I. Love. This. Quilt.

Graduation present time...with Buddy getting the flu I wasn't sure I'd get this done in time but I did. I love the Amy Butler prints and the dragonfly quilting on it.

Sorry for the terrible picture. When you wait until the last minute to finish you don't have a lot of time to wait for the perfect light for your shot.  

My Quilting History

Kelly asked us to explain our quilting history. 

Here's my timeline:

2003- I mentioned to my friend Billie that I loved quilts.  Her mom quilts and she was quite confident I could too.  She told me about these day long quilting classes her aunt held at a church.  She convinced me I could do it.  I bought my first sewing machine.  The class started at 8 in the morning and went until 11 at night.  It cost 30 dollars plus supplies.  They had all of your cutting done for you in advance.  What a deal right?  So I went.  I came home with a large lap quilt (pictured below in the golds on the bottom row) in the trip around the world pattern that was hand tied.  I did it in one day.  I presently hate the quilt, but my husband swears it is the best in the house.  I am not fond of the colors or the poor matching of corners or even the hand tieing for that matter.  (I should also mention that growing up I was always very fond of the projects that my mom's friend, Judy, would sew, quilt, and create.  That is probably where the interest stems from really.  I also did some sewing in 4-H and Home Ec and I really like it.)

2006-  I haven't done any quilting since the last class.  Although I did have an excuse, I did have a baby in 2004 so it wasn't a great time for the new hobby.  I attended another class and my mom (and friends) joined in for this one. That was her first quilt. As for me, I was much happier with the corners on this second quilt (the green and tan on the bottom row), however....I today I am not fond of this one either.  The colors seem blah to me or I am not fond of hand tieing.  However, this is husband's second favorite quilt in the house and he says it is staying as well.

2007- I make my first quilt on my own and follow it with 6 more quilts in 2007 (I did attend another all day class at this point .).  I mostly send these to the long arm quilter.  My favorite quilt of all time (is from this year) and it is picture below on my bed in red.  At the very end of 2007, I start a blog.  I didn't have many visitors at first, but those that did visit I quickly thought of as friends.  Among my earliest visitors were Anna and Mary Anne. 

I keep sewing, and sewing, and sewing. 

2009-  My husband lost his job and I am forced to learn to stipple.  I hang in there and manage to catch on.   I join the Charming Girls and Guys Club and find I get more accomplished than ever.  I continue to enjoy my blog and all of the great quilters I connect with.

2010-  Kelly convinces me to do my first tutorial (still located on the right side of the screen), I have hosted a couple of swaps, participated in a few more, and have one planned in the near future (bag lovers stay tuned). 

So that brings us to the present.  That is 22 finished quilts and baby quilts, 6 unfinished quilt tops, and 5 mini quilts.  I am pretty pleased with that.  No, I didn't count my bags...that is probably a post of its own.