Norma Buida

Brentwood, Tennessee

My friend Norma is quiet and humble. Her smile and charm are contagious. As you get to know her, you will love her quirky sense of humor and be awed by her amazing quilts.

Norma Buida (pronounced like “beautiful”) began her quilting journey in 1995. She was looking for a creative outlet that she could do with small children around. She started by making a quilt for each of them. Of course, one quilt led to another…. and now Norma works to satisfy herself, her own creative needs.

As far as family goes, Norma has a very supportive husband, who “pays for my habit”! They have 3 children ages 6, 12, and 14. Her children always ask one important question: “Are there pins in it?!” Norma’s family respects her work even when they don’t like it. They know that her quilts have been juried into shows and appraised for “real money”. Norma says that even though they are proud, no family member shares her lust for fabric!!

Norma is inspired by art, nature and crafts by other artisans. Her fabric choices reflect this inspiration. “Norma’s Nature Colors” include greens, blues, rust, orange, brown, and tan. She likes to incorporate many different fabrics into each quilt. You will frequently find curves, circles and asymmetrical designs in Norma’s work. For the past 2 years, circles have been incorporated into nearly every one of Norma’s quilts, thus her nickname…Circle Girl!

Other hobbies? Norma loves to read and travel. She finds that both of these activities expose her to new ideas and stimuli. New information jumpstarts Norma’s creativity and pushes her to “create, not repeat”.

Except for basting, Norma enjoys each aspect of the quilting process. She typically starts with an idea or part of a traditional pattern and lets it grow and develop without much pre-planning. Machine piecing and quilting are preferred methods. As far as working in a series, “If I stay true to myself, they fall into series. One quilt always influences the next.”

Norma has lots of good advice for new quilters. The first of which is Nike’s famous motto: Just Do It!. Her other recommendations are:
1. Turn off the TV
2. Quilt in small blocks of time
3. Make it a priority.

Be on the lookout for the latest Circle Girl creation at your next quilt show! I hope that someday you will not only get to experience Norma’s quilts, but will also have the pleasure of meeting her in person.