fabuchicki

Funny story.

I am an artist. I majored in illustration but after college I took up painting and did a series of abstracts. I never liked working in "squares" so I made odd shapes out of plywood and painted them.

Fast forward to after having two kids. I was spending a ton of time driving my kids to activities and waiting for them to be done with activities. I was just sitting around wasting my own time while my kids were getting enrichment. (good for the kiddos, not so great for me). I had stopped making art and it was bothering me.

I decided to figure out some kind of art I could do that was portable. This is where the funny story part come in: DH and I were "gaming." He's always been into Dungeons and Dragons type games that you play by making up stories and characters as you go along. Well he made one up based on a book we read together and in the game my character did embroidery. Every time it came up in the game I thought that it sounded like fun.

I decided to learn to embroider to make my art work portable. Problem was, my artwork was usually about 3 or 4 feet high. Anyone who has ever done embroidery knows how long it takes to complete a project a few inches big so I realized if I was going to continue doing what I was doing in fiber instead of paint, I'd have to learn to quilt. That sounded not only impossible (I could hardly sew, though I did have my Mom's machine), but also boring (all those little squares - yawn). I took a class at my LQS and it turns out, I LOVE it. So I guess the rest is history.

P.S. I still take an embroidery project to work on if I have to wait but the quilts are all done on machine now anyway. :?

omak

So many wonderful stories.
I want to salute the quilters that started back in 1976 - - before rotary cutters, acrylic templates, and speed piecing techniques. Today, we owe a lot of what we do to our foremothers who basically made quilts to make the best use of their leftover fabrics and provide shelter and warmth for their families.
And, we owe a lot to the modern day "experts" who used their creativity, perseverence, and ability to hand us a craft that makes for almost instant gratification.
Fabuchickie's story is a good example of what drove the early pioneers ... and, I am so enjoying reading how each of you has come to the craft and found a contentment on so many levels, including becoming more challenged every day or so to try just one more technique <wave>

sewingladydi

My mom bought a couple of books at a garage sale with older quilts in them and I was just fascinated with how beautiful they were.

quiltwoman

I had just gotten married, moved out of state, looking for a job...bought a magazine with a quilt pattern in it. Got a kitten, some fabric, a new pair of scissors and "went for it"....I still have it too :lol:

zkosh

Quiltwoman,
I love your avatar! Can you tell me more about it? Was it a pattern or original design you created? What process did you use to create it? :mrgreen:

AnnaK

When my daughter moved out, the empty nest syndrome moved in. I had always admired quilts and thought I'd try it some day. I took a class at the adult ed school and have been quilting since... over 20 years.

quiltingmomma

(Get ready to lol) For me it was when I decided that I wanted to try something new and maybe even enter it into our county fair. Well, my husband told me that there was "no way you'll be able to learn to quilt and then make one, especially good enough to enter into the fair." Well that was all it took. I had exactly 3 weeks until fair time. I bought me a book with a pattern I really liked, bought the fabric, sewed it, entered it. And guess what, It won first place against even seasoned quilters. Guess I showed him. Although I think he was using reverse psychology on me. He was very proud and so was I. I have been quilting since. Up to date I have made and sold 6 other quilts.

LoisN

Seems that I have always sewn. When I was in high school (30 years ago) I made a Lone Star quilt from a kit that my mom got for me. Then didn't do any more quilts for many years. Several years ago, I saw a sampler in a museum in Kearney, Nebraska, when I was visiting a friend there. The quilter created 2 blocks of each design with different fabrics. I said, "I could do that" and I did. I got really simple block patterns from quilterscache.com and went to work. Every one I made was my new "favorite" block. I kept showing my husband and children each new creation. I think they were really glad when I got that quilt done. I've been hooked ever since.

Darlene

My MIL was a quilter and had the old fashioned quilting stands that were wood you pinned the fabric onto. No one in my family quilts or ever has they were city people and always worked out of the home. I never even saw a quilt until I got married in 1964. Sad huh?

jean knapp

mine is a wierd story. sewed clothes all my life. When my daughter started working for the Duck Tape people they offered her class that were considered R & R someone where she workded made quilts. She called me and asked me to go with her. I thought it was just stupid to cut up a piece of fabric and sew it back together. I agreed to go now I am so hooked and she has made 1 quilt (for me) actually I am obesssed. My husband often says. Hay honey better get dressed Joannes is sending the limo for you since its been a few days. Their profits are down. Ha Ha he is so funny. Jean