First quilt..
My first quilt was made possible by a kind American lady who sent me the pattern of a quilt I had seen in a magazine !! My maternal grandmother had made quilts and I remember being fascinated by the tiny pieces of material she had sewn together to make a quilt top.. I have always loved fabric and made my own clothes from an early age. I sewed for our daughters until they decided that Jeans were all they wanted to wear !
When we were farming I used the raw material that was around me and learnt to spin wool, make felt and knit warm jerseys for anybody and everybody. We had white, brown and black sheep (and every shade in between !) so I was able to make some interesting jerseys ...
When we left the farm I needed another hobby, I picked up an American quilting magazine and was immediately hooked !! There was a section of the magazine where people could send photos of their quilts and a little bit about them... I saw a beautiful quilt and knew that I had to make it. I wrote to the lady who had sent in the photo and she, bless her heart (!) photocopied the pattern and sent it to me.... Two problems here, one that the quilt was made by an expert and two that the photocopying had distorted the patterns... I can't remember the name of the pattern but each block had a stylized flower, the flower and the background were both pieced... I made the first block and it was nowhere near the finished size that it should have been. Not easily put off I decided to just piece the flower and then applique it on to the background... That worked !!
I made many blocks (double bed sz) and then put them together, set "on point" with a great deal of hand quilting of leaves on the sashings.. You may have guessed that at this stage ,I didn't know anybody else who quilted... This quilt is still on our bed (some 22yrs later) and I get a great deal of pleasure from it. It was a case of "ignorance is bliss" !! I still smile when I think of my determination . The hand quilting is very fine and even, probably the best that I have ever done. I've made many quilts since and have them on all of my beds and most of the walls !!
It's a great hobby and has brought me into contact with many kind and interesting people.
Marion.
When we were farming I used the raw material that was around me and learnt to spin wool, make felt and knit warm jerseys for anybody and everybody. We had white, brown and black sheep (and every shade in between !) so I was able to make some interesting jerseys ...
When we left the farm I needed another hobby, I picked up an American quilting magazine and was immediately hooked !! There was a section of the magazine where people could send photos of their quilts and a little bit about them... I saw a beautiful quilt and knew that I had to make it. I wrote to the lady who had sent in the photo and she, bless her heart (!) photocopied the pattern and sent it to me.... Two problems here, one that the quilt was made by an expert and two that the photocopying had distorted the patterns... I can't remember the name of the pattern but each block had a stylized flower, the flower and the background were both pieced... I made the first block and it was nowhere near the finished size that it should have been. Not easily put off I decided to just piece the flower and then applique it on to the background... That worked !!
I made many blocks (double bed sz) and then put them together, set "on point" with a great deal of hand quilting of leaves on the sashings.. You may have guessed that at this stage ,I didn't know anybody else who quilted... This quilt is still on our bed (some 22yrs later) and I get a great deal of pleasure from it. It was a case of "ignorance is bliss" !! I still smile when I think of my determination . The hand quilting is very fine and even, probably the best that I have ever done. I've made many quilts since and have them on all of my beds and most of the walls !!
It's a great hobby and has brought me into contact with many kind and interesting people.
Marion.
posted by Marion in NZ. @ 5:48 AM
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