Quilting

I have never taken on a quilting project. My great grandmother quilted. She would make a quilt for family members as a wedding present. It was one of those traditions that many of my family members looked forward to. It was a rite of passage almost. She always quilted by hand. Every stitch was time and love. They were beautiful quilts, still cherished by our family. I, unfortunately, will not receive  such an heirloom since she passed away in my early teens. However, I remember all of the love she put into those quilts. All of the good wishes she would send in those quilts.

My mom took up quilting awhile back. Her hobby, it seems, is collecting crafts. She did not have the patience for hand-quilting, nor do I. I am a bit of a immediate satisfaction kind of person. So I approached my mom to see if she would teach me the art of quilting. She said that she had wanted to start a new project as well. So we took on the project together. 

We are starting with a simple chevron pattern (looks like zig zags).

Lesson 1: cutting the fabric

Iron the fabric first. She says the washing the fabric is suggested, but she never did. So we aren't going to either.

Then cut into manageable pieces. Then into the size the pattern requires. This is tedious work already. It is also not all that inexpensive. The sewing machine, thread, cutting mat, plastic ruler, rotary cutter, fabric, etc. It adds up. Then add time. 

I took a photography class and in the advanced class the teacher taught us how to price our work. Figure an hourly rate, lets say $10. Then take the time to develop  the film, print, framing, taking the picture, and cost of materials. The picture really started to get expensive. 

If you are quilting for money, the quilt is going to get expensive (we are talking $100's). If you are quilting for love, then the expense is totally worth it.

So that is where I am at now. Ironing and cutting fabric squares with my mom. So far, it is a labor of love and a great time with my mom.