Sisterhood of the Traveling Quilt - NORTH Row Moves to Ohio

The North Row has now moved to Ohio for the remainder of its blocks. Pam Geisel of For Quilts Sake starts out the Ohio Sisterhood contingent with her block NORTH-4 from Yellow Springs, Ohio. The village of Yellow Springs takes its name from a natural spring located in nearby Glen Helen Preserve which is rich in iron ore, leaving a yellowish-orange coloring on the rocks. The spring was thought to have curative properties and spas and hotels were built nearby.

The village was founded in 1825 by approximately 100 families, followers of Robert Owen, who wanted to emulate the utopian community at New Harmony, Indiana. The communitarian efforts dissolved due to internal conflicts. The Little Miami Railroad was completed in 1846 and brought increased commerce, inhabitants, and tourism.

Yellow Springs was one of the final stops on the Underground Railroad and the village was known for its racial tolerance. Wheeling Gaunt, a former slave who purchased his own freedom, came to Yellow Springs in the 1860s and owned a substantial amount of land upon his death in 1894. Gaunt bequeathed to the village a large piece of land, requesting that the rent be used to buy flour for the "poor and worthy widows" of Yellow Springs. Although the land was used to create Gaunt Park, and thus does not generate rent, the village expanded the bequest to include sugar and still delivers flour and sugar to the village's widows at Christmas time.

Pam's background in graphic design shows through with her passion for original fiber art, with an emphasis on art quilts and quilt-related art. Pam took her first quilting class in 2001 and has never looked back.

Her work is currently being shown as part of the Women's Voice Out Loud show in Yellow Springs during March 2011, and the Uncommon Threads V exhibit at the Dayton Metro Library. Her Fireflies artquilt will be traveling later this year as part of the Ohio Designer Craftmen's Best of 2011 exhibit.

Pam's work is also on display the galleries Urban Handman and Frame Haven. In addition to being a long time member of Quiltsy Team, Pam also belongs to the Miami Valley Art Quilt Network, the Miami Valley Quilters Guild, the Dayton Visual Arts Center, Ohio Designer Craftsmen, Fairborn Art Association and the Monday Morning Artists (of Yellow Springs).

To see more of Pam's goodies, please visit her etsy shop ForQuilt'sSake.