Meet The ‘Crapped-Out’ Quilt Artist: Around The Frame
A few years ago, a young woman visited Born Again Quilts with a peculiar passion for a certain type of quilts and fabric. She wasn’t looking at beautiful fabrics and vintage quilts, rather she was looking through the remnant bins for small pieces of this and that and shelves of quilts well past their prime with missing blocks and torn fabrics to purchase. She came in a few times then seemed to vanish for a long time. When she did reappear, she brought in a family quilt in need of restoration and wanted us to keep the “crapped out” pieces for her. I started saving other “crapped out” pieces from other quilts we restored if the quilt owner didn’t want them back and she was thrilled to receive them. On one visit she brought along fellow artist, Dana Caldera, who also was impressed with all Born Again Quilts had to offer. This is how Kaylan Buteyn became known as the “Crapped-out Quilt Artist!”
As Kaylan put it, “I was incredibly excited to learn about a “quilt store” within walking distance of my home. Once I met Lois, I was even more excited because of the incredible knowledge Lois has in sharing about quilts and fabrics. Every artist has an element of research in their art making practice and a casual Saturday stop into BAQ fulfills my research in a very fun way. I also really appreciate Lois’ resourcefulness and her well-connected network in Fort Wayne. Her friend Priscilla, who is also at BAQ most Saturday mornings, is also a real gift; as she has restored a handful of my Great-Grandmother’s quilts for my family!”
I soon learned that Kaylan wasn’t just a local artist. She has been juried into art exhibits in Texas, North Carolina, Michigan, and as far away as Scotland. These exhibits can be very competitive, only curating 20 artworks from around the country. In the Fall of 2024, her textile art was exhibited locally at Artlink. It was great to view her artwork and find familiar pieces of crapped out fabric from BAQ in some of them.
As a mother of three children, Kaylan started the Artist/Mother podcast. She interviews Artist/Mothers who share their experiences and inspire other artist/mothers in taking pride in their artwork while being the best parent they can be.
Just when you’d think her plate was full, Kaylan and her partner John purchased a home on the “Beer Block” (as opposed to the Champagne block) of Illsley Dr. and turned it into Kinhouse Art, an art residency space. Kinhouse is a unique residency model that appears to be a one-of-a-kind experience across Indiana. Artists need to apply and be accepted for a week-long experience. They get full access to the three-bedroom home and its two studio spaces. While other types of residence programs are often for a much longer time, The Kinhouse one-week experience allows the artists to be able to devote time to their passion for a more manageable time. The artist’s family is welcome to come too and there are no expectations placed on the artists; they are welcome to spend their residency however they wish.
Kaylan has put together a Neighborhood Guide that resident artists are given which is full of suggestions for local businesses to visit. The top favorites and most visited are the ones that are walkable to the residency including Bravas, Friendly Fox, Antonuccio’s Italian Market, and Born Again Quilts. It’s been a joy to welcome Kaylan’s artists to see all my fabrics and textiles. Artist from Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Illinois, New York, California, Massachusetts, and more states have been thrilled to be able to see such a vast collection of vintage and contemporary fabrics all in one space. As an artist from Detroit wistfully commented, “I wish we had a fabric thrift store near me.” Another artist, when she was checking out, shared that she was torn about paying so much for a 1950s geometric print, but she said, “If I don’t buy it, I’ll regret it. I’ll never find anything else like it.”
About a year ago, Kaylan and Dana moved into Kinhouse Gallery at 1601 Oakland St. The space allows them more room to create and invite art enthusiasts to view not only their works, but other artists’ works as well.
Kaylan’s work and contributions to the Fort Wayne art scene have not gone unnoticed. In March, she was awarded the 2025 Arts United Distinguished Artist Award: A well-deserved honor for all her innovative artwork, podcast, and welcoming out-of-town artists to Fort Wayne. So, the next time you come across a piece of fabric or a textile that has seen better days, just know there is an artist who sees the potential in crapped out fabric!
Lois Levihn now celebrating her 16th year as a Waynedale News columnist is the owner of Born Again Quilts. If you have a textile story to share, contact her at 260-515-9446 or bornagainquilts@frontier.com .
> Read Full Biography
> More Articles Written By This Writer
- Meet The ‘Crapped-Out’ Quilt Artist: Around The Frame - October 10, 2025
- The Quilt Design Legacy Of Hubert Ver Mehren: Around The Frame - September 12, 2025
- New South Fort Wayne Crosswalk Mural - September 12, 2025