Hi! My name is Esther, also known as Derlyn in this space. I started Quilted as a side business in 2017 while I was working as an architect in Singapore, taking in commissions for baby quilts from close family and friends. In 2022, I decided to leave the corporate architecture world to pursue Quilted as a full-time business creating quilted keepsakes for families in Singapore first, and eventually around the world. 

It all began when a young mother approached me to create something, anything, from a box of old shirts left behind by her late husband. She wanted to make sure their 2 year old daughter remembered him. Countless design iterations and tears later, my first Memory Quilt was born. It was then I realised there were people out there who sought comfort in these keepsakes, and it was much more than just preserving memories. They were memories you could hug.

I refined Quilted’s focus to specialise in memory keepsakes with the launch of the Standard Memory Quilt. Since then, I have had the privilege of creating pieces for families marking both joyful milestones and profound loss. Being a self-taught sewist and quilter, I poured myself into every detail and baby mitten on each quilt I made. 

As demand grew, I began training a small group of UNHCR Myanmar refugee women in Malaysia to support quilting production. Today, each order contributes to the livelihood of four women and their families, while unused donated garments are redirected to local communities through their churches. 

With the success of the Memory Quilts, I developed the Mini Memory Quilts shortly after the realisation that some keepsakes are meant to be gifted. Hence, I created a product that was smaller for gifting, and a lower price range for affordability all while still being able to turn the few precious pieces into a framed artwork on the wall of your homes. 

After the birth of my daughter in 2024, the weight of motherhood reminded me once more of the depth and purpose of my work in creating these keepsakes. The community of mothers that Quilted had unintentionally built, supported my journey pre and post-partum. This made me realise that motherhood is the most inclusive club in the world -  this was when I felt it safe to experiment, bounce ideas and share my work. I started the Memory Pillows as a new permanent product thanks to the encouragement and input from this mom tribe. 

What drives me in my work with Quilted, is watching mothers, fathers, grandparents, aunts and uncles, loved ones find comfort, joy and connection in pieces stitched from their own stories. We are preserving memories into a tangible product, by preserving this age-old craft at the same time. Today, Quilted has become part of many homes because families trust us to handle their memories with care, discretion, and exceptional attention to detail. That will always remain our north star.

I look forward to creating something meaningful with you.