What as fantastic board. I have been taking a few days to get acquainted and reading through the board posts and this looks like a lovely place to be. I am starting a new hobby to occupy myself now that I am an empty nester and the last of my kids are moving out and away, I use to do some hand quilting back in the mid 70's with my Amish family and over the years have been collecting fabrics and clipping squares and so forth. I am getting ready to start my first ever true quilt other than the one I made for my Military son back in 1998 that was just 12X12 squares sewn together as a blanket. He adores that blanket and takes it all over the world with him in his military travesl and his unit teases him about the sorry condition it is in so I am starting him a new one. This one is going to be a little more elaborate hopefully. I am 51 years young, Mother to 4, grand mother to 5 with two more on the way :) my three boys are US Army. I own and operate a small animal sanctuary whichis downsizing due to my disability :( I like to sew large pet beds for the critters here and am looking forward to getting involved with quilting and learning how to sew more elaborate patterns.