Quilting Begins

I've always liked working with my hands.  Always liked creating something that was nice to look at and had function.  In High School I was taught to sew clothes...with some success! 
But I didn't find much joy in it.  It was more frustrating than fullfilling.

So having a sewing machine is something I've always had.  When we came to Alberta I was looking for a hobby and as we explored Calgary I stumbled across a quilt store by the name of Quilter's Cabin.  The name intrigued me so I went in... I was hooked.  The quilts were beautiful, there were wall hangings, placemats, table runners, lap quilts, there was more than just warm coverings for a bed.  They were works of art.  This seemed like something I would enjoy.

Quilter's Cabin was offering classes and so it seemed a good starting point to sign up.  I hauled out my old Kenmore machine and headed for my first lesson.  I'll leave the story of that class for another post, but let's say they weren't impressed with my machine.  However I did get this first quilt made and I was proud to piece it, put the batting and backing together and then complete the binding to finish it off.

It's a basic quilt - the purpose of this class was to learn the basics of quilting.  If you are going to quilt you need to know how to use the rotary cutter (bought my first one on clearance at Michaels!), acrylic rulers, understanding a quarter inch seam and building the blocks!  Quilting includes reading and understanding the pattern, being able to choose appropriate colours and fabrics, and knowing how much to purchase.

Quilter's Cabin no longer exists but that's where I got my start and this was my first creation.  The feeling of satisfaction that comes from seeing this from beginning to end is wonderful.