Here at the Ohlmann Group, it’s no secret that our team is comprised of some highly skilled and creative people. However, beyond our work for our clients, many of our staff enjoy hobbies and passion projects that are uniquely their own. Today we’re highlighting a member of our team with a talent that’s sure to impress.
Kim Gros is the controller at The Ohlmann Group. Besides ensuring our agency’s internal processes run as smoothly as possible, she’s well known as the office’s appointed cake-maker for all birthdays. But few people know that in addition to keeping our accounting in line, Kim is also an incredibly talented quilter. (Be sure to check out some of her quilts at the end of this article!) I recently sat down with Kim to learn more about her passion for quilting and her views on the creative process.
Kim created her first quilt in 2004 and hasn’t stopped making fantastic quilts since. Prior to quilting, she was an avid cross-stitcher. It wasn’t until she saw a pattern for a quilt with cross-stitched pieces that she became interested in trying to learn to quilt.
After a class at a local quilting store, she fell in love. “I love the speed of quilting. I can finish a quilt in just a weekend, but cross-stitching projects take much longer to complete,” she said.
While Kim doesn’t consider herself creative, but there is undoubtedly a level of creativity that goes into making a fabulous quilt. From following an intricate pattern to deciding on a color palette, the process of making a quilt includes both analytical and creative thinking.
“I don’t think of myself as creative, but if you give me instructions I can follow them and it turns out every time,” she said.
When asked to compare her role at the Ohlmann Group with quilting, Kim noted several similarities. Much like accounting, quilting is exact, she said. Both involve following a step-by-step procedure from start to finish. This precise, organized procedure is exactly the area where Kim excels.
“Quilting is relaxing,” she said. “And so is balancing a bank statement!”
Kim has also used her talent to give back to others. As a member of two different quilting organizations, Kim regularly creates quilts for Quilts of Valor and Project Linus and frequently donates her quilts to charity raffles and other community organizations. When the popular TV show Extreme Makeover Home Edition remodeled a home for a family in Beavercreek, Kim’s quilting guild made seven quilts for the family in just seven days.
Check out a few of Kim’s amazing quilts below. They’re spectacular!
