In every presentation I give on behalf of the Quilt Alliance, I share two beliefs that guide our mission: Quilts are historical documents, carrying vital information about the lives, families, communities, and cultures of their makers. Most quilts outlive their makers, making it essential to preserve not only the quilt but also the story of its creator. After a quiltmaker has passed away, an undocumented quilt risks becoming anonymous—a one-of-a-kind textile with no story attached. Through labeling, photography, videography, and oral history, Quilt Alliance projects ensure that quilts and their makers are remembered, not forgotten. I’m never more aware of the importance of our work than when a quilter we’ve documented passes away, especially when that quilter is a friend. On January 21, 2023, I interviewed Thelma Luciana, my third-grade teacher, for the QSOS oral history project. Thelma’s daughter, Lynda Reilich, had contacted me a few months before to arrange the interview to commemorate Thelma’s 90th birthday. On the day of the interview, I visited Thelma’s beautiful 1950s home in my hometown of Morganton, nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where she and her late husband, Jim, raised Lynda and her sister Cathy. The Luciana home was filled with Thelma’s quilts — on walls, beds, shelves, and handmade quilt racks made by Jim. I got a fun tour of Thelma’s large collection of works, all hand pieced, appliqued, and quilted. Also neatly and artfully displayed around the house were treasured family quilts, dolls, and miniature furniture. We set up a quilt stand with the piece that Thelma had chosen as her “touchstone quilt.” Dream of the Thistledown Fairies would serve as the starting point for our interview. Our interview was delightful. I loved learning about Thelma’s history; how she learned to sew and quilt from the women in her family in her hometown, nearby Black Mountain, NC. I was so grateful to Lynda for contacting me and setting the documentation session into motion. We sent out a press release to the two local newspapers, and both ran stories about Thelma’s interview. The Burke Quilters Guild honored Thelma by hosting me at one of their meetings, and I played back the interview for the group. You can watch the video recording, explore the full interview, and see more photos of Thelma’s touchstone quilt on the QSOS website. Thelma Luciana passed away in her lovely home on August 22, 2025. Her QSOS interview is mentioned in her obituary, and her family displayed Dream of the Thistledown Fairies and many of her quilts and treasures at her memorial service. Thelma will be missed by her family, former students like me, her devoted friends, and fellow quilters, but her story will never fade away, and her quilts will never be called anonymous.