Helen Smith Stone

A combination of business and education degrees has served me well over the years. While working in education for over 30 years as a teacher/librarian/development director, I dabbled in the fiber arts to satisfy my desire to create beautiful things with fabric and thread. I have been making quilts for over 35 years.

My mother taught me hand embroidery when I was eight, which sparked an interest in other types of fiber art. I then learned to use a sewing machine through Home Economics classes and 4-H programs. But my inspiration to become a quiltmaker came from seeing the beautiful quilts my grandmother, Stella Smith, made. I learned to make quilts through books, PBS programs, classes offered at quilt shows, and from many talented quilting teachers who generously shared their knowledge and enthusiasm.

An award-winning quilter, my work has been featured in quilt shows, books, magazines, and calendars. Most recently, one of my original art quilts, “Peaceful Poppies,” was featured in fiber art exhibits at Textile Center (Minneapolis), the Carnegie Art Gallery (Mankato), and the 2023 QuiltArt Engagement Calendar by the American Quilters Society.

My goal is to educate, inspire, and promote quiltmaking as another form of art. It would be a privilege to be your teacher.