I was born, and raised in Foxworth, Mississippi, where my husband David and I currently live. We are the parents of two grown sons, Chris and Jason. Chris lives near us and works in nearby Columbia, and Jason lives and works about 30 minutes away in Hattiesburg, MS. Jason graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi in 2005, and has now opened his own graphic arts business in the Hattiesburg area. My wonderful husband, David, and I have been married for 33 years.
David has always been very supportive of my quilting endeavors and has created numerous, specially designed tools and gadgets, to assist in my quilt making. The final member of our family is our beloved Sheltie dog, Cody, who is my constant sewing companion. My other interests and hobbies include genealogy, gardening, and bird watching.
I began sewing at an early age, designing clothes for my dolls. By the age of 18, I was an accomplished seamstress. Before I began quilting, I also enjoyed other types of needlework, including embroidery, crochet and counted cross stitch. My husband, David, and I also owned and operated a ceramics business for a number of years, which allowed me to express my creativity in "clay" and paint.
I have been sewing for most of my life, and I began quilting in 1996, as a self taught quilter. Even though I come from a long line of quilters, skipping one generation with my Mother, all of my Grandmothers had passed away and I knew no one who was interested in quilting. In some ways, I think that might have been better, because I took everything I had learned as a seamstress, and combined that with everything I had read about quilting, and developed my own methods and style of quilting.
I found and joined my local quilting guild in 1998, which has really allowed me to grow, as a quilter, in so many ways. I am now a member of several guilds and quilting organizations. These include:
My local guild, Pine Belt Quilters of Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Innovative Fiber Artists of Hattiesburg, Mississippi
Mississippi Quilt Association
Gulf States Quilt Association
The American Quilter's Society
The International Quilt Association
I served as President for Pine Belt Quilters 2002 - 2003, where I now serve as historian for the guild, as well as teach and participate in numerous volunteer activities. I have also served as regional representative, and served as Publicity Director for the Mississippi Quilt Association.
As a quilter, I also enjoy teaching and speaking to groups about the art of quilting. I gain great joy and satisfaction from working with quilters of all levels, and I feel that I always learn as much from them as they do from me. One of my greatest joys is helping a new quilter to understand the basic techniques used for quilting, and then seeing them develop their own style and become a dedicated quilter. I currently teach a variety of classes and workshops for groups and guilds, as well as teaching for the Mississippi Quilt Association. I am also a Circuit Teacher for the Gulf States Quilt Association, which includes Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the pan-handle of Florida. I enjoy speaking to groups about quilting and quilt history, as well as tailoring lectures to specific group interests.
I enjoy all types of quilting and I love a challenge. My quilted works include traditional and non traditional pieced and appliqué quilts, art quilts, quilted clothing, and small scale and miniature quilts. I particularly enjoys the challenge that miniature and small scale quilt making presents, with the demands for accuracy and precision. I now enjoy designing my own patterns and creating quilt designs, with a particular interest in taking old patterns and creating new designs with color placement. I find the computer very helpful when working with design. All of my appliqué patterns are drawn by hand.
I have been greatly honored in that my quilts have been recognized, by receiving numerous awards in local, regional, national, and international quilt shows. Some of these awards are as follows:
2007
Miniature quilt, "Carnivale", received 1st place in the miniature category in the American Quilter's Society quilt show, Paducah KY, April 2007.
Miniature quilt, "Pineapple Surprise Again", received 1st Place in the miniature category in the of the "Quilt Odyssey" 2007 quilt show held in July at Hershey Penn.
Large Applique Quilt "Mississippi Backroad Treasures" won Best Of Show and Viewer's Choice in the 2007 GSQA Quilt Show held in Baton Rouge, La. It has also won 2nd Place in the Large Applique Category of the "Quilt Odyssey" 2007 quilt show held in July at Hershey Penn.
Wall Hanging "Jacobean Sunrise" won the Marion Mearke Excellence Award In Hand Applique at the 2007 GSQA Quilt Show held in Baton Rouge, La.
2006
Miniature quilt, "Pineapple Surprise", received Benartex Best Miniature Quilt Award
in the American Quilter's Society quilt show, Paducah KY, April 2006.
Miniature quilt, "Pineapple Surprise Again", received 1st Place in the miniature category
in the International Quilt Association's quilt show, Houston, Tx., Nov. 2006.
Miniature quilt "Nine Patch Stars" Received 1st place in the Pine Belt Quilters 2006 Quilt show held in Hattiesburg, Ms. It also won 2nd place in the American Quilter's Society Online Quilt Show.
Wall Hanging "Jacobean Sunrise" won 1st place in the Pine Belt Quilters 2006 Quilt show held in Hattiesburg, Ms.
Large Applique Quilt "Mississippi Backroad Treasures" won Best of Show" in the Pine Belt Quilters 2006 Quilt show held in Hattiesburg, Ms. It was also selected as "Viewer's Choice" and "Pine Belt Quiters members Viewer's Choice".
2005
Miniature quilt, "Pineapple Flambé", received Honorable Mention Award, Miniature
Quilt category, in the International Quilt Show, Houston TX, November 2005
Miniature quilt, "Pineapple Flambé", received 2nd Place award, Miniature
Quilt category, in the American Quilter's Society quilt show, Paducah KY, April 2005
Appliqué Quilt, "My Fine Feathered Friends", received Best of Show, 1st Place in the Theme category, and Viewer's Choice Award in the Gulf States Quilt Show held in New Orleans, Louisiana, August 2005
2004
Appliqué Quilt, "My Fine Feathered Friends", received 3rd Place in the Innovative
Appliqué, Large category of the International Quilt Show, Houston TX, November 2004
2003
Appliqué Quilt, "My Fine Feathered Friends", received Best of Show, and Pine Belt Quilters Viewer's Choice Award
in the Pine Belt Quilt Show, Hattiesburg, MS, October 2003
My quilts have also been awarded Judge's Choice and numerous 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and Honorable Mention awards.
I have also been honored to have two of my miniature quilts, "Pineapple Flambé" and "Pineapple Surprise", selected as part of the "Oh Wow" Miniature Quilt Collection in the Museum of the American Quilter's Society in Paducah KY. They will remain as part of the permanent collection of the Museum and will be part of a traveling collection, when they are not on display in the Museum.
My quilts have been featured in numerous magazine and newspaper articles, with my pieced quilt, "Confetti Baskets", being selected for the cover of the summer 2004 issue of Quilt magazine. My newest miniature work, "Pineapple Surprise", was featured in the fall 2006 issue of American Quilter Magazine and was selected as one of the 13 quilts to appear in the 2007 American Quilter's Society Calendar. "Pineapple Surprise" has also been photographed by Quilter's Newsletter magazine for an article on miniature quilts, which is scheduled for the January/February issue. Two of my earlier miniature quilts were also featured in an issue of Miniature Quilt magazine.
To see images of the quilts please visit my Quilt Gallery page.
© 2003 - 2006 Judy Spiers. All Rights Reserved
Judy Spiers
1072 Shiloh-Firetower Road
Foxworth, Mississippi 39483
601-736-7203
