Golden Triangle Quilt Guild 

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Meet our Judges

Laura Syler from Richardson, TX.

Laura Syler, formally began quilting while teaching first grade in Richardson, TX in 1977 after retiring her cottage industry of designing and hand painting needlepoint canvases. In 1980 she opened "Texas Quilt Co." in north Dallas, which immediately gained national recognition as one of the model quilt shops. Through daily contact with new and antique quilts, developing quilt classes and teaching hand-quilting methods, she began to study textiles as they related to quilts and quilt repair. Soon, she discovered that she had developed the only professional quilt restoration business in North Texas. With the guidance of her father and father-in-law, both in the insurance business, she began conducting quilt appraisals for insurance (replacement) and fair market value. She sold the business in 1985 to be a stay-at-home mom, but continued to teach traditional hand quiltmaking techniques, lecture on quilt history, appraise quilts, judge quilt shows and develop the first professional quilt restoration business in the north Texas area.

     A Charter member of the Quilter's Guild of Dallas, Inc. since 1979, she has served in every capacity, including chairing Dallas Quilt Celebration in 1986 & '87 and President in 1990-91. She is a Charter Member of the American Quilter's Society, an AQS Certified Quilt Appraiser, and a member of PAAQT. A member of the American Quilt Study Group (AQSG), she has served on the board of the International Quilt Association and as consultant to Naturally Texas, a marketing division of the Agriculture Department of the State of Texas and the Dallas County Heritage Society's Old City Park. She has served as Regional Director of The Quilt Restoration Society, and an advisor to the Quilt Heritage Foundation & The Quilt Rescue Squad. She has served as a contributing editor for Harris Publications and QUILT Magazine Additionally, she has acted as a consultant to High Noon Entertainment; a film company based in Denver, CO., and was featured in the documentary "Quilts-Threads of our Heritage" which aired on the Home and Garden Channel in the fall of 1999 and is still occasionally aired. In 1994 she officially resurrected the "Texas Quilt Co." name and operates her quilt restoration and appraisal business out of her home in Richardson. She also the operates her home based business HI-SPIRIT specializing in hand painted and custom designed items for high schools, cheer teams, dance teams and parents spirit items as well as sorority and fraternity gifts and custom quilts.

     When not with a needle and thread in hand you can find Laura with her husband, Robby, fly-fishing for trout and bass, or photographing his bird dogs hunting for quail or pheasant.

Diane LeClair  NQACJ from San Antonio, TX.

Biography:

Diane (De) is a self-taught appliqué artist who has been crafting quilts since 1981. Her quilts feature the colors of nature and showcase her love for appliqué. Her work has appeared and won awards at local, regional and national quilt shows including six Best of Show Awards and five Viewer’s Choice Awards.  She is the recipient of the distinguished Masterpiece Quilt Award given by the National Quilt Association for Coeur du Vigne in June 2006. 

De is an active member of the Greater San Antonio Quilt Guild. De is a member of the International Quilting Association, American Quilter’s Society, The Appliqué Society and The National Quilting Association where she volunteers annually at the National Quilt Show. She has judged local, regional and national level quilt shows including the 39^th National Quilting Association Annual Show in June 2007.

“Judging is a natural extension of what I enjoy doing within my own guild.  I believe it is important to encourage and promote growth in quilting at all levels. I am continually amazed at the creativity displayed by quilters in their art.  Most of all I love the art of quilting and the closeness it fosters in all of us.”  De obtained her Judging Certification by the National Quilting Association in 2002 and was qualified to judge masterpiece quilts in 2005.

 Statement:

 Judging is a serious process for me. I feel each quilt maker works long and hard on their piece and it deserves my full attention.  The judge’s written critique is an important learning tool for the entrant and it is my opportunity to convey to the maker what they have successfully accomplished and areas which require attention.  I anticipate and will be looking for excellence in workmanship which supports the design expressions of the quilt maker.  I love every aspect of quilting and I am continually amazed at the innovative ways quilters construct and express their design ideas.

Susan Muller from LaPlace, LA.

Chairperson for the judging of quilts for the 2001 and 2003 shows sponsored by the Gulf States Quilting Association.  Each show hung approximately 300 quilts.

Served as a scribe for Gulf States Quilt Shows 1999, 1997, 1995 was present for judging and documented judges comments.

Presented a two-hour lecture at the Louisiana County Agents 2002 Conference in St. Francisville, Louisiana on the Art of Quilting Past and Present.

Attended a five-day workshop presented by Susan Greene of the American Costume and textile Institute in Alfred Station New York 2003 on the manufacture and dying processes of textiles of 19^th and early 20^th centuries including the study of quilts and clothing of the 1800’s.

Served as a judging aide during the judging of the National Quilt Association Show in Reno, Nevada in 2000.

Attended a two-day judging seminar sponsored by the National Quilting Association in 2000.

Attended a two-day workshop on quilt appraisals and a one-day workshop on fabric dating sponsored by the American Quilters Society of Paducah, Kentucky in 1996.

Have attended numerous Gulf State Quilting Seminars and taken classes under Sharon Newman, Pepper Cory, Sally Copllins, Sally Schneider, Charolette Angotti to name a few.

Member of the Gulf States Quilting Association and member of three local guilds Cotton Pickin, Southern Sampler, and a founding member of Quilting Fans.  Also I am currently the regional representative of the Americal Quilt Study Group.

I am a fourth generation quiltmaker and have been actively quilting since the 1970’s.  So far I have completed eighteen bed quilts, over twenty lap and baby quilts, and numerous wall hangings for family and friends.  I also enjoy restoration and the completing of quilts started by the women before me of the early to mid 20^th century.  I am an amateur quilt historian and my area of interest is the 19^th and first half of the 20^th century.

Last Updated 06/10/2010