Edna Marie Drakeford’s mother taught her to hand quilt at the age of 10. A useful handicraft to learn. But when introduced to the operation of a sewing machine in high school Home Economics class, Edna never looked back. She loved the creativity of working with fabrics, and the more efficiently she could do it, the better.
Originally from Kershaw, SC, Edna graduated from Hillside High in Heath Springs. That same year, she got married. Her husband was in the military, but after he got out of the service in 1974, the Drakefords moved to Charlotte, NC.
Once in Charlotte, Edna both worked at GE and took business courses at night from Central Piedmont Community College as well as Winthrop and the University of North Carolina-Charlotte, earning a degree in Business Administration. She later received an additional associate’s degree in Fashion Merchandising.
Originally, Edna mainly created garments. She still designed quilts, but when it came to stitching them together, the work was passed on to a friend that owned a long arm quilting machine. Eventually, that friend convinced Edna to buy her own machine. Now, according to Edna, “I am 100 percent focused on quilts.”
Edna has been quilting for the public for nine years, but more recently, at Created In The Carolinas, she has been offering quilting lessons. She also makes commissioned quilts, an arrangement where a customer can bring her old t-shirts, keepsake clothing items, or simply fabric they prefer, and she will make the quilt for them. And of course, quilts made from her personal vision and creativity are also for sale.
Quilt pricing depends on the cost of the fabric, batting, backing, as well as a fee for actually quilting the piece on the machine. Quilting class is offered for a $65 fee. Classes are six weeks long, once a week. “I supply them with a pattern,” Edna said, “but they have to get all the components themselves.”
Edna also gives back to the community. Currently, she has two Girl Scouts volunteering with her to make quilts for the Quilts of Valor program in Waxhaw. Last year, on Veterans Day, Quilts of Valor gave away 21 quilts to veterans. And they are already working towards creating that number again for 2017.
“Young folks think that it’s something from the past,” Edna explains. But there are quilting guilds all over the United States, especially in North and South Carolina. Edna belongs to The Magic Needle Quilt Guild, based out of Lancaster, SC.
Edna said, “Quilting is pleasing. It’s relaxing. Unless you stress yourself out. There’s nothing you can do that you can’t undo. You sew it, and you’ve got to rip it out if it’s not right. I get pleasure in making things with my own hands.” While she doesn’t think that the act of sewing or quilting is unique, she believes that it does provide a way to make unique items and express your creativity.
Quilting classes are held at Marie’s Sewingnook, which is part of Created In The Carolinas at 216 W North Main Street, Waxhaw. Anyone interested in taking classes can call Edna at 704-575-0640, or email her at sewnook@windstream.net. Edna’s quilt creations are also for sale at the Created In The Carolinas Gift Shop.
