Lake County mother excels in old-fashioned art

Robbi Joy Eklow's story might convince parents it's O.K. for their children to grow up to be artists.

After all, the mother of two college students who lives in Third Lake is happy, she's a lot of fun to talk to, she's achieved a modicum of fame and she makes at least some money at her craft. What more could anyone ask?

Eklow's main art is quilting, an activity whose creativity and camaraderie women have enjoyed for centuries. The money comes from teaching classes at major quilt shows in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, selling patterns she's created and occasional quilts, and writing books and columns for a quilting magazine.

Her latest book is the recently published "Goddess of the Last Minute: Laughter and Lessons from an Uncommon Quilter" (Voyageur Press, $18).

The volume of anecdotes is designed for anyone in the "fiber community." That means people - often women - who knit, quilt, spin fibers or make things with beads should enjoy reading about Eklow's quirks and escapades. Her chapters are the tales of a suburban artist balancing her life as a wife and mother.

"I take all my neuroses and write about them and celebrate my faults," said Eklow. "I am making fun of myself. It's like talking, but nobody's interrupting me. I'll probably write about pulling a box of beads over on my nose a few days ago."

If you think of a quilt as something you curl up with in bed, you're not getting the picture. Eklow has only finished one bed covering in the 20 years she has been quilting. Rather she does art quilts, suitable for hanging on the wall.

They are bright and striking, often with intricate designs and usually made from cotton fabric she's dyed with her signature process of pouring color.

First she draws the picture full size with her computer. Then using bonding fabric, she attaches pieces she has cut to a backing. One of the final steps is stitching the quilt with a special sewing machine.

The main disappointment with the book is the lack of colored photos of Eklow's work.

When she's writing her magazine column or the chapters for her book, each one must be done at a single sitting without interruption. She describes it almost like channeling someone else's words. If her husband, Brian, comments on something, she forgets what's going on. She likes to write in the middle of the night because no one phones then, and there aren't many tasks to distract herself with.

Why does someone educated at Purdue University in construction management like quilting so much?

"I like playing with the fabric," she said. "I like the tools, the camaraderie, the social part, the culture of quilting, the guilds and shows. I can make a 6-foot tall quilt and roll it up and it's easy to store. A painting would be very hard. I like to make big things because I'm a small person."

While she thinks the same attributes attract most people to this popular hobby, she says anyone can enjoy the camaraderie without actually quilting.

"You can join guilds and meet with others and never make a quilt," said Eklow. "You could buy fabric and not make a quilt. Nobody calls you on it."

For example, Eklow thinks she occasionally makes jewelry just to have an excuse for buying beads, which she loves to do.

"Quilting is the first time I've been around large numbers of women that had the same interests as me," she said. "I never fit in well until I started quilting."

If you go

What: Robbi Joy Eklow will be teaching an all-day class at the quilt festival.

Where: International Quilt Festival

When: Friday, April 17, through Sunday, April 19

Where: Donald E. Stephens Convention Center and the Hyatt Regency O'Hare in Rosemont.

More info: quilts.com or call (713) 781-6864

<div class="infoBox"> <h1>More Coverage</h1> <div class="infoBoxContent"> <div class="infoArea"> <h2>Related links</h2> <ul class="moreWeb"> <li><a href="http://www.robbieklow.com/">Eklow's Web site</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div>