COVER STORY | Artisan Mom: Meet Kelly Ash and Her Daughter Heidi

Turning Birth Trauma into Love, Quilts, and Heartfelt Connections, Meet Kelly Ash of Heidi & Ade Handmade

WARRENVILLE/NAPERVILLE–What started as trying to heal the deep emotion of birth trauma turned into becoming a small business owner and living out motherhood the way Kelly always dreamed.

Married to her high school sweetheart, Colin, for the past eight years, their daughter, Heidi, made her grand entrance 6 weeks early and spent over two weeks in the NICU. Not being able to hold or even see her for the first 26 hours was incredibly tough—and leaving the hospital without her - absolutely heartbreaking. To feel close, the couple slept with one of Heidi’s blankets so it would carry their scent for when she finally came home. That connection meant everything.

Motherhood has been a wild, beautiful ride for Kelly, and most will attest to easily losing yourself in the process.  Starting Heidi & Ade Handmade became her way of reclaiming a little “me” time and channeling all that love and healing into something creative and personal. Each year on her daughter’s birthday, the family gives back, by donating quilted loveys to the Edward Hospital NICU in hopes of comforting other families on similar journeys.

Kelly specializes in vintage quilts repurposed to be your little’s new favorite lovey.  She also upcycles vintage clothing.  All handmade with love during Heidi’s naptime!

By day, Kelly is an orthodontic clinician in downtown Hinsdale. On weekends, you’ll find her at art fairs and Batavia Artisan Collective markets. 

As it turns out, “what if” turned into “look what I did,” for this local artisan mom!

Did you receive formal training for quilting design?

While I source and use vintage and antique quilts for all my work, quilting from scratch is a whole other side of things! I have self-taught myself how to quilt, repair and finish quilt tops from trusty YouTube & Pinterest! I have the highest respect for those who are seasoned quilters start-to-finish, it is not for the light-hearted.

What inspired the name of your business?

Heidi Adrenne is the name of our daughter. My maternal grandmother, Heidi’s great grandmother, was Adrenne (pronounced Aye-Dreen). Adrenne was a professional seamstress and passed away of breast cancer when my mom was only 21. I never had the opportunity to have her in my life but have always felt a strong connection to her more than I can explain. When we knew we were having a girl, naming her after Adrenne was a given and now, it feels completely right. Heidi & Ade as a name let me honor not only my daughter, but the combination of two different generations sharing a greater connection.

What are your favorite items to create?

My favorite item I make will always be the baby loveys and blankets. Because I use antique quilts, and most have been squirreled away in someone’s linen closet or cedar chest for years, knowing these quilts are getting a second life to a new generation of babies is the whole reason I love creating heirloom quality pieces.

What is trending in the fashion arts design world for Spring/Summer 2025?

I have seen so many companies this season showcasing quilt patch clothing! Free People and Abercrombie & Fitch have been at this for a while now.

What specialty tools or equipment are necessary to create/design quilting arts?

A rotary cutter is my ride or die (and now, so have band-aids). Our family owned a dry cleaners in downtown Naperville for 50+ years. Once it was time to close the doors, I ended up with the basic, Brother sewing machine that was used for alterations. She’s simple, yet mighty and I think it’s so special that I’ve been able to really take off with H&A using it! Though it’s not the machine my grandma Adrenne used when she was the seamstress at the dry-cleaner, it’s home was on the same table she would work & sew on.

Some artists share their emotions through their works, does any of your work represent certain phases of life, highs, lows, etc...?

When I start to gear up for our annual NICU donations, it’s hard to not feel a lot of the same emotions. Because I bring a lovey for each current family, I’ll call the NICU nurses station for an updated number of patients. Just having this number as a saved contact can feel heavy. Once I do start to lock in on making our donation loveys, I focus on intentionally slowing down and give my whole heart into knowing we get to be a part of a family’s story.

How has modern technology impacted your quilting?

I think that by giving a new life to an otherwise neglected textile has really helped to show others truly what “heirloom” can be. Not everything needs to be the latest and greatest, but something that was meant to be used, loved and worn can be just that. Slowing down with consuming influenced products and reliving in the comfort of generations-past.