Hello, and welcome to my new blog. I am so excited. I have been pondering some new ideas and what to do about them for so long, and now I am about to make a commitment to exploring these ideas and taking action - so here goes.
I am a quilter. In other words I make quilts. I take fabulous fabrics, chop them up, put them back together and make a quilt. Well - let's be precise - a 'Quilt Top'. Pay attention now, because the distinction is important. Then I put together the 'Backing'. That means that I create a large piece of fabric that is at least 6" longer and wider that the 'Quilt Top'. Then I take a piece of 'Batting' that is the same size as the 'Backing'. Batting is thicker than the fabric used to make the quilt top, and it's function is to make the quilt thicker and warmer. More on that later. Will the experienced quilters forgive me at this point, but I want to make the whole process clear to all who read this - my plan is to inspire more new quilters!
OK - so we have:
Quilt Top
Backing
Batting
Marvellous - now what?
Well, since I am a professional 'Long Arm Quilter', I will now load the back, the batting and the quilt top onto a huge frame and sew gorgeous patterns with a giant sewing machine. I will be spending a lot of time expanding on this in future blogs, but for now, just be aware that that is what I will call 'Quilting' as opposed to the construction of the quilt top, which is called 'Piecing'. That's just me - some talented quilters do this sewing on their sewing machines (domestic sewing machines - aka DSM's) at home - I admire them greatly.
Once that process is complete, the quilt will be removed from the frame, the rough edges trimmed and then the 'Binding' will be attached. The 'Binding' is a narrow strip of fabric that is used to cover the raw edges of the quilt - more later.
So the quilt is now complete - or is it? Oh no - the final part of creating this wonderful article is the 'Label'. This can be as simple as a name and a date, or far more detailed. So many priceless and unbelievably detailed and fabulous quilts from times past do not have labels. So we do not know who made them, when they were made, or why they were made. Consider this:
You have just spent a fortune on fabric - trust me, you did (even the cheap stuff!)
You have spent hours and hours making the quilt top.
You have spent weeks or months quilting it yourself on your machine at home, or you have spent another fortune with a professional long arm quilter.
You have bound the quilt and it is ready for you to enjoy or give away.
And you didn't put a label on it - so down the line, who knows who, why or when the quilt was made. Someone may know that you did it - but they can't be sure, and your treasured quilt passes into the future with no ties to the past. DON'T forget the label!
Now what?
Every quilt is a labor of love. Every quilt is beautiful. Every quilt is special.
As a Long Arm Quilter, I take someone's quilt top and turn it into a quilt that is ready for the binding. And I love doing this - some are a challenge, some are interesting, some are very different and some are a pain - I love them all. So what is it that I want to do here on this blog?
Well - I want to take quilting as far as it can go. I want to create patterns so that everyone can make quilts and understand their construction. I want to take quilts past the flat bed type quilts and put them throughout the house and home. I want people to be able to make quilts that are art, function and whimsy. Let's put the quilts on the bed, on the wall, on the door, and everywhere else that it is practical.
So here on the first blog, I pledge to innovate, create and share. This may take some time, but I will persevere.
My vision for my future is to have a website that caters to the home quilter and the professional long arm quilter. I will share my pattern creations and ideas. I will take quilting out of its comfort zone and I will be the 'one to watch'.
I will also share some of my life with you - my joys and my trials. As a brief introduction:
I was born and raised in Wales, but my mother was English and my father Estonian.
I live in the USA, in SC and I love it here.
I own a Boarding Kennel and Grooming Shop.
I have been widowed for two years.
I love Chardonnay.
I have the most amazing group of friends ever - there is more talent in this group than in the whole of the USA and they have supported me through thick and thin. Quilting friends are the very, very best.
So - here I go - I will attempt to put my first pattern on this blog in the next week or so and be consistent. Please bear with me as I get this going - I still have to earn a living and quilt for other people, and I am trying to test the patterns and get them quilted. (The cobbler's children have no shoes!!) I am also going to try to work out vidoes, so that I can publish the patterns in that format for all of you that need to see what is going on!
MY PLEDGE:
I will post four new free patterns in the next year!
When you have nothing to do - do nothing with joy, or do something.
