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We, Marilyn Klaus and Sharon Sawatzky, come to this project as researchers, teachers and quilters.  Marilyn has been involved with quiltmaking – piecing, designing and teaching - for ten years and is an accomplished seamstress.  Sharon has come to quiltmaking and design in the last five years, in part due to the advent of computer software for quilters.  We both have sewn and appreciated fabric for its structure, design, color and functions since we were young girls.

Our career paths have primarily focused on the academic investigation and social/cultural responses to the concerns, interests and history of women. We have researched, written, supported and educated others about issues such as violence against women, feminist therapy and activism, and women and religion.  We have been and continue to be teachers and life-long learners, interested in the dialogue on culture and its impact on our lives and on the global community.  We have traveled abroad and between us have lived in/studied in eight countries or regions, in addition to the United States and Canada.  We believe our skills, interests and global experiences have prepared us to embark on a project investigating the links between culture and quilts.

Our personal link to our current phase of the project, The Mennonite Relief Sale Quilt Project, is particularly strong.  We have been involved with Mennonite Central Committee projects and been educated and employed by Mennonite institutions.  We believe we are, therefore, particularly situated to investigate the quilting contributions of Mennonite women and the links between Mennonite culture and quilting within the tradition.

While we are the two researchers in the project, we acknowledge the support, critical to making this project happen, that we are receiving from others. Specifically, we want to acknowledge the work of our husbands, Pat Harris and Curtis Gaylord, for their work as relief sale photographers and contributors to the development of the project, and to Curtis for his development of the technology we are using to develop this web site and collect and analyze our data.