Originally Posted by
quiltjoey
When did I become interested in quilting? My Mom didn't sew very good but did the best she could. She made me skirts out of flour sacks when I was young and by Jr. high, they embaressed me. She did teach me to embroider, which I still love to do, especially, stump work and things like hardanger, etc. Mom had little time or patience to teach me much except house keeping. My aunt, Louise, taught me iron who paid me to iron my uncle's starched-stiff shirts and all their other clothes. When I entered high school, Home Ec was a requirement. We had treadle machines, mostly, with a few electric ones. I liked using the treadles best. We had to make a skirt with a zipper and set on waist band. My teacher was so strict and everything had to be perfect. My Mom picked the fabric which was ugly; and therefore, it was an ugly skirt no matter how good the sewing was! But I learned to do blind-stitch hemming, which is now great for bindings! Our passing assignment was a dress. It had a set on collar, set in sleeves, hand-made button-holes with a placket down the front, and box pleats! Again, Mom picked the material (fabric) which was cotton and bright, lemon colored. I hated it, but did a great job and got an A on the dress. Over the years, I have made a few things for myself and for my children but when I began working, I decided I would not wear "home-made" clothes again! I have tried recently to make a few things for myself but again, I rather go to the Mall. In 1968, I was 24 years old with a 1 yr. old son and a 4 year old daughter, my husband, who was in the Air Force was stationed in Germany. We lived there for 3years. One day in the BX I found a package of Mountain Mist batting which had a Rose Trellis printed on the inside of the label. I wanted to do the quilt but without a mentor or anyone to help me, I did what I could. I cut the templates out of cardboard, used and old sheet for the 16" squares and found some material to make the Rose Trellis pattern. Of course, I didn't have a sewing machine, so I began appliqueing the 18 blocks. Life got in the way. I packed it away all those years ( I am now 69) and found it about 2-3 years ago. Presently, I am working on it and have 5 more blocks to hand-sew the eight leaves on the rose pattern blocks. I plan on finishing it. So in 1968, is when I became interested in quilting and picked it up about 4 years ago. I have much to learn. The board has taught me a great deal and mostly about not having to have everything perfect. Perfection has always gotten in my way but have learned to let go of that now. I did used Connecting Threads tute to learn paper piecing which I enjoy very much... (Sorry to be so verbose but it is a story which started a long, long time ago...)