Renee Turning Heart - Lakota star quilts

Master: Renee Turning Heart, Eagle Butte
Apprentice: Patricia Kennedy, Eagle Butte
Art Form: Lakota star quilts

Renee Turning Heart of Eagle Butte started sewing as a youngster and credits her grandmother with teaching her to make star quilts, which are used in Native American culture for many important occasions such as births, naming ceremonies and graduations. Her apprentice, Patricia Kennedy, grew up surrounded by quilts, and had basic sewing skills, but never learned the specific techniques for making star quilts. Now that she has grandchildren, she wants to be able to make things for them, which spurred her interest in learning from Renee.

Renee Turning Heart shows how to sew strips of fabric together, then cut them to make diamonds for a star quilt pattern.

Renee Turning Heart and Patricia Kennedy admire Patricia’s first star quilt.