About the Celtic Quilters

Hey there, my name is Mary McCarley, and my quilting journey began in the early 80s with a four-block sampler class offered at a local quilt shop. I was hooked. Since then, I've lost count of how many wall hangings, applique Christmas stockings, throws, and twin, queen, & king quilts I've made. Quilting became my creative outlet where I use patterns, colors, and textures to make something unique, beautiful, and useful. And I was able to share that love of all things quilting with my four daughters - each an accomplished quilter in their own right.

But my sewing opportunities were found in between moving (my husband was in the Army resulting in a lot of packing and unpacking!), having, raising, and homeschooling ten children, watching our children leave the "nest", welcoming new members to the family through marriage and birth, and entering into "corporate retail management" as my home-schooling responsibilities ended. But through it all, quilting has always been my "happy place" - a place to find peace and fulfillment.

Now, with an empty nest, and more family members to make quilts for, I have been busier than ever with many hours cutting, piecing and quilting. And expanding my talents to include longarm quilting has meant I can produce quality finished quilts faster, growing my passion.

With the long-arm quilting machine, the possibilities are endless. It has transformed my quilting endeavors because I can finish quilts much more quickly. It has also made the creative process more fun because there are so many options with numerous edge-to-edge quilting designs that complement my projects.

Once my husband, Burton, and I decided to renew our desire to work in a business together, we gravitated toward the passion we both share for textiles. Burton's mother worked as a seamstress in a factory during his childhood, and he has always appreciated the skill and creativity it takes to work with fabric as a medium. And my mother, still sewing her beautiful "eye spy" quilts for children until her passing shortly after her 93rd birthday in 2024, shared her love for fabrics, patterns, and sewing with me as an adult.

With the purchase of our Bernina Q-24 and Q-Matic Quilting System, Celtic Quilters was born. Burton and I work side-by-side, adding the finishing touch through digital edge-to-edge quilting to your treasured creations. We look forward to working with you!!