The Best Time of Year! Fall Reminds Me of Quilting

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love the brilliant show of leaves that Mother Nature gives us. I can’t think of anything more wonderful than to walk through the fallen leaves while gentle breezes of brisk air rustle what’s left on the branches above.

I have many memories of fall. One of my very favorite memories is learning to quilt. It was in the fall that I took my first quilting class, so this season just reminds me of quilts. I adore collecting them and making them!

Our quilting editor, Beth Hayes, is a master quilter. She was the success behind McCall’s Quilting. One day, she decided she would teach a class at our office during our lunch “hour” (that lasted three hours, but who’s counting?).

Many signed up for the class, and we had a great turnout. We brought our sewing machines to the conference room and had a glorious time. That was many, many years ago. But I was totally hooked! In fact, I could not concentrate on my regular work thinking about the quilt squares we would make.

My collection of fabric grew and grew, and now, I have a thousand quilts planned in my mind! But the reality is that I’ve had the quilting bug since I was a child. Both of my grandmothers quilted, and they used any type of fabric they could find—scraps left from garments, sewing projects, and remnants they would get from friends.

My Grandmother Norton would hold back a bag of cotton from the fall harvest for her quilts. She would comb her own cotton for the batts (the fluffy inside part of the quilt). That explains why her quilts were so heavy! My mom did not piece quilts, but she embroidered quilt tops for my sister and me. That was a task that took months to complete. She is a master embroiderer, and her quilt tops are amazing!

I have taught several quilting classes in years past, and I just love it when people fall in love with quilting. The fall reminds me of snuggling under a quilt by the fire and enjoying that wonderful experience.

The quilts made by my mom and grandmothers are my treasures. Do you quilt or collect quilts?

 

 

 

Read the story of a quilter whose passion began with lessons from her mother in The Cottage Journal’s Country Cottage special issue, out on newsstands now!