Quiltingboard Forums - Ambitious beginner learning fast

Hi. My name is Jacqueline, I live in Florida, and am owned by four Dachshunds...Daisy, Molly, Mindy and Taffy. Daisy and Molly also work as my service dogs when I travel. Mindy does duty as a hearing dog for my dh, and Taffy....well, I am going to make her a vest reading, "It's all about me." She keeps us humble.

I worked on our family's genealogy for at least a decade, and have traced back family lines thru quite a few families, wars, successes and failures. Until I was in my 40's, I had very little contact with my father's family, and it pained me greatly. I finally connected, and really "found my roots" there.

A recent reunion is just one reason I am taking up quilting. I knew that the machine I had would never meet the demands, so I just bought a Brother's CPR8080 model, nothing like you all have, I am sure, but it will let me quilt on it. I am spending hours getting comfortable with the accessories and abilities...it's not mine. I know it has more, lol.

I have already learned so much reading your posts, and know that this board is going to be such a wonderful help to me. I am not kidding myself that I am going to be a marvelous quilter just because I want to be. But I know what I want to do, and have enough sense to know to practice, practice, practice, before I try to put the quilt together.

My project is a family tree quilt that blends our families together. I wish I could draw, because I would show it to you. Unfortunately, that is a skill I never managed. The theme of the quilt is Our Family Tree is Wide And Strong across the top, and Our Roots are Deep and Wide across the bottom. The names of families will be sewn onto the quilt. I have three years.