Born in September 1956, Charlene Hart grew up in the rural mill town of Putnam, Connecticut, nestled along the Quinebaug River.

“I lived in Putnam until I was 21,” she said. “Then my family moved to Livonia, Michigan.”

Hart, a Woodhaven resident since 2017, is married, has two sons and a daughter, and shares her home with two small dogs, a Bichon-Shih tzu and a Maltese-Shih tzu.

“Woodhaven is a wonderful community,” she said. “We’ve made great friends here. There’s a good library, great parks and we love events like the Uncle Sam Jam.”

In 2022, Hart launched The Guided Thread, a private home-based quilting business specializing in longarm quilting.

“I do quilting on a longarm machine,” she said. “I have a computer-guided, robotic system attached to the machine and I stitch digitized designs onto quilt tops provided by clients.”

She serves more than 40 regular clients, all acquired via word of mouth.

“They bring me the quilt top and backing,” she said. “The backing has to be at least five inches larger than the quilt top. Most clients can purchase batting – the middle layer between the top and backing – directly from me, choosing from wool, cotton or poly-cotton blends. Typical turnaround time is six to eight weeks.”

Each project begins with careful preparation. “Ironing and steaming out creases,” she said, “then loading the backing, batting and quilt top. Then designing or selecting a pattern on the computer before stitching.”

Though largely self-taught, Hart honed her skills through beginner classes at Accomplish Quilting in St. Joseph, MI, and YouTube tutorials from master quilters Corey Pearson and Angela Walters. She’s also active in the Quilt Makers of Michigan Guild, based in Trenton, which meets monthly.

“Our president, Jackie Lemanski, grew the guild from 30 to over 130 members,” Hart said.

Before quilting became her focus, Hart earned an associate degree in nursing from Schoolcraft College and worked for decades as an LPN in skilled care and wound care, including time at Detroit Medical Center (DMC).

“Some of it was particularly intense,” she recalled, referencing severe diabetic ulcers, surgical wounds and gangrene. “Quilting offers a creative counterbalance.”

She originally learned to sew by watching her mother, an accomplished seamstress, and started with couture clothing and alterations. Today, her studio is her sanctuary.

“It’s meditative,” she said. “Each piece tells a unique story.”

When not quilting, Hart and her husband, Pat, enjoy trips to Palm Coast, Florida, and rustic cabin stays in Iron Mountain, Michigan. Every August, you can find her shopping the massive Grand Rapids Quilt Show.

Closer to home, the couple frequents Champions Bar for mushroom Swiss burgers and sweet potato fries, Woodside Meadows in Romulus for Friday fish and chips, Taco Tuesdays at Amigo’s, and peaceful walks at Trenton’s Elizabeth Park.

For Hart, Woodhaven isn’t just where she lives. It’s where creativity, family and community are stitched lovingly together. Email Hart at TheGuidedThread@gmail.com.