judyjo

Hello from Cape Cod! I have been quilting for about 10 years but it sometimes takes a back seat to work and to my counted cross stitch, crocheting and knitting. I have made a quilt for each of my 4 grandsons but other than that my quilting consists of smaller projects as my work space is limited. I love scrap quilting and my latest quilt (which is almost done) is the Bear Paws pattern done with scraps left from pajamas, shorts, etc that I made for my grandsons. I also enjoy using up my scraps in strip quilting. After the holidays I hope to tackle some paper piecing. I'm amazed at the number of sites available on the web that offer free patterns!

I'm new to chat boards but hope to hear from some of you.

Judyjo

Leslee

Hi Judyjo! We've something in common--I grew up in MA and most all of my family still lives in the South Shore area. Winter or summer, I love Cape Cod and get there whenever I'm home to visit. All the New England history and the fabric and quilt shops...love it! I haven't tried paper piecing yet, myself. I have several books. I'll give it a try this coming year, too. Maybe we can compare notes!

judyjo

Hi Leslee........nice to hear from someone who LOVES Cape Cod. One of our sons now lives in Ohio, not far from Lake Erie. He always comes "home" between Christmas and New Years (we have our family celebration then). No matter how cold or windy, or stormy, we must take a walk on the beach! One of our grandsons also must always see the water every day when he's here visiting. Guess it's in the blood!

Already I can't wait to finish up all my Christmas projects so I can start working on all the ideas that are floating around in my head.

Judyjo

Leslee

This is more than a coincidence...my parents both worked at Stop & Shop, too! Dad finally retired 10 years ago, but Mom still stocks shelves part-time at 74. Doubt she'll ever retire. I can't manage to get her to try quilting, she claims not to know which end of the needle the thread goes through. :roll: I just love this message board idea, don't you? I've posted a couple of questions and got all kinds of answers and encouragement. Been quilting & sewing for 30 years and always learning something new! :lol:

judyjo

OK....let's dig a little deeper. Where on the south shore did you live? We lived in Randolph for 25 years before retiring down here on the Cape. I too have been sewing for what seems forever. While in Randolph I worked as a church secretary. I've only worked for Stop and Shop for 6 years. My mother taught me to sew when I was little and I have made a lot of own clothes up until a few years ago. Once the grandchildren came along I did a lot of sewing for them. I started quilting probably about 15 years ago when I took a course that was being run by the Adult Education dept. in Randolph. I think it was about a 6 week course and touched on a lot of different patterns. Now that I'm not doing as much sewing for myself or "my boys" I'm doing more quilting and really enjoying it! Just finished a quilt for my youngest grandson. All 4 now have quilts made by "Gramma Jo". I'll be posting a pic soon.

JudyJo

Leslee

Cool! I grew up mostly in Rockland. My parents have settled (finally!) in Middleboro, which I suppose is closer to Rhode Island than Boston. Mom always had dreams of settling on the Cape and I have to admit I fell in love with it myself years ago. Something about the ocean and those beautiful old towns. Mom and I once fabric-shop hopped from Weymouth clear through the Cape one summer weekend and about drove my father crazy! Right now I've been sewing machine comparison shopping as my latest project (it is SOOOOO confusing, and pricey!) My sewing's done on a darling Singer from the 1930's and I'd like to give her a break.

judyjo

I'm still using my trustee ole basic Kenmore!

Peggy1962

What a cool idea. I made a blue jean quilt for my oldest Grandson once, from cut offs I did for him in the summer time. He still has it. Sewed buttons on some of the squares. Wrote a poem and put it on the back of the quilt. Only things is my daughter washed it to much and the poem came off. It was the iron on kind.

I do not sew but wonder if someday I can con some material scraps from my DIL. I am hoping she will get the quilting but as the boys get older tho as neither of my daughter are that interested.

Peggy1962

oops meant the quilting bug. lol.

Randy

Hi Leslie:
Nice reading your bio. Years ago we lived in Rhode Island when my husband was in the Navy at Quonset Point. I loved all the textile shops that were adjacent to the textile mills in the Rhode Island area. I also loved Cape Cod. We have many fond memories of visiting the Cape, looking at the Kennedy compound from across the bay and visiting Plymouth Rock. We had a great 2 years on the east coast. Now we are on the West coast and love the beach, the mountains and my passion is quilting even tho I've only been at it for a couple short years. I take every class I can take through our local community college and I belong to a quilt guild with 12 other ladies who are wonderful teachers, mentors and friends. I'm a retired social worker and spend my free time making quilts for foster kids, Assisted living patients and Vet's Homes with my quilt guild friends. You said you are machine shopping... I have a Memory Craft 8000 New Home machine that I love and an inexpensive Brother machine that I use for all my classes. Both are wonderful machines. My last machine was a Kenmore that I used for about 35 years then gave it to our daughter when I got the New Home. She said she finally "retired" the machine a few weeks ago so it gave great service to our family for at least 40 years! Keep sewing! Have a great holiday.
Randy