Early Influences & 1 Year of Blogging!
Wow! I can't believe it, but I've been blogging for a full year! I hope you're enjoying reading what I have to say! I still feel it's a bit presumptuous to think people really want to know what's on my mind! Often, while I'm sewing, I think about why I love to make things and who or what encouraged me along the way. Being creative is something that feeds my soul. I don't ever remember a time when I didn't have that urge in me to "make" something.
My parents had their own business and when I was there with them, I loved to pull out the coloured papers that were there for the photo-copier and a pair of scissors, pencils, markers and pencil crayons. I would happily cut and draw and colour for hours and although none of my creations survived the passage of time, the time was well-spent.
Later, sewing, crocheting and knitting were added to my crafting skills and I made doll clothes, blankets and gifts for those around me as well as for myself. I remember going on a school field trip and one of the parent supervisors had brought along her fabric hexagons and was making a tea cozy - I no longer remember the purpose of the field trip, but the process of turning bits of fabric into a useful item was burned into my memory.
A librarian suggested a book for me to read in the 4th or 5th grade. It was called "Calico Bush" and was about a young girl who was "bound" or indentured to a family as their servant until she came of age and how her life was brightened by the quilts she was allowed to make and be part of making. It was then I decided that I would make at least one quilt in my life-time!
Like many quilters, my first quilt was for my first-born (he's now 27!) and because it wasn't made from quality materials, it didn't last past the 2nd child! The second quilt was a double wedding ring quilt that was made from sewing scraps. It took 9 years to piece together by hand and to hand-quilt. Sometime along the way, I discovered rotary cutters and tried easier patterns and have made many more quilts.
What was your inspiration to start quilting? Do you have any stories about your earliest exposures to quilting?
--Ann
My parents had their own business and when I was there with them, I loved to pull out the coloured papers that were there for the photo-copier and a pair of scissors, pencils, markers and pencil crayons. I would happily cut and draw and colour for hours and although none of my creations survived the passage of time, the time was well-spent.
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| From Red Pepper Quilts |
Later, sewing, crocheting and knitting were added to my crafting skills and I made doll clothes, blankets and gifts for those around me as well as for myself. I remember going on a school field trip and one of the parent supervisors had brought along her fabric hexagons and was making a tea cozy - I no longer remember the purpose of the field trip, but the process of turning bits of fabric into a useful item was burned into my memory.
A librarian suggested a book for me to read in the 4th or 5th grade. It was called "Calico Bush" and was about a young girl who was "bound" or indentured to a family as their servant until she came of age and how her life was brightened by the quilts she was allowed to make and be part of making. It was then I decided that I would make at least one quilt in my life-time!
Like many quilters, my first quilt was for my first-born (he's now 27!) and because it wasn't made from quality materials, it didn't last past the 2nd child! The second quilt was a double wedding ring quilt that was made from sewing scraps. It took 9 years to piece together by hand and to hand-quilt. Sometime along the way, I discovered rotary cutters and tried easier patterns and have made many more quilts.
What was your inspiration to start quilting? Do you have any stories about your earliest exposures to quilting?
--Ann
Congratulations on a full year of blogging! I am just getting started! (come visit) I loved your post! You put so much work into such wonderful quilts!
ReplyDeleteI unfortunately don't make quilts, my grandmother did and I have some of her amazing quilts!
I don't remember a time in my life that quilting wasn't around me. I'm a 3rd generation quilter, my mother quilts, and her mother did, as well. Both Mom and I got an Irish chain quilt block tattoo (in memory of my grandmother) last year. I was in my 20's before I decided I wanted to start quilting, friends having babies or getting married definitely influenced that!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your blogiversary!
Congrats on your blogiversary. My first memories of quilting was when I was in early grade school. My grandmother would take me over to her church, and I would watch the ladies quilt around the quilting frame. Of course, they wouldn't let me try it; but I did sit underneath the quilt and play.
ReplyDelete