Tony Jacobson
Tony Jacobson is a nationally-known quilt designer and teacher. He learned to piece quilts from his Grandmother, Harriett Wright, when he was 10 years old and has been creating quilts in one form or another ever since. Tony’s background as an Art Director serves him well when he is creating his own quilt designs.
He and his wife, Jeanne, wrote a book called Quilting Around Your Home in 1992. Since then many of his quilt designs have appeared in Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting, Easy Quilts, and Quilting Quickly.
Tony has also been creating art quilts for many years. “The art quilts are something that I do just for myself and if someone else likes it, all the better,” says Tony. “I’ve always had a love of hand-dyed fabrics and my art quilts are a great place to use the one-of-a-kind fabrics I’ve collected over the years. Many times I will start an art quilt without a plan as to where the quilt design is headed or what size the final quilt will be.”
When not designing quilts—or these days running a quilt shop—Tony can be found teaching or giving guild presentations. He likes to teach his students how to let the fabric do most of the work so that the finished quilt looks more intricate than the piecing needed to complete the quilt. He’s constantly searching for techniques that will make the quilting process more accurate as well as easier and faster.
Tony works with the Quilts of Valor Foundation as the Graphic Designer in charge of laying out the monthly newsletter. Along with this contribution, he also creates many designs that are appropriate for Quilts of Valor. One of these patterns, Three Tours, was designed to honor his nephew who served three tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan.
Joyce Franklin
Joyce Franklin was born to sew.
Or sort buttons and play with fabric scraps.
She didn’t actually sew until she was seven.
And when she could finally join 4-H, she had the perfect excuse to buy fabric, set goals and meet deadlines. Spending quality sewing time with her Grandma Elsie Hartsook was the bonus. Her Grandma stitched quilts and garments. Her Grandma Hannah Cheers also quilted and sewed garments.
From age ten, she was a blue ribbon sewer, and a red ribbon baker!
She studied Fashion Merchandising, then found Advertising, becoming a copywriter and graphic designer.
Moving “home” to Iowa (from California and Guam) she created her own job in a tiny fabric shop on Walnut Street in Creston. While teaching Adult Education for Southwestern Community College, Knits & other Notions was born and flourished into Quilts & other Notions, one of the largest independent stores in Iowa. Her children were raised in the fabric store and her Grandgirls love to shop for Fat Quarters and thread. She has raised them right.
She has had the pleasure of teaching and guiding sewers and quilters of all ages, from 4-H kids to Grandmas.
While in the process of selling her store (of 34 years) in Creston, Iowa, the development board from Winterset asked Joyce to open a Quilt Shop just down the street from the Iowa Quilt Museum. Her entrepreneurial spirit lead her to accept the challenge, but only when Tony Jacobson agreed to manage the new venture. Piece Works Quilt Shop was born. Sew much for retirement!!
Piece Works Quilt Shop
Our building and the entire Winterset downtown area is designated on the National Registry of Historic Places. Come and check out the many things our community has to offer, such as the beautiful covered bridges of Madison County, the Iowa Quilt Museum, the Madison County Historical Museum & Complex, three local wineries and a cidery (including Covered Bridges Winery, which makes private label wine for Piece Works Quilt Shop), the recently restored Iowa Theater, the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum, and more. Be sure to visit the Madison County Chamber of Commerce website for information about lodging and other activities in the area.
