Linda Houston grew up in a home where sewing was not a hobby, but a necessity. Like many families of the time, her mother relied on her sewing skills to provide clothing and other essentials for the family. Those same skills led her to a career teaching Home Economics at Maize High School, west of Wichita, Kansas, where she taught for more than 30 years and was recognized as Sedgwick County Teacher of the Year..
Until seventh grade, Linda wore handmade clothing sewn by her mother. The family's treasured quilts were also entirely handmade by her mother, most of them created before marriage and family responsibilities took precedence.
When Linda married, she received her share of the family quilts. They had been stored in a cedar chest (not the best idea for long-term preservation!), and those quilts became the foundation of both her collection and her passion. Displaying them throughout her home reflected her love for their beauty and craftsmanship. Inspired by her mother's work, Linda also began quilting herself, discovering the joy of creating quilts and giving them to friends.
Linda knew she wanted to do something more to share her love of quilts. Her mother had carefully saved her Teacher's Retirement Fund benefits, leaving Linda a $100,000 inheritance. Linda invested those funds in Silicon Valley real estate, and over time the investments grew substantially. After her divorce was finalized in 2004, she reached a point of financial security and realized those investments could become something far more lasting — a legacy.
On Saturday, March 16, 2019, she prayed for guidance.
Linda: “Help me along, God, with what I am going to do with the fruits of my labor.”
God: “What do you love?”
Linda: “Quilts.”
God: “Build a quilt museum.”
Since that day, the journey has been marked by one “God moment” after another as each challenge has given way to new opportunities. Linda's hope is that visitors will not only enjoy the Museum, but also discover and share the beauty, creativity, and enduring legacy of quilting. In keeping with that spirit of legacy, the Museum's central gallery will be dedicated in loving memory of Lois De Haven Houston, Linda's mother.