Saturday, August 8, 2009

Friends, of the Quilting Variety



This is Judy, Natalie, Marilyn and Jackie. They are Quilters, too. Almost every month I have friends over to sew.

Each one of us attacks Quilting from a different angle. Most like to follow patterns, directions, teachers, books. A lot like to make baby Quilts for friends and family members. Some like to look at pictures and get ideas and some, like me, make it all up as we go.

I never plan a Quilt any further than choosing a stack of fabric, I use whatever thread is in the machine at the time to piece my work. Lime green, red, it really does not matter as I use 1.0 stitch length, and that makes it fairly impossible to see what I use.

On the other hand, I have Quilting friends who always use beige thread to piece with, always use 2.5 stitch length (the machines come set at that length), must have a pattern, picture, directions, precise cutting instructions and they always buy exactly the amount of fabric the pattern calls for. 7/8 of a yard? Not at my house.

None of this matters, however. We are all Quilters and we all like each other. We sit and sew, some in 'mud' fabrics, some with homespun, some use batiks, some use Kits and none of that matters. We all love Quilting.

Some leave their threads hanging at the end of each seam, I, on the other hand; cannot stand any loose or hanging threads. Actually, in the end it makes 'not a hill of beans' difference because, in the end it is all covered with batting, backing and binding. We're all just different.

Today, there were nine Chic's and Jim. Adele, on crutches after foot surgery, worked on things for Quilt Arkansas. Jackie put a thousand French Knots in an applique piece that she is working on. Marty, Marilyn, and Geannine were all appliqueing too, Marilyn on a piece she has been working on since I first met her in 1998. Debbie was making a 'Turning Twenty' from fat quarters, Jim was embellishing with buttons and beads on a piece he started probably in 1998 as well. Corrine was helping Adele, ironing pieces that Adele had cut, Sharon was making flying geese (I believe she needs 1000 for the Quilt she is making) and Natalie was working on the background for a lion she is making. Natalie loves to make Quilts with animals on them. Her Christmas Quilt has a sea lion in the center and it is wonderful. I personally like it better than a snowman, but that's just me.

We do Pot Luck for lunch, everyone brings something and we all get plenty. That's what Quilters do; sew, eat, talk. All in all, a great day!

All Quilters are alike, in that we love the Art. All Quilters are different, as we each approach the Art from different viewpoints, perspectives, backgrounds and abilities. But it really doesn't matter, we were drawn together by the same thing - we all love Quilting.

I'm a Quilter.

We'll talk again soon,

Carol Ann, Quilter

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