Quiltingboard Forums - hi fellow quilters

i have been quilting for many years starting as soon as I could thread a needle and sew a straight line. My mother would cut blocks for 4-patch blocks and my sisters and I would sew them together. Once we had enough my mother would sew the blocks together on the machine. Once top was completed,she would lay out the layers ready to tie knot them. She would place the yarn ties, we would come along behind her to snip the yarn and do the actual knotting while arguing who's bed it would end up adorning.
My first quilt was for my first child in the Spring of 1969. I drafted the TIME AND TIDE pattern from a sketch i had seen in a magazine and used what fabric scraps I had on hand. I used an old scratchy blanket for the batting as my husband was unemployed so there was no spare money for other supplies.
I have been making quilts ever since and it is my main hobby now. I have lost track of the number of quilts i've made over the years as I have made for baby showers, brides,retirement gifts, Xmas and birthdays and just because friends or relatives have asked for one. I presently make tops for the local Lutheran church( i am not a member but heard of the club and asked if I could join). The ladies get together once a month and tie knot the quilt tops we have made. At the end of the year they are laid over the pews on a Sunday so church members can see and admire them. The pastor blesses them and they are then distributed to local nursing homes,crisis nurseries, etc. Some are sold at the yearly bake and craft sale also with procedures going towards the rolls of batting we use. All material for these quilts are donated by people or from our own stashes and are backed with sheets we buy at the local thrift shops. We made 94 quilts last year and the year before there was 106. Not all of the 8-10 members sew--some only come to help tie knots or cut fabric squares.
I have made a couple of quilts based on my own designs. I would like to see original designs on here as well as the tried and true favorite patterns. Hoping I will see and learn from here and get many ideas for future quilts. I will try to post some pictures of some of the quilts I've done in the past also.