Quilting Passion or Obsession?
My passion for quilting began when I retired from full time work in 1993. I figured I could learn to
quilt from a how-to book the same as I have learned other skills in my life --NOT. Over the years, other quilters,
workshops, TV shows, magazine articles, and books have added a great deal to my knowledge. The purchase of a new Bernina
quilting machine and lots of practice has added to my skill level. It was my intension from the
beginning to not only piece the quilt but to learn to hand quilt like our great grandmothers did.
Quilters have what they call a "stash". This is where the
obsession comes into play. Every visit to a quilt shop
results in more material which may be needed for a current project, or brings me a vision of a
quilt still to be designed and made. In addition, there are plenty of patterns to be purchased.
There are several totes and drawers of material in my stash and a file drawer containing
my collection of patterns and pattern books.
Shop Hopping
The revival of the art of quilting is demonstrated in the proliferation of quilt shops around the nation.
A spinoff of the existence of so many quilt shops has been demonstrated by a new travel pastime, the quilt shop-hop.
My friend Nancy and I participated a few times in this Quilt Shop-Hop mania. The object is to visit every quilt shop
in Nebraska. There were 32 listed on the brochure. When you register for this Shop-Hop you are given a score card which
is to be punched at each shop you visit. At the end of the 10-day fabric shopping spree, the score cards are turned in
and drawings for cash prizes are held. One year we did manage to visit 23 quilt shops in
two separate trips including an
overnight stay in Lincoln. To add to the fun is the numbers of other shop-hoppers you meet in the stores. Everyone shares
where they are coming from, where they are headed, and how many shops they plan to visit. It is a party!
Always Learning
Quilting truly is an art form and is now recognized as such. Coordinating fabrics and color requires a skill I am trying to
master. The methods of creating the blocks contained in a quilt are varied.
Paper piecing is a technique. At an Extension Club Meeting, Nancy gave a workshop on paper piecing. I liked the technique and ordered a pattern book.
Appliqué is also used on many quilts. I have learned both to hand appliqué and machine appliqué. Templates to cut out
the squares, triangles, hexagons, and diamonds are used for some quilts. Over time I have purchased several sets of the Marti Mitchell
Mylar templates.
Prayer Shawl Ministry and Quilters Group
To add to my project lists, three years ago I spear headed a Prayer Shawl Ministry in our church. A lot of the shawls and
Hug Rugs (Lap robes) I make are quilts I have machine pieced but tied rather than quilted
Our Quilters Group was an out growth of a trip five of us took together to a
workshop in Franklin, Nebraska. During the trip we decided
it would be fun to get together periodically and share projects, patterns, etc. We never intended to form a guild; just a casual gathering
of quilters. We now meet about once a month in a meeting room at the bank. Anyone with a love of quilting or wanting to learn more about it are welcome.
Some of us can come in the afternoon while others have to wait until they get off work. The room allows us space to bring our machines to do some sewing,
set up tables to sandwich a large quilt, do hand work or cut out blocks. We each bring a sack lunch for our supper break.
Quilt camps have also become very popular. Janet Chiaverini's books, The Elm Creek Quilters is a fictional series about The Elm Creek Quilt Camp. It became a dream to one day go to a camp where I could leave all other chores behind, have meals prepared and served, make new friends, and learn new skills. Some of these quilt camps are held in conjunction with an ocean cruise. The closest I came to the experience was at a Quilt Camp held last year by the Harlan County Extension Office at Harlan County Exhibition Hall in Orleans, Nebraska. For four days, Nancy and I drove to Orleans each morning and quilted until about 3 p.m. We could leave our machines at the hall. Coffee and rolls were served in the morning and a delicious meal was prepared by our County Extension Agent Lynette Brown. She can cook! It was a banquet. Cost? Free.
You decide--Passion or Obsession? Posted August 2, 2012
