I started quilting in the mid 70's, scissors, templates and sewed everything by hand. Then I realized I was not going to live long enough to make all the quilts I want to make or be the one to use my stash, so in 2000-2001, I bought my first rotary cutter and mat and Im loving it!! My quilt patterns are just as intricut, some blocks have over 60 pieces in them and there a 12 inch block. Now I can make a queen size quilt in 2 weeks or less. Sometimes progress is a good thing!!

This is my third time to start quilting. The first time was 30 years ago and we used cardboard templates and hand sewed the blocks. I started a crib quilt for my daughter and it was one of the UFO's that I finished about a year ago. My daughter is now 30. The second time I was the secretary for the Extension Service and the Family & Consumer Science Agent taught me how to use a rotary cutter and I made a couple of quilts. But again life got in the way and I moved on to cross-stitching. As they say the 3rd time is a charm and 2 years ago my sister introduced me to rag quilts and I haven't stopped. I won't be stopping any time soon. I love how simple rotary cutters and the new ways to sew things one way to get something else (i.e. sewing squares on the diagonal to get hst's).