Hi Beth: Nice hearing from you. I've been quilting just a short time...seriously for 2 years however, I made my first quilt at about age 12 and I still have it! My mom was great at helping us learn all the stuff she felt we would need to know when we grew up. This included sewing, cooking and quilting. I was never very good or very interested in quilting but i did alot of clothing construction for many years then one day someone invited me to a quilt meeting and almost immediately I was hooked. Like yours, my grandmother made beautiful quilts and rugs and I'd love to have her sitting next to me teaching me her tips but she died when I was 7 . Now all I can do is learn my own tips, remember the ones mom taught me and maybe pass them on the our grandbabies.
Hope you share some of your projects so I can see what you are making. If you get really close up to my quilt it isn't perfect (my quilt teacher says if you can see the mistakes while galloping past the quilt on a speedy horse STOP and fix the error. If you can't see the mistake while on a galloping horse, is it REALLY a mistake?" That works for me. I just love it and feel proud that this is the first really big quilt I've made...and I love how it turned out. I find I'm truly crazy about making scrap quilts and I'm loving applique...still need practice but the applique is getting easier and better with each project. I'm with you...I have arthritis in my hands and I DON"T DO handquilting. Machine quilting works for me.
Happy quilting/sewing and have a great holiday season.
Randy