Delaware Quilts



#1                      I began quilting in 1974 while working at Minnesota Fabrics in the Washington DC area. The home economist was required to do a quilting demonstration and was looking for help. It sounded like fun to me, so I volunteered.
          The pattern I picked for my first ever quilt project was the Lone Star because we’d recently moved from Texas. This was pre-rotary cutters and I never heard of plastic for templates, I wasn’t real sure what a template was period. As soon as I realized I was over my head in skill level, I picked another pattern, a log cabin. That went quite easily, so I picked another one, a churn dash. Before the demonstration was held I had finished four different quilt projects, but not the Lone Star.
          The Lone Star wasn't finished until about a year later. Then I didn't know what to do with it, so I "framed" it. It was cool when I did it, not so much now, but I'm glad I still have it. It shows me where I started and how much I’ve improved.
         I made a few quilted pillows, then a baby quilt, and then more baby quilts.. and so on and so on.
         To say I was hooked was an understatement. I've been quilting ever since. I started teaching in 1983 when a friend asked me to show her how to make a Dresden Plate. Then I showed her friend, and then another, and so on. I "retired" from teaching in 2010 due to heath issues and now do all of my teaching on line and at the Retreats.
         Seeing a student's satisfaction when finishing a quilt gives me great happiness. I find more personal satisfaction teaching someone else to make a quilt than making it for them. However I am occasionally talked into making a quilt for someone.
          Quilts that I make for classes are given away as gifts to family and friends, and to local charities. I will sell a quilt to raise money for the American Cancer Society through Relay For Life. I don't make museum quilts, but quilts to be used. It gives me great pleasure to see my quilts worn out.

Links to My Quilt History pages

The beginning (1974 to 1996)

          A project I did back in 1997 was a Scrappy 9-patch And Snowball. I liked it, but wasn't really happy with it for some reason and always wanted to make one again. It's now October 2021 and I still haven't made that second Scrappy 9-patch and Snowball.

          A first in 1998 for me were tessellations.

         In 1999 I made my first bed size commission quilt. I'd done baby quilts, lap quilts and wall hangings before, but never a bed size. the customer was very pleased. I don't enjoy making quilts for others, I'd rather teach them to make their own quilt. 2000 is also on this page

          I started making miniatures in 2001 and have made many since then for many different reasons.

          Speedy Strips© was started when my son asked me for an "ugly" quilt when he went off to college in 2002, "You know Mom, one no one will want to steal." I saw it was a way to use up scraps, and it certainly did.

          2003 was a busy year, and although I made a a lot of quilts, I didn't get all of them done, or even started. I still want to make that baby quilt

          2004 - 2005

          2006

         2007

         2008-09 I decided to use my patterns in a new and different FUNdraising way for Relay For Life, and Mysteries For Relay was started. As a thank you for donations I offered a new quilt mystery every six weeks or so. For eight years we made new quilts and new friends while raising a lot of money for the American Cancer Society (And the Canadian Cancer Society too.)

          2010

          2011

          2012

          and more 2012

          2013

          2014

          2015 - 2020 Due to health issues I have done very little quilting since June 2015. I've added pictures of what I've done, even the unfinished table topper I made at our online retreat in spring 2020. I've also made a lot of facemasks for family members.




Updated October 15, 2021

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