On today’s episode of the Craft Industry Alliance podcast, we’re talking about designing quilt patterns with my guest Dora Cary.
Dora is a Romanian-born engineer and designer who moved to the United States in 2001, discovered quilting in 2006, made her first quilt, became an American citizen in 2008, and wrote her first quilt pattern in 2013. In 2016, she decided to share her creations with the world and started a quilt pattern business, Orange Dot Quilts. Dora is drawing inspiration from geometry, traditional quilts, and the world around her. One of her favorite things to do is to simplify complicated techniques using her engineering skills.
Her quilts have been displayed in many quilt shows, and now they adorn her booth at trade shows as well. Dora also loves to teach. Her quilting classes are fun and informative, covering a multitude of techniques. This year, Dora launched a book to mark the 10th anniversary of her business. The book is titled Quilt and Never Skip Dessert and includes patterns, recipes, and autobiographical stories.
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Get Dora’s book, Quilt and Never Skip Dessert, on her website.
We begin this interview with Dora talking about her childhood growing up in communist Romania. Dora learned to sew from her relatives using a treadle sewing machine to make doll clothes from scraps left over from the garments her mother sewed for special occasions. Dora spent a year working in a textile factory after high school when she was assigned to work there by the Romanian government. Then, she got into engineering school and pursued a degree in hydraulics. Dora enjoyed the logical approach of the field of engineering and applies that same logic to her quilt design projects today. There was no tradition of quilting in Romania, so she didn’t make quilts until much later when she emigrated to the US.
The color wall and library ladder in Dora’s brick-and-mortar shop in Paso Robles, California.
In 1989, there was a revolution in Romania and Dora took part in the protests. Once the government was toppled, a free market economy was introduced, and Dora saw all the entrepreneurial endeavors everyone was suddenly able to pursue. She realized that they all needed help with graphic design and went back to school to get an additional degree in this field so that she could find work since there were very few jobs for hydraulic engineers after the revolution.
Dora with the toys she used to make and sell in Romania from 1981-991 when no other toys were available in the state-run shops.
Dora met an American man who was visiting Romania and, after several visits over many months, they decided to get married. She and her new husband moved to the US in 2001, where Dora felt homesick, but also awed by the abundance and scale of America. In an effort to improve her English, she started a book club which is still meeting 20 years later! Dora attended a meeting of the American Association of University Women, and there was a presentation during the meeting of American quilts. This presentation opened her eyes to the beauty of quilts, and she quickly began making them herself. She also joined a local quilt guild. Dora specializes in modern takes on traditional blocks and geometric designs. She has also developed her own ways of doing things more efficiently, such as a no-baste quilting method, which she teaches.
Dora with her mother in her brick-and-mortar shop.
To celebrate a decade of Orange Dot Quilts, Dora self-published a book that focuses on both nine-patch variation quilts and desserts from her home country of Romania. Dora says she always eats dessert, and the desserts she enjoys and features in the book are not too sweet. She also shares stories about her life and creative journey. Dora talks about her decision to self-publish this book and her plans for two more!
And, of course, I ask Dora to recommend great stuff she’s enjoying right now. Dora recommends:
- Mina’s Matchbox by Yoko Ogawa
- The Paladin app
- The Current magazine
Keep up with Dora on her website, where you can buy her book and her patterns, and on Instagram.
