First quilt

Nothing terribly exciting to report from the craft front today. I've cut out the latest block for my Jane Stickle quilt, I've started work on another applique block for my Grandma's Country Album II quilt, and I still haven't quilted my challenge quilt (but it's going to happen this weekend!).

Since I am feeling somewhat nostalgic today, I thought I'd share a little of my quilting past.... my very first quilt.

(Sorry it's not a great picture... it is a picture of a photograph, and it was taken a long while ago.)

For Christmas in 1995, my mom gave me a rotary cutter, a ruler, and a cutting mat for Christmas. I didn't even know what they were, and all she could tell me was that they were for quilting. (This was back during her random-gifts-out-of-left-field phase.) I started graduate school the following month, and discovered that I lived about a mile away from a quilt shop. I decided to walk on down there and see what the deal was with my funky new tools. Lo and behold, they had an opening in their beginning quiltmaking class, and I immediately signed up.

I finished my first quilt in February 1996 and gave it to my mom for her birthday.

The happy little 2-color lap-quilt is a pattern called "Snowball Quilt" from the long out-of-print book Template-Free Quiltmaking by Trudie Hughes. I have to say it was a great pattern for a first quilt-- not too overwhelming in terms of pattern and color, but it introduced lots of great basic techniques.

I used a dark purple marbled print for the chain, and a bright turquoise and purple paisley print made up the background. The border and binding are sky-blue batik... I remember my quilt teacher raised her eyebrows at that choice (particularly for the binding), but in the end, I think we both liked it... and of course, Mom sure did!

The quilt is in tatters now... very well loved!