Madeline – the Backstory

Today’s story is from Madeline- (she is a member of the quilt group)

I am a quilter. You won’t find me on a blog or a website, but you will find me at your favorite fabric store, quilt show or thrift store. I was born and raised in Philadelphia PA and began as a sewer with my Mom and high school home economics.

I sometimes loved and also hated sewing. It was fine till I had to adjust the tension then nothing seemed to go right. How frustrating that was! There were many trashed projects but also some shining stars.

It wasn’t a passion at that time in my life. There was nurses training ,then marriage , and soon after a family. Sewing was again in my life and kids clothes were fun to make . Home dec projects, an occasional dress but still not a passion for me.

There were too many other pressing needs and sewing took a vacation as I tended to raising a family, working, and getting advanced degrees. Then it happened. I discovered quilting! The children were growing up and accepting more responsibilities with the daily chores of life, the degrees were completed, work was manageable and our family life was a little less tense.

There was a little quilt shop that opened nearby and I stopped in to “look” and I was hooked. This was different than sewing…..it was fun! It didn’t have to “fit” but it had to be accurate, and I could play with color in many different ways. It was almost as if I could go outside of myself, and I liked that! I began to study the history of American quilting and fell in love with it.

I learned how to quilt block by block with an adjustable wooden frame for each block, and how to join each block to create a larger quilt. It is still my favorite way to make a quilt. That’s how quilting became a part of my life and it goes on and will, until I pass. How has it affected my life….. let me count the ways. Quilting has become a “center” that I believe is a gift from God.

It has taken some practice and patience to get it right but It was well worth it. Loving quilts for my children and the grand babies , all made so special as no store bought quilt could be. That very special quilt made while my husband was undergoing 13 hour life changing surgery…….hoping to give him the spark to hang in there. And the quilt remembering him after he passed, that helped me to cope with the loss.

The quilts I help make for the animal rescue, the memory bears I continue to do ( not really quilts but part of my sewing story), the hand quilting I am learning to love again, and the ” smaller projects” that are becoming my favorites now because the large quilts are getting more difficult to handle. Yes, quilting has affected my life. I have another gift in my life now of a most wonderful man who loves me almost as much as I love him.

Neither of us thought that could happen again after losing a spouse but it has! I made the move from PA to the Deep South of GA! He is fascinated by the hold quilting has on me but is also very respectful of the mathematical exactness of it all! He also has a family history of hand quilters! How about that? I continue to learn new techniques and hope I never lose the thirst to seek more knowledge.

I am so glad quilting is part of my life and hope I can use all my stash before I pass ! Currently I am working on making baby quilts for my as yet unborn grandbabiies so I can pass on the “gift”.

For those of the younger generatation…. the times and situations may be different but the stories remain the same. Quilting will find you if you are a quilter!

I am a quilter. You won’t find me on a blog or a website, but you will find me at your favorite fabric store, quilt show or thrift store.

I am you. Smile and I will know you!

These stories are brought to you by the members of the online quilt group.  Become a member to get to know April and all the other talented quilters.  We are a community of members from around the world sharing projects, inspiration and ourselves with others. We would love to get to know you too.  More info here.

Until next time.

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