Janice McC

I see what you said there...

Libster

A big welcome to all of the new ladies. (You do know you'll be hooked, don't you? Once that Boom Bug bites you, you're done for.) I've been hooked since Boom 10.
I'm a widow with 3 children, 6 grandchildren AND 2 1/2 great-grandchildren. My second great-grandson will be born in December. I do love my babies!
I was taught to sew by my grandma. I, too, made all my own clothes through high school. I hate sewing clothes now although I do conduct workshops making pillowcase dresses for charity through my church. I love making quilt blocks and piecing the tops. Not so much the actual quilting part. Applique is my favorite method, by machine and by hand. It's easier for me by machine since I'm getting arthritis in both thumbs. Getting old just ain't for sissies!
We have tons of fun chatting on this swap. Oh, and we LOVE pictures. Again, welcome!

ibex94

Thank you for the clarification a few pages ago. I'm getting my groovy on. My name is Juana. I am addicted to fabric. I love piecing tops. I've never finished a quilt. I don't consider the acrylic lap throws quilts but I have done tons of those. I love hand sewing so much more than machine sewing but am practicing with machine sewing because I may actually quilt one of my flimsies if I get more accomplished with my machine sewing. I want a Bernina so I can embroider some of my own designs into the quilts. I may not sew much but I bought a treadle machine so I could sew if there is no electricity (thank you Hurricane Katrina). I have a zigzag Necchi, because I lost my mother's Necchi in the flood generated by the failure of the levees in New Orleans. I also have a Singer sewing machine from Sam's purchased immediately after I was a refugee from Katrina in Mississippi. Sewing kept me sane in the Katrina aftermath.

I have been piecing since I was a little girl. I have two great grandmothers that quilted up a storm. One really loved piecing and one really loved the sewing bees when everyone gathered to quilt the flimsies. I have considered getting a PhD in quilting from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, just so I can study fabric more. My dh is greatly amused by my fabric purchases as are my two grown sons. My granddaughters love all the Dora the Explorer and Minnie Mouse fabric I've been picking out lately. Coasters and Pillowcases are the rage in my house at the moment. This quiltingboard has been wonderful inspiration for many years and it has only been recently that I have fully participated. I am working on a PhD in geography, but like my quilts, I do great with the planning stage but the finish is lacking. I need to write my dissertation proposal and all I am doing is playing with fabrics, lol. I tell myself that my mind is processing while I relax with the quilting.

Thank you all for being so inclusive of newbies. Peace and Love. Far out.

Janice McC

I've been quilting on and off for about 15 years. I'm more of a piecer at heart than a quilter so I have lots of unfinished tops. I'm married and have two adult sons, neither married, no grandchildren, but I live in hope. My mother lives with us and she has health issues and cannot be on her own. I have two dogs (a 5 yo pitbull and a 10 yo mix) and two cats (one 16 and the other a 5 yo I inherited.) The 16 year old cat runs the show despite being 8 pounds and so skinny I can barely believe she's still with us. I fell into hosting this swap several years ago and this is the 7th one since I took on the job. I get some weird kind of enjoyment out of putting people and swaps together and I've had the pleasure of "meeting" a wonderful group of quilters, many of them are in this very swap. I consider myself pretty darn lucky to be in this position.

Kassaundra

Ibex, one of our dispatchers is a Katrina survivor / displaced person. She is fully "Okiefied" now. She was a life long resident of N.O. and a young adult (22 I think) when she relocated to Muskogee, OK. Anyway I was completely in awe, that she had NEVER seen a cow in person, only at the zoo. A COW!!!!

ibex94

For so many in New Orleans, being forced out of the city was the first time they had ever left the city. We're surrounded by water but most don't know how to swim despite access to public pools. And we love to eat. I'll bet your dispatcher can cook up some wonderful things! I'll bet she never saw a cornfield, either. One of the good things that happened because of Katrina is that New Orleans food can be found all over the country now because of the Katrina diaspora. We will eat well wherever we land, lol.

jaba

All your stories sound so familiar kind of'. 1st started sewing in high school in home-ec, my Mother never picked up a needle and grand mother's crocheted or knitted. Then sewed little things for granddaughter's when they were babies, thank heavens they did not know the difference!!!! Found myself doing alterations and into formal wear, to picky for me so gave it all up until about 10 or so years ago. Went on a vacation and saw a scrappy quilt a lady had sewn that was in purple, imagine that, bought it, brought it home.....and the journey began. Figured I could do that.."upteen" machines and fabric's later here I am. Loving every minute of it and it's my sanity and lifesaver for sure. Being retired from owning a grocery store and working that 6 am to 10pm everyday thing I absolutely have to have something to occupy my time or I'd go nuts!! Hence, I sew and sew and sew

jaba

Forgot to add ladies, I'm so happy to see new ladies joining our Booms! new ideas and new "blood" is always good and a chance for new learning experiences. No matter how long I sew there is always room for new idea's, thoughts, etc. Thank you for joining us, we're sometimes somber, sometimes crazy...sometimes wondering what we were thinking...no matter....you'll feel right at home I hope!!

Billi

She the one that didn't even know there was a box.....you know that wild woman colors beautifully outside the lines.

sewbizgirl

lum, welcome fellow newbie! I look forward to seeing the blocks you get back in your pretty fabric.

Billi, your doggie buddies are adorable! The gray one looks like a billygoat in that picture! (Don't tell him/her I said that...).

Thanks for the warm welcome Jaba and everyone!