The Early Years

The quilt along 'Tell It To The Stars' finally makes sense to me now. There are going to be questions asked about your history with regard to quilting, and you are to "tell it to the stars" or just record the information so that some distant offspring or future historian will know a bit about you, the quilter, of some old and fading quilt that had been tucked away.

I 'm following the quilt along on Patchwork Times, a blog by Judy Laquidara. Notice I said I'm following; so far I am not participating. I have fabrics pulled for if I might participate, but so far I'm refraining.

Back to the questions. The first question, which was posted over a week ago was "What year did you begin quilting? What made you start quilting?

The second question was posted a couple of days ago. "What fabrics/styles were in style when you began quilting?

I am going to answer these questions, but I must do a bit of thinking first, and I need some more time to pull my thoughts together. However, in the midst of pondering these questions, a very early creation of mine surfaced from the bottom of an old chest, and it seems fitting that I share it here.

 Early on I was enamored with Amish quilts. I visited Ohio's Amish country frequently, as it's near my husband's hometown. There are many great quilt shops there, and as far back as the 1980s I was beginning to collect fabric. This wall hanging consists of three fabrics - black background, red houses and teal roofs and border. I machine pieced it, and there's not a lick of quilting on it anywhere. Consequently, when I pressed it earlier, batting has bunched up in some places. I am trying to recall where in our previous residence I displayed this wall hanging, but I cannot picture it anywhere.

I do remember that my friend Sharon made one, too, and hers was of those lovely plaids of the '80s - navy and red. And perhaps some of those little print hearts? I will ask her if she remembers.

Did we make these at my house? At the home ec. room at school? Was it a quilt camp creation? I do not remember, but I think Sharon will, so stay tuned for the answers.

Happy Quilting, Friends!