Kimberly Pardieu
A few years ago, I contacted my friend, Tom Sanocki, to see if he knew anyone that made quilted potholders like the ones that my grandmother had passed down to me. He put me in touch with Lawain. I live in Arizona, so I met her via phone call.
My favorite memory of her is that first phone call. We chatted a bit about what I was looking for, and then she asked how many potholders I wanted. I wanted to get some for myself, my daughter, and a friend, and I was a little bit hesitant to say twenty ( I was thinking, “my gosh, I don’t want this lady working her fingers to the bone making me twenty potholders). So I asked her how many she had.
Her response: “Oh, I have beer boxes and beer boxes full!”
I still laugh when I think of it! Twenty potholders was peanuts to her!
I enjoyed our phone conversations over the years, and loved receiving boxes of her creations. My favorite piece is a quilted mat that I have on my baker’s rack.
I’ll remember Lawain as feisty, funny, kind-hearted, and creative. She put her heart into her creations, and I am grateful the time we shared. I will miss her.
Sending love from AZ to Lawain’s family, and friends.
