Billy Reue for FreeSpirit Fabrics

William, or Billy Reue is an architect, artist, and quilter whose creative pursuits explore the intersections between abstraction and the built environment. He maintains an architectural practice in New York City and is known for his thoughtfully-considered projects that marry creativity with pragmatism.

William’s interest in quilting and fabric design was sparked when he attended a free quilting workshop with his sister, Yvonne, at her local library in Victoria, Texas. He was intrigued by how simple materials and fabrication techniques were used to create compositions of rich geometric complexity and profound meaning. Color, pattern, rhythm, hierarchy, logic -- the language of quilts is the language of architecture. He was instantly hooked, and he bought his first sewing machine immediately upon returning to New York City. His architecture office overlooking Madison Square Park transformed at night into a quilting studio where friends and clients would often stop by to examine his latest design experiments.