Susan Damone Balch has successfully combined her passion for fly fishing with her passion for quilting and has created a new niche in the quilting world. Balch began to design and make quilts in 1978 using the sewing skills her mother taught her as a young girl. She picked up her first fly rod in 1983 when her husband introduced her to fly fishing; fishing for Atlantic salmon became an annual tradition for the couple.

As both her casting and quilting skills improved, Balch became an instructor in both fields during the 1990s. She exhibited her work in invitational, juried, and judged shows, where her quilts were recognized for their excellent craftsmanship, and she became a Federation of Fly Fishers certified casting instructor. In the meantime, she discovered the work of the Vermont-based Casting for Recovery and enrolled as a volunteer retreat instructor in 1996. From 2000 until 2007, Balch served as program director for Casting for Recovery and was one of the earliest paid staff members of that organization. When, in 2010, Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing arrived in Vermont, Balch signed up to be a volunteer instructor.

Today Balch’s unique award-winning quilting designs and patterns are inspired by her love of the natural world that she sees while fly fishing. She has completed hundreds of quilted works and has received awards for excellence in quilting and best original concept of design at various shows across America. Balch is a member of the Studio Art Quilt Association, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Atlantic Salmon Federation, and Trout Unlimited.

Susan Balch lives in Vermont with her husband and dog. She continues to quilt and teach fly fishing.

Note: this text was written in 2011.