Meet the Maker 

Cheryl Slaughter

Cheryl Slaughter is a life-long learner, teacher and sewist who began her quilting journey in the late 1970s. She has loved sewing since she was a very child watchin her grandmothers make quilts. When she learned her brother was to be married, she decided to make him a quilt as a wedding gift. She found a picture in a book, graphed it to the size she wanted, pieced it and hand quilted it with no training in quilt-making. “I am sure I learned much more than I realized about quilt-making from watching my grandmothers,” she said.  

Cheryl next made her first sampler quilt using scissors and cardboard templates while taking a class at a little quilt shop in Fayetteville, NC. When she was living outside of Atlanta in Conyers, GA, Cheryl taught quilting classes using Eleanor Burns’ books. “Eleanor Burns is a former special education teacher, and I find that background translates to very clear instructions in her quilting books,” Cheryl said. 

When Cheryl moved back to Kentucky in the early 90s, she took a sampler class from Sherry Roberts in Paducah. “I really enjoy sampler quilts and scrappy quilts,” she said. “I typically do not enjoy making quilts with only one or two colors or making the same block over and over. I also don’t buy quilt kits where the fabric is chosen for you because one of my favorite parts of making a quilt is choosing the colors and the fabrics.” 

Cheryl’s quilting has evolved and expanded over the years to include a variety of techniques that she enjoys incorporating into her designs. “Applique used to be a 4-letter word for me, but now I enjoy doing all types of applique. I also really enjoy English Paper Piecing and hand piecing. I find both very relaxing and the portability really works for me,” she said. 

Cheryl’s mother lives nearby in an Alzheimer’s patient care center and she enjoys taking embroidery and other hand work with her for their visits. “I often take hand work with me while I sit with my mom. She is always interested in seeing what I am working on, and it gives us something to talk about,” she said. “And it has a calming, soothing affect for me—better than Prozac. Those pieces inevitability find their way into a quilt.”

Cheryl taught home economics classes before retiring and enjoyed cultivating a love of creativity and sewing in her students. She is pleased to know that many of those students are still quilters and sewists today. “I always taught doll making and simple construction in the first semester, including a witch’s face made from panty hose and then a needle-scaped face,” she said. “In the second semester, we focused on quilt-making.”

Cheryl joined KHQS in the late 80s and deeply values the life-long friends she has made along the way as well as the ability to learn from other talented quilters and national teachers. She has served as President of the organization, helped organize a number of Getaway events and Quilting Adventures. “When I first joined we didn’t have national teachers and our events were held on college campuses and we stayed in dorm rooms,” she said. “We have come a long way since then, with not only award-winning instructors, but even our own member teachers are more skilled as well. There is a wealth of talent and skill in KHQS.”

A day almost never goes by that Cheryl is not creating. In addition to quilting, she makes amazing, highly detailed dolls that each have their own personality and story. Her sister-in-law Debbie Fisher introduced her to a friend in Memphis who was a doll-maker. She gave Cheryl a magazine about doll-making and Cheryl read it from cover to cover. “I was hooked and that is when my sewing room exploded,” she said. “I needed new tools, paints, wires, and all kinds of different fabrics for costume embellishments.”

Cheryl said as she is making the dolls, their personalities emerge, along with each doll’s story. She currently has a phenomenal collection of dolls and stories that she shares at senior centers and other places. Cheryl’s doll Mavis is a great example. Mavis is a bit of a rebel who teaches aerobics at the local senior center. Her leopard print pants came from the Goodwill store and perfectly compliment her pierced belly button.

Cheryl says her quilting has evolved over the years. Today, she is more creative than ever, takes more chances with colors and is less literal with her applique. She still loves to get out graph paper and a pencil to draw and create her own designs. 

“Quilting is without a doubt a form of therapy for me,” Cheryl said. “I think it is good for our minds. I never get tired of it.” 

Cheryl's Quilt Gallery