| Virginia Avery |
Born Virginia Cox in Greenwood, Indiana, Virginia Avery graduated from DePauw University with a
degree in English Composition and went to work at Indianapolis News. She would soon marry, move
to New York and raise four children. In New York she pursued both her love of fabrics and clothing
as well as her love of jazz. This talented renaissance woman showed a very early interest in what
would become a life-long passion—materials and fabrics, colors and movement. “We are all
surrounded by designs every day of our lives,” is her answer to where her inspiration come from.
“We just have to learn to open our eyes and see.”
Totally self-taught in clothing construction, Jinny made her first dress at age 12 not realizing one
was supposed to use a pattern. In the early 60s, Avery approached two fabric shops and landed
herself two clothing-construction teaching jobs. Around that same time she realized quilting was
beginning to make a comeback. Although she had never made a quilt, she thought of them as simply
another form of sewing. It never occurred to her that she couldn’t teach it. With some family quilts as
a guide, and a couple of magazine articles, she gave herself a crash course and planned a series of
lessons.
In August 1976, Avery attended the first quilt conference of the new “quilt renaissance” held in
Ithaca, New York, and it became a turning point for her career. Not only were quilts the major topic,
but patchwork clothes were very much in evidence, and this gave Jinny the confidence to begin
teaching clothing classed along with quilting classes.
As an accomplished jazz pianist, Jinny has played with the King Street Stompers for more than fifty
years. This lively dedicated group of musicians have appeared on the Today Show and played for
the United Nation’s Delegates, as well as many other events. Her traffic-stopping coats that she is
so well-known for are: “Don’t Shoot the Piano Player She’s Doing the Best She Can,” on the cover of
Wonderful Wearables, A Celebration of Creative Clothing (Collector Books, 1991); Midriff Lilies,
which is the reverse side of “Don’t Shoot the Piano Player She’s Doing the Best She Can;” and
Purple Passion on the cover of Quilts to Wear (Scribner, 1982). Her outfit for Fairfield Fashion Show’
s 10th anniversary was “There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight,” a garment titled with an old
jazz tune.
In her forty-plus years in the wearable art and quilt world Virginia Avery has amassed a considerable
body of celebrated work, as well as a reputation as a teacher for inspiring and motivating her
students in a self-affirming, creative learning environment, richly deserving being named one of the
1000 most influential women of the 1990s by Mirabella magazine; selected as the 3rd recipient of
the 1996 Silver Star Award for Lifetime Achievement by the International Quilt Festival; and now for
her selection as the 36th Honoree into The Quilters Hall of Fame. Avery was once again in top form
walking the public through the retrospective “Virginia Avery: A Flair for Life” of her work and playing
her lively jazz at a jazz and jam session at the Community School of the Arts the night of July 15th.
Her official induction took place Saturday, July 16, in Marion, amidst heart-felt testimonies, as well as
tears and laughter, among her many friends and 17 family members present.
degree in English Composition and went to work at Indianapolis News. She would soon marry, move
to New York and raise four children. In New York she pursued both her love of fabrics and clothing
as well as her love of jazz. This talented renaissance woman showed a very early interest in what
would become a life-long passion—materials and fabrics, colors and movement. “We are all
surrounded by designs every day of our lives,” is her answer to where her inspiration come from.
“We just have to learn to open our eyes and see.”
Totally self-taught in clothing construction, Jinny made her first dress at age 12 not realizing one
was supposed to use a pattern. In the early 60s, Avery approached two fabric shops and landed
herself two clothing-construction teaching jobs. Around that same time she realized quilting was
beginning to make a comeback. Although she had never made a quilt, she thought of them as simply
another form of sewing. It never occurred to her that she couldn’t teach it. With some family quilts as
a guide, and a couple of magazine articles, she gave herself a crash course and planned a series of
lessons.
In August 1976, Avery attended the first quilt conference of the new “quilt renaissance” held in
Ithaca, New York, and it became a turning point for her career. Not only were quilts the major topic,
but patchwork clothes were very much in evidence, and this gave Jinny the confidence to begin
teaching clothing classed along with quilting classes.
As an accomplished jazz pianist, Jinny has played with the King Street Stompers for more than fifty
years. This lively dedicated group of musicians have appeared on the Today Show and played for
the United Nation’s Delegates, as well as many other events. Her traffic-stopping coats that she is
so well-known for are: “Don’t Shoot the Piano Player She’s Doing the Best She Can,” on the cover of
Wonderful Wearables, A Celebration of Creative Clothing (Collector Books, 1991); Midriff Lilies,
which is the reverse side of “Don’t Shoot the Piano Player She’s Doing the Best She Can;” and
Purple Passion on the cover of Quilts to Wear (Scribner, 1982). Her outfit for Fairfield Fashion Show’
s 10th anniversary was “There’ll Be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight,” a garment titled with an old
jazz tune.
In her forty-plus years in the wearable art and quilt world Virginia Avery has amassed a considerable
body of celebrated work, as well as a reputation as a teacher for inspiring and motivating her
students in a self-affirming, creative learning environment, richly deserving being named one of the
1000 most influential women of the 1990s by Mirabella magazine; selected as the 3rd recipient of
the 1996 Silver Star Award for Lifetime Achievement by the International Quilt Festival; and now for
her selection as the 36th Honoree into The Quilters Hall of Fame. Avery was once again in top form
walking the public through the retrospective “Virginia Avery: A Flair for Life” of her work and playing
her lively jazz at a jazz and jam session at the Community School of the Arts the night of July 15th.
Her official induction took place Saturday, July 16, in Marion, amidst heart-felt testimonies, as well as
tears and laughter, among her many friends and 17 family members present.
Teacher, jazz pianist.
Inducted in 2006 at The Quilters Hall of
Fame Celebration, Marion, Indiana.
Research Associate: Karen B. Alexander
Inducted in 2006 at The Quilters Hall of
Fame Celebration, Marion, Indiana.
Research Associate: Karen B. Alexander