This board is AWESOME! I discovered it I think last week and can't stay away. I love messageboards that are very active.
I've been reading and learning a lot and of course drooling over so many gorgeous pictures of quilts and tutorials.
I can babble a lot but I will try to keep this as brief as possible.
I began sewing clothing in 1966 when I was a junior in high school. I had home ec in junior high but really wasn't interested in it...made an apron, wrap around skirt and the blouse that we had to make and then wear to school. Anyway...my best friend's sister was a high school sewing teacher so of course my friend made all of her own clothes. She said...why don't you make something so I made a skirt and a vest that I loved and actually wore. I sewed some more but in spurts. After getting married and having 2 kids I got back into sewing. Bought a nice Singer machine and made clothing for myself and my daughter. I made all of the clothes for myself that I wore on a 10 day vacation to Disney World in 1977. Took a break for a few years and then out came the machine again and made more clothing. Then another break until..........
We moved into our new home Dec. 1995 and I started making cloth dolls and some clothing. I finally got brave in 1999 and started a quilt top...long story short it is still not finished. But...I knew I needed a better machine so my hubby bought me a really good machine at the sewing machine store and I was in heaven. My mother lived with us since 1995 when my dad died...and she developed cancer and I took care of her here at home with the help of Hospice. I was working on the quilt upstairs here in my sewing room...her room is/was right beside this room. So I could sew and still hear her if she needed me. She passed away in Jan. of 2000 and my started quilt went promptly into storage. I just could not look at it...let alone work on it.
I recently got something in the mail about crafterschoice.com...a book club. I found some books that I wanted...one of them was how to make handbags. I fell in love with one of the patterns and decided it was time to get back to sewing. I made the first one for myself...I love it and so does everyone that sees it. Made one for my daughter and then one for my oldest grandaughter out of Penn State fabrics since she will begin college there Aug. 22nd in State College, PA. My other grandaughter just sat here with me to order the fabric for hers...it will be here on Monday from fabric.com. Also had to order something for me...lol...making a Christmas wall hanging. I have to make 2 more purses too.
A very good friend of mine lives close to a huge fabric outlet. She is a former professional sewer...all clothing....and her late hubby's cousin is a professional quilter. Vacations for her are 2 weeks in Myrtle Beach with 3 other friends and they sew just about 24/7. So my friend and I went to the outlet where I bought fabric and then stopped at JoAnn's. She was looking at the books and showed me Biscuit Quilting by Annis Clapp. Loved the quilts so I bought the book and am now working on my first biscuit quilt. I also just bought fabric to make 2 wall hangings from a book I bought in 1998 or 1999...Marti Michell's Quilting for People Who Don't Have Time To Quilt. I have about 8 or 9 other wall hangings from the book written down for future projects. I have an older Alex Anderson book and have 1 of her large wallhanging projects marked down too. Plus a few from quilting magazines.
I also just bought a quilted potholder book with some very interesting potholders that I will be making too.
I just wish I would not have taken such a long break after 2000. But life did get in the way.
Again...sorry for such a long introduction.
I am thinking about giving my current machine to my daughter's daughter when I get some money saved and maybe buy a Baby Lock. Maybe I will get lucky and find it on sale...as it is right now...at the sewing center where hubby bought my present machine.
I think I am done for now. I look forward to posting where I can since I am not an accomplished quilter. And thanks again to all of you who share so willingly.