Who Inspired You to Become a Quilter?

As we near Mother’s Day, thoughts of special ladies in our lives come to mind. Were you inspired to start quilting by a special lady or gentleman in your life? Perhaps your mother or grandmother wrapped you snugly in a quilt to go to sleep when you were little, or you grew up under a quilting frame where your mother and her friends gathered to quilt and solve the world’s problems.

I grew up with a mother who always had some type of needlework in progress whether it was sewing my sister and my clothes, making stuffed animals for us, or making pillows for our home to truly make it “homey”. I always had the pleasure of feeling the love that went in to each of her creations, and as I grew up, her passion moved to quilting. I saw how much fun she was having and just had to follow in her footsteps. My first quilting adventure came about when our history class was given the option of either making a craft that was used during the time period we were studying or writing a research paper. You guessed it, no research paper for me, I made a small doll quilt using the crazy quilt technique. It would be almost 10 years before I made my next quilt and little did I know at the time that quilting would end up not only being my hobby, but becoming a business for me when I got older. Thanks to my mother and father’s support, and that of my family, I have been able to design applique patterns, teach, lecture, and write for online quilting resources. This special lady’s art along with the support and encouragement she received from my father have led me to have so much fun with this creative endeavor and have led me to wonder, what is your quilting story?

Were you inspired to become a quilter as a child?

Did you grow up wrapped in the warmth of a quilt and start your quilting adventures making quilts for your dolls? Did you always go to quilt shops or fabric stores with you mother or father and take up quilting just so you wouldn’t be bored? Were you exposed to quilting in scouts when you wanted to earn a sewing patch?

Was there a special person in your adult life that inspired you to become a quilter?

Perhaps your “mother in love” is a quilter and was so happy to have a new “daughter” to share her skills with, or you were the recipient of a special wedding present, Honor Quilt, or Quilt of Valor that started your love affair with quilts.

Quilting is such a gift to give others. Not only can you bring them peace, warmth, and comfort during good times and bad, but you can give them a means of self expression that few other hobbies afford. If you have the opportunity, quilt in public, share what you are doing and get some young people interested in what you are making. Local fairs often have a heritage section where Guilds are allowed to show what type of art they create, use this opportunity to connect with people in your community who may not have ordinarily visited your guild. Take your quilting with you to the doctors office to pass the time while you wait, or on the airline to keep your fingers busy during a flight, where ever you go that requires sitting or waiting is an opportunity to share the love of quilting with others. You will meet all types of nice people who will be interested in what you are making and the process, and they are happy to share their memories of quilts that they saw being made when they were children or that they have made. Who knows - you may be the special person that shares quilting with them for the first time and helps them find a new creative passion. Welcome them in to the long line of ladies and gentlemen who have made our world a warmer more comforting and beautiful place to be.