MargeD

I think sewing/quilting sooths my soul. My Mom taught me to do embroidery when I was 6, starting with a simple pot holder kit from the 5 and 10 cent store. Then she helped me transfer embroidery patterns onto pillowcases, and I did embroidery off and on for years. Mom also taught me to sew simple box pleated skirts, and in high school I took Home Economics for 2 years, where I learned how to read patterns and how not to put in a zipper, although my Home Ec. teacher taught me the right way to put in a zipper. In high school and for years later I made all my own clothes, then when I had my kids I made clothes for them as well, especially fancy dresses for my daughter. I progressed to sewing crafts, making cloth dolls and selling them, as well as doll clothes. After trying ceramics, crocheting, knitting and counted cross stitch I discovered quilts, and discovered my passion. When planning a family reunion, I asked my sister and brothers to send fabric and I made the first family reunion quilt, which my oldest brother won. After that, I made a quilt for every bi-annual reunion, choosing different colors each time, then I make the quilt and it's raffled off and has become the highlight of the reunions. My family looks forward to seeing what I have done with the fabric they sent and the competition is spirited to see who wins the quilt. I also make smaller wall quilts, placemats, table runners, quilted bags and an assortment of other quilted items which I sell at craft fairs so I can make my "mad money" to support my "fabric habit". Quilting keeps me sane, keeps me calm in times of stress and loss, it makes me happy and that's why I quilt.

patricej

my mother taught me to sew at such an early age i don't even remember when. i had my own sewing machine at the age of 5. a singer "hand-me-down" from my grandmother. we made virtually all my clothes until i went out into the world on my own.

i tried to continue garment sewing but once i had to work for a living, there wasn't time. then, as the cost of patterns, material, and notions got continuously higher, i couldn't afford to make my own clothes.

about 15 years ago i stumbled across an episode of Simply Quilts. even though my mother and i never made quilts, it struck me as the perfect way to reconnect to my mom (who had passed away several years earlier) and the memories of our sewing together.

i enjoy the art of quilting for its own sake, but i especially treasure those moments when i can feel my mother watching.

joe'smom

We had our kitchen re-done about six years ago, which then led me to want to improve the other rooms, so I spent the next four years sampling colors and painting. I loved working with and learning about color. That led to a need for new curtains. When I saw the cost of custom-made curtains (!), I knew that was out of the question, so got a book on window treatments and made them myself. I absolutely loved working with fabric and color. One day, organizing the basement, I saw all the 1/4 yd. pieces I'd used to audition fabrics for one of the bedrooms, and thought, 'Hmm, those all look so nice together.' So I started getting books on quilting from the library. When I saw the pictures of quilts, I knew that's what I wanted to do. Color, and fabric, and endless possibilities!

mpspeedy2

I started out making doll clothes as a child. I was the only girl in a family of 4 and there were no other girls near my age on our block. One little girl, also named Mary, spent the summer with her grandparents who lived on our block. Her mother actually worked outside of their home in the 50's and 60's. She and I spent the whole summer together playing with and sewing for our dolls. My parents ran a florist business out of our home and my father actually also worked a fulltime job. He worked second shift and when he wasn't doing flower arranging or delivering his creations we had to be quiet so that he could sleep. My mother, who had actually majored in Home Economics before she was forced by economic circumstances to drop out of college, owned a Featherweight machine which she purchased in 1935. She brought it with her to Maryland when she met and married my father. They met when he was stationed in her hometown during WWII. He brought her to "civilization" in Maryland after they were married. She was in for "sticker shock". Not only did my Dad have an elderly English father for her to care for. Their honeymoon cottage had no indoor facilities. Luckily for them his "rich uncle" for whom he had been named actually existed. He helped them purchase a much bigger house with indoor plumbing. The only drawback was it cost more than he was willing to donate. In order for my parents to afford it they rented out the second floor as an apartment. As luck would have it the "full bath" was on the second floor. As a child we bathed in a metal wash tub or in the crude shower in the unfinished basement. I was twelve years old before my parents were able to afford the whole house. The lady who lived in that apartment was kind enough to show me how to hand sew as my mother didn't have time. I am basically a self taught quilter. My biggest goal is to get finished. I usually hand quilt bed size items. The only thing I machine quilt are the 20 or so Linus quilts I make each month. I do as little piecing as possible. To me it is the quilting that makes it a quilt not trying to see how I can drive myself crazy sewing together smaller and smaller pieces of fabric. I love panels and whole cloth. I also enjoy purchasing and handling fabric.

crafty pat

I made my first dress at nine years old and found I liked to sew. My DM and DGM had always sewn and I loved being around them while they sewed. My DH and I had only been married a year when he was sent on his first overseas tour for a year. I was lost for a way to spend my time so I bought my 401A and started my real sewing and found I loved it. I have always loved to create and love colors and art so quilting became a very wonderful time in my life when I finished my first quilt. I was hooked and still am. I don't sew so much for myself anymore but love making pretty things for my DGD's.

DonnaFreak

My mother was a seamstress, and even worked in sewing factories. She made all my clothes when I was growing up, but couldn't seem to keep in mind that the clothes she made for my sisters weren't stylish for me, since my sisters were both more than 20 years older than me. Since I was brutally made fun of over my clothes, I developed a knee-jerk reaction to anything even remotely related to sewing.

My mother was also an artist and painted many pictures. She even painted a larger than life picture of the "Good Shepherd" on the front wall of our church. I could never paint like she did, but she could be working on a painting and say, "It's missing something, but I don't know what it is". I could look at the painting and immediately tell her what was needed, even though I couldn't actually do it myself.

When a friend of mine from work started a quilting group, I joined just to support her. I told them the first night that I closest I come to sewing is the cross stitch...I get cross every time I look a needle in the eye! LOL! But here I am, 4 1/2 years later and still quilting!

I think for me, quilting sorta combines my mother's talents. I can sew, plus it gives me the opportunity to use the artistic eye I have to create something beautiful. And I don't have to wear anything ugly to do it! LOL!

Donna

grandme26

I sew and quilt as a form of relaxation. Also to keep the bordums away. It gives me great pleasure to make something.

Barbara Kantola

Sewing and quilting is relaxing to me. My Mother always sewed so I learned how to sew in Junior High and High School. It wasn't until after I was married a few years that I saw a Quilt in a Day class offered at a local store. I went to that class and the rest is history. I was hooked on quilting and have been making quilts and collecting fabric since the early 1980's. It's very enjoyable and I like everything about it--the fabrics, the colors, the finished quilts, etc. It's also a productive hobby and I have given away many quilts through the years as gifts. I also make charity quilts for our local hospitals. Quilting is a very rewarding hobby and I have also met many wonderful people as a result of quilting.

CAS49OR

That's why I started. Although I have a whistle-and-a-half body. Seriously, I can't find clothes in the store that are opaque or cover my "bat-wings". I also have a hunch back and sway back, and big butt, etc. Anyhow. still working on trying to make clothes.

While doing so, I took a quilt class, to meet other people that sew. Made a sampler quilt, got excited about all the ideas and kept on.

I think I started out sewing in an attempt to get things to fit the way I wanted them to. (And that was when I still had a whistle-worthy body!) I didn't succeed very well at that - but I did learn a few things along the way.

I beg to differ, the only thing I get done in a day is a whole lot of seam ripping, LOL! My M.O. is to do it, realize I have done it wrong, then do it again.

I think I sew now because, unlike housework, laundry, and cooking - one can "finish" a project - and not have to redo it the next day or next week.

NopahDesertRat

I learned to sew as a pre-teen. I made all my clothes in high school. For many years I would spend the summer sewing school clothes for the kids.
Now I quilt because I love to make things and I love fabrics.
I also am into repairing and restoring old sewing machines. Just find sewing and repairing a relaxing way to spend my time in this hectic world.