Lois and Rudy Rozman display the quilt made from her father’s ties.
From new cloth or repurposed clothing, local quilters stitch together artistry, warmth and memories. By Karen Janssen / Photos by Xavier Fané
There are so many ways to tell a story, from campfire confidences to social media posts to printed pages. The need to tell stories stretches back to ancient pictographs on red sandstone cliffs. Sharing our memories, our trials and triumphs, our sadness and joy has long been part of the fabric of life. In the Gunnison Valley, we share tales of epic adventures and personal experiences through photography, paint, film, words, dance, quilts. Wait…quilts? In our valley, as in many places, there’s a whole subculture of artists designing, cutting and stitching fabric pieces into amazing works of art that provide 100
a visual treat, preserve memories and tell their own stories. Take, for example, Lois Rozman’s tie quilt, fashioned from a drawer-full of her father’s ties. When he passed away, she and her family faced the difficult task so many have faced throughout the years. What should they do with her father’s belongings? Lois’ mother, shaped by the Depression, felt nothing should be thrown away. With her skills as a quilter (each of her children and grandchildren own one of her creations), the idea of a quilt seemed a natural progression. “It became a project we did together,” recalled Lois. “I would set her up before I
left for work, and when I’d come home at lunch or after work, she’d proudly show me the progress she had made.” Though Lois’ mom died before the quilt was finished, it now provides a special memory of both her parents. These themes of repurposing, of creating and holding onto memories, and of working together are some of what makes quilting such a unique and special pastime. Most of us have seen movie scenes or read about quilting bees, where women of the late 18th century gathered to socialize and sew. Many hands made lighter work of a complex task, and it was a chance to connect and
