First quilts
 

What did you make for your first quilts, and how long ago did you make them?

I made my first quilt for college...I wanted a "real" quilt for my bed, and had seen a biscuit quilt I liked, so chose that as my first pattern.That would have been in 1973...so 40 years ago My dad helped me shop for the fabric...and had to take me to more than one store to find what I liked...not a lot to choose from back then...the quilt had a lightweight denim in it, a couple of calicoes, an eyelet, but I loved it...and kept it for many years, though once washed, the batting bunched up.

My second quilt I made probably in 1975 as an exchange for a college friend....he got the quilt, I got a bike...it was just squares and had lots of different types of fabric in it including corduroy.

My third quilt was a sampler quilt probably made in 1980 and was a sampler quilt all stitched by hand, including hand quilting. Shortly after that I got my first rotary cutter and found out how to make quilts a lot quicker...and have been quilting ever since!

How about you?

my first quilt was a baby quilt for my DGS. he is 11 now. can't believe it's been that long :)

GFG about 48 years ago.

Sunbonnet Sue/Overall Sam for a girl I worked with, 45 years ago....had two businesses and made probably 4-500 quilts since then....lotsa fun!!! My other "claim to fame" is that I also got my Mom addicted to quilting when she was the age I am now....70....and she quickly got better than I was! I used to tell her she was better than I because she was a tailor for many, many years...:)

very first quilt was a hand embroidered ABC quilt for my baby girl in 1976---i drew (animals, items) for each letter on pieces of muslin- then embroidered them- added a solid blue broad cloth (left over from making some summer shorts) i used an old-falling apart thrift store comforter for a batting & more of the solid blue for the back- i am not much of an artist & some of my *creatures* are pretty funny looking...but my daughter still has that quilt!
off & on over the years i would make a baby quilt when the need arose-but really had no idea what i was doing---making do with what i could come up with-
then in 2000 when my darling daughter was getting married i made a king sized stained glass dragonfly quilt for their wedding gift---i've been really busy, busy quilting since that one...when the kids were growing up i made all their clothes, my clothes, home dec ect...now---i quilt & make rugs---seldom do i make anything else...it's become quite an obsession. :D

My first two were started 25 yrs. ago. I did a nap size square in a square, and a queen size log cabin. Still have both, and they are in decent shape. Did have the LC machine quilted by someone. I have learned lots since then!
I now have my own long arm too. :)

1st quilt - queen size Labyrinth (Pattern by D Maddy) made Nov 2011. Can't believe I waited so long to start!

My first quilt was an owl one for my niece which I made in August 2012.

My first was a king size watercolor quilt for a big blank wall in our (contemporary) house that needed something on it to dampen echoes. I had seen the book Watercolor Quilts while working in a library and fell in love with the style. I hadn't ever seen any quilts that weren't traditional piecing so these came as a real surprise. My giant quilt is of an oak tree surrounded by azaleas, a pathway and a lawn to represent the landscape of our new home (here in NC). I made it in 1998.

Alison

My first quilt was a baby quilt for my grandson three years ago. I have made a total of eight.

I am still working on my first, second, third, fourth and fifth quilt! Took classes but never ended with a finished product. I am now working dilligently to finish one and hope to post it soon. It is a QAYG and I am not a fan, yet.

My first quilt was a hand pieced Star Sampler. 12 different blocks, set together with sashing and corner stones. I started quilting in the mid 70's

My first was 8" blocks sewn together for a baby quilt for my nephew, SID, this was about 1976. I also made a cheater panel and hand sewed it shortly thereafter. I remember I used to put multiple layers of batting in them, because I liked them to be really puffy. I made a lap sized quilt for my niece in stars that I thought I made up, but I've seen similar ones since. I saw it later in my sister's trunk, so possibly that's why I stopped making quilts for about 30 years, and just started again 2 years ago.

My first quilt was a Rail Fence quilt that I made for myself. It wasn't long before my youngest daughter claimed it, and every Saturday morning, she would wake me up and we would drink hot chocolate and watch the cartoons "Cadillac and Dinosaurs" and "Tom and Jerry" while wrapped up in the quilt on the couch. I still have the quilt, hot chocolate stains and all. That was in 1992 and my daughter is almost 24. I made several others after that, but quit for many years until recently. Now I have a list of quilts I want to make and so have been trying to collect fabric. You know, nieces, daughters, grandkids, etc......

Not counting helping my grandmother as a child, my first was 20 yrs ago....sample quilt in a "my first quilt"quilting class. Won 1st prize in quilt show for my category.....been hooked ever since.

My first quilt was a 9 patch that my grandmother helped me start using fabric scraps left over from clothes we had made when I was 13. At the same time she started me on a GFG. The 9patch took about 5 years, completely hand pieced on both sides of a queen sized quilt and tied at first, then hand quilted. Never did finish the GFG - got enough done for a pillow. Grandma gave me a 2.5" paper template square for the 9 patch, and a 2.5" paper hexagon template for the GFG.

First was for first daughter. Baby animals embroidered by hand then sashed in pink flannel and backed with pink flowered flannel. She is now 39 and she has this and used it when her daughter was born 2 yrs. ago. Brings back memories.

the first quilt i did was in the early 1990's. i was sewing four squares together into four patches. i made so many that i placed each block facing each other and sewed around, leaving an opening. i turned them right side out and stuffed with squares of batting. then i sewed the opening together. What to do with tons of stuffed four patches? I ended up butting them next to each other and zig zagging them together into rows and the rows into a queen size quilt. i had tons of buttons to so i sewed buttons in the centers of the four patches, both sides. The quilt was reversible, light fabric and buttons on one side and darker fabrics and buttons on the other. I kept if for years and finally put it in my charity stuff since it took up so much room to store it. too fluffy for me by then.

my very quilt was a 9 patch that was in 1980

I made a baby quilt for my oldest ( now 43! Yikes!). It was embroidered bunnies on yellow rectangles that I machine quilted and used my new sewing machine's decorative stitch on. Saved it for use with her kids. She thought it looked too old,and I think the cat has it now!

My first quilt was a basket weave rail fence type pattern, bonding moment with my aunt( the one that taught me how to quilt. I was about 21 at the time, very fun but didn't have funds in college to continue at the time

My second was for my first long term boyfriend and now husband, a log cabin, very fun and fast, he still sleeps under it 8 years later. 25 years old at that time

My third was an irish chain with hearts very pretty, started it, got pregnant, and finished 6 months after baby was born, she is now 31/2 and I still don't have the heart to use it on the bed.

I made the blocks for a GFG in the late 60's, but didn't know how to put them together so they just stayed in a box. Flash forward to 2007 and I must have made a dozen rag quilts with flannel and then decided I needed to update by buying a new sewing machine, - I figured a sewing machine from the 60's might have been improved upon over the years. Took lessons on quilt making beginning, intermediate and advance. Now I just learn from the QB. I have made over one hundred. Thats what happens in retirement. Just wish I had the price of fabric from the 60's rather than todays prices.

My first was a simple postage stamp quilt that I made for my doll in 1954 (still have both doll and quilt). My quilting has improved since then, even if I do say so myself. :o

My first quilt was a 9 patch wall hanging that I just threw together. My kids were young and my pocket book was empty, and the walls in my new home were bare. So I gathered up some scraps from odd ball projects and made something to fill two different spots in my home. I didn't make another quilted project for about 10 years. Then I made the most hideous quilt after my divorce that my kids loved from the scraps of all the projects I had made while married. They wore it out, so I told them I would make each of them a quilt if they would stop using the ugly one. so heres my first. Mind you I had no idea what I was doing, I had watch one quilting show on tv with Lynn Anderson which showed how to make these horrible blocks, no other quilting instructions were given.

My first quilt was a Storm at Sea. I was motivated by oldest grandson's HS graduation. We're in IA and he was in CA. I had reasons for each of the colors used that would remind him of extended family that loved him. Then right after graduation he came to Iowa to live with us. I loved quilting it so much I became a professional longarm quilter and quilting is now my passion and the reason I get out of bed in the morning. DH has also gotten involved by doing all my cutting, helping select colors etc. He is also now repairing and selling featherweights and model 301s. Thank you Steven for being the reason for all this.

2001 I had 2 DGS graduating from High School. Decided a quilt would be a good idea. Took a class at JoAnns and made Log Cabins. I just finished a red & white Log Cabin for a DGS this year. This one makes # 9, only 5 more to go. Each one is a labor of love. Our Jacob got a Jacob's Ladder and Sarah will get "Sarah's Choice". I have had such fun choosing patterns and colors to fit each one. I quilt with Small group each week and it is great to have someone to bounce ideas off and to be able to help. This board is a great source of ideas and help for us all. Blessings to all.

So much fun reading your stories about your first quilts! Thanks for sharing!

My very first quilt was a nine-patch wall hanging size. On an impulse, I went to the LQS and told them I wanted to learn to quilt but didn't have time for classes (full time job, going through a divorce, two small children & me going to school). The sales person resisted a bit - she kept telling me I couldn't learn on my own, and that I needed a class - but she finally showed me Alex Anderson's Start Quilting book. I bought it and the fabric I needed for the quilt, and as I left the shop the girl said to me, "We'll still be here when you're ready to sign up for a class!"

A week later I took my finished quilt back to show them. That impulse purchase was one of my best! :o

I have been sewing on/off for years, as long as I can remember. My mom is a seamstress and makes stunning clothes and heirloom dresses. Then I got laid off from work, about 5yrs ago, I had some fabrics, nothing too fascinating. So I stitched up a simple rail fence. HATED it, OMG I actually call the quilt "Rainbow Vomit" cause it is so darned busy. Decided I hated quilting too.

Then last year I ended up having to move in with my parents, sigh, cause still hadnt found a job. Mom does gorgeous work but I just dont have the patience to do clothing. I started watching shows with her about sewing, going to quilt shows and sewing expos, etc. got the bug and started quilting. Now about a year and half later, I am enjoying creating and making quilts. Below is a picture of my rainbow vomit quilt :p it actually looks nice on my chairs in my living room. For me, now, it is a humility reminder and a growth reminder. and the 2nd picture is the quilt I am working on now to enter a local show ;) 1.5yrs after my true start. Boy have I learned alot about colors...

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momto5,
Wow! You have made so many quilts. Would love it if you posted pictures of some of your quilts.
Do you have a longarm machine?

My first quilt was for our first grandchild. (she is now 31) It was an appliqued sleeping bear at the top. The rest looked like the blanket the bear was sleeping under. I tied the blanket part. Turned out cute.

I have been quilting for so many years I have no idea what my first quilt was. I definately am better than I was when I was in my 20's making quilts for my babies. My daughter who is 46 is just starting and the bug has really hit her. By the time she is my age (66) she will be much better than I am.

First quilt was cathedral window - king size. Started in 1985 - finished in 2005! Our 20 year quilt. Since then have done about 25 more quilts.

My first was a large queen scrappy, made it about 2 years ago.

My first quilt was done with a panel and I added to it. I don't think that qualifies me as a quilter. I have improved some since but that was about 10 years ago. I never took a picture of it and I wish I had.

I made my first two quilts - which were baby quilts - while in labor with my first child in 1971. It kept my mind occupied between contractions and by the time the contractions were getting more serious I had finished them. Then it was several years before I started quilting again and then it was in the 80's when I made a quilt for each of my young sons and step kids. Then I took a long break working full time and raising kids was enough and now about a year ago when i was diagnosed with cancer and began my chemo treatments I found that sewing and reading were two things I could still do and once the quilt bug has bitten you are smitten with sewing and creating once again.

My first quilt was a twin bed size one for our coming baby - I figured I'd need the bed in there when he was fussy, sick, etc. It was larger blocks where I hand appliqued animals on some of the blocks, to go with the circus print curtains I'd made for the windows. That was in early 1975.

My first 5 quilts were log cabin quilts. I took a class at stretch and sew 25 + yrs ago and started out with a king size one for our bed then ended up making 4 more for my children and an extra. The kingsize quilt I made for our bed has just been retired as we downgraded to a Queen size bed and it is too big.

My first quilt was a SATIN baby quilt for my firstborn, hand quilted, (not recommended for first quilts). I did get it done and it looked pretty good for a first attempt but I won't be making any more satin quilts!

Never quilted or had the desire until a good friend asked me to accompany her to a class...I was hooked..that was over twenty five years ago, I may not be the best quilter..but I sure love it..time spent sewing fabric together is the most relaxing thing I can do..it is also time alone..just me and the cat! That friend is still with me and so is the love of fabric and quilting