Judy Mathieson became interested in quiltmaking in 1973 while completing a BS degree in Home Economics (Textiles and Clothing) at California State University Northridge. She lectures and conducts workshops throughout the United States, and has worked in Canada, Japan, Australia, Scotland, New Zealand and England. She is certified by the National Quilt Association as a Judge.
Her work has won numerous prizes at Houston Quilt Festival, Pacific International Quilt Festival, Quilt National, Visions, NQA, and many other shows. Judy and her husband Jack lived for 30 years in the Los Angeles Area, but moved in 1996 to Sebastopol, 50 miles north of San Francisco. Jack is a retired systems manager who photographs quilts. They have two grown sons, a grandson, and three very important border collie dogs.
Mariner's compass quilt designs and their many variations are Judy's specialties. She uses various methods of piecing including freezer paper foundations that eliminate stitching through the paper. She also makes quilts for her own pleasure featuring dogs, since her husband enjoys training his dogs for sheep herding competitions.