About Us

Working with Fiber and Textiles has been a long family tradition as both the maternal and paternal family lines have had hand-weavers, quilters, dress makers and rug makers dating back to the 1500s. Annabelle Leitner and her immediate family is continuing the tradition and in 1980 established a home-based business focusing primarily on the fiber and textile arts and crafts.

Pioneering has also been another family tradition as branches of the family migrated to the "New World" in the late 1600s and early 1700s settling primarily in New Amsterdam and the Colonies of Viriginia and South Carolina. Several branches later migrated to the Territory of Florida in the mid-1800s to the areas that eventually became Alachua, Levy and Marion Counties. The family resides and works on the the Family Farm located in the scenic countryside of rural Northwest Marion County, which was established in 1857 by a great-great uncle and is still in operation today.

About Annabelle Leitner

Background: Has a Bachelor of Art in Art from the University of Florida College of Fine Arts. Honors included being selected by First Lady Hillary Clinton to design and handcraft an original Angel Ornament for the 1993 White House Christmas Tree and is now a part of the White House Christmas Angel Collection at the Smithsonian.

Awards: She has received many awards for her work in Fiber and Textiles including: Best of Show, Best Exhibit, Best in Fiber, Best in Weaving, Best in Quilting, Best Craftsmanship. She was featured in "Florida Crossroads: Documentary of the 1995 Florida Folk Festival" and Listed in "American Artists, An Illustrated Survey of Leading Contemporaries: Who's Who in American Contemporary Art."

Published Works: Introduction to Exhibit Catalog for Central Florida Community Colleges' Webber Center Gallery African American Quilt Exhibit. "History of the Shiloh Community, Its' Families & the Shiloh United Methodist Church"; "Coming Home to Shiloh". Features in the Ocala Star Banner's Neighbors Section.

Memberships: Co-Founder of Northwest Marion Quilters. Founding and Incorporating Member of the Micanopy Community Council for the Arts (MCCA). Marion County Florida Historical Commission. Micanopy Area Chamber of Commerce.