About this episode
Our guest today is Phyllis Elmore, a remarkable woman whose story is as unforgettable as the quilts that helped shape her life. Phyllis is the author of Quilt of Souls , a powerful and deeply personal memoir that has touched readers across the country. Born in the Detroit and raised by her grandmother Lula in rural Alabama, Phyllis found herself immersed in a world of deep wisdom, quiet strength, and generational resilience. It was there, surrounded by women who stitched their pain, perseverance, and history into quilts, that Phyllis discovered healing—and the true meaning of family. In 1973, Phyllis joined the United States Air Force and was one of the first female Aircraft Pneudraulic Specialist for the B-52 Bomber. After leaving the Air Force she attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, graduating with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology. In 2001, she joined the Army National Guard as an active-duty guard member. It’s also noteworthy to mention that Phyllis was one of only a handful of women in the military who served in three major military conflicts including the Vietnam Era where she served a temporary duty assignment to Vietnam before the 1975 fall of Saigon. She was also deployed to Saudi Arabia as a member of Operation Desert Storm, and in December 2003 as a member of the Army National Guard where she was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. In her civilian career she worked as a counselor for incarcerated youth and for women who were victims of domestic violence. She also spent ten years as a Substance Abuse Counseling Supervisor. In her remarkable book Quilt of Souls , Phyllis shares stories that were nearly lost stories of the Black women who raised children not theirs, who held families together through hardship, and who passed down their heritage through hands that stitched, cooked, comforted, and carried so much. Her writing is rich, lyrical, and full of love—an act of remembrance and a celebration of the strength it takes to keep going, and to keep telling the truth. (3:11) Phyllis recounts being uprooted from Detroit at age four and sent to rural Alabama to live with her grandmother, Lula. She describes the powerful emotional refuge of Lula’s quilts—especially one that made her feel truly safe for the first time. (8:03) We get to know Grandmother Lula, an indomitable force who stitched not only quilts but entire communities together. Lula lived to be 105 years old and was threading a needle at 100. (15:55) Phyllis reflects on her return to Detroit as a teen, where she was labeled “incorrigible”—and how those experiences shaped her decision to join the U.S. Air Force. (23:57) After her military service, Phyllis worked as a counselor for incarcerated youth and women facing domestic abuse. Hear how she channeled her life experiences into serving others. (27:30) What inspired Quilt of Souls ? Phyllis shares the moment she realized that the stories she carried could—and should—be written down. (30:39) She recalls a particularly poignant story unearthed during her research—one that stuck with her and shaped the book’s message. (34:27) Meet Miss Jubilee and hear about the extraordinary quilts and lives Phyllis encountered while researching her memoir. (40:43) Discover the Quilt of Souls Preservation Project and get a preview of Phyllis’ upcoming Quilt of Souls Gathering in June 2026. (46:15) Phyllis reveals what she hopes readers take away from Quilt of Souls —and why she believes it’s never too late to “right” your story. (51:00) What didn’t we ask that she wishes we had? Phyllis gives us a thoughtful answer. (52:10) Want to connect with Phyllis? Visit www.thequiltofsouls.com or email her at thequiltofsouls@yahoo.com . Be sure to subscribe to, review and rate this podcast on your favorite platform…and visit our website sewandsopodcast.com for more information about today’s and all of our Guests.