Designer Tidbits: Women of Courage Block of the Month

The Fat Quarter Shop is excited to welcome Denise Lipscomb to the Jolly Jabber.  Denise’s latest design is the Women of Courage Block of the Month with Windham Fabrics.

Q:What was your inspiration for the Women of Courage Block of the Month?
A:I love history and am always looking for ways to combine my love of women’s history, particularly, and quilting. Because reproduction fabric often tends to center around the Civil War era, the history included with patterns using reproduction fabric also tends to center around women from the Civil War era. When I started designing this particular quilt, I really wanted to branch out and include women from other time periods. This program gave me the opportunity to do that.

Q:Can you tell us a little about how you picked each “woman of courage”?
A:I wanted to not only honor women that were well known by everyone but also those lesser known women who have made a difference in the world. One of the women we are honoring, Mary Roberts Wilson, was a personal friend of mine, and was the first woman I chose for inclusion. The Women of Courage program gave me the opportunity to share her story with the quilting world. During my research I found other lesser known women: Nancy Wake who was nicknamed the White Mouse and had a bounty on her head during World War II; Maud Fitch who had to provide her own ambulance to drive the injured from the battlefield in World War I; Bessie Coleman (who, by the way, came from Waxahachie where I was born and now live) who was the first African-American woman pilot. I love the idea that these women will be known throughout the quilting world for their courage.

Q:What do you consider your biggest achievement in the quilting world?
A:The thing I love most about being a part of the quilting world is the people I’ve met. I feel so fortunate to know so many good, caring people that I never would have met had I not opened a shop. I count some of these as my good friends now so I guess “friendship” is my biggest (and best) achievement.

Q:Who is your favorite celebrity?
A:I love Kate Morton. She is an author out of Australia who is my absolute favorite. I’ve read her novels over and over… and see something different each time. She has the ability to bring things to life with words that make you feel you’re there with the characters. Her three novels so far have been flashbacks to the period around World War I and World War II. Once again, it’s that love of history I think.

Q:If we were making a movie about your life, who would you want to play you?
A:I’d pick Meryl Streep since she always wins all the awards!

Q:Who is your favorite fabric designer not including yourself?
A:I love those designers who have the ability to bring together creativity and attention to detail, and also create not only beautiful quilt designs, but also patterns that are well-written and easy to read.