About Us

My mother, Eileen, taught me to sew on her portable (like an elephant is portable) Kenmore sewing machine when I was young. I sewed dolls, clothes, bags, but never a quilt. My mother was the one who made the quilts, planning, tracing, cutting until something lovely emerged.

In 2002, having moved to Wisconsin for a three-month artist residency, I found myself living in a strange town, in a strange house, with other artists I didn't know. I had brought a quilt with me that was made by my husband’s aunt for our wedding. The simple gesture of putting that quilt on the bed made it feel like home. This led me to wonder: What if we made quilts for people who had no permanent home at all? Maybe a bright, beautiful quilt could give them a piece of home, a sense of place, to carry with them wherever they go. I asked my mom if she wanted to make some quilts to donate, and she in turn asked the nicest people she could find to join us, no sewing experience necessary. With that, Bright Hopes was born.

Warmly,
Deborah Fisher, Director