On March 7, 2026, MoonTree Studios held a special reception for its latest exhibition “The Colors of Quilting.” This showcase displayed the work of Sister Joyce Diltz, PHJC, an extensive collection that features over 35 beautiful handmade quilted pieces, including wall hangings, framed works, table runners, throws, bed quilts, totes, purses, and gift wrap bags.
When Sister Joyce was five years old, her mother gifted her a child-sized napkin and tablecloth sewing kit that included cross-stitching guides and variegated – that is, multi-colored – thread. This gift ignited Sister Joyce’s passion for sewing and, under the guidance of her mother, she began to sew clothes for her dolls and eventually for herself. To this day, she favors working with variegated threads.
Sister Joyce began quilting in 1984, at first making simple wine bottle bags and decorating sweatshirts with quilt blocks. She has since gone on to quilt her own luggage and has even fashioned memory quilts out of the clothing of friends’ deceased loved ones.
“Color is my inspiration when I make quilts,” Sister Joyce said. “I gather colors that go well together and then figure out how to use them. My preference is to hand quilt. There is something so engaging about rhythmically stitching quilts together by hand.”
Sister Joyce frequently pays tribute to her Poor Handmaid identity in her quilting. The first bed quilt she ever made features a pattern of “little houses,” representing the first Little House that PHJC foundress Saint Katharina Kasper established in 1848. Another of Sister Joyce’s quilts is decorated with a pattern of linden leaves and is made with fabric she procured in Germany. Since linden trees grew around the Heilborn Chapel where Saint Katharina would pray, the linden leaf has become a beloved symbol for Poor Handmaids around the world.
Sister Joyce looks forward to continuing her quilting journey, bringing patterns to life with beautiful and eye-catching color combinations.
