Carol Miller, of Quilt University, has passed away
02-28-2013, 10:53 PM
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 217
Carol Miller, of Quilt University, has passed away
I was deeply saddened to learn today that Carol Miller, an extraordinary teacher and writer, has just passed away. She founded Quilt University 13 years ago, and brought together a truly great group of teachers and students. I had the pleasure of taking her colour courses, as well as many others over the years, and loved them.
It is thanks to her and to her vision that many, many, many of us all over the world have been able to explore the beautiful world of quilting.
Thank you, Carol. May you rest in perfect peace, free now from pain, surrounded by our love and gratitude.
It is thanks to her and to her vision that many, many, many of us all over the world have been able to explore the beautiful world of quilting.
Thank you, Carol. May you rest in perfect peace, free now from pain, surrounded by our love and gratitude.
03-01-2013, 07:02 AM
#3
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 217
I thought I would add the announcement of Carol Miller's passing, taken from the March 1 Quilt University newsletter, for those of you who do not receive it:
"March 1, 2013
Very sad news. Carol had a humorous, but fragile, soul. It let her poke fun at the strange things we do with our lives, but didn't protect her from the torment of severe bone cancer pain and the fog of drugs.
No matter what the doctors tried to do to get her healthy enough for chemotherapy, she couldn't tolerate it. The pain, the nausea, the disorientation. Too many variables to solve for. Gradually she retreated into her own private world, away from the pain and anguish. A week ago Tuesday we moved her to inpatient hospice care. She passed away last Friday morning.
It was her love of color, whether in her beloved garden or on her quilts, that inspired Carol to start Quilt U in the summer of 2000. At first, she just intended to use it to teach her Color Companions class online. But those students told her that there were gobs of quilters out there in small towns and rural areas who had very limited access to quilt shop classes. And, yes, they were using bulletin boards and lists over dial-up to get answers to their quilting questions. They needed short, crisply written classes to help them expand their quilting skills.
Carol recruited 50 teachers over the years to add depth to the curriculum. Karen Combs, a quilt show acquaintance, was one of the first. Karen gave Quilt U instant credibility. From widely different skill sets, the teachers offered Carol's students a variety of quilting-related challenges.
Early on Quilt U became more than just the classes. Carol started using her monthly newsletter to recall all the ways she had expanded her own horizons, whether it was woodworking, miniature dollhouses or quilting. Her Erma Bombeck-style of describing her steps and missteps struck home with many of her students. They flocked to the Student Commons to relate their own similar experiences. Quilt U was social before social was cool.
Every time she experimented with something new, whether in real time or recalling an event from her past, she rejoiced in her accomplishment and urged her students to break out of their comfort zones. Failing was the second worse thing that could happen. Not trying was the cardinal sin.
Students loved her narratives - well, sometimes, rants. Some wrote that she and they must be twins, separated at birth. She struck a chord with students who weren't necessarily experiencing the happiest moments of their lives. Some had just suffered a loss. Others were in poor health or caring for someone in poor health. No matter, it always cheered them up. They wrote to say they always looked forward to reading her words over their morning coffee. Yuck! Carol hated the smell of coffee.
One of the most remarkable things about Quilt U is its international-ness. When we started we thought, sure, ex-pats, maybe an occasional Canadian. But over the years we were overwhelmed by Scandinavians, Australians, Swiss, Belgians, South Africans. Carol insisted from the beginning that all classes be written in formal, not conversational or slangy, English because we didn't want to give the impression quilting was only for Americans. Now they come to Quilt U from everywhere.
I'll tell you something Carol never wanted to talk to you about. Her first love was not quilting, it was words. She was a voracious reader, two books a week, every week. She loved mysteries, biographies, history. Mostly Carol loved good writing. She was in a panic if she finished her last book on a day the library was closed. She was exhilarated when she learned she could borrow books from her local library directly onto her Kindle.
Editing classes came naturally to her. And she loved it. Teachers who had books published told she was the best editor they had ever had. Again, words.
Quilt U will go on. Teachers will share some of their own unusual experiences in our newsletters. Faculty members have already volunteered to substitute-teach three of Carol's classes. They will be added back to the schedule in the near future.
Thanks to everyone who sent prayers and well wishes.
Carol will be missed."
"March 1, 2013
Very sad news. Carol had a humorous, but fragile, soul. It let her poke fun at the strange things we do with our lives, but didn't protect her from the torment of severe bone cancer pain and the fog of drugs.
No matter what the doctors tried to do to get her healthy enough for chemotherapy, she couldn't tolerate it. The pain, the nausea, the disorientation. Too many variables to solve for. Gradually she retreated into her own private world, away from the pain and anguish. A week ago Tuesday we moved her to inpatient hospice care. She passed away last Friday morning.
It was her love of color, whether in her beloved garden or on her quilts, that inspired Carol to start Quilt U in the summer of 2000. At first, she just intended to use it to teach her Color Companions class online. But those students told her that there were gobs of quilters out there in small towns and rural areas who had very limited access to quilt shop classes. And, yes, they were using bulletin boards and lists over dial-up to get answers to their quilting questions. They needed short, crisply written classes to help them expand their quilting skills.
Carol recruited 50 teachers over the years to add depth to the curriculum. Karen Combs, a quilt show acquaintance, was one of the first. Karen gave Quilt U instant credibility. From widely different skill sets, the teachers offered Carol's students a variety of quilting-related challenges.
Early on Quilt U became more than just the classes. Carol started using her monthly newsletter to recall all the ways she had expanded her own horizons, whether it was woodworking, miniature dollhouses or quilting. Her Erma Bombeck-style of describing her steps and missteps struck home with many of her students. They flocked to the Student Commons to relate their own similar experiences. Quilt U was social before social was cool.
Every time she experimented with something new, whether in real time or recalling an event from her past, she rejoiced in her accomplishment and urged her students to break out of their comfort zones. Failing was the second worse thing that could happen. Not trying was the cardinal sin.
Students loved her narratives - well, sometimes, rants. Some wrote that she and they must be twins, separated at birth. She struck a chord with students who weren't necessarily experiencing the happiest moments of their lives. Some had just suffered a loss. Others were in poor health or caring for someone in poor health. No matter, it always cheered them up. They wrote to say they always looked forward to reading her words over their morning coffee. Yuck! Carol hated the smell of coffee.
One of the most remarkable things about Quilt U is its international-ness. When we started we thought, sure, ex-pats, maybe an occasional Canadian. But over the years we were overwhelmed by Scandinavians, Australians, Swiss, Belgians, South Africans. Carol insisted from the beginning that all classes be written in formal, not conversational or slangy, English because we didn't want to give the impression quilting was only for Americans. Now they come to Quilt U from everywhere.
I'll tell you something Carol never wanted to talk to you about. Her first love was not quilting, it was words. She was a voracious reader, two books a week, every week. She loved mysteries, biographies, history. Mostly Carol loved good writing. She was in a panic if she finished her last book on a day the library was closed. She was exhilarated when she learned she could borrow books from her local library directly onto her Kindle.
Editing classes came naturally to her. And she loved it. Teachers who had books published told she was the best editor they had ever had. Again, words.
Quilt U will go on. Teachers will share some of their own unusual experiences in our newsletters. Faculty members have already volunteered to substitute-teach three of Carol's classes. They will be added back to the schedule in the near future.
Thanks to everyone who sent prayers and well wishes.
Carol will be missed."
03-01-2013, 06:16 PM
#4
Super Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New York City/Manhattan
Posts: 1,316
Sad news
I just read the Quilt University newsletter that I received yesterday. Carol Miller died recently of bone cancer. My memory of her, from the one time we spoke, is that she was a very kind and knowledgeable lady. I have taken many QU classes. Blessed be Carol.
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