Accepting Alice's Challenge to Show My First Quilt

I well remember my first quilt and the experiences encountered in its making. 

After inheriting from family members quite a number of quilts from the 1930's and 1940's, I decided that I wanted to learn to quilt so I could leave some of my own quilts for my sons.  Also I wanted some I could use in my home since I didn't want to damage those old quilts; and besides, they didn't match my decor, which in the beginning I thought was very important!   *wink*

So I went to the local Wal-mart and made my fabric selections.  I had a pattern in mind from a magazine.  I was so proud of myself, and went right to work in January 1999, while I was still working full time.  I knew a couple who were both excellent quilters, and I invited them to come view my accomplishment.  HE is an excellent prize winning hand quilter, and she does excellent machine piecing for him to quilt.  They were very complimentary (to encourage me), but he touched the fabric and said, "Why did you choose this fabric?  Didn't you know you should use only 100 per cent cotton fabric?"  I hated to expose my sheer ignorance, so I said, "Yes, I know, but I loved the roses."  I felt like a complete idiot!  Consequently, those very words are what I named the quilt! 

This is what I wrote in my little quilt journal about my first quilt:

"I Know, But I Loved the Roses"  -  88" x 73", Machine piecing begun January, 1999; Machine quilting and binding finished January 1, 2000. 

This was my first quilt.  It has many mistakes, but I learned a lot.  First error was that the fabric is a poly-cotton blend, rather than 100% cotton.  The batting is 80/20 cotton/poly.  I learned that I do not like (and cannot do) "stitch in the ditch" quilting.  I also learned that more contrast in values would have shown the roses better. 

Still I'm amazed it turned out as well as it did.  I can't believe I attempted such a large quilt for my first one, with only a pattern and instructions of just two pages from a magazine which I misplaced before I finished the quilt! 

The quilt was shown in the local quilt guild show in February, 2002. 


That same man took this picture of my quilt at the quilt show, but when I scanned it into my computer, it came out fuzzy.  You can't tell from the picture, but I think the pink sashing is so pretty.  It is a soft pink with an overlay of white lace, which I thought added a special dainty touch.  Then when I made the label, I wrote a "book" and whipped it on the back, but....... it explains everything for posterity!  (Like they'd want to know someday!)  *giggle*

I think I've told you before that I'm really glad the quilt is a poly/cotton blend, because I keep it on my den couch where the grandsons pile down when they come for a visit.  I don't have to yell at them, and ever so often I throw it in the washer, and it's good as new because that fabric is indestructible! 

Lots of mistakes, from beginning to end!  But you know what?  I still love those roses, and I enjoy the quilt!

So there you have it!  My first quilt!

I went to the quilt store today and got a few fabrics I need for my next Christmas wall hanging, and also some others for my next quilt, a Kaleidoscope.  I've been wanting to make one for a long time.  I started cutting it tonight, using Marti Michell's Kaleido-Ruler for the first time, and that ruler is so-o-o neat!  I just hope I can match all those points when I begin sewing, hopefully tomorrow.  The weather is supposed to be bad for a few days, so I won't be tempted to be going anywhere.   Maybe I can get a lot done!

One more thing and I'll hush! I want to thank all of you who offered help in getting my pictures in my blog. I had no problem at all with this one, thanks to you all!   With all of us helping one another, it is so much easier!   I think all of us are doing well in getting set up with all the new stuff! 

---"Love"

A Wee Bit of Foolishness

Gee, I'm having trouble getting a second picture further down in my blogs! The picture jumps in at the very top of the blog every time! HELP!! I wanted to include this bit of foolishness in the other blog, but just couldn't make it work! So please just bear with me! I just wanted to show you these pictures.

You might guess who kept distracting my attention last week. Yep, that's right! Mr. Bush-ee was just outside the window showing off his athleticism while stealing from the birds' seed bell. I was able to get five pictures before he got his tummy full and ran away. He is not afraid of me at all, and I think he loves to pose for me to take his picture! (Please ignore my poor rose bushes; I hope the freeze didn't kill them!)

Okay, now back to quilting, everyone!

---"Love"

Christmas 2010 - No. 1

My sewing machine finally came out of hibernation, and it is stitching like a charm!

I awoke feeling much better last Friday, and spent some time digging through my stash, trying to match up some Christmas fabrics. I decided to try a simple table runner similar to one I had made last year. (Yes, I know that's cheating, but I was just trying to get motivated again, and it worked!)

I finished the binding last night, after quite a struggle! I usually cut my bindings at 2.25", but I had only enough fabric to cut it at 1.5". Can you believe I managed to do my usual double fold binding? Actually, I think I like the really narrow binding on the small piece. I will attach a small ring on the back at one point, and add a mini-hanging sleeve for a tiny removable rod to keep it from curling in the event it is ever hung.

I have enjoyed so much all the blogs you APQ Bloggers have been writing. Obviously everyone is as eager as I am to get back to quilting after Christmas. I've also enjoyed chasing down some of your other favorite blog sites. I had never imagined there are so many quilting bloggers with some really neat websites, with good tutorials on almost every phase of quilting. That chase brightened my down days last week!

Now I've got to decide what to work on next!

Just a word of warning: I'm going to post a bit of foolishness right after this one. I have tried for over an hour to add another picture on this post where I want it, but so far, it always goes right at the top --- where I do NOT want it! APQ Bloggers will understand my foolishness; new readers may have a problem. *wink*

---"Love"

Restless from Inactivity!

Since I’ve been on the puny list this week, I’ve done a lot of blog reading when I probably should have been doing something else, but it has been very rewarding. The past week would have been very blue for me had I not been able to follow all your blogs!

I think most of us are finding our way around now. I do wish there were a way to send messages to each other, but I’ve decided I’m just going to reply under your comments as necessary. That may not be proper blogging format, but hey, it’s worked so far! Of course, you know I'll appreciate all your comments even though I don't reply to each one.

I’m so glad that I’ve re-discovered Jennifer, another APQ friend I thought was gone forever; you can find her among the new followers of my blog. She has a really neat site, so be sure to check it out, and lots of her other neat links.

Quilting has been on my mind; can you imagine that? I had considered trying to appliqué little five-pointed stars in the vertical 3” wide sashings of my big patriotic quilts. I laid one out on the bed, and cut a little paper star to check the possibility. I counted and found I would need at least 54 stars for each quilt; that’s 108 stars no wider than 2.5”. Five points on 108 stars means 540 tiny points to appliqué! ---- I don’t think so! ---- The quilter will just have to add them, maybe with red/white/blue variegated thread. I’ve got to start talking to the quilter soon!

Then today after reading some of your blogs about your little quilts, I got to thinking maybe I would start on some Christmas little quilts, so I can stay up with Ann on our private challenge. So far, I’m behind! I haven’t even gotten started, and she has one or two completed! I’ve got to find those leftover red and green geese!

That reminds me --- I never did show my last project of 2009. In 2008 I made my little “Flying Home for Christmas” geese from the APQ cover. My quilting friend loved it so much I decided to make one, with a different border, for her birthday. It certainly is far from perfect, but she loves it. (Next blog I'll try to wrap the words around the picture! *grin*)

I still cannot believe I haven't made anything since last November, except lots of candy! I've got to get busy! It's only 339 days until Christmas again!

---"Love"

I'm Tired of This Computer; I Want to Quilt

What a three days this has been! I've studied this site so much, and there's still so much more to learn! My chair is crying out for relief, and so are my eyes!

I think I was almost the last hold-out on coming here from APQ, but I must admit I think it is going to be okay, for the most part anyway. So many of you have set up such beautiful pages! My old age and poor eyesight plead for simplicity. Maybe someday I'll get everything all frilled up.

What I'm really wanting to do is QUILT! Remember, my sewing machine was closed down and covered with Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving, and only last Monday did I find its top! Since then, this computer has ruled my life. Well, most of the time anyway. Unfortunately, I've spent some of the time in bed, nursing a bad cold --- the worst I've had in a couple of years.

I thought I would at least be digging in the stash by now, but no! Maybe tomorrow! I want to dig out my red and blue patriotic scraps to see if maybe I can applique some stars in the vertical sashings on my two patriotic quotations quilts. Then I just must talk to my quilter and get those finished, as well as the stack and whack. I don't think I'll ever be able to quilt them. So I guess I'm going to make smaller quilts for the most part, for a while anyway, maybe those Christmas things I bought all that fabric for! Hmmmmmm-----------!

Did any of you open a new account at BHG? I did, and I have listed as friends there the ones I could find that stayed there. I think you can get to them from my Friends list here, or by going to my place there. Sad note, but I guess all our blogs will be gone from there tomorrow when we get online. I'm just glad I got all mine saved to a Word file ---don't know what difference it will make 50 years from now, but I'll have them for posterity! *giggle*

See you around here from time to time.

---"Love"

New Year; New Home; New Blog

What a wonderful new home we APQ bloggers seem to have found! I am so glad we are able to keep almost everyone together. It has been a tiresome search for me, and I still have so much more to discover about this place, but I'm determined to make it work! I was so discouraged about the change in the beginning; I felt like everyone was moving away to a foreign land across the sea, and leaving me behind. Now things are looking up --- a new blog for the New Year! Everything is going to be better.

I'm looking forward to meeting even more quilters here who are willing to share their knowledge and experience with us, as well as rediscovering some who had left us earlier to come here.

I'm getting very anxious to start another project! I haven't been able to sew a stitch since before Thanksgiving because the sunroom has been covered with Christmas decorations and the tree. All of that is now packed away, this blog is about to get settled in, and Spring isn't far away. I may dig in the stash tomorrow, who knows?

I'll be dropping in on your blogs, and I hope you will check in here also for more of my foolishness!

---"Love"