Hi! I’m Aimee — the Sewing Scientist.

I’ve been sewing and quilting for as long as I can remember. I was the nerdy girl in school doing counted cross-stitch while others played video games. Crafting has always been my comfort zone. My love for sewing runs deep in my roots. My grandparents owned a small four-unit apartment complex next to their home, and my grandmother transformed the two upstairs units into her sewing space. She led a church sewing group called the Dorados (Spanish for “golden ones,” in honor of their golden years). Every Wednesday, they gathered to make dresses for folklórico dancers and items for the church.  The rooms were filled with sewing machines and fabric. I spent many summers by her side, learning the basics of sewing in that warm, creative space.

My grandmother loved showing me her most recently finished quilts whenever I would visit.

I married young, right out of high school, and like many young couples, we didn’t have much money. I decided to make a quilt for our bed — my very first quilt. I learned traditional quilt blocks from my grandmother, and my aunt introduced me to the disappearing nine-patch — my first “modern” block.  I had no budget for fabric, so I cut up old jeans, flannel shirts, and even my husband's worn-out flannel underwear. I stitched it all together, patching holes and hiding them with hand embroidery. The backing was a flannel sheet and the batting a garage sale blanket. It wasn’t perfect, but it was ours — warm, practical, and stitched with love.

After earning my degree in Environmental Science, I had my son. I sewed all the bedding and curtains for his nursery, picking up tips from my mom, aunt, and grandmother along the way. Creating for him was such a joy.

As time passed, I began sewing my own clothes and learned how to alter thrifted and garage sale finds to fit me. Being only 5 feet tall and curvy, off-the-rack clothing rarely fit well — but making clothes that actually fit me felt empowering.

Image: Quilt I made with the FreeSpirit Circle of Makers - Featuring Vibrant Botanica collection by Kitty McCall

In 2015, I started a blog to share my love for sewing, quilting, cooking, and photography. That same year, I became a Rheumatoid Arthritis ambassador for a medical testing company. At our first meeting, they encouraged us to create an online identity — to become our own brand. That’s when Sewing Scientist was born. One of the reasons they selected me was because I had shared how RA affected my ability to quilt. At the time, I had shifted toward sewing garments, since cutting out quilt pieces by hand was too painful. I hadn’t yet discovered rotary cutters or modern quilting tools!

Image: Blouse I made using flannel for the fall 

From 2015 to 2020, I primarily sewed garments. I tested patterns for indie designers and promoted custom knit fabric groups on Facebook. But everything changed in 2020.

When the pandemic hit, like many others, I started making masks. I had recently moved and donated most of my quilting cottons, thinking my quilting days were behind me. But with remote work becoming permanent, I no longer needed a full wardrobe. I spent more time walking outdoors, wearing activewear, and seeking a creative outlet to decompress after using the analytical side of my brain all day.

That’s when I reached out to an online friend — a fellow sewist from the knit fabric world — who I noticed was now testing quilt patterns. She introduced me to the world of quilt pattern testing, and I was immediately hooked. It was also the first time I ever used a quilt pattern. Until then, I’d always just made things up as I went along.

Image: Blank Quilting Corp. Science Lab collection

Since then, I’ve rebuilt my quilting cotton stash through thrifting, garage sales, creative reuse centers, and Facebook Marketplace. It’s rare that I buy fabric new — I find both joy and purpose in giving old materials new life. Nothing goes to waste in my sewing room. I cut leftover fabric into usable squares, starting at 2.5 inches and increasing in half-inch increments, while the smallest scraps go into a dedicated bucket. I even save all my batting cutoffs, stitching them together to create “franken-batting.” The tiny leftover bits — both fabric and batting — get repurposed as stuffing for items like pet beds. Scrappy quilts are my favorite to make, and having my scraps pre-cut not only saves time but also makes the creative process that much more enjoyable and efficient.

Image: Henry Glass Willow Hollow Collection. This quilt was made with my precut scraps from my original project and was auctioned off with proceeds going to Planned Parenthood in memory of Ruth Bader Ginsberg.  

I was honored to become a Jaftex ambassador and a FreeSpirit Fabrics Circle of Makers member. Their generosity has allowed me to keep creating with stunning fabrics, all while continuing to learn and grow in my craft.

Image: Quilt I made with the FreeSpirit Circle of Makers - Featuring Flying South by Clare Youngs

Though quilting is my primary focus today, I still sew garments as needed. There’s nothing like the confidence boost of wearing a perfectly fitted outfit you made with your own hands.

My grandmother made quilts for every baby, friend, and family member she could — a tradition I’ve embraced wholeheartedly. I've given quilts to my aunts, uncles, cousins, second cousins, coworkers, and babies galore. My mother also taught me the importance of giving generously, so I make a few quilts each year to donate or auction for charity, often gifting them to inspiring people in the community.

Image: Studio E Woodland Magic collection. I gifted this quilt to a coworker for their baby.

One of my most treasured memories is gifting a quilt to Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth. When the photographer asked for a picture of us holding the quilt, I began to unfold it so the full design could be seen. She gently scolded me, saying, “That quilt is too beautiful to touch the floor — you better pick it up!” I’ll never forget that moment.

Image: Presenting Opal Lee with a quilt make with Ankara fabric. Quilt pattern  is the SoMa by  Sarah  Jean Makes

As a proud Latina, I carry my Hispanic heritage with me in every stitch — from the folklórico dresses my grandmother once made to the vibrant colors and bold patterns I often gravitate toward in my quilts. I see quilting not just as a craft, but as a way to honor the traditions, resilience, and creativity of the women who came before me. At the same time, I’m deeply committed to sustainability. As an environmentally conscious quilter, I prioritize using reclaimed, thrifted, or secondhand materials whenever possible. Giving new life to old fabric is not only eco-friendly — it also adds character, history, and soul to every piece I make. My work is a reflection of where I come from, what I value, and how I hope to inspire others: to create with intention, honor their roots, and give generously.

Image: Mi Ofrenda. This quilt was recently in the Dia de Meurtos: Happiest Memory Art Exhibit at the Bath House Cultural Center in Dallas, TX.