McKenna Ryan Trunk Show …

Presented by Sharon Miller & Tess Ryan

Inside McKenna Ryan’s world of quilt artistry, hummingbirds hover over brilliant flowers, elk bugle in lush fabric forests, eagles soar across quilted landscapes, and smoke rises wistfully from cabins in the woods–all so charmingly, you’d like to crawl right into these scenes and make yourself at home!

As a child, McKenna’s greatest joy came from immersing herself in nature. She collected driftwood, rocks and wildflowers along the shores of Lake Michigan to create natural one-of-a-kind art pieces.  She was an artist and entrepreneur from the very beginning:  opening up “shop hours” in her bedroom for her family to buy her original naturally-created art.

Not much has changed.  McKenna grew up to create a successful business and international following of fans who, for two decades, have adored her nature inspired art quilt patterns and fabrics. 

She found her true calling when she decided to give up a successful corporate lifestyle that had her city-bound, living between Boston and Manhattan, to follow her heart’s longing for a return to life immersed in nature.  Her adventure began when she decided to follow that yearning, leading her to the wilds of Montana. It was on the way to her new home that by chance she wandered into a quilt shop for the first time.  She was awestruck.  “It was as if time stood still.  The colors, textures and designs of the quilts moved me beyond words and the seeds were planted.”

Quickly, seeds took root.  As she settled into her new community of only 200 residents, (2 1/2 hours through the Rocky Mountains to the nearest grocery store!) McKenna was excited to discover that many of the women spent the long wintry months quilting.  One blisteringly cold evening, she trudged through the deep snow to take an appliqué quilting class at a neighbor’s house and within hours discovered a passion and talent she had never known before.  Just days after learning to quilt, she bought a $50 sewing machine and moved all the furniture out of her bedroom. There she made a studio and she again began to create one-of-a-kind art pieces inspired by nature.

Living in Glacier National Park, McKenna was profoundly inspired by the natural beauty all around her. She remembers, “I wanted to reflect this, in quilts, but at that time there were few nature-inspired quilt patterns, so I started making my own.  She soon learned that she had an innate sense of color, balance and design that were uniquely her own and decided to start her own design company which she aptly named Pine Needles.

Throughout her body of work, you will find quilt designs that map out her journey and tell her story as an artist.  At Home in the Woods, Calling Me Home, Petals of My Heart, True Nature and A Journey to Light are just a sampling of the numerous quilt patterns that were inspired by the different stages and places of her life which have since become classics over the years.

Over the years, McKenna has become as well known for her exquisite fabric lines as she has her quilt patterns.  As a fabric designer, she strives to create natural textures and scenes that enhance her vision for a quilt.  .

McKenna’s entire body of work can be found on her website which has become a destination for quilters around the world, www.pineneedles.com.