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Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day
We suspect that more people have learned to quilt from Eleanor Burns than with any other quilt teacher on the planet. This may be one of the reasons why Eleanor received the Micheal Kyle award for lifetime achievement in quilting, the equivalent of the Quilter's Hall of Fame. Her "Quilt in a Day" books, with their wonderful step-by-step illustrations and clear instructions have made quilting accessible to everyone, and her television shows have made her a true celebrity in the quilting world.
The Eleanor Burns story begins in Zelienople, Pennsylvania. Her mother and father, Erma and Erwin Knoechel presented her with a toy hand crank Singer sewing machine in 1957. Eleanor says that it "never worked right, but it was perfect for sewing doll clothes for my beloved walking doll, Cindy Sue." A year later, a traveling salesman sold her mother a full-fledged sewing machine, which Eleanor learned to use. Click here for more about Eleanor Burns.
Eleanor became a special education teacher in Pittsburgh, PA. She later moved to California with her husband and two small sons. Eleanor helped the family by teaching Patchcraft through the Carlsbad Parks and Recreation program. Like other young mothers, she soon realized that when her day was done, there was little time for quilting. She began to develop quick sew techniques, which she used in her classes. She created methods for assembly line sewing, so that her students could finish their quilts in 10-16 hours. She wrote down her methods and instructions. When her marriage failed, and she was left to support and raise her sons alone, she "took a leap of faith" and had the book typeset. She thought she would be left with 800 copies in her garage for the rest of her life. Today, twenty years and a million copies later, Eleanor is one of the best-loved teachers, authors and lecturers in the world.
Eleanor currently has over 60 books and patterns available, as well as instructional videos and her own television series. For more information about her books, shows and classes visit her quilt shop website: www.quiltinaday.com or call Quilt in a Day at 1-800-777-4852.
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