quiltswithdogs

Cornie.... you nailed it... The quilter chooses the quilt's size and knows it will fit! That's a big reason I find I like quilting for gifts much more than sewing clothing.

dojo36

i guess i'm the only one that doesn't even know WHY i quilt. i have an addictive personality and i got addicted to quilting in addition to the fact that a couple good friends own a quilting shop. i have only one heir - my daughter - and i believe she will have to have a room built on to her house for a place for all my quilts. she has already made off with several of them. she loves them and i love making them. interesting question and a bunch of interesting answers!

jals loves to quilt

I love to hand quilt and have done it since I was 12. I find it quite calming and satisfying. Graduated from threading needles at the quilt bees. All my aunts quilted and my mother learned from them and she and I became the most coveted quilters to have around because we both had long reaches. I love the fabrics but am not fond of the piecing and applique tho I will do it. I hate starting something in a class and not finishing it then and there. I volunteer at our local senior center when I can to quilt with the ladies there for companionship and conversation. Not old enough to retire:-(

weezie

I apologize: this is very much an "I, I, I, Me, Me, Me" response because no one influenced me to start making quilts.

For a wide variety of reasons, my husband and I have no social life. We do not visit or have visitors, other than our son and daughters. This is not a bad or sad thing; it's just how it is. However, when the necessities of life; i.e., housework, yardwork, shopping, are not too demanding, we have time on our hands. Since I no longer need to make clothing to wear to the office, I make quilts. I'm afraid the repetition in knitting, hand embroidery, cross-stitching, crocheting will make my head explode ... tried them; hate them. Before I started making quilts, I thought that it would be repetitious and boring also, but it is definitely NOT. I love it, especially making the quilt tops; the actual quilting not so much. Also, due to my low boredom threshold, I have at least 3 quilts in progress at all times, one being pieced, one or two being quilted by machine and one being hand quilted, and occasionally one being appliqued.

Some of the other responses to the "why do you quilt" question describe me: I love putting puzzles together; I love colors and seeing how they can change dramatically when placed against other colors; I love fabric; I need a creative outlet. Before I retired, I made my clothing for work and, during those same years, I made a wide variety of stuffed dolls. They are quite good (she said, modestly) and I thought I might, at some future time, make dolls to sell. It never happened; now I have a huge selection of doll patterns, but rarely make dolls any more. At that time, making the dolls and my clothes satisfied my need to be creative; now quilt making does that.

chamby

I quilt because my grandmother and mother did this while I was growing up. They always made quilts for our beds. I do this to keep the memory of them alive in my heart. I also love the results and feel of a quilt.

JoanneS

When I was a newly-wed, I had the notion that I would like to make a special bedspread, but I had no idea what method I would use. I learned how to do crewel embroidery, but I never made a bedspread using it. I learned needlepoint, but that wouldn't work. I dabbled in a lot of crafts, none of which lasted long. Meanwhile, we bought a gorgeous bedspread in Spain.

In 1972, I saw an article about quilted pillows in McCalls. My DD's 4 poster bed needed a bedspread, so I used one of those blocks as a model, and machine pieced and quilted a quilt for her for Christmas - not very well - but it was my first attempt - I posted a picture of it buried under 'stuff' in my sewing room. Still buried.

In 1973, a friend and I took a quilting lesson from Applachian women the next spring, and I was hooked. She wasn't. No matter that it was applique, and I rarely have done applique. I fell in love with the GRAPHIC beauty of quilts and never looked back. My second quilt was the long long-for quilt for DH's and my bed. Storm-at-Sea. Hmmmm - I never thought about it before, but that quilt is rather appropriate, though, so far, our marriage has lasted 47 years. It started while he was on cruise with the Navy. He sent me a ticket to follow the cruise, and we wed in Yokohama.

JoanneS

When I was a newly-wed, I had the notion that I would like to make a special bedspread, but I had no idea what method I would use. I learned how to do crewel embroidery, but I never made a bedspread using it. I learned how to make latchhook rugs, and I dyed my own material. I learned needlepoint. I dabbled in a lot of crafts, none of which lasted long. Meanwhile, we bought a gorgeous bedspread in Spain.

In 1972, I saw an article about quilted pillows in McCalls. My DD's 4 poster bed needed a bedspread, so I used one of those blocks as a model, and machine pieced and quilted a quilt for her for Christmas - not very well - but it was my first attempt - I posted a picture of it buried under 'stuff' in my sewing room. Still buried.

In 1973, friend and I took a quilting lesson from Applachian women the next spring, and I was hooked. She wasn't. No matter that it was applique, and I rarely have done applique. I fell in love with the GRAPHIC beauty of quilts and never looked back. My second quilt was the long long-for quilt for DH's and my bed. Storm-at-Sea.

Letty

Hi Eddie,Until I was fifty years old I just hated sewing of any kind.I have always been a frustrated painter -- not a very good one but loved making things.Then a friend made a quilt usung the English paper pieced hexagons and I was hooked.Now I can't imagine being without some quilting on the go. Lets hope the craft will go on and on. Love, Letty

nitakhoops

I quilt in the winter because it's too cold to do woodworking in my shop. Basically, it's the same technique...plan, cut, and assemble. Much safer to quilt, though...also, I don't say a little prayer like I do everytime I use a power saw when doing wood working!
My grandmother let me quilt the wedding ring top she had made and it became a wedding gift for my husband and me over 40 years ago. What a special gift!
Now that it's the "IN THING TO DO" and I know others who quilt, I decided to try it and have been working at it for 3 winters now.
I use glue in fixing boo boos while woodworking and usually can fix my quilting boo boos by ripping it out and resewing!

Jewbilee2003

I too am very hard on myself when it comes to my work. I am fortunate to have a very supportive husband and family that are gentle with their remarks. They always tell me that "only I know there are mistakes in the quilt." That being, I have learned a trick of hanging things high and adhearing them so that they can't be turned over for viewing. The result is that they only see what I want them to see. I still enjoy making quilts even if I never have the skill level that others do. I am learning to be at peace with my work and see it as folk art, which was never meant to be perfect but meant to be my unique creation. I am the artist, its my world and how I view it........