Elly's path from career woman to stay-at-home mom of three, led her to become an early professional in the nascent quilt movement of the early 70s. Elly notes that her Wellesley College Class of 1964 is a "cusp generation" - women who as freshmen expected to live their mothers' 1950s societal ideal, but who were the object of radically different expectations by the time they graduated. Elly herself earned a Masters of Science degree and taught high school for seven years. A history major with a lifetime love of needleart, Elly's traditionalist desire to stay at home once her children arrived led to home-centered enterprises related to the burgeoning quilt world industry. Her experiences range from quilting teacher, to retail mail-order proprietess, to respected quiltmaker, to author, historian, and president of the Elly Sienkiewicz Applique Academy. Elly's devotion as a teacher, her concern for her students and her love for quiltmaking have made her a cherished mentor. She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband Stan, and, whenever they can be there too, their children and grandchildren.