1800s
Cherokee Grandmother
The earliest recollection of quilting in our family was our Cherokee grandmother, also known as Pinto by some. She lived in Kentucky and proudly demonstrated her quilting skills with patterns such as the Double Wedding Ring complemented by her radiant smile.
1930s
Family Tradition
Pinto's granddaughter Edith also lived in Kentucky until she married and moved to Cairo, Illinois. There, she opened a dress shop, offering custom tailoring and alterations as a master seamstress. When she wasn't sewing clothes, she was hand-making quilts with the scraps from her dress shop. Her favorite patterns were stars and nine patches, two of which are still in the family, treasured by relatives in Idaho and Missouri.
During the same time, our ancestor Love was living and quilting in Kansas City, Missouri. She lived there with her husband, a newspaper man. There is one remaining quilt from Love's collection - a solid yellow pattern accented with blue and white clothing scraps. It resides in Idaho as another cherished piece of family history.
1970s
Our First Quilt
Around the age of 14, Lori had a bright yellow bedroom and she needed a quilt for her bed. After being inspired by a McCall's magazine, she and her mother decided to give quilting a try. Their first quilt is two bed sheets and some batting hand-quilted together with uneven stitches and inconsistent spacing around the large flower motif of the sheets.
Despite her mother's opinion that "it's worn out and really ugly," Lori refuses to part ways with it. Since redecorating her bedroom and moving a few times, the quilt has been a staple of family picnics and features at retreat show-and-tells.
1980s - 2023
The Shop
When Lori and her mother settled in Idaho, they knew they wanted to start a business together. Bringing quilt-y pleasures to the small mountain town of McCall, Granny's Attic became a popular destination for quilters all over Idaho and beyond! Hosting classes and retreats for many years, the shop became a pillar of the community, known for the friendly and knowledgeable service only seasoned quilters could provide.
Now
Carrying on the Legacy
Even though the physical shop is closed, the passion for quilting lives on. Lori is still creating patterns, traveling to teach, offering commissions, and providing professional long arm services to quilters both near and far. The Granny's Attic quality and passion that quilters are familiar with lives on in the digital space.