Written By Barbara Cockerham
Carolyn Gallier, of Mechanicsville, Virginia, found her love of delicately plied stitches lead to her greatest joys: giving vintage textiles a new life. A matelassé baby quilt discovered in an antique shop inspired her passion for vintage linens. Long discarded, the white-on-white quilt with a teddy bear in the center lay crumpled in a heap. The dealer was asking only $10 for the blanket, but when Carolyn held it up and realized its noticeably less-than-pristine condition, her friend urged her to pass it by. She could not resist.
Undaunted by its shabby state, Carolyn bought the quilt. While restoring the forgotten heirloom, she realized she had found her niche. “At one point this quilt was beautiful, but someone let it go. I knew I could bring it back.”