How to Choose a Timeless Design
It was 14 years ago, today, that I discovered the world of online quilters! Because of my husband’s work schedule, I had been feeling a bit glum that he wasn’t home the day after Christmas and decided to spend some time on our new computer and the internet, which I wasn’t really familiar with at the time.
At first, I just had the idea for a small quilted book cover for the next year’s family gifts. Instead I found a treasure trove of others, like me, who enjoyed nothing more in life than making quilts. It was something I hadn’t expected to find and something that has changed my life. For the better, I hope!
Not only did I find endless sources for free patterns and quilting supplies, I also discovered the world of fabric and block swaps of all types! At the time, swapping squares for Y2K (Year 2000) quilts was all the rage and collecting squares from those all over the world was completely addicting! Sending and receiving squishies through the mail was a source of endless delight.
Swapping fabrics and blocks was so much a part of my new life that my husband finally had to ask me when I was going to get around to actually making quilts! That brought my entire freight train of swapping to a complete stand-still as I thought about this simple question.
Since I had been quilting for years, I had plenty of quilting supplies, but with all the new sources I had found, I felt that I didn’t have the right supplies. Goodness knows all the other quilters were saying that my trusty Singer machine wasn’t good enough, no matter how straight a stitch it made! I didn’t have over-priced fabric from the quilt shop, expensive scissors that cut no better than my Fiskars, and everything from my pins to my threads were subpar. This was a depressing thought … I could make all the quilts I wanted, but they weren’t considered to be real quilts by my new online friends because my supplies and tools didn’t cost enough.
Then, at our local county fair, two of my quilts won second and third place ribbons. Finally, I understood that I didn’t have to have expensive quilting supplies, a sewing machine that cost more than my car or fabric from the local quilt shop in order to be making quilts my way! At long last, I had validation that quilting was supposed to be fun!
Since then, I’ve slowly distanced myself from the online groups and have become a firm advocate of the art that is quilting … art that is created with all types of supplies and materials! I graduated to a nicer machine when my Singer really couldn’t do some of the things I wanted it to and received Ginger scissors as a gift from my beautiful, late mother-in-law. I’ve added long-arm quilting to my repertoire, staunchly doing it my way! And, I’ve fallen in love with embroidery quilting, for both beautiful embroidery designs on my quilts and for the intricate quilting stitches that are so easy to reproduce with embroidery quilting designs.
I still enjoy the online community of quilters and embroiderers, but I have learned a lot in these last 14 years! First, that making quilts is a very personal form of artistic expression. I make bed quilts while others make art quilts. Second, that there is no single right way to do any of it! My particular set of quilting supplies will dictate what I’m able to do, and how, while someone else’s supplies will allow them to do something else.
Finally, I’ve learned that I love quilting of all types and styles. I’m not capable or interested in creating every type of quilt, but I can appreciate the work and artistry that each quilter puts into their creations.
Without the internet, I wonder if I would have received such exposure to so many beautiful things. I do know that I never did get around to making those quilted book covers!
Processing your request, Please wait....
