In the limelight: Agnes ten Hoeve, my Quilt mom

First Sampler by Agnes ten Hoeve

In the limelight is about quilters who inspire me. Who just give me that little bit extra, who boost my creativity, who inspire me with fabric, techniques or their work. Famous, or just met, contemporary or very traditional, hand work or machine work. And today, because it's her birthday, my Quilt Mom is put in the limelight. She inspires me every day!

Agnes ten Hoeve started quilting in 1991 and made her first sampler. Everything by hand, as many of her quilts would be. In that era quilting started to grow in the Netherlands and with the exhibitions the amount of quilters grew.

Agnes worked as a nurse with psychiatric patients, and during her night shifts she made many a stitch. Or when a patient was restless, she helped him or her by putting the patient next to her, showing her quilting and letting him or her piece with her. And they calmed down!

She made a Dear Jane, entirely by hand.

Dear Jane by Agnes ten Hoeve

What inspires me in her work is that she is as willing to work with machine as by hand. No judgment, no opinion, just what fits better with this quilt, this time of life. And that might even be sending a quilt to a professional longarmer, because another quilt has to be hand quilted. That accepting of every technique for its value, that inspires me.

Her next achievement is something that is a big dream of me: she made it to have her quilt judged in in Houston and Paducah. If I could ever achieve that!

Birds and Flowers, made in 2003, was winner in the European quilt show in the traditional quilts group, was part of the "Full in Bloom" exhibition in Houston and on show in AQS Paducah.

Birds & Flowers by Agnes ten Hoeve

The last few years she is working on a quilt, mainly made by hand, and she hopes to have it ready and hand quilted in 2013. When it's time to show, I will show you!

And the last thing why she inspires me? Well, she is my Quilt Mom. [Edit: she is not my real mom. She adopted me as a quilt orphan ;-)] She believes in whatever I do, although she might not always agree. She lets me play, warns me for working too hard, and at the same time puts seeds of creativity in my mind. She says she doesn't speak English, but when we need a room in Paducah, she sends a mail in her own English and has a room arranged for all us. She is not among the youngest of us, but when last year our flight to Paducah was cancelled due to the flood, she was happy to go by train, and later with the 4 of us in the backseat of a pick up truck. She is a no-nonsense, authentic, my kind of woman with whom I share my love for quilting.

My Quilt Mom inspires me to be open to all possibilities and to find out what works for me. Thanks.

Happy Birthday Quilt Mom!

Have fun quilting,
Annemart

P.s. Agnes does not know I write this blog, as it is her birthday surprise. She doesn't want to be featured, focused on or whatever. But her work and her personality deserve a focus on what she has made. I hope you enjoy it too!