My first quilt

For those of you who read Bonnie Hunter's blog, you know that she always has lots going on - one thing right now is for people to share their very first quilts with the world.  I have to give you a little background first so you can appreciate this quilt a little more.  My husband and I had been married only a year or so when he asked me if I wanted a sewing machine for Christmas.  My response was..."no".  Well, knowing how he is, I knew that I would be getting a sewing machine.  I had no interest whatsoever.  The only sewing I had done was while I was in 4-H and that was under the very direct supervision of my mother, who is an amazing seamstress.  I just never had the desire to sew at all.  Christmas morning came and sure enough...there was a Brother sewing machine that he had bought at Wal-Mart.  Surprise, surprise!  He messed around with it and made socks for the dog (now that was funny!) and some hood/scarf things that were actually kinda cool.  I didn't touch it.  That machine sat in the closet for a couple of years.  One day at church a couple of the ladies asked me to come to their monthly quilting get together.  I told them that I had no idea how to quilt, sew, or even use the machine that I had.  They kept hounding me and promised to teach me how to use my machine and everything else that I would need to know.  Well, for whatever reason (I really don't know why), I decided to go.  I remember that they were doing a couple different things.  One was a block of the month, which I failed miserably.  I remember finishing one block and it had a big hole in it.  I was quite frustrated!  They also were working on a log cabin quilt - actually I think they had just finished it, but someone must have decided that it would be a good thing for me to try.  It never occurred to me to make it small - they gave me the pattern and I went to Wal-Mart and bought the fabric.  Thankfully there was a very sweet, older lady who helped me pick everything out.  I actually did make the quilt - and we used it on our bed for a long time.  It is in the barn raising layout - which is still my favorite log cabin layout.  And, the log cabin block is still one of my very favorite blocks.  The quilt ended up being 90" x 93" - holy cow!!  Here is a picture of a picture - not the best, but it gives you the idea.

I only went to the church group quilting a couple of times because I was working full-time, attending college classes at night, raising 2 kids, coaching softball, etc.  I did manage to finish that quilt somehow and had it machine quilted by LaDonna Cole - she did an all-over heart pattern on it.  I remember sewing those blocks together and pulling and stretching them to make the rows fit together.  I had no idea that you shouldn't have to do that!  After this big quilt I did make several baby quilts, then found some quilting friends, and learned lots along the way!  And, what's really ironic?  I have not been to the quilting get togethers at church since I started this quilt in 1999.  But guess what?  Tomorrow, I am going back!  They now get together every Tuesday during the day, and yesterday I was talking to one of the girls and she invited me to come. I decided that I'm going to do it!  At home, I never get anything finished except jewelry, so I've decided to go and work on other projects that need to be finished.  First up are some Christmas gifts!  I'm sure that I have way too many things packed to work on, but a girl can dream, right?

It's so funny to think back on how I got started quilting.  I have often wondered what I would be doing today if my husband had actually listened to me when I said that I did not want a sewing machine for Christmas!  Probably still working a job that I had come to hate and be full of stress.  Funny how things work out, isn't it? This year for Thanksgiving, not only am I thankful for friends and family and a great life, I also give thanks to my husband for NOT listening (lol), and to the ladies at church who twisted my arm into sewing with them, and to Bonnie Hunter for inviting us all to share our first quilts. 
Funny how things work out, isn't it?