Tuesday, October 9, 2007

The Quilt that Started the Obsession



  • My sewing machine is circa 1980 something and most of what I knew about sewing came from making Halloween Costumes and Prom Dresses with my mom. Anything else I sewed came from my imagination and from my recollection probably should have stayed there. With the exception of several Christmas gift projects over the years, I hadn't sewn for a long time. Then came along a brilliant idea...
  • My college roommate and one of my very best friends in the world was getting married and moving to a farm in NY. I was her matron of honor and so along with the other girls we would be throwing the shower. I included in the invitations a request to send an 8x8 square to me (in CA) so that I might piece together a housewarming quilt. Brilliant, right? Except I had never done a project of this size before...
  • The women at church had been making these adorable "rag quilts" for Ronald McDonald House families and had reported how easy these are to make. So, I enlisted the help of my friend and head quilt maker to show me the ropes. One evening with her to straighten out all the ideas in my head and I was well on my way.
  • I did, in fact, get many responses, as you can see, to my request. I can't even remember now how many squares I received. It was insane. People sent everything from simple vegetable prints, lipstick and purses prints, fall leaves prints, to a piece of her old high school track sweats. Each sent a little note along with it about why they chose that fabric. These got passed onto my friend. I used black and white prints for the back and varied them to look just as random as the front. The border was fabric from curtains that used to hang in my children's nursery. The rag style was perfect for this project as it allowed for randomness and easily covered any mistakes. The finished product was so satisfying it gave me the bug to sew again...
  • Over the next year I would make 10 more of these rag quilts as well as 30+ tote bags, 2 more traditional quilts, clothes for both me and my daughter, oodles of pajamas for kids, and the Lord only knows what I am forgetting. I am still using my 1980's circa machine but my husband bought me a walking foot for it and I have updated my tools to include a rotary cutter, mat and straight edge, as well as a new sewing basket (a gift from a friend in CA), and drawers full of fabric that just might be used in my next project.
  • I will include pictures of things as I complete them. I wish I had thought to snap a few of projects I have already done, but this pic seems to be the only one. Of course I didn't keep any of my projects and have given everything away. Perhaps this is why my obsession has continued on. I find finishing something so satisfying, but more satisfying than that is giving these things away.

2 comments:

Creative Mama said...

SARAH!
I had NOOOO idea that you had been soo busy... AND I'd like to note ... that I did assist you in the assembling of that quilt of your best pals... xo

Sarah M said...

I do remember and your help was greatly appreciated. I had no idea what I was in for on that one.