By Laura Gossman Horihan

Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

SPRING GROVE -- Quilting isn't just about keeping fingers busy.

For one Spring Grove woman, quilting helps her sort out her mind.

Designer Kay M. Capps Cross has turned her basement into a quilting studio, with spools upon spools of thread and yards upon yards of fabric. She sells her own patterns from her business, called Cross Cuts.

The 46-year-old has struggled with clinical depression and an eating disorder. Quilting became a form of therapy for her about 10 years ago.

Cross' therapist learned that Cross enjoys quilting, and he suggested she bring her quilts in and talk about them.

"Quilting became an assignment," Cross said.

That's when she stopped thinking about whether her quilts could be made into patterns to sell and began quilting her emotions.

The quilts born during her therapy sessions will be part of Cross' first complete showing, titled "Door's Open," during July at Bluff Country Artists Gallery in Spring Grove.

A grand opening will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. July 6 at the gallery, and Cross will be there to answer questions about the quilts.

Contrasts

Black and white has been a common theme in Cross' quilts, because that's the way she has often seen her life.

She's known as the "black and white lady" by other quilters and has published three books about how to make black and white quilts.

While she feels healthier now, there were times when Cross struggled to get out of bed each morning.

Her family and her quilts helped her through it.

She took each quilt to her psychiatrist, and he suggested that she take her quilts to group therapy.

"I think he was hoping they would say they didn't like my quilts, because then I would have to deal with that," Cross said.

She said each quilt she makes has meaning, and some of the themes are raw and powerful.

"Each quilt says something about me or my family and where I was at that particular time," Cross said.

For example, one of the quilts, called "Snuggle Time He-Man," is about her husband.

She said she doesn't draw well and is too impatient to make drawings of her quilts before she starts sewing.

"The whole picture is usually in my head," Cross said. "Some of the meaning behind the quilt is there from the beginning, but some of it evolves over time."

Works in progress

There's a few quilts she still needs to finish before the show.

One quilt in particular will be difficult for her to finish, she said. The black and white quilt shows a little more color, but there's still some larger blocks of black in the mix.

"I'm nervous about it," Cross said. "I never learned the line between confident and egotism, so I had problems quilting this one."

She admits she will feel a little naked having all of her feelings on display at the gallery for the community to see.

"In effect, this is the final purge," Cross said. "I don't have to be careful about what I say anymore."

Nonetheless, Cross is glad she has chosen to display the quilts, and she hopes her story might help someone else.

While some of the quilts reflect darkness and gloom, the final quilt in the series reflects hope.

"That's the message I want to give others," Cross said.

For more information, go to Postbulletin.com/weblinks.

Bluff County Artists Gallery

http://www.bluffcountryartistsgallery.org

Cross Cuts

http://www.crosscutsquilting.com

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=31&a=406493

There are many ways that women work through issues. Example, my dear friend in Chatfield, MN lost her daughter to a shooting several years ago. With her not being able to sleep after that happened, Mary Louise taught herself how to crochet and made almost 100 afghans in a 9 months time.