Jean Reger Trunk Show from September Meeting

By Janet Esch

Jean Reger, a quilter for 30 years and a teacher for 10, describes herself, as obsessive. And her work indicates obsession in the best sense: focus on detail. With light humor and wonderful examples of her work, Jean presented a trunk show, "How Do Those Little Birds Get into My ‘Grandmother's Flower Garden.'" She led us from two quilts from her grandmothers to her masterpiece, "Little Brown Bird."

"Quilting skips generations," Jean claimed as she showed us her grandmother's red work quilt cut into two by her mother who solved her need for two quilts. The other grandmother's quilt was used as a mattress pad--something I remember my own mother did. The lesson: "Don't give your quilts to your children, but to your grandchildren; they will appreciate them." But Jean has wonderful memories of sitting under quilting frames and listening to things she wasn't supposed to hear and of tying another quilt with her Dad and grandmother who made quilts for all 40 grandchildren.

Because Jean would not let her husband use the old quilts, he suggested that she make one for his use: the beginning of obsession. Of course after she had hand pieced and hand quilted "Grandmother's Flower Garden" in 70's colors, Jean realized that she would not allow anyone to use her treasures.

Hexagons and then clam shell quilts became her obsession. She tried to see how many patterns she could find in the hexagon.

Jean is generous in her gifts to her children (in spite of her nod to bypassing the next generation) and her grandchildren. "Children should have 3 quilts: one to drag around as a baby, one to use on a big bed and one to keep." And Jean's grandchildren have quilts to cherish.

"Everyone Needs a Family"

Known as that #@*&! Carrot Quilt

Jean hand quilts all her work. She adds 8 inches of fabric on each side so that she can easily quilt to the edge. "Stippling is easy," she says. "You just quilt your lines an eighth of an inch apart."

I hope you can see the quilting in this bright pink and white quilt.

Jean claims that anyone who quilts in contrasting thread must be "very good or very stupid."--we found her to be very good. And another quilt named "I'll Never Do Trapunto Again" shows Jean artistic drive.

Jean says as so many have said, "And then I discovered Mimi Dietrich," She says that Mimi made it possible for her to complete an album quilt when Mimi taught her needleturn: she had given up on a quilt because of "all that starch, card board templates, and busy work." She turned to more elaborate appliqué that certainly led her to use of 3 dimensional details.

Picture by Barbara Burnham

It was at Williamsburg in 1998 that Jean discovered Margaret Dockerty's book of the Little Brown Bird. From the book and a class with Elly Sienkiewicz she became interested in 3 dimensional work. And that is where she is today. Ruching, double yoyo's, elaborate embroidery, beading, ribbons all go into the extraordinary quilts she and her students accomplish at her classes at "Tomorrow's Treasures" in Crofton, MD.

Copied from an antique piece of ironwork

Jean teaches classes of Little Brown Bird and of Baltimore Album at Tomorrow's Treasures in Crofton, MD

Jean Reger presenting her trunk show. Picture by Barbara Burnham.

Picture by Barbara Burnham.

Jean demonstrates her true love of quilting as she tells of being at a quilt show at the Maryland Historical Society where she "sat day after day in the "presence" of a Laurel block quilt in reds and greens. The inspiration she felt led to her own work. She has spent almost 3 years completing this quilt with it hand stippling and bright colors. We were one of the first audiences to view this quilt.