Piecing Life Together

A while ago I took my serger in for service. It’s a very specialized machine and I had to go clear across town (well outside my freeway comfort) to have it fixed. What I found was not so much a sewing machine store - as a social club.

In the back of the shop were a bunch of work tables where some friendly women were just hanging around, working on projects and visiting. Intrigued, I came to find out that they teach all kinds of sewing workshops there and on a whim I signed up for “Quilting 101”. (a 4 week course starting December 4th teaching: 4 different squares, sashing, cornerstones, machine quilting, and binding)

After 3 classes, I was successfully assimilated. “Resistance is futile.”
NEVER have I taken to something so quickly and so completely. I am addicted! This is the baby quilt that I made during that class (mistakes included at no extra charge).



The day I finished this course, I signed up for the “Yellow Brick Road” class. It’s taking me longer to complete because for some strange reason I decided to hand quilt this one, as you can see….it’s still on the lap frame.



Right after Christmas I joined the church quilting group that meets weekly. As soon as I walked in the door, it was, “Bwaa-haa-haaa, another compulsive quilter to join in the fun.” They were just starting their annual “friendship quilt” and were excited to have another contributor. We each picked a different star to make (my choice was easy, since I only knew one at the time). We bought fabric for our own quilt, which gets passed around each Thursday until we’ve all made a star out of each person’s fabric. We got to give specific instructions if we wanted to. (Mine are that each square is to have the cream colored background and have at least a little blue fabric in each star.) In April we get our own bags back with 16 completed blocks to use in putting together our own quilts.

Those girls also got me signed up at the local quilting shop for “quilt of the month” club. Starting in January we can get instructions and fabric for 1 block a month. The 1st one was $10 and the subsequent blocks are free, if we come to the next month’s class with the completed block from the previous month. We can also buy “bonus blocks” each month if we want to make a full sized quilt. As a “piecing junkie”, I – of course – had to do them all. Here’s what I’ve got so far.









Then I bought some books and here are my first 2 independent experiments. I’m just using scrap fabrics from my stash. Maybe I’ll make pillows from them.





Another thing I’m doing that I think is fun is making an extra square from each quilt I do, so that someday I can put them together into one wild quilt that is a history of my quilting career. So far I’ve got these 2.






This week I have a class on Thursday at the church and another on Saturday back at the original place – which oddly enough isn’t a bit out of my comfort zone anymore. Now you can understand why I have my new toy. It is amazing to me how much better my work is turning out with a precise tool. I am having the time of my life.

I only wish I had discovered this hobby while my mother was still alive. She was a wonderful quilter and really loved the handwork from assembling, to quilting to binding. Other people used to embroider, appliqué or piece quilts and hire Mom to do the finish work. I love choosing the fabric and the creativity of putting the pieces together, but the actual quilting is a lot like work to me. We would have been a great team. I can’t help but think she would be so tickled to know I’m doing this and loving it just like she did.