Thursday, October 1, 2009

A beginning...

After several months collecting blogs on Google Reader and lurking around the edges, I started to feel guilty (as only one who attended 16 years of Catholic school can) for not joining the conversation.  The greatest challenge has been to figure out what to share.  I have wanted to start 'serious' quilting for a long time, but only since deciding to leave my profession have I had the time.  Initially, I made a commitment to finish some projects that had been started a while ago.  Then I discovered blogs, and began to break out of a narrow approach to quilting and have been loving it. 

My stimulus to even want to create quilts came from an incident involving my great-grandmother and family history collected by my cousin.  My Dad's side of the family has a long history in Lancaster County, PA.  On his father's side, they trace back to the first German speaking settler in Lancaster County; on his mother's side, to the earliest settlers in northern Maryland.  So there is certainly something genetic involved.  When my great-grandmother passed, her will dictated that everything be sold at auction.  She was a prolific quilter and I have fond memories of her quilts on all of the beds in the house.  She apparently had made quilts for each great-grandaughter which were stacked in her front room -- but without labels.  By law, they had to be sold at auction at a time when I lacked the resources or time to attend the auction.  So somewhere out there, there's a quilt that was made for me. 

While I dabbled for a brief time, I did not become active in quilting until my dear friend signed me up for a tea cozy class and began to introduce me to the process of stash building and collecting ever gadget possible for quilting.   Since moving to Maine four years ago, I have created a quilting space in a four season room with windows on three sides - wonderful natural light until the snow covers the one side! 

My reason for finally posting - my Schnibbles project.  I love the pattern, love the fabric - do not love that I rushed through the project and did not follow my usual, methodical method of completing the piecing -- very bad points in some areas... thus a look from a distance.



... because I had to complete this for new baby who arrived on Monday.




So, I send this to cyberspace --

Lynda

7 comments:

  1. Looks like I'll be the first to say Welcome to the blogging world! Love both of your quilts. I haven't tried any Schnibbles yet but they are on my to do list.

    That's sad that you didn't get the quilt that was meant for you from your grandmother. :( I had a great grandmother who sewed clothing but as far as I know she didn't quilt.

    I too have Maryland and Pennsylvania roots! Grew up in MD but had some ancestors in Adams County, outside of Gettysburg. Now I'm a Floridian... lived here longer than I did in Maryland so consider this home.

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  2. Welcome to blogland!! I haven't been doing it long, but it sure is fun!

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  3. Wow! My father's family came from german speaking good old Pennsylvania Dutch stock!! Maybe we're related! I love your quilts and your blog. Congrats on your first post.

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  4. Welcome to blogland. I have been looking at all the schnibbles results. I love the idea and I was going to join but couldn't really make the commitment. I do have a number of the patterns although not the two which have already been chosen. Maybe one day. I always like to check out people with such a great name.
    Lynda In Australia.

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  5. I love your "baby" quilt on the orbqa and am pleased to see that you have joined blogland. I have been blogging and quilting intermittently - work does get in the way - but both have been a lot of fun. Enjoy

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  6. I'm glad you have traveled to Blogland. I'm sure you will enjoy your time here!!!

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