Not Long Ago, in a Not-Too-Far-Away Place…

Not long ago, in a not-too-far-away place called Georgia, four talented people combined their skills to create two extraJoanordinary greyhound quilts.

, Helen, Tara, and Tom each brought something special to the project. Helen has a gift for custom quilt design and piecing. Joan is an accomplished seamstress who can tackle almost any sewing challenge. Tara and Tom brought the quilts to completion, carefully joining the layers and transforming the finished tops into two beautifully quilted pieces.

Together, they transformed fabric, thread, imagination, and many hours of work into two very special quilts for The Greyhound Network. Each person contributed a different talent, but it was their teamwork—and their shared love of greyhounds—that brought the project to life.

For Helen, that love began more than 30 years ago with Tess, her first adopted greyhound.

“Tess was the perfect greyhound and set the stage for many more adoptions and failed fosters,” Helen shared.

Joan and her husband were longtime adopters of Great Danes before becoming, in Joan’s words, “transfixed by greyhounds.” Over the years, they adopted four greyhounds, one at a time. All four had previously been returned for one reason or another but found a permanent home with Joan and her husband. Each dog brought them great joy.

That same affection for greyhounds found its way into every detail of the quilts. As Helen created the designs for the monthly squares, Joan selected the threads and stitches that would help bring them to life.

“We enjoyed every minute working on each square, using the crazy knowledge and love we have for the dogs,” Joan said.

Tara and Tom have shared their home with six greyhounds over almost 25 years. Their involvement with three greyhound groups introduced them to many other dedicated adopters.

“Some of those people have become lifelong friends. We not only share our love of greyhounds but also share our interest in quilting,” Tara said. Combining the two interests seemed like a natural way to support greyhound adoption.

Tom used his skill with a long-arm quilting machine to give Helen and Joan’s work its finishing touch. Tara and Tom hope whoever wins the quilts will treasure them as much as they have treasured their hounds.

Over the years, Joan, Helen, Tara, and Tom have collaborated on several greyhound quilts that have been used as fundraisers for organizations including The Ohio State University’s 4 Legs 4 Hounds Program and The Sanctuary at NE Ohio Greyhound Rescue. However, none of those earlier quilts has been as elaborate or labor-intensive as these two.

“What a gratifying project,” Helen said. “We hope the quilts will be used and enjoyed as much as we enjoyed making them!”

And so, four talented friends turned their individual specialties into something none of them could have created alone. The result is far more than fabric and thread. These quilts are heartfelt works of art celebrating friendship, generosity, teamwork, and, of course, a shared love of greyhounds.

-Gerry Skalsky, proud Mum to Micah and Quinn