A Journey Through Quilts: Dreams, Challenges and Triumphs
I’m Genesis, but you can call me Genny. I’m a 15-year-old fiber artist, and I’ve been sewing for four years and quilting for two and a half of those years. Quilting has quickly become a central part of my life, and despite my short time in the craft, I’ve already had some incredible experiences and faced quite a few challenges. Some even classify me as a quilting prodigy. As a military child, I’ve lived in various countries. Though moving around so much has had some challenges, it has also shaped my perspective on quilting and allowed me to draw inspiration from the many places I’ve called home and have been fortunate enough to visit.
The Spark: Discovering My Passion for Quilting
My journey into quilting began quite unexpectedly. Although my family always had quilts at home and my mom admired textiles, sewing wasn’t something that ran in our family. My mom had never even turned on a sewing machine before I began sewing. When I was 10 years old, a friend of mine mentioned she was taking sewing lessons and I was immediately intrigued! My curiosity led me to join her at a local sewing studio, and after six months of lessons, I was hooked. I insisted on learning more, and soon quilting became my passion.
Other than learning the basics at the sewing studio, most of what I’ve learned has been self-taught: through YouTube tutorials, quilt-alongs, and simply challenging myself to try new things. Along the way, I’ve also taken a few classes at quilt shops to learn specific techniques like foundation paper-piecing and free-motion quilting. But for the most part, my journey has been about trial and error, learning from my mistakes and constantly pushing myself to improve.
My mom has been my biggest supporter from the start. In fact, she came up with my playful Instagram handle “Genny from the Quilt Block,” inspired by Jennifer Lopez’s song Jenny from the Block. Social media has been a fantastic way to share my work with the world, and it’s opened up so many opportunities that I never would have imagined. I’d love for you to follow my quilting journey on Instagram.
Challenges and Triumphs: Quilting in an RV
One of the biggest challenges I faced on my quilting journey was living in an RV while our new house in North Carolina was being built. Quilting in such a small space was incredibly difficult, especially with a family of six and a dog sharing that space. Every day felt like a game of Tetris, constantly moving things around to make room for my projects. I had to be organized, putting everything away after each session, because there was simply no room to leave anything out. Sometimes, I took my sewing machine outside to work or visited the local library to baste quilts.
Despite these challenges, living in the RV taught me a lot about resilience and adaptability. It wasn’t easy, but the thought of having my own sewing room in our new house kept me going.
Becoming an Influencer: A Surprising Opportunity
Another major milestone in my quilting journey was becoming an ambassador for Aurifil, a well-known thread company in the quilting and sewing industry. This opportunity came about in the most unexpected way. My mom, always looking out for opportunities for me, applied for me to be an ambassador without my knowledge. She didn’t think they would choose a 12-year-old to represent their product, but to our surprise, they did! It was a huge honor and a major confidence boost. This role opened the door to partnerships with other companies in the quilting and sewing industry, such as OLFA, Omnigrid, FreeSpirit Fabrics, Juki Junkies, Missouri Star Quilt Company, and more.
These collaborations have been incredibly rewarding, not just because they’ve allowed me to share my love for quilting with a broader audience, but also because they’ve connected me with a community of fellow quilters and creators. The support and encouragement I’ve received from these partnerships have been invaluable, reinforcing my belief in my craft and motivating me to keep pushing my creative boundaries.
This year, h+h americas invited me to be their inaugural NexGen exhibitor, where I was able to showcase all my work as well as create a feature quilt. Since my name is Genesis and the exhibit was to highlight the next generation, I wanted to create something that represented and empowered not only the next generation, but everyone. For the event, I created a pixelated version of my face in a quilt with the message: “Genesis: The endless possibilities of beginning.” My hope was that my pixelated photo and message would inspire all to simply begin — because that’s the first and foremost step to anything!
Balancing Act: School, Sewing and Hobbies
Balancing my quilting passion with other responsibilities is a challenge, especially since academics are a priority in my family. Thankfully, being home-schooled gave me the flexibility to juggle my Etsy shop, competitions, and other activities. Sometimes, it meant doing schoolwork in the car on the way to events or squeezing in study sessions on weekends, but it was always worth it.
In addition to quilting, I’m also a musician — I play the piano and banjo — and I play golf. I’m also learning to knit. These hobbies offer a creative outlet that complements my quilting, allowing me to explore different forms of artistic expression. Recently, I’ve started learning how to knit socks and a sweater, both for myself, and I’m excited to see how these new skills will influence my quilting designs.
Quilting Competitions: Learning and Growing
Entering quilting competitions has been an incredible learning experience. Last year, I submitted my quilts to several shows, including the Asheville Quilt Show, the North Carolina Mountain State Fair, and QuiltCon in Atlanta. Competing in the youth category allows me to showcase my work, receive valuable feedback and grow as an artist. I love reading the judges’ comments when I get my quilts back — they help me see where I can improve and what I’m doing well.
This year I entered my h+h americas’ NexGen featured quilt in The Festival of Quilts in Birmingham, England, and won first place in the 14 to 18-year-old category. I couldn’t believe it! Since winning that show, my quilt has gone on to travel and be showcased around the U.K. at The Knitting & Stitching Show in London, as well as Belfast, Northern Ireland, and Harrogate, England.
One of the things I enjoy most about entering competitions is the opportunity to share my work with others. I’ve had people suggest that I should enter my quilts into categories where I would compete against adults, but I feel like my time for that will come. For now, I’m happy to take advantage of the youth category while I still can. I’m still learning and growing, and I believe that there’s plenty of time for me to step up to the next level.
Quilt Pattern: Bright Future by Lizzy House
As soon as I laid eyes on the Bright Future quilt by Lizzy House (which debuted at h+h americas last spring in person before it was shown to the world), I just knew I wanted to make that quilt pattern. I was attracted to the curves and especially the scalloped edge. I hadn’t made a quilt with a scalloped edge yet and I’m usually intrigued by something I haven’t tried. When Lizzy asked if anyone would like to make it, I didn’t hesitate and was really hoping she’d pick me to make it.
I get asked to collaborate and make many quilts for different companies in the industry and I’ve had so much fun doing so! Usually, I’m making a quilt using a fabric collection from one fabric company. I wanted the Bright Future quilt to be special and just for me, so I went through my entire stash and, for the first time, very carefully chose my most favorite fabrics and colors no matter the designer or the manufacturer.
So many fabrics speak to me or remind me of me — such as the music fabric, the sneaker fabric, the snow globes with cities around the world, and so forth. Some fabrics are hand block printed by talented friends. The Liberty fabric that I used for the backing and binding was shipped directly to me from the Italian mill and what makes it so special is that I was born in northern Italy and lived there for three years.
Needless to say, this is my most favorite quilt yet. I’m quite obsessed with it and am super happy it’s for me and that I’m keeping it!
The Quilting Community: A Source of Inspiration
One of the most uplifting aspects of quilting is the community. In fact, when I first began learning to sew, I didn’t have my own sewing machine nor did I have any fabric. Generously, many quilters reached out to me asking if they could send me some fabric from their own stash and I gladly accepted. I was able to practice quilt blocks, sew a few gifts and even make bags to sell at farmers markets.
Quilters, especially those who have been practicing the craft for years, have welcomed me with open arms. Their encouragement has been incredibly uplifting and I’ve learned so much from their shared wisdom. People love seeing someone young like me taking up the craft they’ve loved for so long, and they’re always eager to share their knowledge and help me along the way.
Looking Ahead: Dreams and Aspirations
As I look to the future, I’m filled with hope and excitement. I dream of continuing to explore new techniques and styles in quilting, perhaps fabric design, pattern writing, long-arm quilting or even teaching others one day. I’ve already started teaching my mom and siblings the basics, and I’d love to expand that to a broader audience.
Quilting has given me so much more than just a creative outlet — it has taught me resilience, patience, and the importance of community. Every quilt I make is a reflection of my journey, filled with hopes, dreams, and a few bumps along the way.
As I continue on this path, I’m grateful for the support I’ve received from my family, the quilting community and the companies that have believed in me. My story is still unfolding, and I’m excited to see where it will take me next. Whether it’s through teaching, competing, or simply creating, I’m committed to pushing the boundaries of what I can achieve as a quilter.
My journey has just begun, and I hope to inspire others, especially the next generation, to follow their passions, embrace challenges and never stop dreaming.
