How did you get interested about quilting ?

I got interested in quilting when I saw a Kaye Wood quilting show on PBS. She was doing a reversable quilt, and it looked interesting. But the thing that really grabbed me was when she showed a couple of reversable quilts she had done with scraps of fabric from her students. She said she had literally salvaged those scraps from the trash can at the end of the lessons! I was hooked, I still love doing the scrap reversable quilts.

When my daughter in law was pregnant with my first grandchild, I decided I wanted to learn how to make a quilt so that I could give a gift that was unique, that no one else could give my grandchild. So, I taught myself to make quilts so that I could make them for my grandchidlren.

In a few weeks we will be taking our anual trip to see family. We stay with my mother in law. I will be doing some hand quilting while there.My mother in law doesn't do much of it anymore.

I was watching Fons and Porter when I was in college. I had just bought my first sewing machine. They were making, I think a log cabin quilt. It looked so easy, I thought "Why can't I???" So, I found some fun Christmas fabric, cut strips 1 inch wide and made myself 4 little log cabin blocks. I sewed them together and made it into a pillow. I've loved quilting ever since. :) That's been 15 years ago.

I have been an artist for many years. I started working at the first online fabric store started in the United States, called "The Cotton Club". I swore I was not going to take up an interest in another art form. I had so many supplies and art hobbies already. I began to see how so many women were using quilts as a way to tell stories, deal with grief, even send signals thru slave days. That was very inspiring. I started first with taking home small little swatches, saying i might make a potholder or something. I just couldn't resist working with all those wonderful colors and textures everyday. The quilters were using color in a very different way then I had used color in the past, due to things reinforced in me from art school. The girls in the shop knew I was going to break anytime now. When the time for the yearly "Hoffman Challenge" came by, they challenged me to do it with them. I made a memorial quilt, very abstract, and folk art style, in response to my greiving of my best friend, who had been in a terrible car crash and lost her life. Once I made that one, I was hooked. I didn't make it into the Hoffman challenge traveling exhibition that year but I still have the quilt and everyone loves it. It had alot of embellishments on it. I now do abstract art quilts.

My grandma quilts. I lived with her for a year in college and she encouraged me to try. I started off with toss cushions (they sure made my first apartment seem cheerier) and moved on to a "crazy" quilt i made out of old pants. I took them all apart and cut them into squares and put them together. The fabric it was made out of was crimpoline...very heavy stuff its an awesome quilt to sleep under. Then after liking it so much i went on from there and i've gotten a ton of fabrics now and supplies. I got a sewing machine for christmas which just made me more excited about quilting.

Oh, I just love handmade quilts, my mother in law quilts and my step mom's sister does. I don't live close enough to either of them for them to teach me, I posted a discussion on some tips for learning though. I supppose I got interested in quilting from just looking at the beautiful patterns that I've seen on them, and you just know a lot of love goes into a gift that is a quilt. Something that can last a lifetime usually and pass it down through the generations. Quilts have been around for a long time and still are a favorite and a popular gift. Great discussion !!