about

Teresa Duryea Wong is a lifelong writer and communicator. She began her career as a television journalist, and spent several years as the publisher of a fine art magazine. For two decades, she worked for large corporations and eventually became an executive. 
 She is the author of four popular nonfiction books on quilts and textiles. She travels to Japan often to research and write and is the author of Japanese Contemporary Quilts and Quilters: The Story of an American Import (2015), and Cotton and Indigo from Japan (2017). In 2019, she published two new books, "American Cotton: Farm to Quilt," and "Magic & Memories: 45 Years of International Quilt Festival," which shares the story of two women who changed quilt history. 

In 2014, Teresa earned a Master of Liberal Studies degree from Rice University, where she authored her final capstone (thesis) on the history of Japanese quilts. In recognition of this academic research, she was named the ‘Faith P. and Charles L. Bybee Foundation Scholar’ by the Bybee Foundation and the Texas Quilt Museum.
 

Teresa has been a quiltmaker for 20 years and a couple of her quilts have been exhibited at the International Quilt Festival in Houston.

More info on her website:  teresaduryeawong.com

CONTACT:  teresa at third floor quilts dot com

Here's the rest of the story for anyone who cares to read it.

I made my first quilt in 1997. To be honest, I saw a quilt in a Pottery Barn catalog and thought it would look cute in my daughter's room, so I wanted to make one like it. I didn't really know a thing about quilting. I did know how to sew though. I used to sew a lot as a kid and through my early teen years. My mom taught me on an ancient Singer sewing machine. My grandmother Frances was an amazing creative genius. There is probably not a day that went by when I knew her, that she wasn't sewing something. She was the kind of person who was never idle and I think I get that from her. My dad was the same way, always busy. He passed away in 2005 and I still miss him.

I've been married for 30+ years to a wonderful guy.  He is Chinese-American, I am white. When we got married, I chose to change my last name. There is hardly a day that goes by when I don't get some strange reaction to being a white girl with an Asian last name. Really? You would think people could figure it out by now, but this shows our Western European bias in America. I will share two of the funniest and most maddening stories (in that order). I once got a traffic ticket, and when I showed up at night court, the judge was quite grumpy. He called my name. I walked up to the bench. He said "You are not Teresa Wong." "Yes sir I am." He recovered faster than anybody I know and said "How did you get a name like Teresa?"  Thank you Judge! The other one is not so funny... I was at a reception talking to an Asian woman who was married to a Caucasian. She had changed her surname to his name, and she asks me --- are you ready for this? "How did you get a Chinese last name?" Seriously??? Yes, this happens to me all the time. Oh well, at least people remember me.

My husband and I have two adult children. I've been working since I was 16. I worked at several jobs and eventually landed in the corporate world for 22 years. The last 10 years were high-pressure management roles, with tons of international travel, large staffs to manage and countless CEO's and executives to please. In my 22 years, I worked with 7 Fortune 500 CEOs and had a lot of executive bosses - some of them were wonderful role models, so intelligent, demanding and successful entrepreneurs.... real leaders who you wanted to work hard for and people who taught me a lot. Others, just demanding and not so wonderful.

In the years of working and raising kids, I made some awesome quilts.

Pattern by Kim Mclean. All hand applique! And hand quilted! Teresa Duryea Wong

My first was made with the help of my quilt buddy who taught me how to appliqué the quilt top. Then she actually hand quilted that first one. From there I went on and made one or two large quilts by hand each year. Some of them are quite awesome, some not so much. I eventually made a quilt for my son too. It was this really cool original design based on the Rainbow Fish, and I built this whole underwater world around that fish. My son didn't really want to sleep with that quilt at the time, apparently he didn't like the buttons I put on some of the fish for eyes, but I know one day he will cherish it. I hope anyway, if not... whatever. I made a quilt for the husband too and for my mom. And one for a dear friend.

Detail of the Rainbow Fish quilt I made 15+ years ago for my son.

A really interesting thing happened in 2012 that I think was fate... or simply God looking out for me. I went with my quilt buddy Amy G. to the Houston International Quilt Fest --- as we've done for the past 20 years. Much to my surprise, I walked into the Bernina booth and sat down and bought a machine. Yep, just like that. Of course, I'd been thinking about this. But I never really thought I would do such a thing. My first sewing machine cost about $200. I bought it at Sears. This Bernina cost more than several of my first cars.

Studio in 2018. Custom cutting table, Bernina 820 Quilters Edition, Bernina 450 serger, industrial leather sewing machine, DIY ironing table (18 x 60 inches!), and space for Tom The Dog!

I opted for the Bernina 820 Quilters Edition because I just wanted to focus on quilting, not embroidery.  I'm not really sure what convinced me to plop down this much money - maybe it was the interest-free finance plan. But I think mostly I made the purchase because I had this big fat corporate job. I thought, this is why I am working!

I started my first blog in the summer of 2013. After two months, I knew I could do better so I abandoned my rookie blog and started over with third floor quilts.

I entered my first juried art quilt competition in 2014 and I got in! My art quilt "Wanna Cookie" was accepted into the special exhibition "It's Raining Cats and Dogs" at International Quilt Festival. Another quilt has been accepted into Sacred Threads for 2015.

Teresa Duryea Wong, 2014. "Wanna Cookie?" Hand applique, machine quilted.
FINALIST: Special Exhibition: "It's Raining Cats and Dogs."

In 2013, I also left the corporate world (woohoo!) and started following my passion. I now quilt, sew, research and write full time. I have loved my journey with Japan and I treasure every moment I have spent there and the amazing people I have met, many of whom I now consider my friends.

So, for the 12 people who may have read all the way down to here (bless you!),

And back to my name thing, I've decided to bring back my maiden name and stick it in the middle. My 4 books are published under Teresa Duryea Wong.  Connects me to my dad, to my grandmother... and other parts of my family. Now you know the rest of the story. Thank you for reading!