It’s Thursday and it’s another beautiful day where I live.
Michigan has so many gloomy days during the colder months that when I see sunshine I am always thankful!I’m sitting in the car waiting for my daughter to come out of the doctors office. She broke her foot a couple of weeks ago and needed a ride for X-rays. I’ve been in the house so much lately it’s nice to get out no matter the reason. It also gives me time to reflect on my quilting as I wait for her.
I believe my “about me” talks about my learning to sew with my grandma originally. Let me share a little more about my quilting journey.
We didn’t make quilts together as the focus back then was making clothes but that gave me the knowledge of how to use a sewing machine and the basics of sewing. I didn’t start quilting until the early 90’s when my hubby bought me a sewing machine that seemed so advance at the time. It had fancy stitches and I didn’t have to use those cog looking things to make different stitches.Information was not as easy to access in my early days of quilting. There were some shops that offered classes and of course, many books to purchase and even some sewing shows on public television but the internet hadn’t been developed yet and virtual learning was still waiting to be discovered.
When I moved to my family’s farmhouse in 1998, my quilting journey was put on pause.
I just didn’t have the room to set up sewing and I also went back to work full-time.
So sewing went on hold except for a few rare occasions when I decided to make a quilt for a baby or a graduate. I actually did not get back to quilting until 2015 after my husband was diagnosed with a meningioma brain tumor. After his surgery I found myself sitting at home a lot more and needing something to do. One of my friends encouraged me to pick up with one of my many crafts and quilting was always my favorite.It really was amazing to see the free wealth of knowledge available and all the online quilt shops! And let’s not forget all the blogs! I was like a sponge working to soak up everything I could to be better at my craft.
Maybe you wonder what I’ve learned in the last five years.
My quilting journey went in the direction where I decided I wanted a new and better sewing machine so I started reading reviews and joining Facebook groups to see what recommendations they had and what fit my budget and needs. I’ve learned that as I evolve in my craft, my sewing machine needs change too! I currently piece and FMQ on a Juki TL-18QVP. My embroidery machine is a Husqvarna Viking Designer Ruby Royale and I also own some vintage machines.Some of the areas I’ve spent time learning and improving are Free Motion Quilting, using a walking foot, better cutting methods which includes AccuQuilt, better piecing methods like strip piecing, machine embroidery along with Embrilliance software, Electric Quilt 8 and learning to sew totes and bags.
It’s time to pick up my daughter and get her back home. Thanks for letting me share about my quilting journey.
I’d love to hear about how you got into quilting. Did someone encourage you to quilt? Have you learned by taking classes? Watching youtube? What’s your favorite part of quilting?
Blessings,
