carolaug

How did I start...hmm...no sewers or quilters in my family...I use to be a total work acholic...then in 2009 my group was laid off...including my boss and me...wow...what a change of life style...at first it was very hard. I was not the type of person who relaxed ever..I was always on the go...at first I did major cleaning, started cleaning out closets, then painting walls, ceilings, kitchen redo (my husband had no idea what he was coming home to each day). I tried to finish each project before he got home...I went to dump every day...then after a few months I was done...yup...one hour of cleaning a day and then what...I volunteered for Animal shelter, Meals on Wheels and of course looked for a job. I then started to find time each day to read and started to relax after about 9 months but still missing something. A friend of mine said she was having a grandson and was going to make a quilt...I kidded her about making me one...and she said...I will not make you one but I will come over and we can make one together. So that is how it began...I made a wall quilt and she made a baby quilt. We tied the quilt, this was prior to me nowing how to FMQ and all cut with my rotary cutter. I was never good at picking colors and never really had a hobby...well I had a blast...and searched the internet, found this board who helped and taught me how to quilt along with many utube video and haven't looked back...I love it...now my only issue is my shoulder is not loving it...so hoping it heals. I now I will have to slow down. I would make a quilt in a weekend...I just had the bug. It has been great for my marriage of 30 years. My husband love to record music for a hobby so spends time in his music room for a few hours so this gave me something to do and I did not feel ignored. Hubby is wonderful and very supportive of my hobby. He even upgraded my sewing machine a christmas gift st first I was totally afraid of it and left it on the box for a week...LOL...he ended up setting it up for me and then a year later made a sewing room for me. Yup...love the quilting world...only tough time is all the fabic and how messy it can get at times...and how hard it is for me to throw anything out...but I am getting there...this year using more scraps in my quilts before I start new projects, and finding ways to use up my scraps of batting and materials that I don't want for quilting. like dog toys, baby bibs, floor mats, and other small crafts. Great Thread!!! Got me thinkings....Oh and a life saver for those cold snow days and all the rainny days...I have now been back to work for 2 and 1/2 years which is why I was able to invest in Accuquilt and buy many dies...I wanted to make sure I will have plenty to do when I retire...also I admit I went a bit nuts buyig lots and lots of fabric since I went back to work. I have now slowed down on that...I think I have enough for a life time...Quilting has been wonderful for me and has bought a lot of joy into my life!

petthefabric

Quilt Joey. Just curious, why did you change from default to the font you use?

Why do I quilt: Started sewing out of necessity; wanted doll cloths, then with long legs the stirrup pants never fit. Then I got possitive feed back from all over my family so as a kid I felt accepted and accomplished. Kept sewing to have nice cloths that actually fit my not-average body shape. I didn't fit in the cliques and found sewing satisfying.

It's a "clean" form of art. I don't like getting dirty. Even dying has a "dirtyness/messy" to it. I loved watercolor because it was immediate but it was to messy with a little child running around. And I never could get my mind image come out on the paper. Now I can see that luscious idea in the fabric before I even put it into the quilt

To please my daughter, I started quilting and from the beginning discovered I was pretty good. I started to have common interests with other people and had more friends. I've discovered I do best with other people when we work on something while talking. I need something to do with my hands to keep my mind focussed, so I often take handwork to meetings.

I'm always creating, in my head. Quilting focusses that creativeness. I've started doing small wall hangings as i can go from one idea to another, faster. I have more ideas than I can possibly finish in my lifetime, yet they still keep coming.

And now it's back to friends. As we quilt, we discuss the issues of life. I solve a lot of thoughts and questions through relationships and having my hands busy. And I love to Petthefabric

Jbug

I don't want to quilt, I am not going to quilt! Then a friend got cancer. She loved to quilt and it was her place of comfort. As her disease progressed she needed more and more help in order to quilt. I finished her final quilt when she passed and gave it to her husband. Problem was I was hooked. I found I love the designing, choosing fabric and seeing how the top actually comes together. It is fun to be creative. I am working on finding the fun and creativity in sandwiching, quilting and binding also.

bearisgray

Because I like to sew - and a quilt doesn't really have to 'fit' like a garment does!

Pat625

I quilt because I love every step of the process...My mother began teaching me before she died, and years later, a dear friend taught me a lot more- I quilt in their memory..I quilt because I want every family member to have a gift of love...because now that I am disabled, it gives me something I can do that I enjoy, It's for the grandbaby that thanks me for a quilt, and tells me she felt like she was covered in love when she slept..It's because I have to use up all this fabric before I die!!

lclang

My grandmother and aunts and mother all were quilters. My mom and aunts all crocheted too. I learned to knit and taught my mother. She taught me to crochet. Before my first baby was born I made receiving blankets and a quilt. That was 60 years ago. I made quilts for each of our five children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, for all the nieces and nephews, for friends babies, etc. etc. Seems I always had a quilt going for someone. The teens got denim and T-shirt quilts. I sewed clothing for our kids for many years but for pure enjoyment I made quilts, sometimes tear stained when times were tough. I guess it was a way to be creative, to quiet things down a little, to dream. to enjoy color and shape and placement. I particularly enjoy this website and the free patterns on the internet. I make up a lot of my own, add embellishments, etc. It was a way to use up my sewing scraps, to make do, to do my own thing, to be artistic.

needlefruit

Found a little of myself in each of the responses above. My quilting journey began while taking chemo to save my sanity. Now that I'm addicted, I love the creative process, I love the connection to the past, and I love gifting quilts. Quilting is the best brain-rust remover I know about.

BillieJean

Sewing was always my first love ...when my children was young I made their clothes, made my husband some work shirts too (still has one)..I had gotten away from sewing for about 10yrs. Had back surgery was off work, so I had asked a friend to help me, I made a sampler quilt for my daughter and a 5 for5? quilt for my son ...
I have made a few for gifts...wedding, baby shower....
Went back to work and I have lost my moejo....

meanmom

I have been sewing since I was probably 6 years old and mom would let us use her sewing machine. We started out just sewing scraps together and claiming it was doll clothes. I made a lot of clothing for my 4 kids. Eventually I did several weddings. I got bored with this and started making purses. I have always been know for my creativity making crafts. One day I bought fabric for a purse and was starring at it trying to come up with a design for the purse. I just randomly decided it really looked like a quilt. I had never quilted and didn't know anyone who did. I looked up a quilt shop and went and talked to them and picked a pattern. I did one of Carol Doaks paper pieced stars from her 50 stars book. THe owner of the shop said it was a little hard for a first quilt but I just had to do it.She gave me a 5 minute demo on paper piecing and the rest is history. I made 64 of the blocks rotating the colors around to make 4 different versions of it. And the rest is history. I have been quilting for 8 years.
I find it a great outlet for the creative thoughts floating around in my head. I like to take whatever pattern I choose and change it up. I find my quilts getting more and more intricate. I am fooling with miniature and art quilting and will learn to dye fabric in a couple of weeks. I find it very relaxing and tell my DH is is less expensive than a therapist. I'm not sure this is true. I love all of the creativity of it. I wanted to take some art classes in high school but my parents said they were a waste of time and money.

liese

I, too, like it for the creativeness and to design and use color. Although I do quilt quite a bit and wish I had time for more (maybe in retirement). I give some as gifts, give some to charities and save some for sale at holiday fairs.