Quilt show 2008

Judy Niemeyer

Judy Niemeyer runs her business from her home on the shores of Flathead Lake in northwest Montana. She is the backbone of the entire business, doing everything from designing, teaching, and writing patterns, to sewing and quilting. As she says, "I do a little bit of everything." Years ago, Judy never would have believed she would be where she is today. As a child, quilting and sewing were everyday occurrences around her home, just as were milking cows, changing sprinkler pipes, and stacking hay. Helping tie mother's quilts was just another job the children were expected to do, whether they wanted to or not. The problem was, Judy didn't particularly want to; she'd have rather been out milking the cows.

That all changed when she got married and started having children. Judy and her husband Del decided she should stay home and raise the children, so quilt making became the means to do so. Judy started doing custom quilt work and hand quilting until finally quilting was a second income for the family. In 1990, her children were all old enough to tend to matters on their own, so she began working and teaching classes at the Quilt Gallery in Kalispell, Montana. It was because of teaching that Judy began to design patterns. Now, hardly a day goes by when she isn't thinking about how to design a new pattern or quilting process so that it will make it easier for her students. more...