Judy L's UFO Challenge

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Stashbuster Topic of the Week. How did I become a quilter? What was my first project and where is it? I did not inherit quilting from my ancestors. Both of my grandmothers worked and had large families. I am not sure if their mother's quilted either. I went home to visit my parents in the late 1980's. While I was there my mother took me to my Aunt's house. She and my cousin showed me a quilt they had made using Eleanor Burn's Quilt in a Day Log Cabin. They showed me how they used a blanket as the batting. I was hooked. Up to that point I had sewn clothing and pillows.

In 1988 or 1989 I went on vacation with my parents and husband to Myrtle Beach, SC. The guys went and did their thing and Mom and I went and did ours. We happened across a fabric store. We went in and I found Eleanor Burns book and I bought the fabric to make my mom a blue and mauve Queen size log cabin. I sort of read the book and sort of followed the directions. having sewn clothing I used my standard 5/8" seam. Oops. Needless to say her quilt wasn't quite big enough. I quilted it in the ditch using batting and not a blanket and sent it off to her. She still has the quilt but it is in her basement with seams that have started pulling apart. She is a washaholic and washed it to death. I never think to get it from her to see if it can be saved. I will have to try to remember to do that.

You know I made myself a Log Cabin as well and still hadn't read those directions closely. I also used a 5/8" seam on that one as well. I finally read the directions closely to see the error of my ways! Now I read the heck out of directions to make sure I don't repeat that mistake!

4 comments:

flippytale Quilter (Christine) said...

LOL! I started out the same way! I also just used the edge of the presser foot... what we know now! I guess we all have to start somewhere.

Greenmare said...

gee, seems like with a 5/8 inch seam they should NEVER pull out! The fun we had making those first quilts, we should never think twice about how they look now should we?

Wendy said...

Aah...of course the 5/8" seam. I remember those days. My first quilt was polyster and extra large pieces. We have learned so much since then.

ShinyNewThing said...

Hey Swooze - i don't read directions either, I prefer pictures. I've got that Log Cabin book but if I do her method of chain piecing logs and trimming off against the long strip, them my blocks go wonky.