I made my first quilt when I was 9. I quilted it on my mom's long arm and killed it. Ok, it wasn't dead but required a trip to Denver just before a major craft show. It upset me more than it did my mom. She was the one on a dead line but she considered it part of the learning process. I'm sure she was upset but she never showed it to me.
After that I stuck with clothing construction and home decor sewing. Then she passed away and I swore I'd never quilt, it would always be her thing. When I got married my grandma encouraged me to make a quilt for our bed. I tried but I just couldn't do it. Then after she died, she also quilted, I tried again still couldn't. It wasn't that I didn't have the skills, those blocks look fine I just felt like I was ripping them off. Then I was checking out Craftsy classes and saw one about pictures to quilts. I took the course and I was hit with inspiration. I needed to make a quilt for Shimmy 4 the Cure. I needed to honor my mom with her art and raise money to stop the very thing that took her from me. It was a healing process for me. I realized while sewing that top that I wasn't ripping anyone off, I was keeping their memories alive. Each time I sit down to work on a quilt I feel both of those women with me and my other grandma. I know I make them proud.
I currently reside in a tiny town in Kansas. I am married to a wonderful man Paul, the reason Home Ec. with Mel was born. He is my sewing machine mechanic, my pattern reviewer, my recipe taste tester, my treadle machine guru, and the love of my life. He sews right along side of me and helps keep me grounded and sane. We have an adorable boxer dog and an independent demanding kitty. I'm currently looking for a guitar to relearn the skill I let go when I was in high school. I listen to country music while I sew. I have a huge crush on Adam Levine. I used to live in Branson, MO. and hope one day to return to the area.
