Cutting84

I was in kindergarten and I was watching my mother as she was making my first quilt. It had a smurfs panel on it and was yarn tied. I remember being so excited for that quilt, and it was my favorite blanket ever. After I graduated high school, I joined the Army and that quilt went to Germany and Iraq with me. After that, it finally fell apart and had to be replaced. I watched her sew a lot growing up and remember a few lessons, but never really go into it until I became an adult.

WMUTeach

I was probably 4 or 5 when I spent the night with my grandmother seeing the first quilt that I remember. Although this stay was mid-century, she lived in a home reminiscent of late 1800's/early 1900's. There was no electricity, no indoor plumbing, not storm windows, no indoor water. The old farm house was lighted by kerosene lamps and heated by wood stoves in the center of the living room and of course the wood burning range and oven in the kitchen. My grandmother made utilitarian quilts out of feed sacks and the parts of shirts and dresses that were still usable. She even made me a dress out of feed sack fabric. To this day, I still look for that fabric as a reproduction. I have one small block from a quilt that was all triangles. Another family member has the remains of a quilt she made and repaired herself. Several years ago I was asked me to repair it but it was too fragile and precious as it is. I declined. You could see grandma's hand stitches and those she made on her treadle machine. Wonderful memories of a sweet natured, college educated woman who lived in another era and passed on knowledge of the important things of life while just living simply and with a needle in hand and surrounded by books.

laurilli

My grandmother, my Mom, and all my Aunts sewed clothing but I don't remember any quilts. I made my fist quilt at 16 for a school friend(it WAS the '70's HA) it was a hexagon block embroidered to look like a kids ABC block, I embroidered the babys name in the blocks. I didn't have a pattern, just did the math. Nobody told me I couldn't so I just winged it, of course I wasn't bright enough to cut the edges straight so I hand stitched all the way around the edge following the hexagons. It turned out good, and that's pretty much how I still quilt to this day- a wing and a prayer.

RedGarnet222

I remember enjoying all of the wonderful prints from a combination feed sack and calico ( ???) quilt my Memaw had on her bed. I was Very little, and I loved all of the colors put together in such a way that it made a secondary pattern. It all fascinated me to no end. It made me wonder how in the world she had made such a "blanket".

I made my first quilts for my boys twin beds in denim and boyish prints in a heavier fabric in 1980. They loved them and took them when they moved out. Then I made nothing else but garments and home decorating items until a revival of the interest came to me some twenty-some years ago. I bought a book called, "Log Cabin in a day". I also I checked out a video from the local library on making quilts by a lady named Shar (She used to have a show on quilt making) That is how I learned to make quilts. Many books later I make quilts and gift them. To family, friends, and charities. It has been so fun and rewarding to have such a skill that feels so homey and satisfying. Almost like a best friend.

gillyo

When I was 8 years old my mother, my little brother, and I took the train from Stockton, CA to Los Angeles to visit my grandparents. It was in the summer of 1967.

My grandmother was one of those women who made everything. She was a tailor by trade but also did upholstery and ceramics. I was a little girl who loved making things. She had a stash of McCalls Needlework and Crafts magazines. I was fascinated with them, particularly one that had photos of a quilt show in New York City.