Quiltingboard Forums - New to Quilting-May the Work of Your Hands Delight Your Soul

Hi, everyone! I am a new quilter (well, I did make a nine-patch quilt back in the 70s). As a woman who grew up in the mountains of NE Tennesse/Western North Carolina, I developed a deep appreciated for the art and function of quilting. My interest and admiration in quilting never waned, but the business of teaching and raising a family limited my time. I'm still a mountain woman, though, now located in the mountains of Colorado!

I had been thinking about taking up quilting, but I didn't even own a simple sewing machine. One day, while doing a general search on sewing machines, I came across a terrific deal on a Brother SQ9185 computerized sewing machine for quilting. I bought it as a "refurbished" machine (they are often just "open box" machines) for $109.00 -the price for a new one being around $500.00 or so. It is an amazing machine --and it rather terrifies me because it offers so much. It came with tons of attachments -1/4" foot, walking foot, quilting foot, etc. I've only begun to use this machine, but I'm looking forward to the relationship between machine and me growing into a creative one!

Homemade gifts have always been my most treasured gifts, and it is something I want my five-year-old granddaughter to learn to appreciate. In looking at different types of quilts, I came across the "rag quilt" and found it to be quite charming. For one of her Christmas presents, I made my first quilt, a child-size lap quilt made up of various squares featuring the Disney movie "Frozen" characters Elsa and Anna. She loved it! Inspired, I joined a quilting group at my church that comes together to make quilts for shelters, the homeless, military personnel overseas, etc. I told them I had NO SKILLS, but they assured me that was a good thing because I had few bad habits to break! You would not believe how much I am learning from the women.

My quilting time was interrupted by revision knee surgery and subsequent therapy. Happily, I'm doing well, and I just finished a baby rag quilt which I took to our quilting group yesterday for donation. My plans are to continue with rag quilts through December. The project I'm starting today is a large lap quilt for my best friend who lives out of state; she loves dogs, music (she is an extraordinary musician), a good glass of wine, and, of all things, pink flamingos! I've found fabric (I use flannel for rag quilts) that depict each of these interests. I hope to surprise her with this gift for her birthday. I also want to do a bed-size rag quilt for my 3-year old grandson, and two unique lap quilt for my son and my daughter-in-law for Christmas. Yes, that's a lot of quilting, but the WONDERFUL thing about rag quilts is that they are quick to make once the fabric is cut into blocks.

Beginning in January, I plan to take the beginning, intermediate, and advanced classes in quilting. I know I will NEVER be a great quilter, but I hope I can learn to quilt well enough to provide gifts to family and friends that are filled with love and gifts for those in need who need a helping hand.

I'm so glad I found Quilt Board and hope to learn from experienced quilters and to encourage newbies like myself in their quilting endeavors.

I came across this quote in a quilting how-to video, and it expresses what I hope for myself and for every quilter out there: May the work of your hands delight your soul.

Quilt On!