| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| SheilaC |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 05:40:47 AM
As I read Connie's (naturemaiden) post about making her first quilt, it brought thoughts of my own first quilt. I was in grad school in Minnesota, it was summer, and I was living in the dorms (didn't have a car ) I was a full time student and also working at House of Fabrics and set out to make my own first quilt. It was three colors of the same print, pink, lavendar, and green. I used an 8ft 2x4 that someone had discarded to measure my strips and cut apart the pieces (with my little plastic handled scissors). I sewed them together into strips like pink/lavendar/green/p/l/g. . .and then sewed the strips together offset. and backed with the green, tied with floss. It was a twin sized quilt and I was SO proud of myself when I got it done!
The following summer I took a quilt in a day class and made a trip around the world quilt which I gave to my mom and dad for Christmas; after learning those quicker techniques I also bought a quilt in a day book for Irish chain and made an off white and navy double Irish chain which I still use these days off and on.
My first quilt, sadly, is no longer with me. When we were first married, we lived in a little town in downeast Maine. I wanted to wash it and walked it to the tiny laundromat a block away and started the machine and had to run home to go to the bathroom and when I returned, it was gone. I was quite upset about it! So hopefully in Eastport, ME, someone is still enjoying that quilt!
I've made many quilts since then, but those three really stand out in my mind. Not super-well-made, but special.
So--any quilt making rememberances you want to share? |
| 23 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| queenofdreamsz4u |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 1:20:53 PM
Well, the first quilting method I used was back in the late 70's when the "puffy" quilt squares were filled with fiberfill and then each sewn together..I think that's when I discovered that I would only do smallish projects....I made a very large cushion front and back with this technique...I never did it again.
I enjoy cutting and piecing fabric together especially by hand but only pieces for mini quilts or other use.
Members, Karin and Autumn make fabulous quilts...
 Queen of Dreamsz ~ keeper of dream kingdom
* * * * * * www.queenofdreamsz.blogspot.com * * * * * *
"Imagination is more important than knowledge"
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Albert Einstein ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
| quiltin mama |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 1:12:13 PM
Thanks ladies! It was certainly a LONG process but I am so glad that I saw it through and finished it. I'm sure it will always be one of my favorites, no matter how many quilts I make in my lifetime.
You can visit my blog at www.mountainhomequilts.blogspot.com |
| 1930sgirl |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 07:49:54 AM
Heather-It's just lovely!
Great work!
Joyce |
| SheilaC |
Posted - Jul 16 2009 : 05:16:14 AM
Heather, that is GORGEOUS!! |
| quiltin mama |
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 8:27:31 PM
Well, technically the first quilt I ever made was when I was in elementry school in my Brownies group. But as an adult the first I ever made was a square in a square queen sized quilt. I didn't have a digital camera then so I don't have any shots but here is a picture of the second quilt I ever made.
You can visit my blog at www.mountainhomequilts.blogspot.com |
| Lessie Louise |
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 1:16:44 PM
My grandma taught me to quilt when I was 16, we took a road trip to Alabama from Californis. It was a Dutch Doll, or Sun Bonnet Sue pattern. I was so proud of it, and have nbeen quilting ever since. My daughter is moving out, and in her hope chest was the Dutch doll quilt i made for her and had forgot about! So many memories |
| Celticheart |
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 12:04:18 PM
1972....I was in nursing school. The pattern was called Crossroads, I think. I did it entirely by hand and then my mom and her neighbor tied it for me. I'm sure it was awful and I don't even know what became of it. Then 1982...I started one for my oldest DD which I finally finished in 1993 so she could take it to college with her. In 1996 I joined a quilt guild and it changed my quilting life. If I knew how to use a digital camera I would show you just how much.
It's not about being perfect, but enjoying what you do. Set aside time to be creative.
Robyn Pandolph
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| 1930sgirl |
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 09:18:32 AM
Nicie, I made a Grandmothers Flower Garden quilt entirely by hand too. Even the binding is hand applied. I started it because I was wasting so much time watching the O.J. Simpson trial. I decided that I could just listen to it while my hands were doing something production. My family calls it "The O.J. Quilt"...Yuck! I wish they would find a new name.
Joyce |
| britchickny |
Posted - Jul 15 2009 : 03:09:44 AM
The first quilt I made was back in the early 80's when I was still living in England. It was a hexagon quilt and I made it using the paper piecing method, mainly becasue at that time I knew of no other way. I cut the paper hexagons, then the fabric pieces and folded the edges. Then painstakingly hand sewed the hexagons together and then tore out the paper. If I remember it was glaring purple colors.
Hmm...wonder where that "masterpiece" is today.
ANGIE
"Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance" JUDE 1:2
http://www.pinkroomponderings.blogspot.com/ |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 10:13:02 PM
The first quilt I ever made was for my dog, when I was 6, my grandma and I made it together, she cut and helped me sew it the way I wanted, I thought I was so special, cause she let me pick the fabric out of her piles, and I picked what I thought was pretty, even thou it did not match, and was pretty uneven, she said it was the most beautiful quilt ever. We entered it in the fair, this was in Oak Ridge, Tenn, and I got a honerable mention in my age group, I still have whats left of that quilt and the little paper ribbon from the fair. Thank you for this thread and the wonderful memories that it brought back.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| KansasCowgirrrl |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 9:11:39 PM
I made my first quilt was when I was nine. When my grandparents were moving, I discovered a small box filled with 30's fabric nine-patch blocks. My grandpa told me they were made by his mother right before she passed away and there weren't enough blocks for a quilt. He made a deal with me that I could have them if I would finish the quilt.
My grandma and mother helped me cut out all the 3-1/2 inch squares I needed (this was before rotary cutters) and I sewed enough blocks to combine with my great-grandma's to make into a double size bed quilt. I still have it. The only damage it has is from someone dropping a cigarette on it when I was in college. We moved last year so I need to locate it and store in my sewing room closet. A few of the really old fabrics are deteriorating a bit so I don't display it anymore.
Cowgirrrl Lisa, Farmgirl #596
A cowgirl is a woman with guts and a horse |
| Nicie |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 9:03:06 PM
My first quilt was a Grandmother's flower garden. I did all the piecing by hand. I started it when we lived in Arizona and then we moved to back to Nebraska. My grandma wouldn't let me take it with me. So it ended up a group quilt. Half of the quilt took me a year. My grandma finished it in 6 months. It is so special that we both worked on it. |
| Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 4:45:17 PM
My first quilt was a big old lone star quilt ...queen size!(I know..I was nuts!) when I was 19 and pregnant with my oldest son. We totally wore it out. I did the whole thing all by hand..it took 9 months!! I did love it though.
Jenny in Utah
Proud Farmgirl sister #24
Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies
http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
| pinkroses |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 4:26:22 PM
A star block quilt sorta like the ohio star
lemonyone? not sure how to spell it
I made it for hubby. hugs sheila
www.ohkayteagirl2.blogspot.com
http;//www.sheilascreativetouches.blogspot.com |
| 1930sgirl |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 2:44:55 PM
Tanna, I'd love to see your quilt when it's finished.
Please come and visit Canada! We love our American tourists! We live about a hour from the Rockie Mountains and Banff National Park. We have a spectacular view of the mountains from our kitchen. So many visitors that we have spoken with are so impressed with our Rockies.
Joyce |
| gramadinah |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 2:15:29 PM
My first was an easy strip quilt that I really did not like but the ex loved and so he thought he had scored big on the settlement with that quilt.
Diana
Farmgirl Sister #273 |
| Tanna |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 1:59:17 PM
I am enjoying this topic!
Joyce, I don't know how many different 1930's prints I have. Lots and I can say that is all I have! I am working on a king sized quilt for my bed using some great 1930's fabrics. When I get the top finished I will post the picture of that one. Also, OT, but my youngest was watching a show about Canada and now he really wants to go. It looked beautiful. DH has been but we haven't.
Tanna |
| laurzgot |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 1:45:04 PM
I started my first quilt about 20 plus years ago for my son. It was red and black with strips of grey. Each block was a square of triangles red/black with a strip of gray in between.I interchanged them or reversed them when I was piecing them together. Then I made a cat one for my daughter theat had either blockes that became a cats face or I appliqued acat onto a solid block. My third child another daughter loved teddy bears so that one was all teddy bears of different kinds. I've been making a quilt for every season. Made one for my granddaughtetr. I've been sewing for 50plus years and love it.
Laurie
suburban countrygirl at heart |
| 1930sgirl |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 10:20:34 AM
Lovely work, Tanna! Wow! You were only 12!
I LOVE 1930's fabric too. At least half of my quilts are reproductions from the '30s.
Just curious...how many different 1930's prints do you have in your stash? I don't even know how many I have. Way too many...
Joyce |
| Tanna |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 09:26:02 AM
So funny to see this today. My mom recently brought over the first quilt I made. I was in 6th grade, so 12 yrs old I guess. It was for a TX History project. I had to figure it out myself because mom didn't quilt and grandparents/great grandparents lived in Georgia. Mom couldn't take me to a class because she was such a busy working mom. Actually a lot of the quilt was done from her little office at the Merle Norman where she worked! That is where I spend most of my afternoons as a child.
All done by hand because that was required by the project. I was so proud when they displayed it in the school library. Here it is:
This is the second quilt I made just because I love the 1930's fabrics :)
I would love to see pictures from those that still have their first quilts.
Tanna |
| 1930sgirl |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 08:43:53 AM
I made my first quilt when I was 17. I was SO interested in learning how, but the only family member that quilted was my Grandma who didn't live close by. So, I took a course from a local lady, at my high school, in the evenings. I was the "baby" of the class. All of my classmates were older women. I had the best time with them! We kind of bonded over the love of quilting and nobody seemed to care if I was as young as their granddaughters.
It wasn't very well crafted, but I made a 9 patch out of white cotton and scraps my Grandma sent me and from my Mom's scrapbag. I don't have this quilt either. A lot of the scraps were from old clothing and it just sort of disintegrated over time. The next quilt I made was an embroidered baby quilt for my "someday" babies. I hung this quilt in my kids rooms when they were babies.
I've made many, many more quilts since then, but I do think the first one has sentimental value. However, the ones I make now are MUCH better constructed.
Thanks for sharing your stories, girls,
Joyce |
| jpbluesky |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 08:31:13 AM
My first quilt was a baby quilt I made for a preggie friend in 1983 or so. It was blue and white and just big enough for the crib. Then I got hooked. I made pillows, wall hangings, more quilts, and my most recent quilt was finished the day before my daughter's 30th birthday on this past July 4th. I used all the fabrics that I used on her children's baby quilts, and her father's throw quilt, and I backed it with a soft yellow flannel sheet that she used in college.
I wonder if your quilt is still alive and being used somewhere? Sorry it got taken from you!
I do all hand stitching, but a friend of mine who uses a machine says she does that because there are too many quilts to make and too little time! :)
Farmgirl Sister # 31
www.blueskyjeannie.blogspot.com
Psalm 51: 10-13 |
| melody |
Posted - Jul 14 2009 : 07:30:58 AM
My first quilt I made was for my daughter Hannah--just a simple 4-square block of bits and pieces of her baby dresses. She is 16 now and I have long put it away for her, but every once in a while I take it out and look at it and smile remembering those chubby little leg peaking out from under a favorite pink dress of hers. Makes me smile  That was my very first quilt.
Melody
Farmgirl #525
http://melodynotes-melodynotes.blogspot.com
www.lemonverbenasoap.etsy.com |
