| quiltswithdogs |
04-15-2009 07:12 PM |
Hi everybody, I'm so happy to have just discovered this. I'm not that computer saavy but I do know how to email so I'm sure I can do this too.
I learned how to quilt for my 50th birthday, 9 years ago. Nobody in my family has ever done it so they are thrilled. It sure is fun to give my gifts.
At first, I learned because I was chair bound with a longlasting injury to my feet. As soon as I could walk with cane from my car to the inside of the quilt store, I signed up for the basic class. Then I worked from home. Years later, I participated in a free block-of-the-month class. From those basic skills and patterns, I have made only 3 bed quilts and many pillows, wallhangings, quillows(lap quilt/pillow) and this Christmas, small landscape scenes put into frames. I started out doing machine piecing and hand-quilting and made 2 appliqued wallhangings.
Then, I got Rheumatoid Arthritis. I had to stop quilting for a year. I needed help dressing, eating, opening everything, could only type with thumbs, etc. Eventually new med kicked in and eased symptoms to a more manageable level. When I resumed quilting, my affected hands and shoulders made me adjust to new ways to do it. Sometimes I have to find other people to cut my fabric and I can only machine sew now. That was disappointing because I enjoyed my hoopwork, which I could do when visiting my mom, sister or daughters. I had another year off when RA got bad again. Then resumed. Last year, I had 2 shoulder surgeries making quilting even harder so I only did a few little projects. Obviously, I love to quilt!
I also love my little dog. I had one as a child and 3 in my marriage. I'm so lucky my husband is crazy about dogs too and willing to have a small one, in fact, he came to appreciate how much easier it was to travel with a small one. Our last one just died in January and I miss my little quilting partner so much. We need to wait awhile before getting another.
I've been married over 36years, have 2 grown daughters who are not married or mothers yet but each have a little dog so I have granddogs. Due to my medical conditions (RA+others too), I had to stop working at my parttime job. I can only quilt 0-4hours/week so I don't get things done fast. At the moment, I have no works-in-progress, only great ideas that I want to do.
Ok, so now you know the basics of me. I will probably not be posting a lot for awhile because I really am not well right now and have a lot of paperwork to do to get approved for SSDisability. But I love to read about quilting, learn more tips and desperately want friends who are interested in it too. I will read what you post whether or not I reply much. I have just started a pain med so maybe I'll feel better soon.
Cathy.....
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