Tyra Blog Cabin: I confess, I think I have a addiction

Thursday, October 1, 2015

I confess, I think I have a addiction

A few years ago, about 30 or so, I wanted to make a quilt, I wanted to try to be a quilter. I had made one quilt for my son when he as about 2 years old and going into a "big boy bed" I bought some calico fabric and a flat sheet and made a 9 patch quilt, put sashing on it and tied it with yarn.

At the time I have a very cheap Singer from the 80's - it was about $80 and a piece of plastic JUNK!! I used that machine around my home(s) - we were military when the kids were little, it made curtains, a few garments, and mended quite a bit. I did not love to sew at that time, it was just something I needed to do to make a house a home and to save a little money. Not that many years ago fabric was cheaper than buying pre-made clothing. I had taken sewing in 4H, in home economics in high school. I understood a little about sewing, enough to get buy if I had to.

Then time passed and I decided I would like to really quilt, I bought a Singer vintage sewing machine in a cabinet, it only did straight stitch and reverse. I made my first few real quilts with it. I should say I pieced my first few real quilts with it. I sewed the quilt sandwich by hand. It would take me forever to make a quilt. I never mastered the art of quilting by hand, my stitches were to big, too far apart.

I upgraded to a new mid priced Pfaff sewing machine. My maternal Grandmother had bought a Pfaff in the 50's and my Mom inherited it, it was a tank, sewed through blue jean quilts, baby quilts (mom's were pretty hardy - used fabric she had, made due) My kids had learned to sew on that machine. Now it is passed on to my Niece Amanda - hope she will continue to get many more years of joy out of it.

Threw the years I have become a better quilter, bought very nice machines, fell more in love with the old machines. I have gotten to have quite a collection of sewing machines and of fabric, have made many quilts for charity, for entering in the fair, for baby showers, for weddings, for Christmas gifts and for birthdays, or just to make someone's day. A homemade gift is the best kind. I hope I have made things that my friends and family will cherish long after I am gone. My Mother was a great example of that, at her funeral people started telling of all the afghans, quilts, and painted projects that they had that she had made - it was amazing, almost everyone in the very full building had something Mom had made.

What I have learned lately is I LOVE sewing machines!! I think I should have opened up a repair shop for them, who knows maybe someday I will. Attached are some pictures of machines I have (or similar photos of them) and of quilts and friends who I have taught to quilt (and they teach me too). I am glad I have a hubby to gets my addiction and even encourages it.