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MommaThomps 08-03-2010 05:13 AM

I had always wanted to learn how to quilt, but thought I would never have the ability to do it. Then a couple of years ago a lady in church offered to some beginning classes. I could only make it to the first one, but it was enough to hook me. I've really enjoyed it ever since. My favorite thing to do for someone now is to make them a quilt.

BusyDebbie 08-03-2010 05:18 AM

My mother made numerous quilts usually only in the winter time. And I watched all the craft shows on HGTV (before they took them off) with my breakfast as well. One day I decided I wanted to try it so I went to Joanne's Fabric and picked out the print first then four cordinating fabrics from the print. Now if I could find the time to put the back together that would be great I would actually get it finished.

JAGSD 08-03-2010 05:23 AM

I started into sewing when in 4-h at age 8. Sewed mainly clothes and as got older I really decided I disliked it, so pretty much quit. (In the meantime my mother had started making quilts (absolutely beautiful) and had made my oldest son one with horse heads and a log cabin design around them. I absolutely loved it. Then my grandparents passed away a couple of years apart I was very close to both of them and it tore me apart. I was looking for something to do to get my mind off it.One day I looked at my sons quilt and I thought to myself I should be able to do that. I purchased some material, measured with a ruler,drew lines with pencils,then cut with scissors the length of fabric and pressed seam open and proceeded to make myself a quilt(I knew nothing of how to quilt so the quilt police would of had a hey day!)The rest is history! It's been 6 years and am Definetly hooked!

OmaForFour 08-03-2010 05:33 AM

I have several friends who are quilters and they got me interested because of the beautiful work they do. It was a "I can do that too" type of thing and then I fell in love with it.
Now that I am retired I have more time. My DH built me a beautiful frame using a Hinterberg hardware kit so that it cost us only about $290 to do instead of buying an equivalent one for around $700.
THEN I joined this board (can't remember how I found out about it anymore) and it has been such a delight! I have learned so much and everyone is so sharing and caring! It has made me even more into quilting.
I also met one of my dearest friends through the QB.

newbee 08-03-2010 05:38 AM

I saw a baby quilt hanging in a lodge in Wyoming. I had sewn clothes since I was 15, and I thought, "I could make that." Well, I made an identical one--and finished it 20 years later! I haven't finished my 2nd, 3rd, or 4th quilt, either. But I have finished almost all of them after that.

Ms. Shawn 08-03-2010 05:46 AM


Originally Posted by oldhag
I have sewed clothing for a very long time. Learning from Home Ec class way back in the good ol' days.I made an odd quilt but never really took to it when my kids were little,...probably too busy working and raising a family. My job as a nurse in a very small rural hospital is very stressful in ways that are different from a larger hospital. Every person that comes in has some connection to us. We are either related or a friend or mom's friend...I've joked with my DH about it saying "I've seen everyone in this town naked". That being said I was having a particularly hard time with a couple of rather tragic incidents at work and had great trouble disconnecting my brain and refocusing on my life rather than others. I was doing busy work to keep my mind off of the sadness and tragedy around me and cleaning out a closet jammed full of odds and ends and found a whole bunch of blue jeans. Not one to throw anything out I started cutting them up into squares and... you guessed it....I made a quilt. I found that while i was doing it I could put my life back into perspective and it was calming. I now quilt as I HAVE to, It makes sense when too many things in life do not.From tears I make flowers.

Hello oldhag,, As you said"From tears I make flowers" I say Amen to that!!!!! :thumbup: :XD: :mrgreen: :-P

Ms. Shawn 08-03-2010 06:11 AM


Originally Posted by zactanls
I had sewed for my children for years but then I bought an embroidery machine and started making memory quilts. Each person got 12 blocks of their choice like their dog, sport, children's names with a picture. It was like a 4 patch in-between. That got me hooked on quilting. Now I rarely make the memory quilts but I have really gotten into making all kinds of scrap quilts. I belong to a strip club that meets the first 2 Wednesdays of the month. We make a strip quilt every other month. I really love it.

Hey zactanls, "strip club" do you get many good looking men stripping! :lol: :lol: I think I might need to join! :lol: :lol:

hazelnut 08-03-2010 06:24 AM

I started after my dh bought me a machine last July. I have always wanted to but didn't think I would be good enough. But I don't really care because I enjoy it and practice makes perfect. I used to watch my Grandfather alot. He loved quilting and he quilted until he was 91. He put a sign out in front of his house and sold quilts to people all over. They were nothing fancy just scrap material and cut into squares. He used an old blanket for the center and flannel back. I used to love watching him, so I guess that is why I got started.

janb 08-03-2010 06:28 AM

I remember as a little girl sitting under the quilting table while my mother and her friends would quilt and gossip. That was 75 years ago...then when my special sister-friend showed me a quilt made from used jeans, I thought I could do that...my daughter in law (a quilter) gifted me with a cutting pad and a rotary cutter and I was off and running. Since I have comleted a denim quilt, two twins, a doll quilt and a changing pad. Love has entered my life via the sewing machine !!

CorgiNole 08-03-2010 06:38 AM


Originally Posted by tdgiffin

Originally Posted by CorgiNole
I'm not sure why.

I've always admired quilts and envied those who make such beautiful items. But I've also always been worried about my ability to execute such items (a nasty streak of perfectionism).

This spring, I found directions for a Rag Quilt and thought that sounded like a neat way to quilt without having to worry about the accuracy (Um - Nope - Accuracy in seams, cutting, etc. is still a good idea). The more I read about quilting, the more intrigued I got. Then I found this board and learned about Harriet Hargrave's Quilters Academy series.

Now I'm hooked.

Cheers, K

Can you tell me more about that program?

Eventually there will be 6 books working from very basic quilt design and construction (Freshman year) through very advanced quilt making - Doctorate! They are set up in such a way that you can teach yourself to quilt - and provide a good set of explanations for why actions/steps are recommended.

There are a few discussions on the board:

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-50106-1.htm
http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-48645-1.htm

You can also click on the link in my signature to reach my blog, Quilting with Corgis, that I'm keeping as I work my way through the books. There is also an Australian quilter who has completed the Freshman year and is working her way into the Sophomore year (the others have not been released yet) and is keeping an excellent blog with her progress: http://patchnblock.blogspot.com/

Cheers, K


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