In 2022, Presser Arts Center received an extraordinary gift from Deolinda "Dee" Zion Thomas, a renowned Missouri quilter and former owner of The Quilting Bee in Independence, Missouri. A respected teacher, Dee spent decades traveling across Missouri teaching quilting classes and continued quilting into her mid-80s. She is currently 93 years old and lives in Lee's Summit, Missouri.

Dee's son, Stuart Thomas, and his wife, Karen, donated the remaining contents of her quilt shop, including fabric, quilt kits, books, and unfinished quilt tops. Sales of these materials have helped fund two new Bernina sewing machines and a Bernina serger for Presser's textile arts program.

Born in Modesto, California, to a Portuguese family, Dee discovered quilting in the late 1970s after moving to Independence. She quickly mastered the craft through self-study. Every aspect of her quilts—piecing, appliqué, and embroidery—was completed entirely by hand, and she became known for her exceptionally fine, tight stitching.

Dee worked closely with famous quilt designers Linda Brannock and Jan Patek, creating the sample quilts featured in many of their books and publications.

Among the donations were several of Dee's unfinished quilt tops. Presser Arts Center had them professionally quilted and completed. These quilts are now offered as a fundraiser, with proceeds supporting Presser's textile arts programs.

All of the quilts in this exhibition were finished by local longarm quilter Mary Ann Householder of Martinsburg, Missouri.

A quilter since 1991 with more than 11,000 quilts completed, Mary Ann is known for her craftsmanship, hand-finished bindings, and generous spirit. She regularly donates quilts to veterans and has helped preserve countless family heirlooms through her work.

Her most unique story about quilting involved a man that was a carpenter in Mexico, Mo. He asked Mary Ann to create quilts for the linings of two handmade caskets for him and his wife. She said the caskets were beautiful!!

All of the quilts are created with Moda Fabrics, a high end fabric and well-known for producing highly authentic, historical 19th-century reproduction prints. These collections are heavily desired by quilting historians and experts. They typically feature rich madder (madder plant) reds, indigo blues, dark browns, and mustard yellows in small-scale florals, shirtings, and geometric patterns.

We are deeply grateful to Stuart and Karen Thomas for entrusting Presser Arts Center with Dee's remarkable legacy. Their generosity continues to inspire creativity, preserve quilting history, and support the textile arts for future generations

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