Moore stitches together Best of Show

Ann Moore was hoping for a blue ribbon when she entered her quilt “Artisan Garden” into the Houston Livestock Show this year. Not only did she receive a blue ribbon for her work, she brought home five more awards, including Judges Choice, Best of Go Texan, Best of Category for Mixed Technique, Best of Division for Machine Quilting, and Best of Show.

This is the fourth year for Moore to be awarded at the livestock show, and she takes great pride in representing Walker County. The quilt will go on to be displayed at the Texas Quilting Museum in La Grange through August. In October it will be entered into the Houston International Quilt Festival, the largest quilting show in the world.

On March 14  she will hold a free workshop at Fabric Carousel that focuses on Westalee Rulers. Moore says she loves the wide range of templates from the Australian-based design company because they are easy to use and come with instructions, which most brands do not provide. Moore’s taste in patterns varies, but she prefers cotton fabric in bold and bright jewel tones.

Moore has created hundreds of quilts to date. She has been a member of the Tall Pines Quilt Guild for almost seven years and ten of her quilts were on display at the 19th Street Quilt Stroll last September. 

She began teaching quilting at Fabric Carousel in 2014.

“I love to teach people what I know. When I see the lightbulb come on at the moment they understand what to do, I love that. I also want them to be creative. It’s okay to copy what I do, but I encourage them to think outside the box,” said Moore. 

Many quilters of Moore’s caliber eventually employ the use of a long-arm machine, but she prefers a Bernina sewing machine to bring her designs to life. She tends to focus on smaller projects like lap quilts and wall hangings because they are more practical for traveling. 

“Artisan Garden” started out as a small design for teaching. Her online students kept asking for more, so it evolved into a full-size quilt. She wanted to make it stand out in a way she had never tried before, so she used individual crystal beads and hand-stitched corded binding. 

“Fabric is the first thing that attracts me,” said Moore. “I buy a few yards and sit it on the table in my design studio to see what it has to tell me about what to add. You never know what will attract the eye of the judges, but the quilt itself will tell you what it wants.”

Of all the people who have admired her work, her husband Andrew is her biggest fan. He photographs and promotes her work, and travels with her to competitions all over the country.

“He always comes to my shows and contributes his ideas, and I appreciate that very much. He always knows what I’m working on, and can remember every single award,” said Moore.

She started sewing as a child, influenced by her grandmother Gwenith Darden, who was always making her own clothes. She was taught to piece a quilt by her lifelong friend Phyllis Lively and then took classes in California and Arizona to learn how to complete the process. Lively owns a fabric store called Must Love Fabric in Colleyville and recommended Moore to Sew Steady in 2017, and she is now a national instructor for their company. 

“I’ve always been an artist at heart,” said Moore. I painted for a few years but was never satisfied with the results. Quilting allowed me to create my own designs. It’s my art form.”

One particular labor of love that stands out is a quilt top her grandmother Darden gifted her 37 years ago. Moore completed quilting it last year, and aptly named it “Granny and Me”. Another quilt that is a part of her personal journey is called “Radiation Therapy”. When Moore was undergoing therapy for breast cancer, she concentrated on intricate designs as an additional part of her healing. She is now a ten year survivor.

This summer Moore will return to Fabric Carousel to instruct a national class. She is looking forward to seeing familiar faces and sharing what Huntsville has to offer with new visitors. 

On March 17, she will be offering a live demonstration on Sew Steady’s Facebook page to showcase what the three day class entails. She also has upcoming quilting retreats scheduled at Twelve Pines Retreat Center and the historical 1914 Boehm House in Moulton. 

Fabric Carousel is located at 1101 12th St. in downtown Huntsville. Find out more about their classes by visiting their site at https://www.fabriccarousel.com/. Learn more about the artist and her workshops at https://annmoorequilting.com/. Find Moore on Facebook on March 17 at https://www.facebook.com/SewSteady.