Master Quilter Likes Applique

By Lila Jean Boggs
Published in Nicholas Chronicle 2005?

When Sharon Greathouse of Richwood makes a quilt, it is a prize winner. Mrs. Greathouse’s quilts in competition have won Best of Show, First Place and Second Place ribbons.

“Applique is my thing,” said Sharon describing her talent in making quilt tops. “I had learned patchwork at a workshop held at the library. I did make the patchwork into a full quilt. However, that type of quilting is not my favorite,” said Sharon.

Mrs. Greathouse is multitalented and uses applique. embroidery, 3D and inkings in any combination for the quilt top. She is doing a "Baltimore Album" quilt. She had taken three years to do the top. The top has squares and each one is different, like pages in an album.

The quilt in the quilting rack designed by her husband, Raul Richard, and set up in front of Windows in one room of their house. The "Baltimore Album" has what is called stiple stitching on the borders of the quilt. The stiple stitch is so tiny and so close together that Mrs. Greathouse said she can make 11 stitches to an inch.

In the border where she is doing these tiny stitches for an area of 90 inches long by 14 inches wide used 99,000 stitches. The border, one width, was done by Mrs. Greathouse in 11 months. She still has the other three borders to complete.

Zadia Greathouse and Betty Marlowe were the ones who had interested Sharon in doing the "Baltimore Album" quilt. “‘Zadia, my mother-in-law, got me started said Sharon.

Another quilt titled "President's Wreath" was winner of Show and First Place at the Craigsville Fall Festival 1993. Sharon designed the quilting herself and also the quilt's border.