Betsy Hill

>In the past
>couple of years I found a list for quilters, got involved in that and the
>next thing I knew I was making more and more quilts. In the past 2 years
>I've put together 4 charity quilts

Our homeschooling support group made a charity quilt last year. It was a
sampler style quilt, with each mom who wanted to participate contributing a
block out of the same set of fabrics.

It was a great project, because we had 5 or 6 moms working together at
several sewing parties. I was new to the group, and this gave me a great
chance to get to know the other (sewing) moms better. We did encourage and
coach non-sewers who wanted to participate.

Betsy

Jeanmarie Shingleton

I'm also a lurker and a quilter. I made my first quilt 21 years ago when I
was expecting child #1 since then I've made mostly baby quilts and have
given most of those away - unless they were for child #2 & 3!! In the past
couple of years I found a list for quilters, got involved in that and the
next thing I knew I was making more and more quilts. In the past 2 years
I've put together 4 charity quilts and an almost full size quilt for my dd
for her very blahhhh dorm room and I'm in the process of handquilting an
Amish style quilt for ds #1. Should have that finished in a couple of
months!

Terri, I found your comments about the quilt guild your MIL attends very
interesting. I just starting attending a local guild and most everyone
there machine quilts.... they just put together so many tops that there
isn't enough time to hand quilt them. In fact at least 2 of the members are
professional long-arm machine quilters. I guess they'd never fit in with
your MIL's group!!

Personally, I think they both have a place. Machine quilting is beautiful,
accepted by the judges at most shows and is quick! Hand quilting has
history and there are some quilts that just "need" to be hand quilted.

I love all kinds of designs, too. Like I said the one I'm making right now
is a traditional style design. The one I made for ds was a little newer,
geometric design. And then I have the Maple Leaf blocks calling my name in
my sewing room - they seem to want me to put them together into one quilt!
LOL!! And the ones I've been enjoying lately are the watercolor designs.
I've tried a block-of the month of one of those and just loved the look!

Okay, now it's my turn to apologize. I got a little carried away, but this
is my passion - next to my kids and I can spend hours playing with fabric!!!

In fact, ds #2 (13 yo) wants to make a quilt this summer. I love the idea
but have wayyyyyy too many patterns to choose from. I don't want him to get
bored by doing the same pattern over and over but I want it to be fairly
quick - something we can actually complete this summer!! Any
suggestions????

I have a ton! of novelty prints and was thinking of an I Spy type of quilt,
but I don't know if I have enough patterns he'd enjoy.

TIA for the ideas!
Jeanmarie
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Sharon Rudd

--- Jeanmarie Shingleton <Jmarie_s02qlt@...>
wrote:

> In fact, ds #2 (13 yo) wants to make a quilt this
> summer. I love the idea
> but have wayyyyyy too many patterns to choose from.
> I don't want him to get
> bored by doing the same pattern over and over but I
> want it to be fairly
> quick - something we can actually complete this
> summer!! Any
> suggestions????
>
> Jeanmarie

Dear Jeanmarie
Let him choose! Or make up his own! Only make one or
four blocks and strip piece the rest of it by machine.
Like a giant log cabin. Then machine quilt only the
corners and tie the middle. That way he can finish it
in one summer, won't take over your sewing area all of
the time, and learns lots of techniques as well as
mostly creates it himself. If he begins to loose
interest, make the strips wider and tie the whole
thing. Use the thickest batting you can find for
tieing, then it is more comforter like, and any
"mistakes" (like gathered seams) don't really show up.
They usually look like part of it.

Have fun.......let HIM choose his colors. He may
surprise you!

Sharon


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