Happy Birthday Chris!

In 2009, Julie Sefton suggested I have Chris Ballard quilt my sampler quilt, Letters From Home.

Julie is on the left, Chris is on the right.

I had never had one of my quilts quilted before, and I was very wary. My son and I pored over photographs of Chris's long arm quilting for hours before we decided she was trustworthy.

I called Chris on the telephone. "I don't know how I'm going to quilt your quilt," she said in her charming southern accent. "I'm going to hang it up on the wall and look at it.  Your quilt will tell me how it wants to be quilted."

Right then and there I knew she was the right person.  Chris has quilted all my quilts ever since, and she has never let me down.

The Black Box, quilted by Chris Ballard, has been in AQS shows in Chattanooga, Des Moines and will be on display at AQS Alburquerque in 2015.

 Quilters and students in my area are aghast when I tell them I pack up my quilts and send them 1,200 miles away (1931 km) to Chris without even knowing what she'll do or how much it will cost. " Do what it wants and tell me how much; I'll send you a check," is generally all the input I give her.

"Life is 'Tweet" made by me and quilted by Chris Ballard

I got to meet Chris in person four years after we "met," when I went to Tennessee in 2013.

Me, Julie and Chris in October 2013 holding a collaboration quilt we made.

Our relationship has gone beyond business and we are very good friends.  Please join me in wishing Chris a very Happy Birthday today!

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Chris,

Happy Birthday to you!

I hope our collaboration continues for a long time!