Have you seen Alex Anderson's and Ricky Tims' "The Quilt Show?" You will love their videos. They have inspired millions of quilters over the years and they are the nicest people too.Quilter and Selvage Blog friend JoAnne from Diamond Bar, CA had the idea to give some TQS programs to Selvage Blog readers. When she called Alex's husband he said, "Let's make it three 6-month memberships!" That's generous! "Thanks" JoAnne, and "Thanks" Mr. Alex!
Just leave a comment to enter. Tell us who taught you how to quilt.
The photo above is from the Library Gal Quilts blog.
88 comments:
I love them!!! What a fantastic give away! I actually taught myself how to quilt. It started with reading children's books on the subject. I've been quilting ever since (since 2003). My grandma is tickled pink that I quilt, because she was a quilter (before arthritis got to bad) and so was her mother. None of her kids (11 of them) are quilters. My mom is her only child who can sew. So she is thrilled that I quilt, and I currently own 2 quilts that my grandma and great grandma made using clothes that my mom, aunts, and uncles once wore.
My mom taught me how to sew. There is a rule in my family that goes back several generations that you need to know how to hand sew, and hand sew well, before you are allowed to touch a sewing machine. So after I hand sewed my first dress, my mom taught me how to use the sewing machine that she bought when I was born (to make my baby clothes with).
I am now a board member for my local quilt guild, and I designed our next raffle quilt. Sorry for the long response.
They are great! What a generous pair.
Well I would love to say my Mum or Grandmother taught me, or I grew up under a quilt frame....but no, self taught, that's me,with tips and guidance from quilting friends.
It is hard to imagine my life without quilts.
grandeeeeee!!!!
partecipo volentieri a questo giveaway...sinceramente nessuno mi ha inseganto a trapuntare sono sempre stata un'autodidatta!!! ho imparato a vedere i manufatti. tutto qui!
ciao!
Oh My Goodness, JoAnn! What fun! (By the way, the Dr. Seuss t shirts are DARLING!)
My mom tried to teach me to quilt.... but that didn't turn out too well.... until I grew up and she got smarter! (or did I mature?) Anyway - I had very few actual "lessons" from mom - just watched and imitated.... but learned a great deal about color, fabric quality, thread quality, tools, and methods from mom - And now we learn together -
Thanks for offering such a great give-away! The Quilt Show would be a wonderful tool to have!
That's a very generous give away! I'd love to have a chance to win.
I'm mostly self taught when it comes to quilting. I've been sewing my whole life and started with quilts about six years ago. I got so frustrated with all the leftover fabrics I had and wanted to do something with them so what was better than quilts. Over the years I've stopped sewing clothes and other things and mostly sew quilts and bags.
Lotta in Sweden
What a fantastic giveaway. I love love love the quilt show.
I'm a self taught quilter. Lot's of tutorials on you-tube and lot's of goggle searches. I've been at it for almost 2 years and love it!
I took a traditional quilting class at a craft store 26 years ago. But in reality, my sister in law taught me Eleanor Burns Quilt in a Day method and we were off and running!
I tried making a quilt on my own first (in the early 80's), and it was OK, but realized there were some definite gaps in my "knowledge". *grin* (My mom wasn't a quilter, both grandmas were, but I didn't know them.) So I took a class @ Adult Education from Helen Young. Since then, I've been mostly self-taught, with lots of tips from friends and fellow guild members and a few classes over the years.
I would LOVE to win a membership to the Quilt Show. Alex is a great person and quilt teacher - I've been lucky enough to have taken a class from her!
I'm still learning. I do a lot of classes at my local quilt shop The Bramble Patch.
Great show! A dear friend and teacher taught me - Dawn Cameron Dick while living in Belgium. She was awesome and much of what she taught still sticks with me today some far too many years later!
I've never actually heard of them but now I'll have to go and take a peek. I am self taught. Just finished my very first quilt top last week. I know I have so much to learn but I am having the best time doing it.
I am a beginner, learning everything related to quilting from the internet :)
Thanks for the lovely giveaway!
I was taught through the generosity of a local quilt guild. I was fascinated by quilts and went to a couple of shows but thought it was WAAY too complicated - I couldn't figure out how all the pieces went together. Then I did some classes through the guild and I was off. Haven't stopped since. The funny thing is, Mum used to work as a machinist from home - a pieceworker. I would hear that machine whirring along morning noon and all night so she could earn money for the family. I vowed I would NEVER sew!! NEVER. Mum still can't believe I PAY to go away on retreats, set up my machine along with the others and sew my little heart out all weekend long FOR FUN!!! You gotta laugh at how life turns out....
My great aunt Bertha got me started on quilting, she made the most amazing things. We didn't live very close to her, but whenever we visited, she'd show me what she was working on, and give me scraps to play with. She also gave me my first rotary cutter and mat as a birthday present!
As for the rest of it, books and, later, the internet. I'm definitely still learning so much...
My mom taught me to sew...she used to make fabulous clothes. She had a sunbonnet sue quilt that her grandmother had made. I used that quilt as a model for my first attempt back in the 70s. Fast forward many years and my local quilt store Capital Quilts had a monthly Saturday Sampler, and I learned so much and refined by techniques from those wonderful folks. Nowadays books and blogs are my inspiration and resources.
What a great giveaway! I am a self-taught quilter but most of what I know about quilting came from watching Simply Quilts with Alex. I recorded the shows on my VCR and watched them over and over.
Hi Karen, Thanks for the chance to win! I taught myself to quilt. I am still learning, but it is soo fun. It's all trial and error at my house.
After successfully following a pattern in a ladies magazine many years ago, I went to classes which led to joining a guild and home group and have never looked back! A chance to win a membership is a dream that hopefully comes true as these two do the most awesome work.
Cool Giveaway, please count me in!!
I'm self taught! Mom laid the foundation with just a little garment sewing. Now it's all about quilting!
I taught myself how to quilt, I have always wanted to learn, and I had a sewing machine already. I had primarily made bags until I started quilting, it's been two years since I made my first quilt, and I am loving every minute of it!!!!
stacey
luv2knitnsew@gmail.com
Thanks for the wonderful give away!
I taught myself to quilt.....just by following directions in books and magazines. Developed alot of bad habits at first, but thanks to all the great info out there in cyberspace have relearned and do have alot better habits now than I did at first.
I learned to sew when I was 7 years old from my babysitter. My mother did not sew. I got my mother to take lessons so she would buy a sewing machine that I could use. She took the lessons but the sewing bug did not catch her--in the end, I got my wish--a sewing machine to use to my heart's content! My grandmother made many quilts in her lifetime and inspired me to take up quilting. I guess I was initially self taught but I have taken many classes along the way.
I was pretty much self taught, but now that I'm in a quilting group I've learned an awful lot more!
Well, my grandmother had a hand in teaching me to sew so I guess that is my answer. Otherwise, I learned through books.
My grandmom taught me how to sew. She used to make all our clothes when we were growing up and I eventually took over that task. When I retired from teaching a friend asked me to take a quilt class with her. And the rest is history, I was hooked. I've made quilts and given them away to friends. Eventually I hope to make a quilt just for me!
Last year at the age of 58 I bought my very first sewing machine ever and decided to learn how to quilt. At the time I had a wonderful LQS ( now sadly closed) that had sit-n-sew 3 times a week all day. Those ladies opened their hearts to me and have become very dear friends besides being my quilting mentors
long live the sisterhood of quilters
What a wonderful giveaway! I learned to sew from my Mom and 4-H, but I am a self-taught quilter. I actually ended up teaching my Mom how to quilt.
My mother taught me to quilt. I did tasks for her (like cutting out pieces pre-rotary) occasionally, then when moved to live with her, received lots of hands-on advice when I asked for it. Thanks for the giveaway. I miss Alex's Simply Quilts on HGTV.
My mom taught me garment sewing,but she didn't quilt. A friend of mine talked me into taking a few quilting classes with her about 20 years ago, but I didn't really get hooked until 4 years ago. Now I quilt every day, and I love it!
Awesome giveaway! I learned to quilt through a class at a local quiltshop.
I taught myself to quilt. I decided it looked like fun, I've always loved fabric and all of the different prints, so I went at it. Now I have to avoid fabric stores like the plague unless I want to drop $100 in a hurry!
Who taught me to quilt? No one in my family and no one that I know personally. I learned to sew as a kid watching my mom, who made most of my clothing. But it wasn't until I'd watched Kaye Wood and Eleanor Burns on PBS years ago that I got the bug to try what I was watching. And now there's the internet fueling the fire. And I haven't sewn a new shirt in years! LOL
A friend from our bible study taught us to quilt. We made hundreds of quilts and gave them away. Life has never been the same! Quilting is a gift.
I took classes at our local vocational school to learn the basics of quilting (pre-roatary cutter days), but I learned even more about all kinds of quilting techniques by watching Alex Anderson's Simply Quilts. It gave me exposure to so many quilt artists, authors, techniques, tools, etc. I felt like I'd had a workshop with every guest right in my own home.
A great aunt taught me to sew and my mother was an accomplished stitcher. But in the end I taught myself to quilt by reading books and watching programs on tv.
Jane in Kansas
www.jinglebell440.blogspot.com
My best friend's mother-in-law made her a lovely wedding ring quilt. When I saw it I said I wanted to learn how to do that! I already did a lot of sewing and crafts, so I had a fair idea of the basics learnt from my mother, but my friend's mother-in-law taught me quilt basics - things like sandwiching, basting and popping thread knots in to start the hand quilting. 16 years on I'm still learning and practising a lot!
In the beginning library books were my instructors.
Later I found quilt groups
and the World via the Internet
Hugs,
Gerry
Funny you should ask who taught me to quilt! I am in my 33rd year teaching special ed...13 years ago, i was forced to stay home for 6 weeks while recovering form a hysterectomy. I love HGTV and spent my days resting on the couch and discovered Simply Quilts. I'd been sewing my whole life...garments, home decor, stuffed toys, etc... but just totally fell in love with Alex's quilting show. (Still have some of my favorite shows on old VCR tapes in my basement...even though we no longer have a VCR to play them on!) Come visit me at my blog www.auntpollysporch.blogspot.com and see what quilts I've made! And have even designed a bit for the Moda Bake shop, so Alex, I owe ya!! BIG TIME!! Thanks for instilling the love of quilting in my heart!!
I kind of taught myself how to quilt, with the help of some books. However, my mum and my grade 8 home ec teacher taught me how to sew; I guess quilting was a natural progression.
I learned to quilt in 1999 from information I found on-line. I think I learned the most from the One Day Quilt Frenzy Yahoo Group, founded by Mary Ann Beattie.
OMG! I would LOVE to be one of the winners here. I have taught..am teaching myself to quilt. The wonderful thing about quilting is that it seems there will ALWAYS be something new to learn. I am loving every minute of it!
I'd always been interested in learning to quilt, but was so afraid that I couldn't do it that I never tried (I know). My Mom died, so my son and I went to stay with my Dad for a couple of months to help him and make sure he was okay. I didn't have much to do, so I went to one of the local fabric stores in Costa Mesa, CA, Piecemakers, and they taught me how to quilt. They are a very controversial group of people, but they really know how to put together quilts.
Really, I learned a lot from them, craft wise and really grateful for the time I had there.
How generous of Alex and Ricky to offer this giveaway. Thanks so much.
My mom taught quilting at a community college at night, back in the 1970's, when it was all done by hand and you had cardboard templates. I learned from her and I borrowed her books and taught myself how to make the different blocks. Then one day in the early 1990's I borrowed an Eleanor Burns Quilt-in-a-Day video from the local library and I was amazed how Eleanor had rulers and rotary cutters and sewed on a machine! I learned so many great techniques from Eleanor and I've been quilting consistently ever since.
I was taught to quilt by Linda through her quilting ministry Stitchin' Mission. We made child sized quilts to send to an orphanage in Romania.
Linda teaches 5 free quilting lessons on basic quilt making, and in return, she asks that we send at least one quilt on a mission trip. It was a really great experience, and I've been quilting ever since (just over a year ago).
Absolutely love Alex and Ricky and thanks to them for the generous giveaway. I am a self taught quilter!
I have always been fascinated on how quilts are put together.. With a math background, it comes easy for me to visually see how to put a quilt top together--I thoroughly enjoy this!
Right now I enjoy making baby quilts for all the grandchildren using various patterns I see in books, blogs, etc.
I have also included machine applique to my plate, which I really love to do!
Thanks again for the giveaway!
What a neat giveaway. Very inventive and very generous. Thanks for sharing.
Great giveaway! My grandma helped me cut out quilt squares (that weren't square) when I was 9, but other than that, I've mostly learned from books and from experience (not always good), and from other quilter's who patiently answered my questions.
I love TQS. I've been following Alex from the time she started with Simply Quilts.
Believe it or not, it was Alex's shows that I taped that taught me how to quilt.
My grandmother taught me how to quilt/sew she is an amazing women.
Eleanor Burns sort of taught me how to quilt.
I used to work in a fabric store in the early 80's and we had a lady come and teach a class one saturday on her quick method of making log cabin quilts. We didn't have rotary cutters yet, so the "quick" part of the method came from tearing the fabric into strips and chain piecing and then cutting the logs on the block. I had to work that day, so I couldn't actually take the class, but they were holding the class in the back of the store, so every time I had a second between customers I would go and eavesdrop on the discussion.
Of course this meant that I missed a lot of the conversation, so my first quilt had half inch seams--all of which I pressed open. Now I know better, but I've had the quilting disease ever since then.
My mother taught me how to sew, but I taught myself how to quilt. My first quilt (back in the olden days) was made with a sheet and pieces cut with scissors. Babies and a job interrupted my quilting, but once I got back to it, the rotary cutter was the tool of choice,and I haven't looked back since. I've learned from books, friends, classes, and online sites.
Such a generous giveaway!
I've been quilting since 1971, self taught. Its a long funny story...and I won't bore you :)
Just stopped by to see if you'd seen this
http://www.projectselvage.com/
Sharyn
I learned to quilt in Australia from the worst teacher in the history of quilting. I guess I should really say that I learned to quilt in spite of my first teacher.
After that experience I was able to find wonderful teachers both in Australia and here at home.
I've never seen the show!!! Jackie Thaysen taught me to quilt in North Vancouver at The Cloth Shop. We made a row by row sampler. I went big...queen size. As a result it is sitting in a trunk only 1/2 hand quilted (after 10 years). Sad, I know, but I've made (and finished) many beautiful things since then!
Great giveaway! I have sewn all my life, and am a self taught quilter!!
I am a self taught quilter. I really admired the quilts that my grandmother and aunties sent my family as a child.So they inspired me. I wish we had lived closer, I would of loved to learned a few tricks from them. Thank you for the chance to win the subscription, that is one great site!
I started taking quilt classes in 1977 because I was pregnant and wanted to make a baby quilt. One of my teachers passed away last year. She was a wonderful teacher and encouraged all her students learn all they could about quilting. I received a portion of her stash, including UFOs. I am finishing the UFOs and making charity quilts with her fabric. I think she would have wanted it that way.
My Mom taught me how to sew clothes when I was 10. By age 13 I had a stash of scraps, and I taught myself how to quilt. That was in 1966. I made a one-patch quilt with squares, using 5/8" seam allowances and packaged blanket binding. It's machine quilted (with no quilter's walking foot; that came later). My first quilts were all made with squares because it hadn't occurred to me that you could use another shape! Haha.
Karen
Wow what a really terrific prize!!!!!!!!!! My grandmother taught me to hand quilt when I was a child, then I took home ec in school and loved the sewing machine what a great invention! I haven't turned back yet!
Wonderful opportunity to win so beautiful fabrics.
I learned to sew with my grandmother and a little more than a year thanks to the internet and generous videos and tutorials found'm starting to work in patchwork and quilting ... a very pleasant experiecia.
My mother-in-law got me into quilting, but learning to quilt was more of a "it takes a village" kind of thing. LOL!
Mary
iammaryburke@gmail.com
http://www.ourhoppyplace.com
What a great giveaway. Thanks for the chance to win. I took a class in the local night school to learn how to quilt. Just learned the basics and now learn new things from the people in my stitch groups. My great aunt did teach me to sew clothes but I am the first quilter in the family.
My mom taught me how to quilt four years ago. She had just taken a Judy Niemeyer class and was making a beautiful paper pieced quilt. I decided that I too could do paper piecing and bought all the fabric for a Cal-King quilt! (Way to start small!) I worked hard on it during our visit but as soon as I got home it never came out again. Someday I will finish to it.
The next Christmas she brought a Christmas quilt kit for us to work on during her visit. The bug stuck that time! She has now accused me of making too many quilts for the rest of the family!
I sewed my first quilt in 2003: a Log Cabin. I used scissors and ruler!!! Then my mum gave me a cutting map and a rotary cutter...and my "quilting-fever" began.....:-))
I am a self taught quilter. Everything I know about quilting is the results of my patience, my imagination, my curiosity and the stimulation of all the bloggers from all over the world!!!!!
However there are still a lot of things I have to learn........!!!
I already subscribe to this GREAT show! (BOY do I miss Alex on HGTV!)
Back in 1989 I took an adult education class to learn how to quilt, with no earthly idea that it would change my life! I have so often wished I could find the teacher and thank her for this gift(she moved away to parts unknown after the class). Although I think I must have inherited the quilting gene from my Great Grandmother, who I can remember quilting by hand, if I had not had a good teacher at the right time in my life, my life would've been much poorer.
P.S. If I win, can I just extend my subscription by 6 months?
Love the Show! :) My mum taught me how to sew, but it was an American colleague that introduced me to quilting. Not a quilter herself she gave me a spare Keepsake Quilting catalogue which opened my eyes to whole new world! LOL one I've not left since back then in 1990! Not bad for a quintessential tea drinking English lady :)
I actually taught myself to quilt, along with help from books and the internet. I always had it in my blood because I watched my grandma quilt throughout my childhood. Material was precious so I was not allowed to touch or to cut, but I did enjoy sitting under the quilting frame listening to all the ladies talk when grandma had a "quilting bee" at her home once a year. Fond memories....
I taught myself to quilt. Learned how to sew in high school in a home ec class (do they even do that anymore?) thanks for the giveaway
I'm another quilter who taught herself to quilt by reading books, though my inspiration came from a neighbor when I lived in Narragansett, RI. I learned to sew from my mother and from Home Economics class in junior high school. I love quilting books; the authors have given so much to me. The Quilt Show would be another lovely way to learn and to be inspired. Thanks so much, Karen, for this fun giveaway.
I think I learned to quilt out of necessity. The way to keep your baby warm was to make a quilt. Trial & error can be great teachers. :) Thanks for the chance to win!
Wonderful give away! I learned the basics from watching my mom make some hand pieced & quilted quilts with our old clothes when we were kids. Then as a young mom I decided I wanted to make some of my own quilts and taught myself from a Fons & Porters Guide to Quiltmaking book. And I watched every PBS quilt show, and later Simply Quilts!
What a great giveaway! I mostly learned to quilt by reading quilt books. I was a garment sewer for many years so I already had a fabric addiction.
I took one class and then I just took off from there. I have been quilting for 15 months now an have made 10 quilt. I also have a full time job!!!
My mom and grandma both quilted but I wasn't into it when they were still around. I learned at my LQG--what I now call my 'home away from home'!! Thanks for the giveaway!
I learned from McCall's needlwork and crafts in the 1950's with a little of my own imagination thrown in. I came from a non sewing family and started sewing in home ec. in 1954.
I taught myself to quilt. Well, in 1976 I took a three-lesson class in Adult Eduction and ended up sharing with the teacher information I gleaned from a library book! I've never stopped teaching myself. The abundance of on-line tutes make learning much easier.
No, I've never seen "The Quilt Show." Thank you for the chance to win a subscription.
I learned a couple of basics from someone who used to live in my neighborhood. About seams, and how to cut with a ruler and rotary blade. After that I just kept reading and playing and taking classes. I never want to stop learning and I want to try everything at least once.
Oh my,,,,,when I was 14 I was taken out of my home and placed in a foster home under protective custody. Back then I thought it was awful, but how wrong I was. That was back in 1967, and to this day I still have the very best blessed relationship with my foster parents. My "mom" Elvira came from a quilting family and so she had always wanted a daughter to pass this on to but her and Don were never able to have any children so I was blessed with this passing on of the family quilting info. I talk to her almost every day and when I finish a quilt top or two we will get together and have a small quilting bee/circle. I've since enlisted my baby sister into the fold and I thank my lucky stars every time I sit down to sew. I love quilting but not nearly as much as I love my "mom". God knew what I needed and what she needed.
I actually took a beginner's course at a local quilt shop before I tried any quilting at all, and I'm glad I did. I think having the basics is such a great start!
Love to win...
Don't pick me to win, Karen! I've been a The Quilt Show member from day one, four years ago!
My mother taught me to sew, if I wanted any clothes that weren't hand my downs or uniforms, I had to make them. Mom never quilted.
Many ears later a friend asked me to go to a class with her. It was a block of the month thing, I loved the star block we made. I bought the Quilt in a Day book (you can make a quilt in a day?!!) and Eleanor Burns has been one of my favorite teachers ever since. I really have learned from books, they're always there for another look!
I have never seen Simply Quilts but I've learned quite a lot from Alex on The Quilt Show and from her books. Ricky Tims is a HOOT!
By the way, membership to www.TheQuiltShow.com is free, and there are so many things to see and do there. If you want to see the shows, you must have a paid membership. There are perks to becoming a paid member.
Wicked. What a neat prize. Well, I had moved to a new city and offered to help a colleague at work move house. When I walked into her house for the first time I said "Oh you're one of those crazy quilting ladies that cut little bits of fabric up"... (thinking they did it with scissors!). Hmmm... Myra showed me how it was really done and within 2 weeks, I had traveled to get my Mum's old sewing machine, bought fabric and was making my first quilt. Myra moved to a house just around the corner from me so wasn't that lucky. A teacher 5 minutes walk away. I love it and have never stopped. But if it wasn't for meeting my dear friend Myra I may have never started this rewarding, creative and healing pastime. I am addicted though. Thanks Myra!
I first became interested in sewing by watching my Mom sew on her old, old Wilcox & Gibbs sewing machine. But, for technical knowledge I received a sewing machine and lessons from a Singer store on my 13th birthday. Thanks for sponsoring this giveaway!
We had a quilt show at our small art gallery and I was looking at this one wall hanging and commented how gorgeous it was. The lady standing next to me said, "why don't you take the class", to which I said "oh I could never make that". She... was the teacher and the rest is history. I am still learning by taking classes and I joined a guild. Loving every minute of it.
I has taken me a while but I just finished it.
What a terrific giveaway! A friend at work got me started quilting. We'd sit at lunchtime while she taught me (she did beautiful work). This was about 17 years ago now and she's moved up the ranks to become president of our company and, sadly, no longer quilts, but loves to see my finish products!
Molly Quayle taught me how to quilt at a class at the Fabric Cottage in Calgary. She was a fan of Diane Gaudnyski and I still read her blog and reread her book that I bought. Liz
I learned to quilt from watching Simply Quilts on HGTV, internet listserv groups and finally by joining a local group of quilters who sew together once a month.
I'm a self taught quilter - learning as I go along after seeing others stitch and piece. This is a great giveaway - I so admire Alex and Ricky.
My grandmother taught me to make a nine patch when I was nine years old, but I didn't pick it up until I was in my fifties. Fortunatley I have been lucky enough to learn from several experienced teachers since then.
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