Reading the list of questions to use for writing this article made me really think back as to how long I have been sewing, and I realized I didn’t really know. My mum always sewed, and I would sit with her and try to do the same; at about age 10, I made my first garment, a yellow wrap around skirt, with navy piping and an anchor motif in the corner of the wrap – then I was on my way!
A sleeping bag made for my grandson
Until 2003, I made clothes, curtains and craft type items, when my daughter was born I did buy some precut squares in Laura Ashley to make her a bed quilt ….I put together a few of them but it never was finished, but did make the move across the Atlantic. Then a friend at work told me she was going to a beginning quilting class, and would I like to join her. Why not I thought…..the rest is history.
I moved from Illinois to Florida in 2015, and tried to find a guild local to me, then after the Pulse tragedy a group of retreat quilters I know saw the call for quilts, and decided as a group that we would do one. My part since I now lived here was to quilt, bind and deliver it. I did this at the August 2016 meeting, joined and have been a member ever since.
I own several machines, mostly Janomes, but that is probably because I worked in a quilt store that sold them! When I sew at home I go between my Brother 1500S and Janome 6500, but for classes I use a Janome 4800 ( or occasionally a Bernette that was impulse buy, I liked the color and the little floral design painted on it). But my most treasured possession is my long arm, which has pride of place in the middle of my sewing space…..much decreased going from a full basement in Illinois to a bonus room above the garage here.
I nearly always sew with shoes on, but then I wear shoes or slippers all the time….not a fan of bare feet!
I’ve worked in two quilt shops, but after that I was part owner of one for several years – great fun and hard work, but you meet a lot of fun characters! I love the whole process of making a quilt, with the exception of sewing on the binding. On each stage of my quilting journey, I think I have had a new favorite quilt – right now it’s the grey one hung on my wall, and a table topper I made using the pattern for placemats.
 
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I wish these pictures were bigger so I could see your pretty work closer! You owned a quilt shop? I did not get enough details to satisfy my curiosity!
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