Thirty years ago, I left my previous careers in the electronics industry, publishing, and teaching in the graduate business program at a local college to join a small but growing medical cable company. Little did I know then that the decision to make a career change would lead to a small quilt group and decades of quilty friendships.

September 1995

Within the first week of joining the company, I discovered that two of the other gals (Mary and Terry) in my department were quilters too. I’ve been quilting since I was a teen but didn’t know anyone else who quilted, so finding other quilters in my work group was a very nice surprise.

As I settled into my new role and met more people, I met several other quilters (Debra, Angie, Rebecca, Georgene, and a couple of others whose names escape me) in different parts of the company. It wasn’t long before Terry suggested we work together to make a Christmas quilt. We talked about what to do with the quilt once we completed it. Someone suggested we raffle it off and use the proceeds to purchase toys for the local Toy Drive sponsored by one of the TV stations. Once we had permission from senior management – we were off to the races.

I’m not sure that any of us had collaborated on a group quit before, but it came together beautifully. We did learn a few things, including agreeing on a common background color of the blocks and applying all the embellishments – after – the project is quilted. Here’s that very first quilt.

Our first collaborative quilting project - October 1995

Quilt and Repeat

That first quilt led to an annual tradition of making raffle quilts. Most often, we made a single group quilt, but one year, we each made individual projects. It was amazing to see how differently each of us approached the projects we made for that year’s raffle. One year, we even made a summer quilt to raise funds for a company picnic.

As the company grew – more and more people purchased raffle tickets, and one of our quilts brought in over $3,200. At that point, we started adopting some senior families (in addition to the toy donations we continued to do).

As they joined the company, we added Barb, Donna and Tina to our group. Terry moved on to a new role outside of the company and we lost touch with her.

Change Happens

Companies change. They are acquired and then acquired again. The image of a little fish being swallowed by a bigger fish and that that fish getting eaten by a shark runs through my mind. I won’t go into the details – but it’s very common for the culture of a company to change and no longer feel like a good fit. One by one, we all left the company. But … we didn’t leave each other.

Through emails, text messages, phone calls and lunches at Conference Room B (aka – Barleycorn’s) we stayed connected and made plans to continue meeting – and quilting together.

We also looked out for each other and tried to make sure we all had a good place to land.

New Beginnings

Rebecca came to work for me in my new role at a power generation company and Donna later joined us. Cindy blazed a trail with her new company in Wilsonville, and we’d meet for lunch pretty regularly. Donna, Tina and I sewed and sold what we had made at local craft fairs for a little creative fun. When I opened my own company, both Mary, and Barb’s daughter worked for me at different times.

When I expanded and opened my quilt shop – Donna was there all the time encouraging customers that they need at least one more yard of whatever they had in their hands.

Cindy wasn’t a quilter when she joined the group, but we talked her into joining us anyway. She spent years being the gal with the iron in her hand while the rest of us cut and sewed, before she worked up the courage to give it a try. Once she did – wow! Like all of us she’s still learning new things – that’s the beauty of quilting.

Debra and Angie both moved on to roles with new companies and stayed connected with each other and with the rest of the group.

Through it all – we tried to get together as often as our busy schedules allowed.

Have a Space – We’ll Use it to Quilt

In the early years, we’d use the training room at our company in off hours to get together and sew. That worked out well until we all left the company. If the years since, we’ve moved around to many different locations, including:

Donna’s house
The conference table at Cindy’s business
My condo’s community center
Cindy’s previous house
Angie’s house
My current house
Cindy’s current house

Along the way, we also welcomed a few new members including Kimberly, Kacy, Gina and Gabby.

How We Became Tina’s Angels

Tina was diagnosed with cancer and chose to donate her quilting fabric and supplies to the group so the rest of us could use them to make donation quilts. So many tote’s of beautiful fabrics. We became her hands and made 17 quilts using her fabric by the time she passed. In her honor, we decided that our group needed a name, and we became – Tina’s Angels. Here is Tina and our first quilt label with our new group name.

How We Then Became Tina’s Angels and Donna’s Divas

A few short years later, Donna was also diagnosed with cancer. We had been meeting at her house for years and the volume of quilting supplies for the group, as well as her own stash was impressive. She and I had an agreement. Whomever goes first – it’s the others responsibility to go through everything and get it to the gals of Tina’s Angels.

It took a little time, but – Misson Accomplished with some help from Cindy. As a group, we finished almost every project she had in progress and made sure they were gifted to the intended recipients. Here is Donna and our new quilt label.

Tinas Angels and Donnas Dives New Quilt Label

Growing Together

Over the past 30 years we have learned, laughed and celebrated. We’ve also supported each other through illness, tragic loss, marriages, divorces, new jobs and businesses. We’ve lost some members to relocation to other parts of the country and two because of cancer. Several have moved on to other things in their lives. While we’ve lost touch with some of them, they were and are an important part of our origin story. Our core group now includes Debra, Angie, Mary, Cindy and me. We meet monthly and enjoy several hours of quilting, sharing and eating some great food!

Here is the most recent picture of our group and the projects we are currently working on. That adorable baby that Nana Angie is holding will be receiving that fun animal quilt very soon. We just have to finish it first.