About Susan Eaton

Susan Eaton with her grandson Julian in 2008

I have been quilting for more than 25 years. I love piecing scrappy and string quilts, and quilting them on my domestic Bernina and Juki machines.

I have completed more than 175 quilts, and most the quilts shown here are ones that I have made. I have sewn practically my whole life, but I didn’t make a quilt until our daughter Emily’s high school graduation in 1990. I really got hooked, and made more than 100 quilts between then and 2011. 

In 2011 I started to be more diligent about making labels and keeping records of my quilts. It was in mid-February of that year that Emily’s precious little son Julian Eaton Golden was diagnosed with leukemia, and went to heaven only sixteen days later, which was shortly before his 4th birthday. 

“Red Berries for Julian”

In the early stages of my grief, the only things that gave me joy and comfort were being with family or good friends, and quilting. I began dedicating every new quilt to Julian, and numbering each quilt, starting with number 101. On every label, I put a heart, the letter J, and the number of the quilt. Every quilt honors Julian by having at least one butterfly and the color red somewhere, which was his favorite color. 

You can read more about Julian at juliangolden.com, or read his mother’s blog (our daughter) at creatingnewnormal.com.

I live in Minneapolis with my husband of 50 years. We are both grateful for our children, their spouses, and our three other grandsons.