Saturday, November 26, 2011

First quilts

Bonnie Hunter over at Quiltville,(one of my favourite quilters/designer/author) is having a linky party to show case your first quilts. 

according to this newspaper clipping I helped to make a quilt block in Grade 3
This should be interesting to see.   We have all changed and grown in our quilting lives. I started quilting just about 20 years ago now. I had a few years where I didn't do any due to having my three kids.    My hands have always been busy stitching something.  I think I started when I was in grade 4 with knitting classes as a school elective.  Then I did some embroidery on my own.  I remember making some bibs.  I took a  night class in high school to learn to crochet.  I took up cross stitch at college and made many of those through the years. 

My real quilting journey started just before my first baby was born.  I took a class at a community center.  The machine I was working on was from the 50's and heavy.  I had to have my husband carry it in for me.  It was a sample machine that my grandfather's company was thinking of selling/making, but didn't.  It really hadn't been used over the years just stored in his basement.

I made this quilt for Chris.  Each snow ball was made with a template as were the corner triangles. I hand quilted it. It got trickier and harder to quilt as my belly grew and my arms got shorter!!! Each snowball has a teddy bear quilted into it.  I have pulled it out of the closet now and then only to realize I must have been off on some seam allowances as they are starting to come apart already.  ONe thing I do know, I am so glad they found easier and quicker ways to make snow balls!!  No more cutting of triangles!!



This is my second quilt ever.  I made it for a friend that was getting married.  However, she called the wedding off and I ended up keeping the quilt.  (she did end up marrying). I really loved making the log cabin. So simple but looks really complex.  




Join Bonnie at Quiltville and post about your 'First.

Have a great weekend.

Lee

5 comments:

  1. My first one has serious seam issues too ... I don't know what I was thinking! Good on you for hand quilting your first quilt, it still looks good.

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  2. Congrats on starting to quilt so young hehe :) Both your firsts look great. I can't believe you hand quilted it, while pregnant too. I am very impressed :) I found you through the link up and linked up my own first too :)

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  3. I think if I had hand quilted my first quilt there wouldn't have been a second one! These are both great quilts.

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  4. That is a neat newspaper clipping...wow, quilting in the 3rd grade...impressive! HA!!

    I too hand quilted my first one, didn't know what I was doing either. It took me 23 years to complete that quilt!

    Your two quilts are great! Especially the wedding one you got to keep...woo hoo!!

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  5. How fun to look back and see how far you have come. I wonder how many of us started quilting about the time we started having babies?

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