About me


Hi, my name is Hilde Hoogwaerts-Cayman, I am a Dutch lady, 60 years old, married with 2 kids who have left home many moons ago.
My husband's job took us around the world and for the past 28 years we have been living in Rotterdam, Atlanta, Hong Kong, Genoa, Barcelona, Singapore, Saigon, Sao Paulo, Santiago - Chile and Accra - Ghana.



In Atlanta, in 1988, I became infected with the quilter’s virus and I have been making quilts ever since. In Singapore, a dear friend introduced me to box making and together we started giving workshops. Under the name of "Geckoboxes" I continued doing so after I moved to Saigon.

Initially I used the traditional patterns for quilting, later I started making my own designs. I soon realized that working with large and colorful prints gave me the most satisfaction. The right material was not available in all countries and I often took it with me in my suitcase when I visited the Netherlands.
The last three years in Ghana have greatly influenced my textile work. Bringing together the different colors and designs of the African fabrics has become a real challenge.

The experiences I have gained and working with local artists in different countries and cultures in America, Asia, Europe, South America and Ghana have given me my own view on color and shape.

Since July 2018 I have been living in the Netherlands again and I continue to look for new cooperation and inspiration in the field of textiles.




Making boxes is another passion of mine. I always look for a good balance of color and structure. The boxes are cut to size and then covered with fabric, bookbinding cloth and/or photos.

In Accra I gave workshops in boxing (cardboarding) almost every week. 
These workshops are currently on hold. It is however possible to order a personal box.


More information about the workshops can be found on my Facebook page Geckoboxes
Free tutorial video's are in my YouTube channel: hildehoogwaerts
My handmade boxes are available in my Etsy shop.
You can contact me on: geckoboxes