Blocks of Inspiration – Meet Joann Lang

An amazing woman with an amazing spirit

Joann creating in her studio.

Meet Joann – artist, teacher, wife, mother and avid quilter.  She began sewing as a child with her mother, repairing clothes and simple hemming.  In 2000, she fell in love with the art of quilting. After attending an Eleanor Burns workshop, she bought her first machine and later joined the Arizona Quilters Guild.  From then on, she was hooked!

That same year she joined the Night Owls, a sub-chapter of the Arizona Quilters Guild. Joann became an esteemed member of the group and was named Program Chairman in 2013 for all of her dedicated work.  She was co-coordinator of Charity Quilts for community service, which made 183 quilts for a variety of charity organizations. And, if that wasn’t enough, she was involved in Bundles for Babies, which provided supplies to military families.  The Mesa Child Crisis Center also received supplies and quilts from the Night Owls during the Arizona Quilters Guild show where she was in charge of the Sit-n-Sew while on board and enjoyed making kits for the event.  These organizations are very dear to her heart, and she enjoyed every minute of it.

On November 13, 2013 Joann’s life was changed forever. A car accident causedher to lose her arm.

Despite the setback, that didn’t stop her! She continued quilting any way she could.  She put fabric on the floor and cut it while standing on it, using any creative way she could to keep her dream alive.

She attended a class with Patrick Lose, who introduced her to Havel’s Sewing Fabric Cutter.  This tool makes it possible for Joann to continue her two passions in life: helping others and having fun with quilting.

Inspirational Quilt made by the Night Owls chapter fo the Arizona Quilter Guild for Joann. Each block has a message of hope and concern as well as words of encouragement!

The Apple Quilt Joann is making with the Fabric Cutter