Pepita

My first quilt was a dresden plate that I tried to copy my grandmothers quilt. I had no teachers, just thought I would try and make it. Well, I over heard my father say "She'll never finish that thing." Not a great thing to tell a 7th grader. I finished the top, but didn't quilt it. My sister took the top and for college graduation she had it quilted for me. It was pretty primitive, but I had a quilt. I have always been the 'crafty, artsy one' I toyed with being an art major in college, (my sister is a professor of art, and my daughter just told me that she thinks she will minor in art) I'd say it runs pretty strong in my family. That joy you get when you create, it is very hard to describe, as well as the completion of a project. I guess I need it, it helps fuel who I am, which in turn gives you confidence to do more.

bennie0755

I was first introduced to quilts in the 70's (I think I wanted to go join a commune! LOL) I tried one, simple squares, it looked horrible, but I tried again about 10 years later. 8 pointed rolling star... still looked horrible, so about 10 years after that I tried the same pattern again. (I am tenacious, if nothing else!) anyway... when that attempt also turned out bad, I finally found out that the pattern I was using did not have even diamonds. Needless to say, I was pretty turned off for a long time. Well, my mother-in-law passed away recently, and among her things were two quilts that she had been working on when my husband and I were first married (1973). They are now mine, and it re-ignited the desire. I always have to have something to do with my hands.. crochet, knit, embroidery, etc, but I find that quilting doesn't hurt my hands, AND it gets me away from the TV. I'm working on a Jacob's Ladder pattern currently, VERY traditional fabrics, and it is turning out much, much better. Wish me luck.

bwarren

I quilt to have some peaceful time to myself. But the most important reason is to give my cats someplace to be and someone to pester.

country-girl

I started sewing and quilting as a child. My grandmother and mom taught me and I have loved it ever since. I like the picking of colors and design and when I'm done I have something beautiful.

bunbytes

I have sewn clothing and crafts since high school and quilting was just a logical offshoot. Besides, I don't have to worry about the resulting project "not fitting" like with clothing!

flowerjoy

This is why quilters get along so well...we identify through our passion. I loved a grandmother (I still remember her warm laughter) who left me a treadle machine when she died. I was only 10 but found it fascinating. I read the instruction book and figured how to use the shuttle. My parents updated it with a knee "pedal" and encouraged me to continue. I started sewing my clothes for school when I turned 12 and sewed my clothes off and on until about 40 yrs. old. Then too busy with teaching and my son, I put sewing aside. Twenty years later my DS left for another state. I missed him terribly so one day I announced to my DH "I am going to make a quilt for DS and DIL". I do not know where the quilt idea came from, but I started. Everyday I worked on that quilt and in the process the geographical distance lessened. I even sent them pictures throughout the process. Now, a few years later I quilt because it is something I must do... it is my passion. I love everything about quilting: fabric, color combinations, designs, inspirations from others new techniques, etc. I also love hand quilting. Stitch by stitch stress vanishes and the laughter of my favorite Grandmother returns as if it was yesterday. I guess I associate quilting/sewing with warmth, love and happiness and that is why I guess I quilt. Quilting makes me happy! My DH and I recently moved to a new home in rural Kansas... near our DS and DIL. And what a great place to be - family and so many talented quilters. Thank you for this reflective moment.

cricket_iscute

I've known John for about ten years now, have taken several classes from him and had many conversations with him and his wife, Brooke, and never knew that!

I agree, quilting is good for the blood pressure and is great therapy. I knew a woman whose husband had a mid-life crisis and affair. She worked on a huge crazy quilts for months waiting for him to figure things out and come back to her, which he did. She choose crazy quilts because her life was so crazy then. She said it saved her sanity and kept her from killing him. LOL

MadQuilter

It is my therapy (and much cheaper). I have a creative bone or two in my body so I have to make things. I tried many crafts over time but quilting is the one that stuck. Now I have so much money invested, I have to stick with it.

petthefabric

Thank you for answering. I like comic sans, too. And color. And Bold. And any other change that inhances the message.

nanac

When I was a child, I spent summers in Alabama, with my Grandma and aunts and cousins. After the chores were all done in the evenings, they would(in the summer) cut out all the pieces for the quilts they would sew in the winters. I t was my job to thread the pieces on a long thread, to keep all the "like' pieces together. As a child, I hated that - I wanted to be playing with my cousins.
Many long years later, I returned to college to get my Nursing degree. Shortly after graduation my BFF and Study Buddy got married. I wanted to give her something hat would remind her of me. A set of Glasses? Sheets? Towels? Hmmm, after they were washed, she wouldn't know they were from ME. Then I thought of all those years ago, helping my GM and aunts. I know... a QUILT! then she would know that it was specifically from me every time she used it. Even though I had never done anything by myself before, I set about learning how to do it, and finished the quilt the day before her wedding. It was a burgundy, rose and cream colored Dresden Plate with burgundy sashing and binding. That was back in 1980, and I was 'Hooked". She likes to joke that even though she doesn't have the same husband, she still has the same quilt.
Every year for my family reunion, I make a quilt that is raffled off to help pay for the next year's reunion. I have enough stash to stock a small quilt store, and go through it each time to choose the material for the quilt. Once I have the colors, then I choose the pattern. Probably backwards, I know, but that is the way it works for me. And, luckily, every quilt has turned out so much better than I imagine when I am working on it. I have never been able to design, but I can follow a pattern to make it look good. And that is why I quilt.