The Quilting Cottage

Hello everyone! I didn't see a place to indroduce ourselves when we joined so I thought I would do it here.

I answer by Abbigail on forums. I live on a small farm in western KY. I worked full time at a paper product plant driving a fork truck in material flow. My husband of 39 years just passed away in Dec. of cancer so I live alone. I quilted about 15 years ago until I went to work and it fell by the wayside. I have just recently started piecing quilts again. I don't think I'll be handquilting them again because it is so time consuming! I have just sent out my first quilt to be machine quilted. I hope I like it because I have about 20 more to do! Well, that's it in a nutshell. ~Abbigail~

Helllllooooo? Anybody out there? 

 

Hi,

I am so sorry about you beloved... How are you?   What kind of cancer? where did you meet? 

 My husbands mother passed on new year day 2007 from cancer.  it started in her brain and moved down around her esophagus and lungs.... she fought hard.  three rounds of chemo... 

I love the quilt photo you put up.   We had snow here yesterday and that is VERYunusual for western washington.  especially this time of year.  a friend about 20 miles south had a foot of snow! My flowers are SO confused...Now last weekend we had a saturday that was 80 degrees.  Wacky huh? When I heard the weather reports earlier in the week I thought... hmmm. Do all the things I SHOULD do or get some quilting time in.  If the reports were saying sun I would have an entirely new dilema... garden  or duties...    

The problem was solved, kind of...  I got asked to go on a live appearance for the radio station I work at...  so back to the original dilema... grocery shopping/errands and other duties or work on my quilt.... gotta eat... but this pattern is so fun... the family would not take running out of shampoo well.... sigh.    Never matter, I took my maching and project to the office during a beginning class to work on while the ladies were working....    As if there was really a choice in the first place...  That quilt always seems to call to me in the night... but in the end I do what needs to be done..  :)

 

My latest is a double sided reversable quilt as you go.  I really wanted to get the technique of assembly down.  my mom has been modifying patterns to use this technique quite well. 

I also have been awaiting a HUGE shipment of fabric.  I followed it's tracking and it has arrived up in Tacoma.  I should have it on monday and you will see it on the website zippy quick.  I have earmarked a bunch of those for future projects...  hehehe.

 Good morning to you

have a fabulous day.  coffee calling...  I know I know,,,, but it's my one vice... wait,, quilting too.. ;>)

And little Gwyn is in the bathroom ... the sink water is on full blast.. I should be alarmed.....

 

Diana

 

 

Hi, I am Donna from Greenville, SC.  I love forums where we can share thoughts and ideas. Great way to learn. Abigale your quilt is wonderful. My husband use to work on ships as a cabinet maker and I showed him your quilt and now he wants one. It probably is most enjoyable to make so I guess I will give it a stab. Nice to meet everyone. Happy quilting,sewing Donna

Hi Diana and Donna!

My husband had pancreatic cancer. He also had MS since 1973. He kept working even though he probably could have gotten disability. He just loved the river and his work. He worked up until he had to start taking pain medication. He fought the cnacer too. By the time they figured out what was wrong with him he had already had the cancer for 6 months. By then it was to late for any surgeries. He fought it for over a year. He died on my birthday on Dec. 3rd at home. He was a good man.

The weather here has finally turned nice and quit raining so much. It's 70 right now. I just woke up and haven't gotten awake yet. I worked last night and had to come in and get a nap before I decide "which way to go"! Yard work, housework, quilting or go back to bed!

 Donna where did your husband work at? Does he still work with wood? I always admired anyone who could build something from wood. You can tell the ones who love it and the ones who just do it for a job.

 I'll look forward to chatting with you both again and seeing what you are up to. ~Abbigail~

 

 

I am sitting at the office right now, updating my calendar.  Highly glamourous, I know.. Connor is doing his best to avoid his math test.    This afternoon Avalon will be adding a load of new items on the website. I also recieved our first shipment of shop hop fabirc and will be cutting for our blocks soon.

 As I sit here, Lisa and I are dreaming of getting away to some tropical island to quilt on the beach...  (it's a bit drippy today)  We are ready for summer to get here. 

 

Diana

It's a nice day here today. I should be out mowing the yard or pulling weeds but here I sit....waiting for my laundry to finish washing so I can put it in the dryer. I hope to get some sewing done later.   The tropical beach sounds wonderful! Can I go? ~Abbigail~

I would love to charter a plane and have a retreat at the beach... whenever I start doing retreats I will keep that in mind.

This saturday I am going up to seattle.  The gift show is there. I haven't even started my holiday buying for the store.  Before you start freaking out, in the retail world you have to think early. I usually have it done by now.  that way I can enjoy the holidays. 

 

dt

Hi, I'm Petra from Mira Loma, CA.  I've been sewing since my aunt and grandmother (truly "Victorian" ladies) taught me to hand sew (along with crochet, knitting, and embroidery) when I was 4.  I started quiling in early 1990's, but stopped when my youngest son became a starter on his high school football team.  Made several baby quilts since he graduated and gave them all away.  I'm making a Hawaiian quilt right now for my nephew, who is getting married in October.  I'm clossest to a Mom to him, since my sister died of ovarian cancer four years ago.  I know he misses her a great deal.

I haven't subscribed to any forums, but I couldn't resist this one.  Everyone seems to be so caring about eachother and Diana I love your gabby letters.  I have to go back to work for now, but I'll be back soon.

 

Abbigail, your Tall Ships quilt is so attractive.  Good pattern for panels and large prints.  I have alot of nautical prints, mostly FQ's so I have to decide on a pattern to show off alot of beach and nautical designs.  I agree on the time consuming hand quilting, but I should do one small one to learn the process.  I have had my quilts machine quilted.  And I have at least 15 quilts either started or in my head with fabric purchased so I have promised myself to 'get quilting'.  Dianne

Hello to all here ~

My name is Sarah and I wanted to introduce myself as I have just found this wonderful place.

I am 55 years old and live with my very best friend whom I have been married to for 28 years.  I live in the Sierras of California, just outside Yosemite National Park.  I work for the National Park Service as an Administrative Assistant for Environmental Planning and Compliance.   We built our dream home, "Clouds Rest", 4 years ago.  It is a work in progress, but we consider it our lifes' hobby.    We share this peaceful setting with a very special 13 year old Australian Cattle Dog/mix (Sydney), and two cats (Ruby Tuesday and Spook) who adopted us about a year ago.  As I said in my profile, we have a 25 year old daughter who keeps Lady Clariol's stock up with all the gray hair she gives me. 

I started quilting about two years ago, before I went back to work.  We have a very long communte (1 1/2 hours one way), so when I went back to work, all hobbies stopped :o(.  This Spring, I was diagnosed with a severely herniated disc in my lower back.  I have been off work since July so I am once again able to pick up where I left off.  I can't stand for any length of time, so I mostly 'window shop' for patterns and fabric.  My work future is a bit clouded at this time, as I am probably facing surgery.   I am happy to have discovered such a welcoming place and hope that I can contribute to chat, if nothing else.  I'm afraid I am quite a beginner at quilting.  I have made a set of placemats and one lap quilt.  I have just finished the top of a Log Cabin lap quilt for our livingroom (which actually turned out very nicely), but am waiting for my DH to put together two hobby tables we recently purchased so that I can now baste the entire quilt without having to move it.

I have truly rattled on here longer than I meant to.  I am very happy to be hear and look forward to meeting everyone and contributing in some way.

Sarah

  Hello my name is Drema,

I like doing a lot of scrap quilting, bom's and would love to try my hand at landscaping quilting. I think that is what its called.

I live in the country in Ohio. I have 3 grown boy's , 3 grandchildren 2 girls 1 boy. I've been in loads of swaps on another

board.  I like crocheting,knitting too.

 I also dabble in painting water color landscape. Maybe should try and paint somthing on a quilt block. What  ya think??

Drema

Hi my name is Ramona. I used to enjoy going to the Quilting Cottage frequently but now have moved to Aberdeen so it's a little less often... but I'll bring friends! I have only made a few quilts so I have trouble carrying the name of "quilter" as my friends call me because I have so much to learn! I have never found the foot pedal to my sewing machine since I moved here (June 29th)... seemed like a good reason to get a new machine... so I did. I really wanted to mention that I work in a DSHS office and the woman in the cube next to me has numerous small quilting projects on her cube walls. Most are embellished with other pieces of her inventive artwork and beads. Some are as small as 5 inch squares and some are larger- like 18 X 24. They are beautiful and inspiring... inspiring me to do a Kimono Block for a wall hanging. I may make several for my new home. I like the idea of making small wall hangings- makes getting to the end a little faster... I like instant gratification every once in awhile. One of these days I'll tackle the two quilt tops that my grandmother put together in the 60's. One is machine sewn, and the other is hand sewn. They are both quilts that were made literally from tiny scraps of fabric. Drema I love the idea of painting on a quilt block. The Japanese do it in their own way and what a fun project to think about and work on. I've been considering dying a white fabric so that the dye bleeds up from the bottom of the fabric. The rest of the project is an appliqued wall hanging. After the new year I'm going to tackle a picture quilt for my son... I'll have questions then!!! Diana, I really enjoy getting your newsletter in my email. Moda Chocolat is my VERY FAVORITE fabric! When are you going to get some more laminated fabric in? Peace, Ramona

Hi Sarah,

 Read your post about possible back surgery. I have been thru it and it helped. Have known others that have had more serious than mine that have had longer recourperation. I had herniated disc in L4 on right side and went in in 1997 at 6:30 am had surgery and went home that night. It was pressing on my siatic nerve and my leg would hurt really bad. I followed Dr instructions and was back at work in 4 weeks and it was a real blessing. 2 years ago I did a little too much again and it messed it back up but on the left side this time. Went to physical therapy and then had 3 shots in the spine. The 3rd one helped a lot and I have been great ever since. I do be very careful about lifting and doing some things though which is hard because we just bought a 1923 craftsman home (home of our dreams) that we are "fixing" up and since hubby has a bad hip a lot is up to me. But I take it slow and am very careful and when I need help I get it. 

I have also only been quilting a couple of years. I started my first one about 12 years ago and finished it last year finally. Once I finished that one there was no stopping me. Now, I hate it when I cant get to my sewing machine and work a little. Have made in the last 2 years 1 king size quilt with an Alaska theme, a queen for my sister, a king for my son/daughter in law, a lap quilt for my other sister and a lap quilt that I hand quilted (my first and last) for a dear friend.  We are working on a quilting room for me and I cannot wait for it to be finished. Right now everything is all over the place and upstairs. But I have learned that this is my passion. I have tried painting, stained glass and all kinds of things, but love this!

I have rambled enough.

God bless!

Janet (ladybugj) 

 

 

Hi all, I am 54 and live in Oklahoma - the sun is shining here today and the wind is blowing!  I am working on a rail fence quilt for my nephew - his birthday is Nov 3rd and I just need to quilt it up - have been sandwiching it today.

I just finished a Basket quilt pattern by Eleanor Burns and her Applique in a Day.  Both were new adventures for me - 3D applique.  It was my first adventure on big quilts that I quilted on my sewing machine myself.  It was fun!  I am learning a lot.  These 2 quilts are presents for my nieces in NY.  They both just lost their Mother and I lost a dear sister - these quilts were made while I was in the initial stages of my grief - I just threw myself into cutting and sewing and thinking of her.

 Learning to do my own machine quilting is an adventure.  I was terribly scared of doing this but took the plunge and am having fun.  I have about 10 tops needing quilting so they are getting pulled off their hangers - ironed - sandwiched and quilted - NO more UFO's... such fun.

 I hope you are all enjoying the fall weather.  I am enjoying the no heat no cool which will lower the electric/gas bill.

 I suppose I ought to tell you a little more about myself since this is an introduce yourself post.  I am originally from NY and landed in Oklahoma via the USAF which I served in for 21 years.  I was an Air Traffic Controller.  I am now just a retired housewife.  My son lives in Minnesota with his wife and children so we have an empty nest that I have filled with quilts.  My husband of 20 years works as a tool and dye man - I am a self taught quilter - no one in my family quilted so it has been an adventure - I love quilting programs and belong to QNN.  I love watching the programs there and learning new skills. 

 Well that is about it.  Have a great fall everyone!

God bless,

Althea