Quilt show: 2010 featured quilter Chere Yamasaki
Chere Yamasaki, Quilter Extraordinaire! If you’ve visited the Foothill Quilt Show in previous years, you’ve probably admired Chere Yamasaki’s outstanding work. Our featured quilter is known for her expertise with a needle, particularly her artfully executed hand appliqué, and her quilts have been displayed at the FQG Show since 2005. But Chere hasn’t always been a quilter.
Sewing has been a part of Chere’s life for a very long time, however. She sewed clothes for herself and family members at an early age, even making a wedding dress for her sister. Later, she made another one for her daughter, vowing “never again” for that particular kind of project. Instead, she has put her energy into creating beautiful quilts.
Chere’s quilting adventures began in 1983, when she and her sister took a sampler quilt class at Hart’s Fabrics in Auburn. The two of them looked forward to finishing their projects as they basted the quilts, but when her sister complained that the quilting hurt her fingers, Chere put hers away, too, and “chickened out of quilting”.
Fortunately for all of us, that wasn’t the end of the story. In 1993, a friend suggested she join the Foothill Quilt Guild and take a night class from Marjorie Marshall. Later, a class with Nadine Thompson on Baltimore Album quilts launched Chere’s appliqué’ efforts. She displayed that bed-sized project at the 2005 FQG Show. A star was born!
Since then, Chere has continued her applique work, particularly enjoying landscapes that include mountains, trees, and flowers. Those landscapes may include some animals, as well, though with a little artistic license as to their size! She has received a number of prestigious awards for her quilts, including one she displayed at the Pacific International Quilt Show and “Members Choice” awarded 3 different years at the Foothill Quilt Guild Show. She felt particularly honored by those she says, for “It is really wonderful to receive recognition from my very talented peers.” She also appreciates the community voting to give her quilts the Viewers’ Best of Show awards for 2005, 2006, and 2007.
Chere is very much a part of the community that has admired her work. Born in North Dakota, Chere moved to Auburn in 1950. She attended local schools and was a member of the first graduating class from Sierra College in Rocklin. She and her husband Don have been married 37 years. They have a son and daughter and three grandchildren. Don is a retired nurseryman. Together they host “The Garden Guru Show” on KAHI, where Don answers listeners’ questions on the air.
Chere worked in public service for 38 years, retiring from law enforcement in Placer County in 2005 (note date of her Baltimore Album quilt finish, above!) During her 22 years as an investigator, Chere found quilting to be “wonderful therapy”. For those of us for whom appliqué is an astounding mystery, we’re glad Chere pursued that investigation!
Congratulations, Chere. We’re delighted to present you as our featured quilter.
