Meet Frank Palmer!

Hi, I've been a guild member for a year, in an effort to socialize a bit, and work just a little bit less. It's been a great way to meet local people, and be inspired by the work of others.

I started quilting (badly) over 30 years ago, and it has been one of the few constants (possibly the only one) throughout my life. 

In the beginning, I stuck firm to straight lines, often mismatched seams, using whatever fabric I could find (new or used), and finished everything with hand quilting. By the mid 90s, I was very adept with machine quilting on a home machine, and had curated my fabric collection to cottons only, and began teaching  in my spare time to help fund a growing hobby.

In 2000, I learned to dye fabric and became hooked, experimenting with colors, techniques, and different brands of fabric, developing easier ways to get the results I wanted by studying how others worked their dyes and processes. I enjoy having consistent fabric for an entire project, and knowing the weight and weave will be the same from start to finish, and if I run out of a color, I can always make more.

In 2002, I got hold of my first longarm machine and it opened up a whole new world of possibilities. It was very large, very heavy, and I moved across two states with it. In 2009, I moved to New York City and had to sell it, as I wouldn't have room for it. In 2012, I moved cross country again, and shared a longarm with friends, and it was great to drive one again. I can quilt a king size quilt on a household machine, but a longarm really does make it easier. When I moved to Florida in 2014, I was without it again, but purchased my current machine a year ago and began taking in client quilts again, and it has never been empty since.

In addition to quilting, designing, teaching, restoring and servicing sewing machines, and selling my work, I also run a travel agency, but instead of quilting as a hobby, I now sell travel as a hobby in order to quilt full time. 

I'm extremely fortunate to have found this guild, and the incredible, supportive members who not only embrace my passion, but put up with my incredibly salty language. My work flows in a steady stream, along with copious amounts of pet and food photos on Instagram @fpalmer0526 .