Based in Aurora, Illinois, Teresa Fiehn Millies is an improvisational quilt artist whose work explores themes of self-discovery, identity, and personal creative practice. She works primarily with second hand materials, bridging freeform color and shape with traditional motifs. She is the author of the Quilter’s Inspiration Deck. Her quilts have been exhibited at QuiltCon 2024 and AQS QuiltWeek in Paducah 2023. Teresa currently teaches quilting at the College of Dupage in Warrenville, IL.

Person with short pink hair smiling against a brick wall, wearing a dark sweater.

Hi friends! I’m Teresa.

Artist Statement

Sewing kit with colorful pin cushion, needle thread, thimble, and scissors on a patterned quilt.

Colorful patchwork quilt with various geometric patterns and bright colors on a dark background.

My work centers on self-exploration and acceptance. Every quilt begins with curiosity and a willingness to trust. I have complete faith in the creative process to bring me closer to myself and my path. Creating is a meditative act that connects me to something deeper and brings what's beneath the surface to the light to be held and transformed.

I work with second hand fabric and thrifted materials to create improvisational designs rooted in traditional patterns and motifs. The magic comes in leaving space for the unexpected: for discomfort, bold choices, and imperfect beauty, while always honoring the rich legacy of skill, resourcefulness, activism. When we stitch we are connecting to the our lineage of women and queer quilter’s stories that are inherent in needlework.

I explore themes of identity and belonging, always chasing the freedom to create for myself on my own terms. I want my work to feel both familiar and dissonant—to stir something just beneath the surface. I make to understand what I don't yet have words for, and to invite that same shift in others. At its core, my work is about uncovering universal truths for connection.