Introducing: The Original Good Witch
Making quilts is very rewarding, but it is very time intensive. It is building something from scratch: preparing the materials, sewing, trimming, designing, making the quilt sandwich, quilting and binding. And that is why I enjoy it so much: there is nothing more satisfying to me than looking at something that I created from raw materials, that is totally unique to the materials and my hands, and that now gets to have a life of its own.
Sometime next year, I will illustrate to you all the steps of making a quilt (particularly a memorial quilt, which has become my most esteemed service). I am in the process of gathering pictures and writing down my process.
Until then, I want to introduce someone who does a lot of work behind the scenes here at Good Witch Quilts: my mother.
I am very fortunate that since I moved back to my hometown, Austin, TX, I have been able to connect with my mother through my business. And she is the original Good Witch herself. If you don’t know the story, here is a passage from my online bio about the origin of my business name:
“My mother’s maiden name is Gudewich - a Polish name - but was changed to be pronounced “Good Witch” upon her family’s arrival in Ellis Island in the early 20th century. I try to be a “good witch” as much as possible in my daily life. I hope my products can create positivity for you.”
Truly, my mother has been a part of my quilting process from the very beginning. The summer after my Freshman year of college, I embarked on making my first quilt - a twin size to fit my dorm room bed. That summer, my mom naturally fell into her sidekick role, trimming threads, ironing blocks and cheering me on as I amateurishly operated the sewing machine.
Over the next decade of quilting, I transitioned from dilettante to expert all by myself. Growing up, I never had a grandmother or elder women in the family to show me how to quilt. This is the most prevalent origin story I hear from most quilters: a great grandmother, grandmother and mother all inheriting the traditional knowledge of quilting and passing it down to the young quilter as a part of their heritage. This is not my story.
Now, with my expert knowledge of quilting and a business of my own, I have even be able to teach my mother how to quilt, reversing the traditional generational legacy in my own family. It is all self-taught and DIY, but it is just the way that I like it.
For now, my mother is not quite an employee (although I would love to be able to employ her in the future!) and more consultant, volunteer, assistant, etc. She is the queen of binding, and hand sews the binding on almost all of my quilts now. Thanks Mom!
Here is a quote from her:
“I love being a part of Good Witch Quilts. It’s wonderful to see how much care and creativity Joanne puts into every quilt. I especially enjoy helping her with the memorial quilts in which she puts extra love into. I am inspired and proud of Joanne’s dream of continuing the tradition of quilting.”
My mom and I hard at work in my quilting studio.