Elise M. Roberts 16520 Jacaranda Way Lakeville MN 55044 (952) 898-3726 eliseroberts@charter.net Work Samples Images (select to enlarge):

Elise M. Schebler Roberts Quilting Quilting is an expression of individual, family, and community history. The stories of quiltmakers, quilts, and history can be used to make connections to the present day. In the United States and in Minnesota quilting was the primary means of providing warm bedding for family in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was revived as an art form in the late twentieth century. My work combines the utilitarian and artistic aspects of my craft. I have a background in history, and seventeen years experience presenting public programs for a variety of audiences. I am a member of the Minnesota Quilt Guild, and on the Minnesota Quilt Project, which studies historic quilts. I am also the author of numerous articles on Midwestern history. Available: Days and evenings, may be available on weekends Space: Flexible Fee: Negotiable

Additional Information:
Many cultures throughout history have possessed quilting. Some of these traditions have influenced American quilting, itself a tradition that has persevered over hundreds of years. Many observers feel that American quilting is at an all time high in popularity. The current vigor of American quilting traditions comes from the bicentennial era, when many Americans were gripped by the impulse to do something "traditional."

The original reason for the existence of quilts was to provide warmth and covering for sleeping people. However, for a very long time, quilts have been more than utilitarian items. Frequently, quilts are made as gifts, and in these cases, giving someone a quilt that s/he has made by hand creates an emotional connection between the quilt creator/giver and the receiver. The decorative aspect of a quilt is very important, particularly as it represents something of the person or group receiving the quilt.

On the American frontier, quilts were generally constructed using scraps of fabric. However, quilters' primary fabric orientation in the early twenty-first century is not necessarily leftover scraps of fabric. On the contrary, many quilters typically purchase materials meeting their aesthetic needs regarding color and fabric weight. In the majority of cases, the decorative impulse is now the most important one. In an era where many quilters possess more quilts than they can ever sleep under, there is an accelerating trend to create quilted works that are smaller than bed quilts, but are intended as decorative wall hangings.

Through American history, quilting has frequently been enacted in a type of social setting known as a quilt circle. In a quilt circle, quilters work together on each other's pieces, and help each other master specific techniques. They also work on special projects to benefit those who need quilts. In the early twenty-first century, quilters are also organizing themselves into guilds, organizations formally incorporated as non-profit groups. Quilters' guilds provide members with artistic support and educational opportunities. In addition, quilters' guilds bring together people with shared interests in quilting, and influence members of the general population to become quilters.

Elise comes from an artistic family that included needleworkers, and she came of age when quilting was gaining in popularity. Her father was a woodworker, and her father's mother sewed. She was first exposed to quilting in the 1960's, when she watched her grandmother create quilts. Elise learned embroidery from the same grandmother and from her mother, and Elise's mother also taught her to sew. By the 1970's Elise was making all her own clothes and she also started creating her first quilt. Her first formal quilting teacher was very traditional. She didn't permit students to iron their fabric, nor allowed them to use sewing machines for piecing. In other words, Elise learned the way people created quilts more than a century ago. However, since her early quilting lessons, Elise has taken some formal classes that taught modern methods of quilt making commonly used today.

Elise is also a trained museum professional, and has a keen awareness of preservation and history. She enjoys using quilting to encourage others to talk about their own histories. Her work is in keeping with other creative traditional artists who use tried and true patterns, colors and blocks as the basic for creating beautiful and useful works. In addition, Elise is the chairperson of the Minnesota Quilt Project, a standing committee of Minnesota Quilters, Inc. This committee is dedicated to the identification, research and interpretation of Minnesota Quilts and quiltmakers.