Thanks so much Eddie, for starting this! I've truly loved reading every posting!
I started sewing in 4H, then Home Ec - the gingham apron. lol!!! Then not a whole lot until my daughter was about 2, I made her a dress... Then lots of Barbie clothes, stuffed cats, bunnies, other crafty things. My ex mil taught me counted cross stitch, crochet, and knitting. Did a few craft shows....
I believe it was late 80's/early 90's when my sister took a quilting class, and brought her new quilting books over to show me. I'm not sure if it was before rotary cutters or what, but the thing was to rip your material. Still makes me cringe! But I learned speed strip piecing! I made a couple of big lap size quilts, then went off to make dd school dance dresses. Ever sew with sequin material? Ha. lol!!!!
Just dabbled a bit, made a few small tops, until I was laid of last January. Then I came across Jennifer Chiaverini's novels and got re-hooked!! lol!!
I love old quilts. Love imagining all the love that went into them. Love the patterns of them. There's so many I want, I decided I needed to make them myself!
I'm also in the process of making each of our kids/their spouses and grandkids a quilt. We've six kids + six spouses and eight grandkids currently, so I'm doing them for their birthdays.
I also really discovered while making my dil's quilt, that it's almost like making a prayer quilt for them. All the hours I sewed on it, my thoughts were always of her. And she knows that. Knows she is much loved.
Why I quilt - because I've always loved doing something creative, because I love the old quilts and want to make them for myself, and so every child of our's, whether birthed, step, or by marriage, and every grandchild, have an extra tangible reminder of how very much they're loved by me.