Who Is Marijke and How the Heck Do You Say Her Name?
Welcome to my quilting site. (If you’re looking for my professional writing site, it’s at MedHealthWriter.com) My name is Marijke. It’s a Dutch name – the “ij” is a vowel sound, so it’s said something like muh-RYE-keh. If you click here, you can hear how it’s said properly. I’m a writer, a nurse, a wife, and a mom to three wonderful kids who are really adults now. I’ve been quilting since the late 80s. I was always artistic, trying all forms of crafts from counted cross stitch to knitting to cake decorating, along with many others. While I still knit, my passion is quilting.
Luckily, I work from home, so instead of coffee breaks, I take quilt breaks in my sewing room. This allows me to accomplish a lot because 15 minutes here, 15 minutes there, really adds up over time.
I began as a traditional hand quilter. I machine pieced, but hand quilted. I followed many patterns when I first began, but then my rebellious streak pushed me into designing some of my own quilts. As I learned more and became more confident, I learned how to machine quilt. I didn’t want to at first because I enjoy hand quilting, but I had so many ideas in my head that I knew that if I restricted myself to hand quilting, I’d never get many of them done. I still quilt by hand, but those are my leisure projects.
Finally, in January 2020, I bought a longarm quilting machine and frame – a Q’Nique 15 pro with a Continuum frame. It turns out the timing couldn’t have been better given what followed with lockdowns and so much more. When I began quilting, I never thought I’d machine quilt. When I began machine quilting, I never thought I’d start working with a longarm. You never know where the quilting journey will take you. I upgraded to a 21 pro in May 2021 and am thoroughly enjoying the extra quilting space.
Throughout the site, you’ll find photos of quilts I’ve made and some I have for sale, tips and tricks for beginners, and ideas for those who are more advanced. I also plan to have some of my own patterns for sale. You will see links in my blog posts to various products I like or have seen. I am not an affiliate and I get no compensation for these links. I just like to share what I like.
So, pour yourself a beverage of choice, pull up a seat, and poke around the site. I hope you find something you like!
Testimonials
Jackie D.
Arizona
Marijke’s wall hanging is a beautiful floral blend of texture, color and fabric. In the back is hanging sleeve to place a rod, so you’re not left to wonder how to display her work of art. I love how she mixes cold and warm colors in this piece, and that the pattern feels both traditional and contemporary, making this wall hanging suitable in almost any style of decor. I especially enjoy the whimsy of three blue birds camouflaged in this lovely piece. If you are lucky enough to snag one of Marijke’s works of fabric art, I know you’ll love yours, too.
Rita C.
Illinois
Marijke sent me this quilt as I was starting chemo for breast cancer. The quilt was a source of physical and spiritual comfort during my many months of chemotherapy. The pattern is so lovely. I received so many compliments on the quilt from the nurses and other patients, which always put a smile on my face. Now that I'm well, it still brings me joy.
Rachel W.
New York
Marijke isn't simply talented, she has a keen eye for combining the most beautiful elements of nature and painting an image using fabrics and threads. I am so proud of the wall hanging that I purchased from her and absolutely treasure the wall hanging she made for me. Marijke is also a generous soul. When she knew that I was having a small fundraiser for my nonprofit RWRNetwork.org, she generously offered to create a quilt for us to auction off. Marijke created a color block quilt just bursting with upbeat colors. The design was exquisite, and the personal details made it even more special. Can you tell that I'm a huge fan?
Jodi H.
North Carolina
I received one of Marijke's quilts as a gift and was so touched by the care and thought that went into choosing the fabrics and the attention to detail in the construct. It's a reflection of all of my favorite things. I collect vintage quilts and this quilt is definitely an heirloom piece.