JuneBillie

My mother was also a wonderful seamstress, and quilter. I sewed some clothes in my 20's trying to be like mom, but never had the patience she did. She would talk about liking cutting out patterns and fabric. I hated both. I never understood what she was talking about when she said she loved just looking at fabric and feeling it. The clothes I made in my 20's were forced by my drive. hehe.. I would much rather have been in a store shopping for them.
I also decided back then I was going to make a quilt if it killed me. It didn't kill me, but it was the ugliest quilt I have ever seen. It was just squares sewn together, and I quilted it by hand with the biggest stitches you ever seen, but I did finish it. Later threw it away. hehe.

I retired early due to being ill in 2010 after going back to school and working as a teacher for 15 years. I one day decided I was going to sew some blocks together again to make a quilt for a full size bed. After I accidentally found this board, I made a first mug rug that I gave as a gift to the superintendent of schools. She said she uses it everyday since she has retired.

The rest is history with my now love for quilting, and especially discovering the rotary cutter, etc. I now also love cut fabric and love feeling fabric that my mother talked about.

I have even made one bow tuck purse that my mother seen before she passed away, along with the quilt.

Knitette

My mother died the week my first grandson was born, but that's a story for another time. Amongst her effects was her sewing machine - she was a great seamstress and made a lot of our clothes when we were young. Although a knitter (hence board name) I'd never even threaded a machine, so my sister took it.

About a year later she hadn't used it and asked if I wanted it it. Having taken early retirement from a very stressful job, I'd been learning Spanish (we learn French in school here) and the class had just folded, so I thought, 'I'm going to learn to sew'. I took a class at my local college and started to make a cushion. That Christmas, I bought fabric and made napkins for Christmas dinner - I was so proud!

While looking through a magazine, I saw an ad for my LQS. Never knew there was such a thing! (Despite it being above my local supermarket and shopping there a couple of times a month...........) Anyway, I signed up for a beginners class three years ago and the rest, as they say is history!

My one regret is that my mother never lived to see my progress as a quilter. She would have been amazed that I, who could barely sew on a button, could produce something like this - she would have been so proud.

grann of 6

I have been sewing for about 65 years, since I was 5 or so. My mother would sew all my clothes and I would sit on the floor beside her and make clothes for my dolls. Oh, how I love being able to go through the scrap fabric box and pull out the pieces and play with them. I made most of my clothes through high school, and all my maternity clothes, and layettes for the kids. Then I graduated to home dec sewing for friends, when the kids grew up, then wedding gowns, for DIL and some friends. After the death of my DH, I decided to move where I would be closer to all my kids. I became great friends with the gal across the lane from me. She quilted, I never had. Well, I made blankets for all the grandkids, but never called them quilts. They were flannel, batting, flannel squares, and stitched so they wouldn't fall apart. Anyway, she convinced me to try making some placemats. We ended up having a grand time going to Joanns and perusing the quilt fabric for the next project. That dear neighbor is no longer with us, but I thank her every day for introducing me to a craft that I never thought I would love. Now I make mostly quilts for charity, but I love every second of it. I even got a long arm so I can quilt them myself, nothing fancy, but I can do a mean meander.

maviskw

I can't begin to tell you how much I've enjoyed reading this thread. The stories are wonderful. Thank you all.

weezie

My quilting habit kicked in about the time I quit working and didn't need to make any more garments for myself. Although I love to sew, no one is more surprised than I am that I love making quilts, especially doing the planning and piecing (at this point, the actual quilting is still pretty much of a chore). I get bored really quickly and I hate repetition ... so no knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, etc. for me and, once upon a time, I thought that making quilts would be boring. What changed my mind? The quilt show people, such as Alex Anderson & her guests. There used to be a whole slew of good quilting shows on t.v. The quilts displayed on those shows were often stunning works of art; the more shows I saw, the more I was convinced that I had to make at least one. This was in the mid-90's and and I'm more intrigued than ever with the process and the zillion possible patterns and color choices.

linda faye

After retirement three years ago, I finally jumped in and hand pieced and hand quilted a king size quilt. Not perfect but not bad either! I did enough ripping to have made three quilts!

Quilting is a time of meditation - a time of connecting me with those who have gone before me....sure hope there is quilting in heaven.

It's a time to reflect on our blessings when I compare the way pioneer women vs 21st century women live. Quilting is a creative outlet.

It is a conversation starter when I take my portable project with me when I have to be in a waiting room.

Quilting jogs memories of warm, loving hugs of bygone times, of going to a grandparents' home and sleeping under a quilt instead of a blanket.

Quilting brings women (and men too) together for encouragement, support, sharing and learning.

Yes, I have sentimental thoughts about quilting. My only regret is that my Mom is no longer here to share this pleasure with me and I was too busy when she was here.

IBQUILTIN

I watched my Grandmother for years and she taught me to quilt. I can still hear her telling me " if you aren't happy with it, it won't fit. Rip it out"

needles3thread

I like hearing these stories of how we began quilting. It truly is a satisfying/rewarding thing to do.......always some
new technique to learn - and those beautiful fabrics to bring home with us. Each new project I start is going to be the
best one I've done....

marcellelee

I started when my teenage son returned to Montreal. Quilting helped me cope with missing him.

mjhaess

I have admired quilters since I was a little girl. My mom was a quilter and did everything by hand. I hated when she made me go with her to her cold quilting room with the old frame that took up half the room. She made me do hand quilting with her. needless to say I hated it. Of course I was all of 11 years old. I always wanted to learn to piece quilts when I grew up but never had the time. The last 15 years of my career was spent as a traveling nurse. I traveled for a new assignment every 13 weeks. I lived out of a suitcase and a small studio or sometimes a very small apartment. I retired three years ago and have been sewing as much as I can. I still have a lot to learn but I did learn a lot from my mom, God rest her soul. Now I have time to play but will have more time when my sewing room is done.