I saw a quilt in a Canadian Living magazine. It was made from quilted fabric. I went down to the local quilt shop and inquired if they carried anything close to it. No, we don't, I was told. BUT, I can help you make one. Its very easy. My daughter was with me, so we decided the first quilt would be hers. She chose the fabrics and suprise, surprise it was all animals. Not dogs and cats, but bears, deers and the like. The good animals. Unfortunately I don't have a picture. It probably doesn't have a label. People didn't tell me I had to do that! I made seven quilts that year and gave them away as Christmas gifts. Daughter, son, aunts, parents, husband and me!
After all that I thought maybe I should take a class and learn how to really quilt. In 1989 I signed up for the Beginner's Sampler class at the Quilt Patch in Bronte. It was taught by Rosemary Makin. (Local girls will definitely know that name.) This is it..........................
Oh, lovely peaches and blues. Would I do those colours again? Not on your life! But its my first quilt and I will keep it for a very long time. It is hand quilted -- not well --- but I can claim that. I was told if you didn't want to see the stitches you should use a backing that was busy. Boy did I buy that.
I progressed on after that. I made baby quilts from panels......all of them in closets or cedar chests or tote boxes now. No photos though. Well, maybe one or two but not many. Definitely no digitals and I have two many albums to sort through to find them.
By the year 2000 I was working at the Quilt Patch. I would go with Susan to the big Sewing and Needlecraft show in Toronto. It was fun.....tiring but fun. I then started to work in the store. Now that was fun. I got to see the new fabrics before the customers. I could buy before the customers too. Problem was I never took home a pay cheque!I made the above quilt from a line of fabric that was featured in an old issue of Fons and Porter. It is called Savannah Strippy and I not only pieced it, but I hand quilted it too. Yes, by now I knew about labels and there is one on the back.
This quilt is a mystery. No label on the back so I have no idea of the design, the pattern maker, the year I did it. I can tell you I do like it. I am not a big blue fan now but obviously I was then! This quilt is perfect! Everything matches. Its even hand quilted! I should bring it out more often.
Oh my goodness, Buck a Block Thangles. You bought the first block and if you had it done by the following month you could get the next pattern plus the fabric for a buck. I never paid more than a buck. Too thrifty! Once the top was done, I had an enormous problem. There were so many seams I couldn't hand quilt and the sewing machine didn't like them either. Soooooooooooo, I tied it! I love the look of this. The Quilt Patch did a great job in its fabric selections. Susan -- my boss -- was very, very good at that. I should bring this out next month and hang it in the living-room. Its rather a springy looking quilt.
Now this is colourful. I bought these fabrics in Pennsylvania. Had no idea what I was going to do with them. In March 2006 our guild held its annual walkabout. Rosemary R., did a demo and gave it out as a challenge to her fellow guild members. I finished mine and took it back the next month. No, I didn't win. Someone with sunflowers won.......Rosemary admitted she loves sunflowers. It must have been fixed...........
Every Once in Awhile. My name for this quilt. This is one of my favourites. I have no idea why. It isn't something I would do very often with these colours, and folks that know me would agree with that. The quilt was originally called Town Square and the directions were in Quilts with Style in 2007. It took me awhile. May til October, but its done and hangs in my sewing room. I machine quilted this one before I knew how to machine quilt.By the way, I just got my latest email newsletter from Quilters Connection. If you haven't signed up.......well, what are you waiting for?
Fabulous tips in it this month.