My Quilting Journey

Ishmael said, “You can take the class with Jean, while Moses and I can watch a football game”.

What a surprise! Ish never supported my hobbies before. “That’s a good idea!” Little did I know how much I would enjoy quilting.

It was a beginner class. We met once a week for 5 weeks. We learned what tools to use, how to pick fabric, how to use accurate ¼ inch seams. How to organize all the pieces, even how to press after each seam. The instructor showed us how to “sandwich” the quilt top, batting and backing together, how to sew on the quilting pattern and how to attach the binding. I’ve taken other quilting classes but never one as complete as the beginner class in Debbie’s Quilt Shop in Tehachapi. I gained confidence that I’d be able to quilt on my own. We enjoyed it so much that we signed on for the intermediate classes. I made a crib sized quilt in the first five weeks. A table runner in the next four-week class. I even made a lap sized quilt in the next six weeks. I was going to take one more class to make a larger quilt, but Ish decided he had visited with Moses enough, so I was on my own after that.

I was shopping for fabric for another quilt when a woman approached me and invited me to join her quilting association. I was retired and bored in the evenings since Ish was always watching sports. Unfortunately, I have no interest in baseball or football. But I caught him watching the “History of String” one day. That was the limit! I needed something to do besides crochet or knit and I wanted to meet like-minded people. So, I joined the San Fernando Valley Quilt Association.

They met once a month. It was great meeting other quilters. And listening to the expert speakers who brought their quilts to the meetings. After a while I joined a “Mini-Group”. We call ourselves Friday Friends. We met every Friday at Candy’s Quilt Shop and had lunch together afterwards. This is what I was wanting. Friends who shared my interest and were pleasant company. We brought our quilts to work on and help each other make decisions on fabric and patterns. I learned that there were people who would do the quilting for you for a fee.

We even made a couple of quilts to donate to an auction fundraiser for the association. I even made one to give to a charity that was auctioned for over one hundred dollars. It was at one of the meetings that I heard of an ongoing quilt class. Oh boy! Another opportunity to meet with quilters and learn new techniques.

That’s how I met Carole. After class she and I talked a little bit.

“I don’t understand what the teacher was talking about” Carole confided.

“Maybe this isn’t something I can learn to do”.

“Don’t be discouraged,” I said. “Let’s get together and I’ll answer all your questions. We can sew together, and it’ll be fun.” She became a very good quilter and has made many quilts for her family members. She also made bags and stuffed dolls for her grandchildren and crochet blankets for the babies including my grandson. She was already an accomplished sewer of clothing.

We visited back and forth, and I invited her to join “Friday Friends”. We went to quilt shows together. Carole and I would often meet for lunch just to get together. We became good friends. Sadly, she passed away. Sometimes when I learn a new technique about quilting, I think Carole would like this. I miss her very much. I offered to complete a couple of Carole’s quilts for her daughter Lynda. We arranged her leftover fabrics and tools for a garage sale since Lynda isn’t a quilter.

The Association would get together with another group every other year to put on a quilt show. Members would submit their quilts to be shown, and attendees would vote for the best in several categories. There were also vendors where we could buy all sorts of quilt related tools, fabric, thread, patterns, fancy sewing machines and the furniture the machines go into. It was very exciting to see all the fabulous quilts. One of my quilts was accepted to the show but it didn’t win a prize.

I’ve made many quilts as gifts for friends and family. I gifted a quilt to the charity for the victims of the Paradise Fire. I even got my sister to make quilts. I feel that the quilts I make will be my legacy. Something to be remembered by after I’m gone. I usually sew on a label with the name of the quilt, the pattern, the occasion of the gift, and my name as the maker. I look forward to continuing making quilts for other charities as well as family. Quilters are kind and generous and I love being with them.