For Karla Gerome, her love of quilting came first. She is now Director of Education for The Grace Company and works with a variety teams to help develop new products for quilters; then she travels the globe to spread the love of quilting.
Which came first, your love of quilting or the family business?
My love for quilting came first. My mother, Grace, was very nurturing and encouraged her children to be creative. I also worked in a quilt shop which helped spark a passion for quilting.
Tell us a little bit about you and what you do as Director of Education for Grace Company. What do you hope quilters will learn through your efforts?
As Director of Education, I create quilts, patterns, designs, and education curriculum. I find and develop ways to help others learn their new Grace products and how to use them. I work with the departments engineering testing and help develop new products to sell. I work with marketing and sales, traveling the globe to share the message that quilting is a great way to express yourself.
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Quilting has transformed the art world because of the new generations coming forward through this wonderful creative form of self expression.
When you have time to create for yourself, what kinds of projects do you make?
I design and make quilts. Each new machine or frame we make sparks creativity and new ways to work. We then design projects to create a spark of creativity in our customers.
How has your creativity evolved over the years? What triggered the evolution to new ways of working?
We started out as a quilting frame company and have evolved into quilting machines.
I want to help creatives feel great about their purchase, helping them learn and utilize their purchase to the utmost. This is how I came up with new ways to piece or strip quilt using the frame to save time. That evolved into extreme paper piecing, where you use paper pieced shapes and apply them to your quilt top on the frame using the quilting machine.
How do you make time for creating? Do you try to create daily?
My mind is in a constant mode of creating.
I look at the world around me as I travel or on the internet, which ignites creativity. If I don’t allow myself the time to think creatively or to create, I honestly get depressed and down. Creating is a way to express some of those emotions I feel and don’t know how to relay through words.
When was the first time that you remember realizing that you are a creative person?
Probably when I started working at the quilt shop and became involved in creating experiences and classes for customers there. I had ideas that came to life, and the events we had that were truly successful.
What traits, if any, do you think that creative people have as compared to people who are not creative?
Action. I feel everyone has a creative side one way or another. Those who act on their creativity and make something or do something, makes them stand out from others.
Tell us more about the new Rebel machine that Grace will introduce soon. Why would quilters and/or sewists be interested in this new machine?
The Little Rebel will allow you to go from sewing and piecing to quilting easily and affordably. It has great features for both those creative worlds tied into one machine.
How will this machine change their world?
I feel it will bring World Piece through sewing and quilting. It allows you to create and I feel the world is better when we can create peace, not chaos.
Do you have a dedicated space for creating? If so, what does it look like?
Yes, at work, it is my office. At home, the whole house is my creative space. I am still trying to find how to organize my style of creativity, but I will continue to work on it.
What are the indispensable tools and materials in your studio? How do they improve your work?
My cutting supplies, which we also make our TrueCut system, fabric, machine, and frame.
How often do you start a new project? Do you work actively on more than one project at a time?
I start new projects all the time. I get bored, especially if the project takes some time; however, I will finish it. Yes, I am actively working on several projects. I will always have two quilts on frames to get them quilted.
Can you tell us about the inspiration and process of one of your works? How does a new work come about?
I have a design folder, not just one but several pictures and ideas I have collected that I want to work on. When I look at things, I see prospective pieces of a quilt, so I collect these by snapping pictures and writing a comment on what I was thinking when I was looking at them. I will also jot down my ideas on my phone, which helps me remember the ideas.
Which part of the quilt design process is your favorite? Which part is a challenge for you?
I like design and creating. I find this my favorite because it comes easier. The quilting is a bit more challenging because I am still learning. The more I do it, the better I become, the easier it will get.
What kinds of creative projects are your favorites?
I like seeing someone who does something truly unique and different. They might use color differently or piece together differently quilting is not boring it is ART!
Where can people learn more about what you do and Grace products?
Please contact us directly at graceframe.com. They can call 800-264-0644. They can join our platforms online for free and watch Tuesdays with Grace, and three times a year, we have Spring Fling, Summer Camp, and a Fall Festival all about quilting, crafting and sewing.
Interview posted August 2023
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