about

Born and raised in The Netherlands, Hilde first caught the quilting bug in Marietta (Georgia, USA) over 30 years ago. Since then, she has lived in 11 countries across 4 different continents. While living and travelling around the world she got the chance to explore different techniques, styles and textiles: North American, Asian, South American, Mediterranean and West African.

“Sharing my love for African textiles with those who want to learn something new and who are, like me, passionate about the vibrant colours is one of my goals”

photo by Bertrand Bechard

Hilde started making boxes with acid free grey cardboard / binder board (French cartonnage) when she lived in Singapore. Soon she started teaching with a friend and discovered she loved teaching and sharing her passion for colours and textile crafts. This is when she started her small business Geckoboxes, which she continued in the countries that followed, with the craft connecting her to new friends and inspiration.

From 2015 until 2018 she resided in Accra, Ghana. When relocating there, Hilde decided not to bring any of her own materials with her as she wanted to work only with those available at the local markets, such as Makola market, and the various stalls along the streets. Hilde became fascinated by the women draping their bodies with different fabrics in such vibrant combinations of colours she would never have thought of. This is where her journey of bringing together the bold prints and colours of the African fabrics in her quilts started.

In Accra she hosted workshops focusing on how to make boxes in different shapes and sizes. For those who couldn’t sew but wanted to do something with the widely available fabrics this was a great skill to take on. She also collaborated with small local entrepreneurs and showed them how to make gift boxes for their own businesses.

After 3 years in Ghana, Hilde and her husband returned to the Netherlands with a supply of African fabrics big enough to continue making quilts and boxes for many more years.

Hilde has continued teaching workshops. During the Covid-19 pandemic she has also started online courses, allowing her to continue to connect with friends old and new across the world.

Select press & exhibits
2018 Article in Dutch newspaper Algemeen Dagblad Nov. 9 2018
2018 Quiltshow “Patchwork en Quiltdagen“ Rijswijk – The Netherlands (Overview of my work)
2019-2020 Oncology Centre, The Hague – Leidschendam Double Wedding Ring quilt on display
2019 Birmingham - England The Festival of Quilts, Category Contemporary “Fly Away with Me”
2019 Featured in Simply Moderne magazine #19
2019 Art Gallery Maaskoe Rotterdam – expositie Kunst en Design Winter Salon
2019 Featured in Quilt & Zo magazine #65
2022 Featered in Quiltmania #150
2023 Exhibiting and presenting workshops at Pour l’Amour du Fil Quiltshow, Nantes - France
2023 Summer Garden is selected for the Quilt National ‘23, Dairy Barn Arts Centre - Ohio, USA
2023 Exhibiting at the Carrefour European Patchwork Meeting September 2023

Coming up:
2024 Fabric stall at the Pour L’ Amour Du Fil show, Nantes, April 2024
2024 International Quilt Festival Luxemburg, May 2024

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