To Quilt or Not to Quilt................

I am taking a beginning quilt class in a few weeks.  Not sure how or why I'm doing this, but I am.  I used to do some hand piecing and hand quilting 20 years ago, but that was another lifetime.  I'm looking forward to learning something new and playing with fabric and friends, but finding the time to take on another challenge is going to be difficult.  I'm just looking at it as another adventure.

So in order to prepare for this quilt class, Evette, Laura and I made a trip to our favorite quilt shop in Fayetteville, Quilts 'n Tiques to visit Gail and Naomi and find some wonderful fabrics we could use for our class project.  Of course, we spent several hours there and didn't leave unhappy.  They are so friendly and supportive and just plain fun people!  Well worth the drive.  Everyone had a different idea for their projects, so we all headed different directions in the shop.  I ended up planning a Christmas fabric quilt, using some fabrics I already had, along with some new to blend it all together.  I think it will be a lot of fun working with Christmas fabrics in May!!

While we were there two of our best friends Jennifer and Janet came in and surprised us.  Jennifer about tackled us from behind she was so excited to see us.  That was a fun surprise visit.  And of course, they didn't leave empty handed either.  I'm hoping at some point we can get together with Janet to do some more quilting lessons.  She is one talented lady with lots of quilting information in her brain to share!!!  And of course, Jennifer also has all that knowledge stored away.  It's amazing how much talent is in our area.

So on Saturday I decided to tackle a red, white and blue project that I was hoping could be a future class.  It's a nine patch block that you cut a couple of different ways to end up with different pattern layouts.  This was something Debbie Busby showed me last summer and I just fell in love with the whole concept and have put together several different quilt tops.  However, unbeknownst to me (and maybe Debbie too) we weren't doing them exactly the right way.  I was just cutting my squares, piecing them together, and then sewing the rows together.  Sometimes, well most times, my corners or points didn't match.  Evette has been real sweet and complimentary of my past projects but I knew she was being very tolerant of my mismatched squares and really wanted to tell me I needed to match my points better.  Well, now she's told me and so my simple little project turned into a major event with Evette coming over with twelve rulers and cutters and showing me how to properly cut out and piece a square.  Oh my goodness, don't think I was doing it right after all!!! 

Evette helped me get the blocks cut out, worked on my sewing machine with me to get it in tune, and sewed some of the blocks together to show me how they should look.  Needless to say, my other pieces don't quite look the same anymore!  After she went home, I finished sewing the blocks together and made sure everything matched up as best I could. 

This is how the points are supposed to meet.  Of course, I knew this..........that just doesn't mean that's what mine did!!!

I'm trying really hard to make everything line up properly.  I love quilts, but I think I love quilts that other people make!!!  Especially hundred year old quilts!!!!!

I stopped sewing long enough to run to Joann Fabrics for some rulers, a new cutting pad and rotary cutter threads and who knows what else.  These were all apparently necessary things to own if you're going to be a REAL quilter.  So now I have some of the tools of the trade (I won't say all because there's too much out there) and I am ready to get back to my quilt pieces.

After I got home, I started sewing the rows together.  Now, here's where it gets a little tricky gals.  Your seams have to match the other seams.  Imagine that!!!  I did manage to get a few blocks put together before I threw in the towel for the evening.  Fresh eyes in the morning are always better................

So here's to happy stitching, sewing, quilting days for us all.