How I came to Quilt

While recuperating from an emergency colostomy, I made the ballerina quilt posted earlier as a baby shower gift for a friend I had been working with at Amazon.com. She loved it so much, and I found I enjoyed doing it. I have been sewing since I was a kid, and could remember being at my grandmother's while she held a quilting bee at her home. A huge frame would be set up in the living room of her house. The ladies from up the holler, and around, would bring a dish. Then they'd sit around the frame, quilting, gossiping, and having fun. So, I decided to fill my time with learning how to quilt. Unable to afford a quilting class, I looked online. That's when I came across the Quilts for Kids website.

Since there were no local chapters, I decided to check out the online Yahoo Group, Quilted with Love. I had no experience, either with quilting or a Yahoo Group. What I found were a lovely group of ladies, who were/are willing to help me in my quest! I tried a couple of other groups that didn't work out. I've always stuck with Quilted with Love. I also currently belong to Pat Sloan's group, Sunbonnet Sue group, and FatCatPatterns group.

FatCatPatterns.com...check it out for some awesome patterns! Super group with some fun swaps using Sindy's patterns. I try to donate when possible, as Sindy provides her lovely patterns free to everyone. The new Baltimore Bliss is awesome, and I hope to be good enough to do it one day!

Pat Sloan's group is awesome, too! She just held an OP Virtual Retreat last weekend, in which I participated. The challenge was to use an orange primary color, and a secondary color. She gave us a simple block as our pattern for the retreat. Pat is hilarious, energetic, and super nice! She's on Facebook, typepad, and offers cruises, too!

Sunbonnet Sue takes me back to my grandmother Gladys, again. My very first quilt as a child was a Sunbonnet Sue (although Mamaw called it "Dutch Girl"). I haven't been able to locate that quilt, or the Colonial Lady. The only quilts I have now are my great-grandmother's quilt, and one done by my other grandmother, Granny Young, back in the 1930's. I'll try to get pictures of those!

So, now I'm into quilting. It's a wonderful way to fill my days, gives me something to do to feel worthwhile, other than cooking and cleaning house. My health and past attendance records seem to keep me from finding another job at present. Quilted with Love has swaps, monthly Bingo, and other activities.

The pictures are of my Mamaw & Papaw when they were young and a picture I've played with on Photoshop of their house. It sits at the head of Four Mile Hollow!