I’m doing a business challenge and today’s question is “What drew you to your art?” I did not have a mother or grandmother that quilted, it’s something I found on my own. I was always crafty growing up and took the obligatory Home Ec classes in middle school. Thankfully there is no photographic evidence of the hideous bright blue plaid shorts I made and wore until they fell apart! There was never money for “extra” things so crafting was a way to get those little luxuries for little to no money. I dabbled in all manner of crafts. In the early 80’s when I was a newlywed with our first house to decorate I started making curtains, tablecloths, pillows…anything to make our home nice without spending a lot of money. One day I saw a magazine with a quilt on the cover. I looked at it and thought…it was just squares, I could totally do that! I would later learn that it was a Trip Around The World pattern. I stuck to my middle school Home Ec training and made all the seams 5/16″ and back stitched at the beginning and end of each square. I then proceeded to press all the seams open. I used the tried and true cardboard template method to make my squares. Each one was traced with an ink pen and cut out with my trusty scissors. Since I started in the middle…that square is much bigger than the outer ring of squares because the cardboard got mushy edges as I went!
Here we are over 30 years later…is the quilt finished? Nope. We had a full sized bed when I started. I was nearly done with the top and we got a queen size bed so borders had to be added. They’re all cut out and ready to apply…still! During this mid-80’s era the popular colors were Country Blue and Mauve so my quilt is mauve. The more I worked on it the more I realized that I don’t like pink in large quantities…and it’s really pink! Hubby was also not too keen on having this large amount of pink in HIS bedroom. So, my first quilting project is my lifetime UFO. While it may not be finished it did spark a passion that I hope will last until my dying breath. I am also thankful for having the opportunity to create a job that lets me enjoy all the aspects of quilting every day. I’ve toyed a time or two with finishing the quilt but I kind of like having it the way it is. It reminds me of how far I’ve grown in my quilting.
How about you, how did you start quilting?
Some things just don\’t need to be finished to be enjoyed or have value. I\’m not a pink person either.
My great grandmother made quilts and my grandmother sewed clothes. She made everything on a treadle in her bedroom. I was never interested in sewing at all, until I decided that I wanted to make a quilt in college. I bought fabric and started cutting squares (with scissors). I have no idea what happened to those squares. Many years later, a lady at church taught a quilt class. I grabbed a friend, and, we both learned. I\’m still quilting, and getting better with each quilt (I hope). Now I make almost everything on a hand crank machine. My grandmother and great grandmother would be happy. I do have some of my great grandmothers quilts.