I've finally made it, too, far more of a lurker than a poster. It really took some thinking to make my way in, and I call myself a systems analyst. Now if I can only remember what I did to get here. Many thanks to Sue and Eric for their patience with us all.

Not really working on anything quilt-related right at the moment. Most of my spare time has been devoted to knitting recently, sweaters for a children's charity from scrap yarn accumulated over the years.

My first quilt was machine-pieced when I was 10 years old on a Minnesota A treadle machine. It was my mom's way of keeping idle hands and mind busy and teaching me to sew a straight line (not). It was a simple nine-patch of prints and plains of every color and description, but it was the first. I still have it in service, although it needs to be rebound where the edges have worn through.

Enough for now. It's wonderful to see so many familiar names. Marie in Maryland