Hi! I joined this forum a couple weeks ago and am just learning to navigate!! I began quilting in January of this year...wanting to "leave" my grandkids with something I've made! No, I'm not planning on leaving anytime soon, however, we never know, do we??!! I'm on quilt #6 and as you can imagine...each one gets better! I do not machine quilt...I'm a tyer, tie-er, however you spell that!! My mom tied her quilts and I also love these type. My sister has a long arm and a stack of quilts to quilt on that machine....I like getting mine done...start to finish to give away! LOL! My first 4 quilts were 9 patch (two crazy 9 and 2 disappearing 9 patches). The 5th was a pinwheel and the current is a strip quilt. This is taking a bit longer, but summer came and I have been really busy with life!! Beginning to slow a bit, now, so hope I can get moving again.
I began this journey with quilting for a few reasons. A dear friend, battling with cancer, introduced me to her embroidery machines!! I fell in love, but soon discovered this was not in my budget. However, I'd been "sewing" with an old singer that was on it's last legs so decided to invest in a new machine and of course wanted one my pocketbook could not afford, so hunted for one a bit more in my price range. I bought a Janome and I do love it! As my friends disease spread she decided to downsize her stash and I was the recipient of a lot of it. As I looked at it and wondered what to do....a quilt came to mind! And I was off!! No looking back! She asked me a month or so ago, why I chose quilting as my "therapy" and told her it was a combination of her love of sewing that started the bug, my moms love of making and tieing quilts (lost mom 3 years ago), and the fact my sisters were all quilters that just brought it all to a head. She nodded her head and said "good answer". I lost my friend this morning to the cancer that moved from her lung to her brain. While sad I don't have another day in her sewing room with her, I am so grateful to have had the time I was given and the love she shared of good material, good machines and good times!
Thank you to 2 nice ladies who have offered to be my sisters in this forum to teach me the how-to's and short cuts of quilting. I'm way too old to let them be my mommy so sisters they are. Glad to be a part of this forum, also, and expect to learn tons from all you seasoned quilters!!
Here's to you, Miss Shirley! Thanks for being my friend! RIP

Such a touching and yet inspiring story... Good luck with your quilting and
God Bless.

I am sorry for your loss. It is so hard to lose the ones we love. Enjoy your quilting journey!

Hugs to you from another Iowa grandmother. Thanks so much for posting and sharing with us. How wonderful that your dear friend was able to see some of your work and know that your are finding joy in the creating just as she did. I'd gladly be one of those "sisters" you referred to - but really, everyone here is connected by a love for creating and blessing others with what we make. Your grandchildren are adorable :)

Welcome to the board from West Virginia,so sorry for the loss of your friend.You will enjoy quilting and all you will learn here .

Hello and welcome from Ontario. I am very sorry for your loss. Quilting is a great therapy I was working on a quilt for my son the fall my mother lost her battle with cancer. There were alot of tears shed on that quilt but somehow it helped.

I am sorry for yur loss, but sohappy to have you joine us.

I am so sorry for your loss but it sounds like you have some wonderful memories of your friend.

What a wonderful story and it sounds like you were both lucky to have each other. I'm sorry for your loss and I'm sure that you will think of your friend every time you make a quilt. (((HUGS)))

Oh my, that was beautiful. What a wonderful tribute. Welcome and glad to have you here.