That is interesting Shemjo, another clay person to quilting - I was a potter for twenty five years. Cats and clay seem to go together. Cats and quilts too. How long did you do potting for and what brought you to quilting?

Actually got interested in both at the same time, when I finished classes for special programs while teaching and wanted to do something for MYSELF! Did the quilting thing for a number of years with classes and got involved with Ceramics through a friend who had a shop. Somehow I managed to end up with lots of molds after I retired from teaching and then I opened a shop for a few years. My brother helped with it, but when he died suddenly, I closed the shop. No one is interested in ceramic molds, except to take them off your hands for free! I have a few molds left, some kilns and a pouring table, but haven't done anything for a few years. Have to really organize my basement, and then I can get back into the porcelain part. I like making dolls. Dolls and quilts really go together! :?

That is really interesting. I no longer have kilns and things, stopped five years ago. My back just wore out from throwing all those years. It was a great life and I had a gallery where I sold mine and other people's work. The pottery industry died here in the nineties, things changed and people bought other things. I did art pottery. I painted as well. I always wanted to quilt one day, husband died so I took it up then to fill in the hours. Married again and just make things for me now instead of selling everything. Your comment re lack of interest in moulds is probably the same thing that happened here in Aus with the change in fashion. It is lovely to meet another potter here :)

Hello Wings and welcome from Washington state.

The same situation with changing trends applies to painting also, Wings. When I started painting there were decorative art shops and supplies easily available. I sold my stuff through several outlets and couldn't keep up but as trends changed supplies and easily accessible technique seminars became fewer and farther between. I still paint and have a dedicated group of ladies that I teach but I spend more time with a needle and quilt shops are certainly the in thing in Aus. at present.

Hello Wings

Welcome from Nottingham, UK you are going to love it here we all do :wink:

Tisha

Hi Deecee - wow you are from the arts too - interesting, I wonder how many more quilters are too - I felt quite lost when I stopped - suddenly I wasn't who I had been any more. I still call quilting - 'going to work' - which is insane of course, because it is hard to learn to make things just for one's self and not for others. Sort of 'unemployed' feeling :) The seventies and eighties and early nineties were a fabulous time in the arts.
Quilts seemed to just be coming in then.

Hello and Welcome :D :D :D

Hi Wings, Like lots of women I worked, had children, looked after the house and kept thinking once the kids leave home or once we are more settled financially I will do something for me. A major health scare 6 years ago convinced me that it was time for me :!:

I started dedicating time to the things I wanted to do - not just things I had to do. I always loved my painting but sometimes struggled to find time to do stuff for me and not just the paying work. Now the kids have married (which gives me a painting/sewing room and a computer room) and I still work part-time but I make sure quilting and painting are on my "to do" list every day. Even if I just sew for 10 minutes before I head off to work.

I do have to admit that hubby is fabric and craft orientated too - he loves choosing beautiful fabric just as much as I do which makes buying all that lovely stuff much easier :D

By the look of so many cute avatar photos, crafty people seem to be animal lovers too.

Hi Deecee - I think you and I joined this Quilting Board the same day.
They say 'life is not a dress rehearsal' - and they are right. I was widowed - you learn about smelling the roses then. I am re married now, and hubby takes the quilting all in good part. Not into choosing fabrics though - how lucky are you that your hubby is. Yaay to your husband!!!
Yes - I noticed all the animals as avatar pics as well. Your's is a real cutie. My little cat is a manx and loooooves sewing. :)