Here's Looking at You, Gailya!

If you’ve followed the Marine Corps Kids Blog, you’ve certainly seen the beautiful quilts and sewing projects that Gailya from Lillington, NC has donated! Gailya continues to amaze me with her talent and generosity. She is truly gifted with her craft!

What brought you to Marine Corps Kids?

I started out sewing Christmas stockings. Someone asked me to, but I don't remember who it was. I'd much rather sew for the babies.

How long have you been quilting, and how did you learn?

I made my first quilt from hideous 1960s blends left over from sewing dresses for my daughter and shirts for my husband and sons. I just played it by ear. I think I got the bug when I needed kitchen curtains that I couldn't afford to buy. So I pieced together enough squares of scraps to make them. I remember one of my brothers saying they were ugly curtains. I kind of liked them. Then, after a 20 year break I made a log cabin quilt that was machine pieced and quilted at the same time. My grandson still has it although some of the fabrics have disintegrated.

Your quilts are just gorgeous! Have you ever sold your work or worked as part of a quilting guild or club?

I've never belonged to a guild or club but have belonged to online groups and done block swaps and such. I've only sold a handful of quilts and they were made to order. I mostly give them away and have donated well over 225 since March of 2008. [WOW!!]

When you aren't sewing, how do you enjoy to spend your free time?

I'm addicted to Pogo games. But I also love watching the birds that come to my many feeders. I occasionally build birdhouses and grow and decorate gourd birdhouses. I knit, crochet, garden, make jewelry, and do other general crafts but sewing is my number one love. It's a rare day that I don't sew something.

How big is your fabric stash? Are you a SABLE* crafter? (*Stash Accumulated Beyond Life Expectancy)

By most quilter's standard my stash isn't really large. It's hard to keep a huge stash when you sew as much as I do.

If you had $100 for a shopping spree at your favorite craft store, what would be in your shopping basket?

At the moment it would be as much Warm & Natural batting as $100.00 would buy. I usually buy it by the bolt but I'm completely out right now.

OOPS! Have you ever suffered a crafting-related injury or mishap?

I did roll my rotary cutter over my left index finger once. OUCH!!!

No waffling on this one: Milk Chocolate or Dark Chocolate?

Milk chocolate if I eat chocolate at all. I'm not a big fan. [This I do not understand! ;-)]

Finish the sentence:In the kitchen I make a great:

Baked Potato Soup.

Have you or any of your family served in the armed forces?

My second son spent 9 years in the Navy.

How do you have so much time to sew?

I live all by myself with my two dogs. I'm 70 years old so I don't have a job and no one to tell me what to do. LOL! Sometimes I sleep only 4 or 5 hours, play Pogo while I have my coffee and then head into the sewing room. I love to listen to audio books while I sew. And...I detest talking on the telephone so almost no time is spent in that activity.

Gailya, thank you again for all you do for Marine Corps Kids, and for sharing a little bit about yourself with us. You have done so much to support our military families, and your work is very appreciated!