My Quilting History

Through the years I have completed only a few quilts. When I was about 11 years old, I acquired an oval quilting frame from a friend (actually a large cross stitch frame, about 3 feet across). I had absolutely no idea where to begin, but I decided I wanted to make a baby quilt. Out came the thrift store material, scissors and sewing machine. I pieced on the sewing machine and then quilted the whole thing by hand...and here you have the result:

My second attempt at a quilt was much nicer, as my Mother and I took a quilting course when I was about 13 or 14. I had received this very bright coloured material as a Christmas gift from my Mom's best friend Sylvia the year before. We had a great time learning how to quilt and this first class inspired my Mom to go on to make many gorgeous full size quilts over the next few years. Both my sisters also became proficient quilters, especially my younger sister who started pumping out baby quilts for all of my cousins children.

I did not make any other quilts for several years, but mostly concentrated on scrapbooking and other crafts. Two or so years into University I began to quilt again during my summers at home. I designed and made this "People's of the World" quilt one summer....

During my third summer home from University, my family was all obsessed with the new quilting phenomenon... "raggy quilts." My Mom and sisters all made one (or more!), and of course I wanted one as well.  The quilt is done in all flannel and each piece is double sided. This type of quilt is very easy (and cheaper) to make as there is no batting or backing necessary. Once the pieces are all sewn together, the seam allowances are all "snipped" and then put in the dryer to "fluff," thus making a beautiful and "raggy" quilt.This is the first (and so far the only) full size quilt I have completed