About Norma
I was born in Lake City, Iowa and grew up near there in Fort Dodge and Rockwell City. I guess I have always been interested in artistic endeavors. My parents encouraged me and so I became a "jack of all" and "master of none." I have sketched forever, took painting lessons as a child and as an adult — even sold some of my work. When I was in high school I knitted and made sweaters for my boyfriends and all the men in the family. My parents gave me a Singer Featherweight when I went away to college and I traded it in on a new singer when my children were small. Don't say a thing!! I have regretted it ever since, but why did I need two sewing machines? Who knew?
I have sewn clothing for my two daughters since they were little, from their undies to winter coats ... even made a tuxedo for my husband once complete with the satin stipes down the pants. I went through a pottery period and made pottery 
and sold it for enough to buy my first knitting machine, all the while still sewing and doing needlework in between everything else. Do you wonder when I had time to cook and clean and do all the things a mother has to do for two teen-agers?
I was married in Colorado, moved to California and then to Washington, D.C. area. There life took an extremely wrong turn (or right turn depending on your point of view). The children were grown and on their own, and I found myself suddenly single. I opened a knit shop, and then met and married a great guy who was also single again. This was when I bought my first computer and shortly thereafter, got online with Prodigy. There I met a great bunch of gals and 
began quilting seriously. Whatever questions came up, there was always someone close that knew the answer. We had several swaps and exchanges and shared our personal lives as well as quilting. Then we slowly migrated to GEnie and our group grew even stronger and larger. More swaps and exchanges and new projects. (An example is the "Helping Hands" quilt made by my friends for John when he had a heart attack several years ago.) The best known project that I was involved in was probably the Patriotic project during the Desert Storm/Gulf War incident. Twenty seven quilts were shown in a show entitled "I Get By With a Little Help From My Friends" at the Decatur House in Washington, D.C., and then went on to be shown at several other shows. (My Patriotic Challenge quilt is shown here.) Judy Smith was instrumental in making those arrangements. These quilts went on to be individually shown throughout the nation at various museums and other galleries. We even made one for General Schwartzkopf and presented it to him in person. (In the picture, 
you will see Online Quilters with the General at the quilt presentation.) I think that was the beginning of group shows for online quilters.
We are still growing and sharing. What a wonderful testimony to the power of the quilting bee. I bet our grandmothers and great grandmothers never imagined where the quilting bee was headed.
I have taught some classes to beginners and a sampler classes based on Lois Smith's book and techniques at my home. I live in rural Virginia just a stone's throw from the Chesapeake Bay on a quiet creek that I can see from my sewing room. Mostly I share with the local guilds and try to make headway on my lifetime project — making a quilt for each child, grandchild, and great-grandchild. Between us, John and I have six children, 16 grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and suspect the number of great-grandchild will grow. My Mariner's Compass quilt and Mr. McGregor's Garden are displayed here. I have made six log cabins for the daughters and sons, complete with pillows and shams. I’m taking my time, as I don’t want to finish my "lifetime project" too soon.
Another project of which I am very proud is "Grandmother's Flower Garden," which was made for John's mother. She passed away January 1996 at the age of 99. She had made the blocks for this quilt many years ago and asked me if I would put them together for her. As you can see, I had to add the blocks between the flowers and the border. It was a bigger project that I thought it would be, but it was very rewarding. I made a special label for it as I finished it just before her 94th Birthday. It was made with love. It now resides with her great-granddaughter, Kathleen Sullivan.Years ago, one of my bee members brought me a piece of batting that she picked up at a show. It was 100% cotton and felt like silk. It was then that I decided to renew my business license and sell this batting to my friends, as we had no source for this batting. When I told my online friends about the batting, the numerous requests grew into a business which I call Creekside Needleworks. I carry Quilter's Dream Cotton and Poly batting, in addition to my patterns, all at discount prices.
The Kevin Family
Conner