DeElda in Technicolor

by Linda Hungerford

DeElda Wittmack is a marathon runner, a certified Master Gardener, an animal-lover, a children’s book writer, an artist, and a needlepoint and quilt designer. Anyone who knows her, and even thinks about “walking in her shoes,” will have a difficult time keeping up. DeElda (“Dee” to everyone), herself admits, “I’m usually, three steps ahead of myself!”

Dee is a trim dynamo who evidently thrives on her fast-pace lifestyle and variety of activities. After a visit to her home studio, it’s easy to appreciate her unique style, and the eclecticism that gives her so much energy.

Living in a town home in Des Moines, IA, Dee’s décor speaks volumes about her personality. Her studio area abounds with colorful fibers hanging rainbow-style on one wall. Bright fabric prints in quilts that are stacked and folded, or draped across a sofa, are eye-catching, with a recognizable amount of at least one black and white check print -- obviously a favorite fabric pattern -- in nearly every sewn item. Checks in various sizes also adorn a counter front, picture frames, footstools, and pillows. A unique silk leaf-covered lampshade seems at home with several large Venetian glass balloons hanging from the ceiling, and a brightly hand-painted ceramic owl on the wall. From one vantage point, five walls are visible, each painted a different color -- light blue, light green, pale yellow, lavender, and peach -- creating the perfect backdrop for the creativity emanating from her studio.

As lively as her arrangement is now, Dee says, “I would be on a farm if I could.”

She began her college studies in veterinary medicine, later switching to a degree in jewelry and fabric design. Reflecting her unabated love for animals, Dee’s needlepoint and quilt patterns frequently include horses, cats, and dogs. Over the years, she has customized countless needlepoint and quilted Christmas stockings for customers who request an image of a favorite pet.

Dee was first led down this creative path by her mother, Jackie Erbe, who according to Dee, “did every craft imaginable, and often volunteered at knit shops and craft stores.” It was when her mother worked in a Chicago needlepoint shop that she gave Dee a needlepoint canvas and yarn so she would have “something to do.” Within a day Dee stitched her first needlepoint piece, and she continued to stitch. It wasn’t long before she began teaching needlepoint, and then designing and painting needlepoint canvases -- something she’s now been doing for more than 30 years.

When asked about the popularity of needlepoint, Dee states with conviction, “Yes, it’s popular again.” She points out that her own canvas designs have changed over time.

“Now they’re much more contemporary,” she says. “With the fabulous new fibers that are available, needlepointers are trying out different stitches and liking the results.”

She explains that though the new needlepoint fibers are the same as those used for knitting, they’re scaled down for stitching onto canvas, though they’re still as costly. A needlepointer may spend as much as $100 to $200 for the fibers to stitch an eight-inch canvas.

It wasn’t until 2000 that Dee began to translate her needlepoint designs into quilt designs. She says about her first quilt patterns: “They were meant to appeal to the 20 to 30 year-olds who haven’t used their sewing machines…for a ‘rainy day project’ that’s something they can finish.” To aid a beginner in completing a project in a short amount of time, Dee favors machine appliqué, explaining, “I want to finish a project and move on to the next thing, and this is a technique you can quickly excel at. Even if a person doesn’t care to quilt, fabric can easily be fused to fabric and then sewn into a pillow or put into a frame. It’s a great quick-fix for fabric-oholics.”

Dee’s machine appliqué designs are in her December 2006-released book, Appliqué at Play. Focusing on themes for boys, men, and sports enthusiasts, a few of the 17 sports designs include soccer, baseball, hockey, golf, sailing, and skiing. A kite, dog, and cat give quilters additional pattern options. She also felt it was important to include information about how to enlarge designs on a copier, and paint or use buttons for the eyes of little animals.

“I wanted to give quiltmakers an ‘easy out’,” she says.

Dee’s favored black and white checks are liberally sprinkled throughout the book and the patterns too.

With a perspective based upon her considerable designing experience, Dee concludes, “Every generation has their crafts and projects, but it doesn’t mean that the next generation is going to like the same thing. So for now, my designs make me happy, and I hope they make others happy too.”

Quilt magazine writer and author Linda Hungerford lives in West Des Moines, IA. She’s an avid quiltmaker and teaches free beginner quiltmaking lessons through a ministry called Stitchin’ Mission™. Contact Linda through www.HopeQuilters.com.

Reprinted from SQE Professional, March 2007