Yeah, to look at me, I’m far from Irish (unless you consider me “Black Irish”).
So, how did I get involved with Celtic knots??
It came about as a series of separate events.
I turned down a commission.
Years ago, a couple I knew asked me to make a king-size quilt for them with a Celtic knot motif.
At the time, I had a nodding acquaintance with Celtic knots made from bias tape. I didn’t care for the technique for several reasons:
- Bias tape is limited in width.
- Bias tape is used to physically recreate the “over and under” aspect of a Celtic knot.
- You can only appreciate the “wovenness” of the knot from close-up.
- From a distance, any Celtic knot made from bias tape looks like a nice geometric design, NOT a Celtic knot.
I turned the offer down . . .
I joined a Prayer Quilt ministry.
A group of people at church (Christ Church Cathedral (Anglican/Episcopal)) formed a Prayer Quilt ministry. Essentially, the members of the group (not all of them quilters) would make a patchwork quilt on request for someone in the hospital, etc. The quilt was tied with lengths of yarn. Members of the congregation were invited to tie a knot in the yarn while offering a prayer for the quilt recipient. Then, the quilt was presented to the recipient with the prayers of the congregation included.
I hesitated to join the group because I didn’t want to upset the dynamics of the group. Did I mention these were basically non-quilters? Their motto was: “It’s all about the process, not the product.” I didn’t want the members to feel intimidated by my presence.
Several months down the road, I offered to make the next requested quilt. When they told me who the quilt was for, my jaw dropped: I had volunteered to make a quilt for the wife of the couple who wanted a Celtic knot quilt!!
Now, I HAD to make a Celtic knot quilt!!
I had an Epiphany (even though it may have been Lent).
I thought long and hard about how to make a Celtic knot quilt without using bias tape.
My thoughts ran along the lines of my earlier posts, What are you looking at?, and This is Nacho Grandma’s Celtic Knot.
I set about to make my first Celtic knot quilt:

I was invited to mount a quilt show.
Not long after making my first Celtic knot quilt, I was approached by a gallery owner to mount a show in her gallery. (See “Virtual Gallery Tour.”)
The rest, as they say, is History . . .
Great story and gorgeous quilt
Thank you, Cathy . . .
I feel the quilts just keep getting better and better!!
Talk about doors opening~Love the story!
Thank you, Marjorie . . . and, the doors CONTINUE to open!!