Our Story

My name is Maureen Ford, and I have been quilting for most of my life. What started as a way to use up fabric left over from other projects turned into a craft I could not put down. Over the years my quilts have traveled to shows around the world, and each one taught me something new about color, pattern, and the patience it takes to piece hundreds of small squares into something whole.

Through all of it, one thing never changed. I kept every scrap. The offcuts from a finished quilt felt too full of possibility to throw away, so they went into bins, and the bins filled up.

I have always loved the feeling of a quilt. Not just looking at one, but being under one. The weight of it, the warmth, the way a well-loved quilt softens over time. The trouble is that quilts stay on the bed or the couch, and I wanted that feeling everywhere: making coffee, walking the dog, sitting on the porch on a cold morning.

So I made one I could wear. The first quiltsie came together from those bins of scraps, pieced the same way I would piece a quilt, then cut and sewn into something with sleeves and a hood. It was warm, it was a little ridiculous, and I did not want to take it off. Friends asked for their own. Then their friends asked. Quiltsie grew from there.

Quiltsie is a small family business, and it runs on three people who each do what they are best at.

I design and quilt. Every piece we sell is cut, pieced, and hand-quilted in small batches, the same way I have always worked.

My youngest son, Lars, runs operations. He keeps the fabric stocked, the orders moving, and the packages going out the door on time. If you have ever had a question about a shipment, Lars is almost certainly the one who answered it.

My eldest son, Russell, built and maintains this website. Everything you see here, from the shop to the checkout, is his work, so that I can spend my time at the sewing machine instead of in front of a screen.

Each quiltsie, quilt, and pattern is made in the USA by quilters who care about getting it right. We use real cotton patchwork and cotton batting, pre-wash our fabrics so the colors stay true, and finish every seam by hand. Because we work from scraps and small runs of fabric, no two pieces are ever exactly alike. We think that is the best part.

We are not trying to be the biggest quilt company. We are trying to make things that last, that get softer and better with every wash, and that eventually get handed down to someone else who loves them.

Whether you are here for a quiltsie, a quilt for your bed, or a pattern to make your own, thank you for supporting a small family of quilters. If you ever want to say hello or share a photo of your quiltsie out in the world, we would love that. You can reach us any time through the Contact page.

— Maureen, Lars & Russell