Next up in the Meet Our Members series is Jamie Marie Hockaday. Jamie’s work is a beautiful blend of traditional blocks and modern prints and colors, a nod to her early education as a quilter, and a way for her to explore her quilter’s voice nowadays.
“[My Mom-mom] told me I needed to find a quilting community because she wouldn’t always be here. Becoming part of Hampton Roads MQG felt like honoring that while also finding my own place to grow.”
Name
Jamie Marie Hockaday
Pronouns
She/her
What city do you live in?
Newport News
What kind of maker are you? (Include sewing and any other mediums you work in)
Quilter
How many quilts have you made?
15
If you could describe your style in three words, what would they be?
Cozy, nostalgic, intentional
How long have you been quilting?
I’ve been quilting for 22 years.
Tell us about this quilt.
[Editor’s note: The quilt Jamie is holding]
This quilt is actually the first Mystery Quilt I ever made with my grandmother. The pattern required a statement fabric, and I chose the photograph-print fabric featured in the center of each block. I had picked it out months earlier without a project in mind, and when the mystery quilt began, it felt like the perfect choice.
This quilt is a reflection of me. It incorporates all of my favorite colors—dusty rose, denim blue, and gray—with just a hint of gold for a little extra sparkle. It even includes a touch of my husband through the tire-print fabric woven throughout the design.
The quilt also features flying geese blocks. It was my first time making them independently. Because of that, this project represents an important milestone in my quilting journey. It contains plenty of mistakes—or “God Squares,” as my Mom-Mom would say—but those imperfections are part of its story.
More than anything, this quilt marks a turning point in my life. It represents the moment quilting became more than something I did once a year to help my grandmother; it became a hobby of my own, one that I continue to enjoy and grow in today.
What is one goal you have for sewing/quilting?
To keep growing creatively while still staying true to the traditional style I was taught, finding ways to blend classic techniques with my own voice and ideas.
What quilters/artists have inspired you and your work?
My quilting style is deeply inspired by learning alongside my Mom-mom from a young age. She taught me traditional, classic Amish-style quilting, shaping my love for cozy, nostalgic designs and intentional craftsmanship that reflect both heritage and personal meaning.
What quilters/artists have inspired you and your work?
My quilting style is deeply inspired by learning alongside my Mom-mom from a young age. She taught me traditional, classic Amish-style quilting, shaping my love for cozy, nostalgic designs and intentional craftsmanship that reflect both heritage and personal meaning.
What brought you to Hampton Roads MQG? What has your experience been like?
In February, my husband took me to QuiltCon, where I discovered that the Modern Quilt Guild had local chapters, and I quickly found that Hampton Roads was open to new members. Joining a guild was also something my Mom-mom always encouraged. She told me I needed to find a quilting community because she wouldn’t always be here, so becoming part of Hampton Roads MQG felt like honoring that while also finding my own place to grow.
[Editor’s Note:]
[Jamie made the dress she’s wearing in the photo with her husband!]
Where can people find you and your work? Website? Socials?
Meet More of Our Members
Want to join us?
Check out one of our upcoming events, or head on over to our membership page to become a member of HRMQG.