Hello everyone,

I am a new quilter living in Beirut, Lebanon. I got started through an adult education course offered at the school where I work as the curriculum coordinator. We are a group of 5 new quilters and have been together for the last 2 years. We search the web, go to shops in the US when we get there and then bring what we learn back to Lebanon to teach each other.

I have made several quilts since starting and have enjoyed doing them thoroughly. Each one has taught me something new.

The message board is a great place to learn what others are doing and perhaps post some questions that I hope will be answered so I can tell the others about it.

Beirut is not an easy place to find fabric. We don't have fabric stores, chain stores selling fabrics or the ability to easily order any online. It takes too long to get fabric sent to here and is very expensive. In the meantime, we walk the streets, look for tiny shops that sell fabric and take what we can find. It is time consuming but fun when there is more than one person looking.

I'm looking forward to participating in this message board and learning a great deal from you.

Connie Hadba :lol:

Connie , so glad to have you. It is hard to imagine the rest of the world not having bolts of fabric to select quilt colors from, nor the chain stores, to get the other odds and ends.
We would love to see some of the quilts you and your friends create.
Feel free to ask questions, there is years of wisdom here, and once again welcome. :D

Hi Connie,

I am new to quilting too. I think you will love this site. People are so helpful and friendly and have good suggestions for help. How often do you come to the US? Sorry about the fabirc challenges. I would love to see some of your quilts too. I think we all would enjoy it.

Sandi

Hi Ruth and Sandi,

Thank you for the welcome. I would be happy to post some of my projects for you to see as soon as I figure out how to do so. Any suggestions on how? I'm really a newbie at this site and do not know all the ins and outs.

I've also a feeling that we will not be talking in real time since Beirut is 7 hours ahead of say - New York. Even though, it's really great talking to people who are as excited about quilting as I am.

Connie

Hi Connie,
I'm like everyone else, I can't imagine living anywhere there is no fabric to quilt. I just would be the most unbearable person around or I'd have to learn to weave my own fabric. Quilting becomes a passion, doesn't it?

Glad to meet you and some night when I'm unable to sleep maybe we CAN chat in real time. I'm a person that doesn't sleep much sometimes.

Sharon

Connie,
I can empathize with you as my husband and I were stationed twice in Germany while he was active duty. Fabric and craft supplies were limited since I didn't feel comfortable venturing out into the local community. Of course during the time we were there, the internet and phone service was not what it is now.
Here are a couple websites that might be of some help. I don't know what their policy is for mailing overseas.
www.keepsakequilting.com
www.ConnectingThreads.com

Good luck and if there is anything I can do to help you from this side of the "Big Pond" just let me know.


Sis

Hi Sis,

Thanks for the URLs. I recgonize one of them Connecting Threads. I think I have visited this site but am not sure. I just have not tried to ask them to ship anything here to Beirut. I think the final bill would give me a heart attack. LOL

We get by with asking friends and anyone else who is traveling to the States to bring us back sone things. Needless to say, we always have a wish list handy. Husbands who work in Cyprus are also a help since Cyprus is considered part of Europe.

I'll try the two sites and see what they offer.

Thanks for the help. :D

Connie

Hi Sharon,

It would be nice to talk in real time. I've done some of the maths (although that was not my best subject in school). I finish at school around 3:30 pm here. That means about 8:30 am in New York. I usually am able to get on the computer about 7pm Beirut time; that's about 12 noon New York time. So if we were to talk at night your time, I would be the one not sleeping much. :lol:

No problem with me, I don't sleep much at night either. Let's set a time. :D

Connie

Connie - they try to hold a chat here at the board on Sundays at 3pm Eastern time. if that isn't too late for you, it would be a chance to "meet" more of us.

I'm usually up pretty early even on weekends, so if you and Sharon make a "date", i'd be happy to join in. Don't tell her I said so, but Sharon is good people. You'll enjoy getting to know her.

Connie,
I'm often up late . would love to chat with you as well.
Sandi

Mmmm. Do all people adicted to quilting sleep very little at night or get up very early? Is this an occupational hazzard to the hobby? :wink:

I'll try to get into the chat room on Sunday. It sounds to be about 10:00 PM Beirut time. Hope to talk to you then.

I've some pictures now; just don't know how to upload them.

Connie

Hi everyone,
I'm trying to put up a picture of a quilt that I made. Here's hoping it works.

Connie

Connie, I'm having a hard time believing that you are a beginner quilter!!!! This is absolutely gorgeous. Great quilting on the piece. Its absolutely perfect.

Tricia

Hi Tricia,

Thank you for the complement. It is far from perfect, as my instructor would point out. But for a first try on a large project, I think it came out O.K.

We hand quilt here until we can find someone who is willing to quilt our projects by machine. A project like the one pictured takes about 3 months to complete. By machine I'm sure it would take considerably less time.


Connie

I am very impressed with your quilt Connie.... love your colours too..well done.

Very nice, Connie!! Wish my first quilts looked so good. Sounds like your instructor is a hard task master, but also looks like the results are worth the effort!
I appologize for not welcoming you sooner. The LQS has kept me quite busy with making shop quilts, and I have fallen behind in answering posts. We are delighted to have you and look forward to chatting with you on Sunday.

Hi there Connie,
I am also newbie to this forum as of today, cheers:)
Your message grabbed my attention fully. Because I am into my Project called as World Quilt Project. In this sense, I would appreciate very much to have a Block representing your country Lebanon. I hope that you give me your kind understanding and help for my Project because it is not an easy thing to meet any quilter from your country:)
For details pls drop me a line so I can pm you for the details that they are very easily to follow, not complicated.
Looking forward to hear from you soon,

Nihal in Istanbul, TURKEY.

Hi Nihal,
Welcome to quilting. It is great to hear about a quilter from another country in this part of the world. Do you have as many problems getting fabric in Turkey as we do in Lebanon? What about notions shops? How doyou manage it in Turkey?

Connie

Connie, your quilt is awesome--beautiful fabulous gorgeous--I'm running out of adjectives that I can use to describe it. Wonderful--beautiful workmanship. Very impressive for 1st effort! :D :!: :!: :!: A lot better than some of my effors and I've been at it 20+ years!

Hi Connie,
Thanks a lot for your kind welcoming message:) As far as the question of getting fabrics in Turkey... No, we have no such kind of problem here. Reversly I should let you know that Turkey, especially the City Istanbul where I come from is a ''Heaven'' of fabrics. I mean textile in Turkey is in a very up level. Therefore every where you can find many good, top elegant fabs shops. Ohh, as you can imagine there are both very expensive antic fabs and also very cheap reasonable fabcs, that depends on you what your wish is.
I see that you have difficulties there in Beirut. I am surprised really!!! I did not know if it is so. You are always ''welcome'' to Istanbul for your fabs Shopping:)

Nihal

Do you have as many problems getting fabric in Turkey as we do in Lebanon? What about notions shops? How doyou manage it in Turkey?

Hi,
I was browsing the Internet and I came across this website.
quiltingcotton.com
It says they ship overseas. I thought you might like to check out the prices.
Julie

Connie,

Another website is close to where I live - www.fabricdepot.com
They also do by mail. Have your relatives wrap breakables in fabric...etc. when they send you things.

One of my faves is www.fatquartershop.com - they specialize in vintage fabrics. Nancy's notions also ships ANYWHERE, but perhaps you and your friends could split shipping.

MAYBE - a quilter's guild or a business or a congregation quilting circle could sponsor a 'fabric drive' to send some fabric your way...Ladies? Any ideas?

Lisa
Vancouver, WA

Just wanted to join in in welcoming you! Also that is a beautiful job on the quilt.

Hi Connie, sorry it took so long for me to welcome you, i'm not very good on the computer, so i just found your introduction tonight 4-11-07. I haven't been quilting very long and i'm forever on the message board asking for help and i always get the help i need, i'm very sorry you don't have fabric shops in your country like other places, but here is a suggestion maybe you could save some of your clothing and family clothing that you no longer use, and use them in your quilts and also if you all have thrift stores, or garage sales buy some of the clothing and use them in your quilts.I find old clothing and use them in quilts sometimes. I made my husband a nice Biblical quilt and he had a animal shirt so i cut it up and used the animals, i'm not telling you to do that, because my husband haven't missed his shirt yet, your quilt is very beautiful,keep quilting it gets better. lol
Annette

Hi ladies,

Thank you so much for the suggested websites. :D I have been browsing them all and drooling over the selection of colors and patterns. They are wonderful! Have any of you ordered from these sites? I was wondering if you are happy with the quality of the fabric once it gets to you.

They look great on the site. What about quality?


Connie

Hi Connie

are you in Beirut at the moment?
I would like to meet your group but I am only staying till Tuesday!
I will be back in mid June and maybe we can get in touch. My friend is interested in quilting classes in beirut and she doesn't know where to look!
Hopefully in summer I can show you my quilts and probably teach you how to machine quilt as I am taking the course in May!