Quilting seems to be a hobby of the past, but UNC first-year Olivia Sallis has found it and used it as a way to destress and manage her time.
Through projects like a colorful going-away quilt for her Spanish teacher a few years back to selling custom-made quilts through Facebook, Sallis has made it both a unique hobby and a business that she can learn from.
“I learned financial skills and marketing skills from quilting,” Sallis said. “I made a website for my business so I learned a bunch of skills from quilting in general. Also, the actual art of quilting requires a lot of detail and dexterity.”
Sallis is not alone in the business of making quilts for commission, friends and family. A local quilting group, Seymour Quilters, has made it a social opportunity to encourage each other in creating their various personal projects.
In the past, the Seymour Quilters met weekly to work together and quilt for charity, but since the pandemic, their meeting format has changed. Instead, they meet online every other Monday to stay connected and share their quarantine creativity.
Seymour Quilting newcomer Sara Peach found the group in February and went to three meetings in person before the group moved online.
She said the online experience works because many of the women are familiar with each other.
"It's a very relaxed, social, welcoming group, and it's a lot better than not seeing any of these people or their work,” Peach said.
One pillar of the quilting group is that they donate their artwork to various charities around the country. Group organizer and long-time quilter Susan Zeisel has taken this into consideration when selling her pieces, and has made it a point to use the money that she has earned through quilting for more supplies, rather than for personal use.
