“Susan Vorbeck is responsible for much of the beauty that we live with daily in our home! We are so grateful to her for restoring 3 vintage quilts that were once hidden in a chest and now adorn our walls. She also provided sewing on pillows, created textiled panels for our closet doors, window coverings that are exquisite and special sock dolls for our grandchildren! Susan is a joy to work with, an inspired artist and craftsperson. Sadly, the art Susan creates may not be passed on to the next generation, so make haste to enjoy her myriad of talents.”
— Nina Rosen
“I am honored to be able to endorse my friend Susan Vorbeck. I have known Susan for almost 15 years, both in a professional and personal way. I know her to be and have been actively involved in knitting, weaving, quilting, embroidery, and commercial and couture sewing, amongst other Arts & Crafts. Her craftmanship and art are superlative. She is a master craftsperson and artist, though her sincere modesty would preclude her from claiming such for herself. Susan’s art, teaching, and life are informed by a deep and organic search for the meaning of life in all that we do, particularly through art and craft. Susan’s masterful skills, clear mind, and inspiration help to make her a great teacher. Susan has taught me many facets of all the above-mentioned areas, and I have found her teaching to be clear, quick and easy to pick up. Susan’s deep and caring nature also makes her both a very good teacher and an easy person to be with. I highly recommend working with her to anyone who wants to deepen both their skills and their vision for their own Arts & Crafts life.”
— John Gwynn
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to work with Susan on our home decorating projects. Exceptionally creative, Susan is an artist who communicates in cloth. She transformed a vintage kimono into a gorgeous bolster sleeve, Italian jacquard fabric into flowing drapery, and finely woven linen into library roman shades. Favorite plaid and floral remnants were hand-quilted into pillow covers.
Her expertise as a seamstress is evident in every aspect of her art. Antique silk fragments become luminous compositions. Delicate embroidery embellishments give definition to the patterns she designs. Susan’s collage compositions delight and energize with dynamic effect. Our minds are engaged and fascinated.
Susan’s aesthetic enhances our appreciation of color, texture and design, a lasting gift from this artist.”
— Maren Hicks
“I have known Susan for over 30 years. During that time I have employed her to make window treatments, bedding, pillows, tablecloths, napkins, placemats and sofa coverings. Her exquisite taste in fabrics and master craftsmanship transformed the dining rooms, living rooms, guest rooms and master bedrooms of the three homes I have lived in during that time. The sheer linen roman shades, for example, in my Boulder bedroom and the wall of white linen curtains in my Seattle master bedroom have the effect of softening and refreshing the rooms; accented by her other finishing touches in the pillows and bed skirts. The rooms are so welcoming to walk into because of the “feel” Susan’s touch creates.
Her attention to detail, understanding and love of fabrics made these homes come alive with the evident care put into her design and selection of materials. She is drawn to natural fabrics and, as an artist, composes her pieces with an understanding of color and pattern…sometimes making the dye herself.
She has also taken her craft to the walls by creating some one-of-a-kind pieces of art using silk, hand-stitched into unique patterns and framed. One of these colorful, unusual pieces of silk art hangs at the top of an open stairway in my Boulder home. The vivid colors and design are literally uplifting.
She has also taught me to make dolls. The excitement and joy in my granddaughter’s eyes when she opened her birthday present to find a handcrafted doll! She named her “Dorothy” at first sight because the doll seemed to step out of the Wizard of Oz.
When it comes to fabrics, it is Susan who is a wizard, a true genius and master seamstress. She is a rare gem in this world of mass production and artificial products. It is a joy to see Susan’s creations affirming that real care and attention to detail still exist.
Finally, her positive attitude, sense of humor and love she has for her craft make her a delight to work with.”