I was born in Thuringia, East Germany, in 1967. The wall was still up and I learned how to saw from my grandmother, how was a seamstress back then. My Dad was a carpenter and I got involved in two hobbies, sewing and construction sides.
I studied Architecture for 5 years in Weimar, using my sewing talent to earn pocket money. I received my Masters Degree in Architecture in 1992.
In 1999 I moved for three years with my family to Texas, US. I was working as an architect at the time and while in Texas I learned how to quilt. I immediately fell in love and it became a hobby. A hobby that I spent more and more time on, eventually opening an Ebay account to help grow my fabric “stash”.
Then in 2002 I moved with my family to Baumholder, Germany. My stash continued to grow. In 2003 I rented a little shop in town and opened my own quilt shop “Gundi’s Quilt Heaven”. I think at first it was just a place for me to sew and store my ever growing stash. I thought classes, started designing my own projects and using my knowledge of architecture computer programs to make the patterns. I was selling my patterns on Ebay and in the shop. Our little quilt group kept getting bigger. Eventually I hired an employee to help with the growing business.
In 2010 I bought an old building in town and work began on a bigger and better quilt shop. We moved away from Ebay and started our own website. The quilt classes increased, our customer base started to slowly grow, and we started in 2014 to load up the trailer and set-up at trade shows. And it was around this time my little quilting hobby became my full time job. I still continue to do architect projects, but quilting is where my heart is at.
Around this time I met Judy and Judel Niemeyer at the H&H in Cologne and I fell in love with the gorgeous quilts. From this time I knew I wanted to be able to sew this quilts and sell the pattern, give workshops teaching this wonderful method of Paper Piecing.
In 2017 I fulfilled a long time dream and bought a longarm machine. This was part of my project to turn the upper part of the building into the Retreat, “Quilt Inn”. This included a big sunny sewing room and room for seven to eight quilters to come and enjoy a quilting vacation.
I also participated in the retreat at Patchwork Promotions two years in a row (2019 & 2020), producing wonderful quilts from Judy Niemeyer. In 2019 I started the “Dinner Plate Dahlia Quilt” and I finished the sewing part. I still need that Quilt under my longarm machine “Freddie”. Corona changed our life a little bit, but we stay busy …
I am a certified shop now. We offer Judy Niemeyer workshops and sell her patterns (some of 140) as well on our web site.
Now in 2021 I run Gundi’s Quilt Heaven, The Quilt Inn, have two employees, one apprentice, and projects in many issues of the most popular quilting magazines in Germany. Oh, and my stash now has more than 3000 bolts of fabric in it and I love sharing my hobby with others. I am looking forward to be a certified teacher in Germany.