Pine Meadows Designs

	`Connie Roys, is NOT your typical company owner. She is deeply involved with her family and friends, while she continues to fulfill her passion for creativity through quilting. Her company is called "Pine Meadows Designs." Her passion is designing machine appliqué wall art patterns constructed from fabric.` `Connie has been the CEO, Creative Designer, Accountant, Sales Promoter, Photographer, Seamstress, and the Packaging & Shipping Department for her home based company since May of 1994. She successfully sandwiches this in-between marriage, twin college aged daughters; her athletic middle school aged son; plus holds a part time job at a local grocery store.` `Her sewing experience began in 4-H when she was 10 years old. Drawing, oil painting, & later photography became integral parts of her life in college. Marriage and children followed - as did her continued passion for creating in some medium of the arts.`


In 1989, she moved with her family from South Bend, Indiana to Medina, Ohio. Her need to create peaked soon after the birth of their 3rd child in 1990. With the support and help of her husband, Skip, she began photographing various scenes in their new surroundings. Together, they found their way to near-by Amish communities where subject matter never seemed to be a problem. Venturing into Quilt Shops became part of their photographic "field trips" and soon her fabric stash took over her small combination sewing room - laundry room in their home. “As long as there was a hardware store nearby, Skip never seemed to mind my browsing through fabric stores - thank goodness!”
Compelled to create something from all the beautiful fabrics she had been collecting - a neighbor and friend prompted "over the phone" instructions on how to make a wall hanging of a Victorian Santa from that cloth. Unaware at the time, that patterns were available for such things - Connie designed, appliquéd and quilted her own on the same Singer 500A sewing machine she began using as a child in 1963. The absence of pattern directions and relying solely on her past "clothes making" experience challenged Connie to create a style all her own for making these wall quilt designs. She was instantly hooked. She loved the thrill of creating new designs, and continued to translate this love from concept to final production for several months. Using cloth as a medium was rewarding as well as challenging. More importantly, it was a medium that she could use to work around her busy family and lifestyle.
`Armed with patterns & completed wall hanging samples, Connie personally began selling her patterns to various quilt store owners in the Northern Ohio Region and Northern Indiana in 1994. Since that time she has never looked back. Now she has several distributors representing her throughout the U.S., Canada, & Europe selling hundreds of patterns for her yearly.`
	Connie maintains that marriage, children, & quilting are of importance - and in "THAT" order. She promotes her business as much as she can "handle" herself, but does not lack for family support. Her husband and children have been the backbone of her existence and are a consistent source of support and inspiration for her. Their contributions have been the main source of her creativity and growth. Family support does not stop there, however. Connie’s sister has sold numerous wall hangings to her friends & acquaintances in Indiana to help promote her business in the beginning phases. Now in her 80’s, Connie’s Mother has spent countless hours assisting with packaging and counting thousands of patterns on her annual winter visits to Medina. Their help and organizational skills - have consistently aided in Pine Meadows Designs continued success.
Lynn, Connie’s sister-in-law, has offered inspirational suggestions and assistance and has been essential in designing the pictorial backgrounds shown on Connie’s scenic pattern covers. Her creative “eye” has not only helped during photography - but has been a significant aide during construction of the actual wall art designs. “Whenever I need encouragement, constructive advise on color and textures of fabric, an HONEST assessment of a design, or someone just to listen - I call her.” She lends a hand with packaging patterns, mailings, and family sustenance when needed and is “one of those positive people you need to surround yourself with in order to succeed.”
`Carolyn, Connie’s niece, is the creator of this web site and maintains that as well as combining a full time job and a very active family life of her own. She is artistically creative and knowledgeable in many areas. “Carolyn’s positive attitude embraces you when you’re with her. No task seems to be unmanageable or too immense. Her “I’ll do it right away” attitude and enthusiasm is contagious. “I don’t know what I’d do without her.”`
`The image of David, one of her sons, was one of the children depicted on the pattern entitled “Hannah and David.” The other child shown is Connie’s great niece, “Hannah.”` Neighbors and quilting friends are yet another source of assistance and offer their support. The owners of Miller’s Dry Goods in Charm, OH, A Piece In Time Quilt Shop in Akron, OH and Hearthside Quilt Shoppe in Kidron, OH were instrumental in encouraging a new career for Connie. They displayed her beginning works as well as encouraged her to draft patterns of each of her favorite designs - offering assistance and advise when needed. Medina’s Quilt Shop, the “Medina’s Quilting Bee,” nearby “Abigayle’s Quiltery” located in Olmstead Falls, OH, and “Lolly’s Fabrics” in Shipshewana, IN often display her work in their shops, offering further and up-to-date exposure of her latest designs. “Miniature Quilts”, a well known quilt magazine, has published several of her designs over the years, offering even more exposure throughout the world.
Connie states the following: "I get a great deal of satisfaction out of being productive, while at the same time it's important for me to grow and enjoy my family and friends. I am by no means an expert at quilting nor have I ever claimed to be. I learn daily by making mistakes and each mistake provides the chance to develop in areas I never knew existed. To date, pattern design, has been one of the most rewarding career moves I've ever made for myself. I look forward to each day, and each day I am rewarded in return by both.