Janis Waldorf was a quilter. No, you’ve never heard of her. She wasn’t one whose projects popped up on a wall at every show you attended. Her name didn’t jump out at you from the helpful hints pages of quilting magazine frequently. She didn’t even show up on the boards of quilting sites on the Internet. Oh, she was there alright. She was at the shows soaking up all of the news. She was reading the magazines learning all she could. She was even on the Internet forums following the lives and projects of those who did actively participate. In the language of the Internet, she would have been called a lurker. I call her an unsung quilter.

She was like the member of the church choir who never wanted to solo. As a matter of fact, she was one who would rather that her name not even be listed as a member of any group she was a part of. She just didn’t like to toot her own horn. To be sure, with a little prodding she would chat with you for hours in a one-on-one environment talking quilts and running around the house digging out her projects to share. And she did follow the rules for the most part and did a pretty good job of labeling things for posterity. But to get to know Janis’ work, you had to work at it.

So this work was compiled in memory of Janis because I wanted to share her talents with others but it is really dedicated to all of the unsung quilters out there who quilt because they have to. Not for the thanks they receive for quilted gifts. Not for recognition in magazines or at shows. Just for the joy and self-satisfaction that comes from your passion. If you are one of the thousands of unsung quilters in this world, you already know what Janis’ life as a quilter was all about. If you are not, maybe this will help you to understand just a little those like Janis who are.
In Memory of Janis Waldorf, 1943 – 2009