Welcome to my post for the
QUILT QWAZY QUEENS
blog hop.
In honor of World Wide Quilting Day,
She came up with this idea (which I think is great) so quilters can
share something about their quilting passion that they might
think is Qwazy!
Marian has procured a nice little discount for all our visitors until March 25, 2016.
Everyone wins with this!
When you place an order at
Fat Quarter Shop,
enter the code: seamstobe316
for 10% off your order.
I have two giveaways listed at the end of my blog.
The giveaway is for today only.
It ends at 11:59PM EST March 23, 2016.
The requirements to join this blog hop were very simple:
"Tell us your quilting adventures, your proudest moments, how you got started quilting, show us your past projects, or make something fun and new that might be a little qwazy."
Will do. I have 40+ years of quilting tales that I could write about to fill those requirements. But that would fill a very large book or a very long post. So I will tell you a bit about my quilting journey over the years.
I learned to sew, mostly on my own, about the age of 8. I sewed clothes for myself through college and a bit beyond. Not knowing the ins and outs of quilt making, I made a twin size quilt for myself in my last year of college. It is hillarious when I think of it now. I cut 4 inch squares from a variety of polyester/cotton fabrics in red, yellow, black and blue. I sewed them together in, what I found out later is, the Trip Around the World design. I put the quilt top over the polyester batting and used my decorative stitches on my Kenmore 1974 model sewing machine to sew the layers together down the seam lines. I sewed the yellow sheet backing, pillowcase style, to the other sewn layers. I didn't quilt or tie the backing to the top!
I was very proud of it and used it for many years, even in my daughter's bedroom. I am not sure what ever happened to it. I could only find one photo with the quilt in it.
I didn't have a clue what was in store for me in the coming years.
My first teaching job took me to a small town in Michigan. I found a quilt shop 15 miles away where I took a class. We learned to quilt by hand! We made templates from cardboard, learned the 9-patch block, half square triangle blocks, and applique which we designed ourselves. We hand quilted the layers and the binding was wrapped around. I am still proud of this wall hanging. I thank Milly Splitstone for the skills she taught us in that class.
(I am going to say right now that I am SO HAPPY the rotary cutter came along!)
In 1979, I joined a local quilt guild (Tall Pine Quilters Guild) that was starting up. It was fun getting together with people who shared the quilting interest. We shared ideas, had a really fun newsletter with tips and patterns. I went to a quilt retreat one weekend which was really fun.
Home, family, and job kept me busy, so I dropped out of the guild....but after 20 years, rejoined. The guild has brought many opportunities. We have had nationally known speakers come to our guild for trunk shows and classes. We have had quilt shows. We have joined together for charity sewing as well as to have fun sewing our own projects.
While teaching, I introduced my 1st grade and kindergarten students to quilting. I used it as math lessons. The quilts they made were given to local charities for toddlers.
Over the past 16 years, I have tried to take quilting classes in just about every technique devised at many different venues. I have made many new friends and travel with them to new quilting destinations. I have joined online groups and swaps, which have challenged me beyond what I felt comfortable doing. I've made quilts for more people than I can remember.
I have a fondness for many of the styles and methods of quilting. I have learned that making quilt tops is easy if one breaks the design into small steps. And I revert back to my early hand quilting lessons....fabric can be manipulated, there are ways to accomplish what is desired in quilting if we know what is out there.
I enjoy blogging (started in 2011) and sharing what I am doing with others. I began designing patterns in house at a quilt shop in 2004. I have since designed for Cut Loose Press and other shops and individuals.
I have a book idea I am working on now and then as time permits. And am now an Island Batik Ambassador.
Quilting has been quite a crazy journey, but one I am happy to be on. I am glad you took the time to stop and read about my quilting. I plan to continue my journey for many more years.
I hope your journey leads you to new opportunities and you experience wonderful quilts.
See what Quilt Qwazy thing the others are doing via this blog hop.
