How I Started Sewing/Quilting - Blog Hop

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This is the seventh stop on a 10-stop blog hop exploring how quilters and sewists got started quilting and sewing. 
The complete list of blogs, with links, is at the end of this post.
I have always had an interest in creating.
Fabric, thread, and yarn have always been my friends.
My first "sewing" pieces were created by wrapping fabrics around my dolls.  They were very fashionable mummies!  I finally learned real sewing skills in Mrs. DeGroot's Home Ec class at Cicero Elementary.  Our first project was to make aprons so that we could work in the school cafeteria.  It was a big stepping stone into growing up!
My first experience with quilting was during high school.  The young women and our leaders at church got together to tie a quilt.  I was amazed by the wooden frames, the great big long needles and the concept of tying two pieces of fabric and batting together to make a blanket.  I had never seen anything like it!  I convinced my sister to help me make a very large tied quilt for our grandparents.  We didn't have a frame so we laid everything out on the floor, pinned it together and then tied away.  It was lumpy and bumpy but they loved it.  Unfortunately I don't have a photo.  
After I got married (almost 30 years ago!) I decided to create some baby quilts for my future children.  I borrowed a set of quilt frames and bought some cute Cookie Monster fabric.  I had never hand quilted but that wasn't going to stop me.
My stitches were wide and crooked.
I think I still have the thick hand quilting thread I bought for this project.
To top off the quilt I decided to appliqué a cookie monster onto the front. . .
 . . . and back!
 I didn't know how to hand appliqué so I decided to zigzag Cookie on with my sewing machine.
I stitched the front and back on at the same time!  I had to add a little extra stitching in a few places but surprisingly it worked out pretty well and has held up through 4 children.
I've explored a lot of arts and crafts through the years and learned all I can about each new adventure from books and friends.  Joining a local quilt guild was one of the best things I ever did for myself.  Not only did I make great friends but I learned about a whole new world called Art Quilts. 
These are a few of my latest completed pieces:

Fractured Pi
Take Away
Orange & Blue Journal Cover
Cat Angel Postcard




Thanks for stopping by and reading about my start as a seamstress.
I hope you will hop on over to the other blogs participating in this hop.  They all have some interesting stories to tell to.  It's always great to see where people begin.  We all had to start somewhere.  I'd love to hear about your sewing/quilting beginnings in the comments section too!



Aug 1. Cyndi Zacheis Souder – http://moonlightingquilts.wordpress.com/
Aug 2. Becky Glasby – http://bumblebzs.blogspot.com/
Aug 4. Barb Forrister – http://www.barbforrister.com/category/blog
Aug 5. Jackie White – http://jabotquilt.blogspot.com/
Aug 6. Tracy Mooney – http://www.3littlebrds.com/
Aug 7. Lisa Chin - http://somethingcleveraboutnothing.blogspot.com - You are here!
Aug 9. Catherine Redford – http://catherineredford.com/blog/
Aug 10. Sylvia Lewis – http://bunchberrystudio.blogspot.com/

Comments

AnneM said…
Lovely, Lisa. You are so talented! I also had to laugh at your line about your "start as a sewer" - I read it as the place where all the waste water goes. . . Maybe you should call yourself a seamstress! Or better yet a fiber artist.
August 7, 2013 at 3:05 PM
Sylvia said…
I love the cookie monster! And Takeaway! I would love to hang something like that on my wall!
August 7, 2013 at 5:04 PM
Jennilyn said…
Great to read your story and see the transformation to the awesome quilter you are today! YES, I want to spend some time with you/in your studio and see what you are working on! Monday or Tues 26th or 27th?
August 9, 2013 at 7:34 AM
anusha krishnamurthy said…
http://petitefaerie.blogspot.in/2013/08/quilting-journey.html
Loved reading bout your start into the world of quilting , like u my first quilt was so lumpy ..loved the Cookie Monster ..
August 25, 2013 at 12:04 PM
anusha krishnamurthy said…
http://petitefaerie.blogspot.in/2013/08/quilting-journey.html

Loved reading your blog & how u started quilting , inspired me to write too .. Have a lovely day .
August 25, 2013 at 12:05 PM
anusha krishnamurthy said…
http://petitefaerie.blogspot.in/2013/08/quilting-journey.html
Loved reading bout your start into the world of quilting , like u my first quilt was so lumpy ..loved the Cookie Monster ..
August 25, 2013 at 12:06 PM
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