this original Lucky 13 bundle as part of our Curated by Corn Wagon collection for $39.99 while supplies last! And be sure to give a wave to our wool-loving friend while you're here!
Primitive Rug Hooking Class
Saturday, October 17th, 1:00 - 4:00 pm
Learn the art of primitive rug hooking, while creating one of these beautiful “rugs.” You’ll enjoy learning about this historic craft from our wool expert, Marianne Michaels. Your project can be made into a wall hanging, pillow, table topper, or a rug for the floor. Choose from a variety of complete kits available in the shop. The work of art shown here is a unique creation hooked by Marianne and is not available as a kit but is an excellent example of the fun you can have with this primitive craft from the past!
Register online or in-store today!