The first time I ever heard the word quilt was when I was a teen. The first time I ever saw a real quilt was in college way back in 1970-71 where I was studying home economics at Kemptville College of Agricultural Technology in preparation for real life. One of my class mates, Sheila Gorman, had appliqued a Colonial Girls quilt top and submitted it for one of our classes. I had knitted a scarf for the very first time. I was rather proud of myself for finally learning how to knit. But the quilt . . . this intrigued me. I found this quilt in St Jacob's a few years ago. It has found a home on the ancient brass bed in my Blue Room in my 1840's farmhouse.
I bought my very first quilt book 3 years later. I think I learned the most from this one book. It certainly got me dreaming about making sampler quilts with a theme, like Bible Blocks or Rose of Sharon variations. Problem was, all the blocks were in different sizes and I did not know how to figure them out. Life came along and many years later I discovered that this very same book inspired Rosemary Makhan to design and make themed sampler quilts she is so famous for. I took a couple of courses with her and fell in love with drafting my own blocks. Originally I drew out layouts on the backs of envelopes and then graph paper. Now EQ7 is one of my favourite places to play. http://quiltsbyrosemary.blogspot.ca/
This book also introduced me to collecting old quilts. One of my favourites is the Double Wedding Ring. I had planned for years to make my own and started collecting hundreds of 1930's reproduction prints in preparation for the day when I would finally get around to starting it. Well, before I ever got started I found this hand pieced quilt top in an antique store in Millersburg Ohio. The tag attached says it came from an estate sale in Virginia. It hangs out on the former king size waterbed in the White Room until a guest comes along. Not sure if I will ever get around to quilting it. If I do, someone might sleep under it.
Blessings,
Chris
Hi Chris, I have Margureite Ickis book too! And, one of the first quilts I chose to make (pieced by not quilted until much later), was a baby double wedding ring! I did not know any better and just did it! It is fun reading your history with quilt making! P.S. Please contact me if you want to swap blocks for CCC. I have not figured out how to find your e-mail to ask you personally. Sorry, I feel pretty dumb about that but that's how tech things are going today :(
ReplyDeleteThanks! wanda.robinson@swbell.net