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:

  1. 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.

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  2. 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?

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  3. 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.

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  4. 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.

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