I’m just finishing up my first quilt after having the desire to learn most of my life. Though told I couldn't possibly remember it, I distinctly recall my Granny (my grandfather’s sister) giving me a quilt when I was two and a half years old. It fascinated me to no end, with its small colorful pieces and stitches, and so the seed was planted. Now at fifty having had Leslee offer to guide me (after she restored the same quilt for me), I couldn’t possibly say no to the opportunity to learn and have been enjoying myself immensely over the last month. I’ve decided to work on baby quilts for the infants in the family first and work up in size and difficulty. Machine piecing and quilting by hand is my current plan of attack. The sewing machine is my first. I did a small amount of sewing on an old treadle machine once and some corn pillows with my mom a few years back. It wasn’t so hard to learn, though trial and error played its part.
The running stitch is finally picking its pace up from the slow cantor I started with. I insisted on learning “by the book” (via online site) and think it’s paying off. I’m about halfway through the stitching and should be done within the week. I don’t know if I’ll continue with the hand quilting by the time I reach the queen-size quilts, but will play it by ear.
Usually I pick up a hobby every five years or so to keep my mind alert and interested. The cooking and baking, music and music making, writing etc. came to me slowly at first, as is quilting. My only regret is that I didn’t take it up sooner. There’s no making up for lost time, in the long run though I’m very grateful to have stumbled upon it in life. It’s proving to be a wonderful experience and one I hope to share, just as my Granny did all those years ago.