Very Sweet.

My husband...every day in every way. I am not a good sewer or quilter...but he gives me so much encouragement to continue because he knows how much I love it and how hard I try. He is willing to buy me anything(we can afford) that I feel will be helpful, indulges me with fabric, machines etc. I am so blessed to have such a loving,caring hubby! (also the poor man thinks everything I make is wonderful lol..what does he know?)

My husband has always been my quiet. kind, incouraging force. He helps me make some of my choices, takes me to quilt shops and doesn't say a word about how long I'm there. He lets me work and doesn't complain if dinner is late or if I'm totally wrapped up in a project. He is my best friend and biggest helper!

My Grand mother is still with us at 102 years her Birthday was Sept.29 on Oct 1 we had a birthday party for her at the assisted living facility where she now lives. I realized at the end of Aug that although Grandma Ruth and her Mother my grandma Grace had taught me the beginings of needle work and quilting that I had never heard of anyone giving either of them a quilt. So for her birthday I made her an oversize lap quilt. nothing fancy, bright colored large blockd with yellow flannel on the back. Grandma Ruth is blind now and does not really remember many of us. When she unwraped the quilt someone had to tell her what it was.She ran her hands over it and kep saying beautiful, beautiful, Than she turned her head, she had tears in her eyes, took my hand and smiled at me. No more words from her for the rest of the day, but for a min. I think she remembered me.

my entire family crafts...so when I find encouragement from others it really fuels my creativity!
BUT when someone asks me to show them or teach them..that really sparks things up!

First off, I think this is a really cool post - full of fond memories and positive thoughts. I love it. My small gesture was a friend who, when I mentioned I was interested in trying my hand at quilting, marched me off immediately to a quilt store to pick out some fabric. She loaned me a machine and we sat in her sewing room and she walked me through my first quilt. The funny part is that I haven't finished it yet - still need to baste and quilt it! But still, that is at the top of my list. The quilting bug has been with me ever since! :)

Oh boy, where to begin !!! First of all to my mom, for having a few scraps of fabric hanging around for me to carve up and sew by hand, onto my barbie dolls. A christmas present from my fav. aunt and uncle, a small sewing basket complete with a barbie doll clothes pattern, fabric, and notions (including microscopic buttons) to complete said projects. I still have the basket, I was about 9 years old. My mom let me start sewing on her electric machine when I was about 10. That was 42 years ago. On from there, age 13, sewing house dresses for my grandma, 6 at a time, she was 4' tall and as wide as she was tall. So there was pattern altering going on, from that age on, I only ever saw my grandma wear dresses that I had made. Age 16, I was sewing grad gowns and then bride's maid dresses for both my older sisters. Both my sisters left home and took their grade 12 grad gifts with them( their sewing machines), and I was left with nothing to sew on. My parents bought me my grade 12 grad gift when I was 16. They must have figured I needed one. ( It was the only machine I sewed on till last month, when I purchased a Pfaff Quilt Expressions 4.0. Wow what a dream !!!) Then I went onto sew clothing for "Social Services" for some children in their care that needed specially equiped clothing, such as easy access pants, overalls etc. For my dad one year for Xmas, I made him a western style shirt with yokes, snaps etc. Well the first one didn't fit quite right, so, one altered pattern later, he got the one he loved. For the next 25 years, he never wore a shirt that wasn't made by me. He used to go and even buy the material he liked himself. ( Sorry, I had to stop and have a little cry) I think I've tried to sew just about everything, my mom used to saw that I'd sewn everything except panty hose and cowboy boots. I've done drapery, upholstery, Linda Lunstrum parkas and accs., blue jeans, stretch and sew, moccasins with bead work, cabbage patch dolls, barbie doll tents, football hand muffs for my sons, costumes of all sorts, fleece jackets and blankets and everything else fleece you can think of, bags and purses, and probably a whole lot more that I'm forgetting to mention. I took Home-Ec in grade 8 and 9, but then didn't take it anymore, because I figured I knew more than the teacher. She had us making a fabric pencil case. Pretty lame considering I was making my own clothes by then. I made my first scrappy quilt when our oldest son went from crib to twin bed, this was pre- rotary cutters and chain piecing etc. He turned 26 yesterday, on Nov. 5. All of the encouragement started with everyone I knew right from childhood,to my husband and sons, sisters, parents, grandparents, friends. Thank you for bringing up the topic, I never really thought about it, I just have always loved it, and didn't stop to think, that maybe I was being steered it that direction, but clearly I was. Boy, once you get me going, I think I'm starting to ramble !!!! lol Thanks for bringing up the topic !!! I have to go have a good cry now !!! Auntie B, from Saskatchewan, ( rhymes with Scratch N Win) Canada.

My mom has been inspiration. She put my sister and I each on a sewing machine when we entered junior high school and told us we would be making our own clothes from there on. I loved it (not sure my sister did). But as the years, three kids, full time work etc went by I sewed less and less. One day, in the mid 80's she "coerced" me into taking a quilting class with her at the LQS, and I was hooked from day one. It was totally uphill from there for me. Also, my DH is very supportive.

i would have to say that my mother gave me the best compliment that kept me sewing. the summer between the 7th and 8th grade was the first time i made my whole school wardrobe with my own money from babysitting. when it was time to get school clothes, she told me that since i had saved her my whole school clothes budget, i could have all the colors of purses and shoes that i wanted. this was in the days of 'candy apple red patent' and turquoise and yellow....and of course, white and black patents as well.... i had them all and as i was grown, it was really not extravagant...they lasted for a long time with just a new color now and then to replace...the bags lasted all the way thru high school.... one of my favorites was candy apple brown T straps.... it was not like her to hand out a simple compliment, she never wanted us to get a 'swelled head'... but she was proud of my sewing skills and thrilled that i was independent enough to buy my own fabric... she rarely let me know that she approved but she would make me drag out my latest project for the neighbors....thanks for the question... nice memory....

It sounds like you are fearless when trying new things. Lots of adventures await you for sure.

That wise and kind teacher knew you could have become discouraged early in your sewing career and maybe wouldn't have continued on. Heaven knows you probably have had plenty of practice using a seam ripper ever since starting quilting, as have the rest of us. :)

Your parents found a great way to pass along their values and build your independence at the same time.

There are loads of people on this board who wish they could have your family and the appreciation they show for your gifts.

It's always nice to hear on this board when someone sends another a pleasant surprise. I've wondered how they get hold of the address to send to???

Often the memories are the best gift of all. I can remember being that college student, hanging a jar of spaghetti sauce and some cooked spaghetti out the window in a book bag to refrigerate it. Good thing the winters were cold in Mass.

I think I learn something new every day from this board. And did that first quilt pass the galloping horse test?

Hopefully you've gained some new cheerleaders here to help you face the future. I can remember the clothes my mom made me, and especially the doll clothes, which were outrageously expensive if purchased.

Yes, this board encourages all kinds of experimentation and original ideas. No one is constrained by rules and regs.

It seems that quilters are extraordinary in wanting to share their enthusiasm for their craft, and not just hog all the glory.

It must have felt like a long, lonely walk through a dark valley. I'm glad you've found some support here. p.s.-- I love your chicken!

Wow, he certainly goes above and beyond. You better hide his identity from the rest of us!

I can remember those packages of trim arriving. All my stuffed animals sported lacy, ruffled collars and bows on their ears and tails.

It's so great when our children finally realize that we are not their enemy, that we actually know some stuff, and, even better, are able to share some interests with us.

It has been stated that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, and I bet Joan was happy when you showed interest, and now I bet there are some who feel the same way when they see what you have made and want to know how it was done.

Yes, the compliments are great and even though I might see millions of mistakes most of the people that I know are none quilters and they only see the beauty of the quilt and not the mistakes. I have say though the thing that makes me want to do more is my 5yr old grandson. I have 5 kids and lots of grandkids but this one; he loves quilting. He's already picked out which of my machines is his; a treadle, I think the no electricity part intrigues him. He thinks sewing is great. My daughter has made a few block quilts and enjoyed it but when she moved out a few months ago she said she didn't have any space for her machine (my old one). This past weekend she had to sew buttons on my grandsons shirt and he watched her and was amazed that she did that. He said he was going to tell his GiGi (that would be me). The next day she came over to get her machine and said she could sew on the kitchen table. Her son was so proud of her that she wanted to do more. This little boy, Kaleb now inspires the both of us, one to do more (me) and the other to start doing more (his mom) What a joy he is.

My DH always ofers support, he goes with me when I buy fabric, and if I can't decide he helps me with that. If I mention I need something, he'll look online and find the best buy and buy it for me. He's terrific a real keeper

My mother has given me so much! She taught me to sew, crochet and many other crafty things when I was very young. Those are things you never forget over the years. I didn't sew for many years, but I'm glad to be doing it again - quilting, that is. We have always kept our hands busy!

My dh gets up far earlier than he normally does one week a month to take DD to school. I usually take her but one week a month he takes care of everything so that I can go on a quilt retreat. And he doesn't complain about it!

Once at quilt camp (oh, last weekend was quilt camp time--first weekend of firearms season), I sewed together 148 HST sets, with 147 having one of the HST turned wrong. Mama Shirley "unsealed" all of them for me.

My mother taught me to sew, she never complimented me but would invite me to attend classes with her. This is the only common ground that we shared but what she gave me keeps me giving to others from the knowledge I learned by sewing.

This is a very nice thread. :o

Thank you for starting it - and thank you all for the rest of the posts.

My dear mom sewed and I can remember having to "roll" the remaining remnants of anything she sewed. I hated to have to do that, but then came the day when I had a daughter and oh my gosh, how many little dresses were made out of those scraps. I would love to be able to show my mother some of the quilts I have pieced and now being able to have the opportunity to do some long arm quilting, thanks to a friend. I can see her smiling from heaven. She was always encouraging and loved to share - I think I get that from her for sure.
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It may not seem like a big thing but I have a friend who goes to garage sales and buys material for me to make charity baby quilts with. She never wants any money for her finds. At the price of material these days, that is a wonderful thing for her to do.

People here on this board sent me fabric because I had no stash and Walmart did away with our fabric. I was overwhelmed by the generosity.I received so many compliments on my projects. I got packages from total strangers and it really got my creatice juices going. It has been a couple of years ago and I still have warm fuzzies!

My now husband bought me a sewing table. I couldn't believe he did it because we didn't know each other that well at the time!

My moment was when my aunt from Texas saw my quilts and said I should have the blocks my great grandmother made. She thought I would be able to make a beautiful quilt out of them.

I have to say my husband for one - he said if that's something I want to learn to do he'd support me in it, and my mom gave me my grandmother's sewing basket. My nana passed away last year and using her box everyday reminds me of her.

I currently have a room full of machines and cabinets, a quilt waiting for repair flung over my chair that holds my massager (which my dh bought because I have back problems) fabric overflowing everywhere...piles of vintage doilies and runners laying atop my cutting mat, a little bit of everything everywhere at the moment. Three sewing machines are out and in use, one sitting in the middle of traffic, blocking traffic, and my dh not complaining because I am sitting on the computer instead of getting up and "doing something" with it,lol. (He knows my back is really bothering me right now, because I pulled a dumb stunt and took a bad fall). Having him support me by letting me do whatever I want is the greatest gift I could ever get. It is the opposite of the way I was treated growing up.

My husbands support and and understanding of my quilting .