Stitched With Love: Norma Hager’s Lifelong Passion for Quilting
January is National Hobby Month, a perfect time to celebrate the pastimes that bring joy, purpose, and connection. At Thalman Square, Norma Hager’s lifelong hobby does all three—one carefully pinned stitch at a time.
A lifelong love of quilting
Norma’s story with sewing began early. She started in 4-H, making clothing and learning by doing—then re-doing—until it was just right. “No one taught me,” she shared. “I learned by doing… and by re-doing. Sometimes I had to take things apart several times before I was happy with it. I like it perfect.”
That “perfect” standard has followed her through decades of projects—especially quilting. Norma is also a proud member of the Keepsake Quilters Guild of the Cedar Valley, where she’s enjoyed being part of a community that shares her love of fabric, patterns, and craftsmanship.
A Quilter’s Work-in-Progress
If you’ve ever sat next to a quilter, you know the reality: pins everywhere, fabric in laps, and someone gently warning you not to get too close.
Norma flips through her piles of “undones”
During a recent visit, Norma had squares spread out and stacks of fabric pieces ready to become something new. Nearby sat what she called “the undones”—a pile of orange-themed squares stitched together and waiting for their next chapter.
“It’s started, but we don’t have enough yet,” she said with a smile. “I’ve got to go collect some more.”
Her daughter, Cyndi Craigmile, explained that the orange squares were a project Norma started years ago—something that surfaced during a move. “I found it when we moved her over here,” she said. Norma commenting at the obvious, “orange is my favorite color.” Soon enough, that “undone” stack will likely turn into a couple quilts.
Seasonal favorites and a heart on the wall
Norma shows off her recently finished project
While Norma has made everything from clothes to quilts, she has a soft spot for small seasonal projects—pieces that bring a little celebration into everyday spaces.
Her latest completed project is a heart wall hanging, a sweet reminder that her hobby isn’t just about fabric—it’s about joy. At Thalman Square, Norma enjoys sharing her work, bringing pieces to social time, and seeing the reactions from neighbors. The compliments matter, and so does the feeling of contributing something beautiful.
As CTRS and Leisure Coordinator Hollie Beam shared, hobbies like Norma’s do more than fill time—they nurture identity and self-worth. Norma put it simply: “It makes me feel good that I can still do these things. I still have something left to give back.”
“It makes me feel good that I can still do these things. I still have something left to give back.”
A family tradition stitched with love
Just several of the 28 Christmas stockings Norma has made for her family.
Norma’s quilting has also become part of her family’s story. Over the years, she has made 28 Christmas stockings—one for each child, grandchild, and spouse—with more on the way.
At family Christmas gatherings, everyone has a stocking, and everyone receives something tucked inside. It’s tradition, yes—but it’s also a tangible reminder of care, time, and love. And in true Norma fashion, each stocking is a little different—made with intention for the person it belongs to.
A wedding dress (and a sweet family story)
Cyndi Craigmile, Norma’s daughter, on her wedding day wearing a dress made by her and her mother.
Cyndi grew up with sewing as part of everyday life. “At age five, I was behind a sewing machine,” she said, remembering sewing strips for rag rugs and learning quickly. By nine, she was putting in zippers, and later she sewed through years of 4-H—including her senior prom dress.
Cyndi’s sister wearing the same handmade wedding dress. Pictured with Norma.
Norma’s talent has shown up in big moments, too—like the time she made a wedding dress that became a family legend. “She made my wedding dress and my sister’s wedding dress,” her daughter, Cyndi, shared. Norma did the sewing, and her daughter added 3,200 hand-sewn pearl beads—with lace that was “just long enough to get down the aisle.” After the ceremony, finishing touches kept getting postponed… and postponed. “My wedding dress is yet to be finished,” her daughter laughed, “and I’ve been married 40 years.” Somehow the very same dress made it down the aisle again for her sister—still not totally finished. Norma’s verdict? “Nobody noticed it anyway!”
Two teacups vs. hundreds of pins
The family sewing legacy also includes a hilarious contrast in style.
Norma’s mom “could not really sew,” Cyndi joked. “We called Grandma a two teacup sewer. She’d put a teacup here and a teacup here with a pin down the middle—and then she cut it up.”
Norma, on the other hand? She measures. She plans. She uses hundreds of pins. Precision is part of her craft—and part of what makes her work so impressive.
Cyndi Craigmile visits her mother, Norma Hager, at Thalman Square on her birthday.
More than a hobby
Quilting has followed Norma through every season of life: busy farm days, long hours, and quieter moments when there’s finally time to create. Even now, she wishes she had more fabric to work with—because for her, quilting isn’t just making something. It’s staying curious. Staying capable. Staying herself.
At Thalman Square, we love celebrating hobbies like Norma’s—because they remind us that creativity doesn’t retire. It evolves. And sometimes, it hangs on the wall as a heart, waiting to make someone smile.