Before I got out of the shop, I had to have fabric. Within 10 minutes I had 5 fat quarters and held them close to me. This was going to solve everything, this would make everything o.k. My MIL promised me to learn how to quilt. It was a Saturday. Sunday, the day after, less than 24 hours away, I would have my first quilt lesson. We would start with a nine patch, I was told.
Well, it went a little bit different. I am not known for obedience, following the rules and doing as I was told. I came home, checked the internet and saw the nine patch pattern. I thought there would be more interesting patterns to make with that beautiful fabric I had. It was much more worth of a star, particular the one where each point was split in two, so in the middle eight points come together. And actually, I couldn't wait till the next morning, could I? And why would I? I had my fabric, a pattern, some sewing thread and a needle I found in the needle case in the attic.
I had a block, and it was my own! My MIL was more than surprised, to say the least. After that block she taught me the rules from the quilting police, which stitches to use, and how templates are made. And I still use the rules. As long as they work. I rather create my own rules!
The other blocks followed within days, and I was so happy with my new found hobby. I worked full time and went to university in the evening, so my days were (and are) very filled. But I learned to stretch my time and make the most of it!
Nowadays quilting is my way of life. I could not imagine living without my frame, my fabric, my threads and my needle. How did you begin? Love to hear it!
Have fun quilting!
Anymart
5 reactions:
In 1989 ben ik begonnen nadat ik een quilttentoonstelling in Slot Zeist had bezocht.
Dat deed ik om een ander een plezier te doen, niet wetend welk gevolg dat voor mijn eigen leven zou hebben. Sindsdien ben ik vrijwel dagelijks met deze uit de hand gelopen hobby bezig.
Anymart, What a fun topic! My maternal grandmother was a quilter. She died when I was around 2 years old. My mother never quilted, but we had a wonderful pink and white appliqued butterfly quilt from my grandmother until it fell apart from use years later. I was always fascinated by that quilt. When I got a job in high school, I bought a sewing machine and tried to teach myself basic sewing. When I got married at 19 and money was tight, I started cutting old clothes into squares and sewing them together to make quilts. Sometimes through the years I've set quilting aside when I didn't have much available time, but I have always come back to it. I've always loved handwork. I started handpiecing in earnest about 10 years ago and really starting applying myself to learning hand applique just a couple of years ago. There's nothing that compares to hand stitching.
Im with you on the "rules" and wnen they should be thrown out.
Dianexx
I ben besmet door de foto's van quilts in de Ariadne. Dat was rond 1990 en heb toen een log cabin-top gemaakt.Toen kwam het quilten en werd de top in een tas gefrummeld. Een jaar of 10 later kwam die top weer tevoorschijn en heb ik hem afgemaakt en toen was het gebeurd, het quiltvirus nam mij in bezit.Heb lang alles zelf uitgevogeld via boeken en internet. Pas vorig jaar begonnen met les, en gelijk maar van de beste lerares die er is in nederland: Ted Storm.
Groetjes Debby
After having had a professional career
as a soft-sculpture-artist, speciali-
zed in re-creating someone's dogs in
mohair, I could not live with the
pressure of time-limits and orders
anymore. I promised myself, when I
would earn one special award I so
eagerly wanted to have, I would stop
the business and just do quiet and
relaxing things for myself. And, you
already guessed, I won the award,
immediately stopped, went to a quiltshop and started quilting....
That was 3,5 years ago now and I
never regretted my decision.
Loved your story about how you
became a quilter!
Greetings, Ageeth.
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