Quilters - Naomi Larrier and Doris Gayle

Doris Gayle is an 81-year-young talented, gifted, creative, feisty quilter.  She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York where, at an early age, her interest in sewing was sparked by her mother.  She had a natural talent for sewing and started making clothes for herself, family, and friends.  From this love of sewing, a small sewing circle of her closest friends developed, including to date her life-long friend Naomi Larrier.  Doris' personal sewing made a path onto a professional lane.  She worked as a seamstress for many years that expanded her knowledge and skills.  After retiring, Doris gave up sewing clothes but still wanted to do something that involved sewing that would be relaxing and challenging.  Enter Diane Larrier Collier, who introduced her to quilting, and Doris became one of her star students.  From the first quilt she made, one can see that it was a patch made in heaven.  Her first projects were quilts for her three children and three grandchildren, which were far from beginner's work.  Quilting has become one of the loves of her life, and it shows in every stitch of her quilts.

Though Naomi Larrier began quilting in her early 70's, she started sewing as a young teenager back in Brooklyn.  Her impressive talents were recognized by her mother and grandmother, both accomplished sewers in their own right.  She never sewed professionally, however, she fashioned clothes for herself and her family and crafted many home dec items.  About six years ago, her daughter, Diane Larrier Collier, the noted machine quilter, introduced her then-new hobby to her mother's long-time friend, Doris Gayle.  The three of them enjoyed choosing patterns, shopping for fabric, and making design decisions for Doris' and Diane's creations.  Naomi was content with her strictly advisory role.  Diane the teacher and Doris the pupil badgered her to join them in quilt-dom; she successfully resisted for a year before she finally relented and made her first quilt.  Naomi's award-winning quilts are completely constructed on her home sewing machine.  Her superior workmanship and repertoire--an eclectic mix ranging from traditional to art quilts--belie her age.  No "little-old-lady" quilts these!