Home > Quilts > You Are What You Eat> About the Quilt Artist

Ruta Butkus Marino

In the mid-1980's I signed up for a quilting class because a friend had, and taking the class was a way to get out of the house one night a week. The class assignment was to make a four-block, baby size quilt; by the end of the eight week session, I had almost finished hand quilting a hand pieced twin size quilt. I was hooked!

Traditional quilting quickly bored me, and I began using improvisational methods before the term was coined and the practice fashionable. From the start, I was drawn to unconventional fabrics that other quilters considered ugly. Although I occasionally dye my own fabric, I prefer to react to the commercial fabrics available, bending them to my needs.

Participation in fiber-art groups has expanded my textile horizons and challenged me to trust my instincts and ask for help when I need it.