Interview with Judy Dales, October 22, 1999

Interview Summary

Le Rowell interviews Judy Dales, a renowned quilter at a quilt convention. She discusses how she got involved in quilting from a young age and the first quilt she owned. She talks about the challenges she faces in quilting, from doing challenging designs to writing a book about quilting and publishing it. She discusses the personal and emotional aspects of quilting through an anecdote about the quilt she created after the death of her mother. Dales talks about her involvement in the White House Collection of American Crafts, created by the Clinton administration. She discusses various aspects of quilting, including what makes a great quilt, whether quilting is an art or a craft, and the future of quilting.

Interview Keyword

Quilting trends Quilting competitions Quilt culture Professional quilters Women’s empowerment Quilts as art Quilts as crafts Artistry Craftsmanship The White House Collection of American Crafts Quilting practices Quilt arts Domestic crafts Quilt collections Personal difficulties

Interview LC Subject

Quilts Quilting Textiles Women Books Needlework Families Crafts & decorating Textile artists Decorative arts Spirituality

Interview Rights

All rights to the Quilters' S.O.S. -- Save Our Stories (QSOS) oral history project, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred from the Quilt Alliance to the University of Kentucky Libraries. Please contact the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History regarding rights pertaining to individual interviews.

Interview Usage

Interviews may only be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.