Saturday, April 21, 2007

My first quilt ever.....

Some of you who have known me saw this quilt and heard the story back around the fall of 2005. But I forced Karen to show her first quilt ever so I thought it was time for me to share mine again! (Besides, work has me working from 7am - midnight for the last 2 weeks and I"m tired and don't know which end is up. I may hand the keys of my car over to Laura and sleep the whole way down to Paducah!)


Note no binding!


Here is my first quilt ever - a log cabin. Of course made with dress fabrics from JoAnne Fabrics, except for the center white squares which were my Grandma’s old sheets (Aunt Mary's sister).


Ever since I was a young girl and had the beloved Aunt Mary's quilt I wanted to make quilts. But no one close to me quilted - by the time I was old enough Aunt Mary had died. (Aunt Mary's quilt is below - my mom gave it to me for Christmas last year - and I still love it, holes and all!)

Anyway, in 1978 while I was in High School I took a Home Ec class that did all different kinds of needlework. So we finally got to the quilt unit! Our assignment was to make a log cabin pillow! Well me wanting to make a real quilt couldn't stop at the pillow! So I made the whole quilt while the rest of the class struggled with just getting a pillow done! :) We weren't allowed to work on the project at home - for fear our mom's would do it for us I guess (that is a laugh, no way my mom was going to!). So I spent hours after school in the home ec rooms. Finally when it got close to the due date the teacher finally broke down and let me take it home a few nights once I was hand sewing the back flaps down (this was kind like a quilt as you go type log cabin). I was 2 days late with the assignment.

The funny thing is I got a 98% on the project. 2 points off, one for each day I was late! While there were girls who hadn't even finished their pillows! Course I was very type A at that point so was so upset at 98%! Now I laugh about it!


But that got me going, and the rest is history!


26 comments from wonderful readers:

Karen said...

oh you little over achiever, you! An entire quilt in home ec....but as you said the rest is history!! I'm so glad you shared the quilt and story again...and for the record, I love Aunt Mary's quilt, too. It is wonderful.
I went the log cabin route too...my second , no third quilt.
It is worn to shreds and it now goes out on the back deck for Goober to nap on in the good ole summertime. I should share that one too...not as nice as yours
*smiles*
Karen

Carol said...

A quilt when the rest of the class did a pillow...she should have given you 110% at least. Aunt Mary's quilt is just wonderful...what a treasure!

Tanya said...

Good for you! And 98% has given you all these great memories! (You need to write that history on a label for the back of the quilt so that someday someone will treasure it like you do.) Love the purple in your Aunt's goreous quilt!

Tazzie said...

Wow Dawn, your first quilts are so impressive! I'm sure you're glad you weren't any later with your assigment quilt. Not long now until you see Lucy and Bonnie, I can't believe it that this time last year I was in the US getting ready for Paducah, it only seems like yesterday!
*hugs*
Tazzie
:-)

MARCIE said...

I had a similar story from Home ec in high school. Don't get me started! Your LC is darling. Nice job! Your aunt's quilt blows me away. I am trying to figure out the block. It is good that you have it.

Betty said...

Dawn what a great story about your log cabin quilt!! my log cabin was the 3rd quilt I made in the mid 70's we ripped the strips was the 1st class I ever took. I gave it to my sis (wedding gift) that quilt or what she says is left of it, has out lasted a few marriages LOL I did give her another one when she visited this past summer.
make that baby a label!

Kim said...

I can't believe you got points off for being late on your project! I would have been upset too! LOL! All's well that ends well though. I enjoyed reading the story and Aunt Mary's quilt is a beauty too.

meggie said...

I am very impressed with your first quilt! Mine was nowhere near as lovely as that! And what a meanie, to dock you 2 points.
I just love Aunt Mary's Quilt, it is a real treasure- no wonder you love it so much!

Helen said...

And did the girls who didn't finish get 0%? You should have got 4 times as many marks 'cos it is at least 4 times a s big!!

Lily Mulholland said...

Dawn that is a classic story. I guess Type A personalities make good quilters! That's why my quilts won't ever be as precise as yours :)

Alison said...

Love your Aunt Mary's quilt....no matter that it has holes...there is something about them that feels comforting. A bit like when you get older......been through a bit of life.

YankeeQuilter said...

Dawn I love your Aunt's quilt...I have this pattern on an old Mountain Mist paper wrapper!

Have a blast at the show!

Carole said...

What an impressive quilt! I've often wondered why within the quilting world the log cabin is often label as the easiest and thus made as a first quilt. It has got to be one of the more difficult ones. It's so easy to be warping and slanting! Very nice quilt and quite a wonderful memory. I love your aunt Mary's quilt. Truly a treasure! Thanks for sharing!

Anonymous said...

What a nice story about your first quilt ! (By the way, it's beautiful - such a brave little girl !)...
Your heritage quilt is sooo stunning and beautiful ! (Lucky you !). I fully understand why you love it so much ! It's a heirloom.
What is the name of the pattern ? Never saw it before...

Hugs & smiles !
NADINE

Anonymous said...

Oops, forgot something VERY important : have a GREAT time in Paducah, and say hello from me to our friends !

Nadine

Unknown said...

Thank you for sharing such a great "First quilt" history. Your aunt´s quilt looks wonderful as well and all these set-in seams!
Have a great time in Paducah (sigh, envy!). Take care.

Finn said...

Hi Dawn, just dropping by to say "hi", have a fun in Paducah.
Love seeing the old quilt again. Hugs, FInn

Wendy said...

What a wonderful story about your class in High School. I got my best marks in sewing class.
I love Aunt Mary's quilt, that's a treasure.

Mosaicos de pano said...

hi Dawn,

I'm a beginner quilter in Brazil and I just loved your quilts.

ForestJane said...

Nice story, and great quilt! I really like the purple/orchid color she used in the pix on the bottom. She apparently passed her eye for color down to you!

Melanie said...

Definitely an "A" in the class--I love your aunt's quilt.

Leslie said...

So do you have any plans to recreate Aunt Mary's Carpenter's Wheel quilt? I love the unusual way she merged the blocks, rather than setting them in straight on rows.

Tracey @ozcountryquiltingmum said...

I was the one in home ec who couldn't even do the pillow!
Love your last post as well, all those treats! Oh, and my poor husband has the same view in the bathroom! tracey

Libby said...

What a great story - your quilt looks great. Such a big undertaking for home-ec class. Aunt Mary's quilt is a beauty . . . no wonder it inspired you to begin quilting. I have the tattered quilt that I loved when I was growing up. It surely was the one that made me know I NEEDED quilts in my life *s*

Hedgehog said...

Just love the story of your first quilt!

Jenni said...

What a beautiful old quilt - I love the purple colour. So unexpected, but so 'right'.