Meet Casey Corey | Handmade Quilter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Casey Corey and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Casey, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Casey Sheila Quilts began as a way to connect with my firstborn while pregnant. I was a litigation attorney for almost a decade but also yearned to create something more than legal documents. When I was expecting my first baby girl, I decided to make her a quilt to try and connect more with her and my pregnancy. The whole process was pure magic- from selecting the colors and fabrics to cutting up those fabrics into smaller pieces and putting them back together again. Creating the quilt certainly did the job of helping me connect with my baby but it gave me so much more than I could have imagined after she was born. We used the quilt for play time and monthly milestone photos. When she became a full-fledged toddler, she used the quilt for imaginative play- a super hero cape, a tent covering, and my favorite, pretend sleep (I wish I could back in time and appreciate all of my naps as a toddler!). And still, at four- almost five years old, she sleeps with her quilt every night.

I wanted to share that magic with others and so, Casey Sheila Quilts was born. Creating quilt collections based on children’s books that my family and I love reading every night is a total dream. The thrill of getting a custom quilt request that reflects a family’s enthusiasm and love for a new baby on the way will never dull. It is truly an honor to create a special heirloom for a family that reflects who they are at that moment in time.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Quilting seemed to be a creative outlet for an older generation. I was in my 20s and every time I thought about quilting, I pictured my grandmother and her friends sitting down to tell a story through fabric (assuming my grandmother could sew. She, in fact, definitely could not sew). Most of the YouTube videos I watched as I taught myself to sew, were of older women who were settling into retirement after several long, fulfilling careers. It didn’t seem to be a creative outlet I should start exploring in my 20s. But, I couldn’t deny the pull I felt towards fabric and the magic of creating stories and memories with quilts.

So, like every other creative, I chose to create my own quilt designs that reflected the art I wanted to see in these textiles. Modern, clean lines that are timeless and cozy. While I love creating custom quilts, most of my quilt collections are inspired by the books I read every night with my children. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak and the Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen have been well loved in our home. My most recent collection is based off the book, The Wonderful Things You Will Be by Emily Winfield Martin. I am loving the colors and designs for this latest collection.

Also like every other creative, I suffer from the imposter syndrome. At the end of the day though, I remind myself how much I love creating quilts. I love creating such versatile and special heirlooms for other families to use in their everyday lives for generations. I feel so lucky that Casey Sheila Quilts allows me to share that love and passion with others.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My best friend and I would definitely be at the beach in Surfside for most of her trip. We grew up just minutes from a beach and we both feel most at home with our feet in the sand and the breeze in our hair. We would grab sandwiches and Nutella croissants from Le Sandwicherie and stroll around Miracle Mile. We would paddle board at Mattheson Hammock. We would add evening drinks at the Rusty Pelican and roller blade trips on the bridge. And no trip would be complete without taking a few quilt photos for Casey Sheila Quilts at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Casey Sheila Quilts would not exist without the SEO and website technical support from Corey Consulting. There have been many late nights spent trying to find the right wording for a product listing and understanding how efforts to improve SEO rankings could help this small business thrive. I’ve also been fortunate enough to pick the brain of the CEO and founder of Olives and Applesauce. Baxter is a truly unique business owner who understands and embraces the serious juggle of motherhood and entrepreneurship.

Website: https://www.caseysheilaquilts.com

Instagram: caseysheilaquilts

Facebook: Casey Sheila Quilts

Image Credits
Karla Korn