What started as a hobby when I was working full-time has caught fire since I retired 10 years ago. What started as handmade baby quilts for friends, became baskets, coasters, table runners, bed quilts, cards, and art quilts for sale in local galleries and on my website BethRietveld.com.
I started sewing as a 4-H member living in Illinois. I continued sewing throughout college and eventually attended quilting classes, fabric dyeing workshops and art quilt retreats after I moved to Oregon 42 years ago.
I have made over 1200 baskets and have taught basket-making classes in local quilt shops, at my home, and in workshops in Tokyo and Paris. I love innovation in materials and techniques; and I consider myself a life-long learner.
Besides creating fiber arts projects, I am also interested in mosaic glass art projects. In many ways I see it as quilting with glass instead of fabric.