I would also like to welcome all of my new blog followers! WELCOME!
I have literally flown coast to coast multiple times this past week. As a flight attendant, I have a unique opportunity to be able to see, and visit some places that other people, quilters in particular, would LOVE to be able to see and visit. For that, I am very grateful. I continually have to remind myself, I love people, I love to travel, and I love customer service! At least I do when I have work weeks like this past one! I thought I would show you all a few of the happenings of my work week?
Getting ready to get my work week started.
A view from my office.
I need to fill you all in on a little airline lingo.
DEADHEAD:
No, in the airline industry, this isn't a boring or stupid person.
Nor is it a sunken log.
And, it isn't the act of removing dead flowers off of a flowering plant.
It IS, however, a pilot or flight attendant that is being caught up with his or her route
without working the flight to get him or her caught up to their intended destination.
In other words........it's a BEAUTIFUL thing!
While deadheading,..............
I read A LOT of quilting magazines. These magazines were gifted to me by a new friend, Jackie!
Thanks Jackie!
I receive so much inspiration by reading quilting magazines. It doesn't matter to me if they are current or not.
I doodle a lot!
This is an idea I have for a REALLY quick QOV.
Pattern testing will be taking place this week!
Then while in my hotel rooms.....
Miss Bev hummed along while I watched TV.
Then on one of my overnights, I found this brochure.....
Really????? And the hotel shuttle will take me??????
One of my crew members even went with me!
This photo doesn't even begin to show the enormity of this place!
I truly felt overwhelmed by over 11,000 bolts of quilting cotton, yet, all the while I was grinning ear to ear!
Fabric Depot was NOT a disappointment!
If ever you are in Portland, Oregon, GO!!!!!!!!!!!
They also have a large online store, just follow the link I provided.
Here are some of the goodies that came home with me.
14 yards total to be exact.
And, yes, I had to make room in my roller bag for these! LOL
All in all, a very good week!
I hope yours was or is going to be too!
And, here is a plea request for you.....
Remember last week, I was asking for some input on a presentation I am getting ready to do? Would some of you help spread the word for me? This week is the first question I have for all of you, and I would LOVE to hear your responses? Please direct your friends to my blog so they may reply as well?
Who is most responsible for your involvement in quilting? A family member? A friend? Or did you jump into quilting on your own?
I can't wait to hear your responses!
Until next time........
Thanks for all of the encouragement!
Kevin the Quilter
Cool office dude! Where's the Voo Doo Donuts though? I may find the need to switch to Southwest now that they fly to our neck of the woods.
ReplyDeleteQuestion: Who's responsible for my madness you ask? I started out with sewing all of my own clothes when I was 9. My mom and her mom would be responsible for the intro to clothing construction. I loved making my own clothes or recycling jeans (elephant leg before your time) by making a maxi skirt with a slit and a stitch and then some embellishing. I went on to major in textiles at UK. Sadly, after 2 years the program fell apart and I went home. Had I decided to go to Michigan State or Purdue - life would definitely be different. But I digress. Life got busy with marriage and family - no time for sewing. Soon fabric stores were catering more to crafts and no longer had acceptable quality fabric for clothes. I jumped into quilting at which point my grandma said, "Oh those people are crazy! They just cut perfectly good fabric up into little pieces and then stitch them back together again." So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. ;O
Looks like a fun job! I remember as a kid I thought I might love that job. However, I had kids young and am plus size so I wouldn't make the cut! LOL I hate flying due to the squish factor! Still, envious of all you get to see and of that fact that if you have crabby clientelle they don't last long! :) Love that Miss Bev comes with you too!
ReplyDeleteKevin,
ReplyDeleteI credit two women with my quilting adventures. First my mother, who taught me how to sew when I was a teenager. I had been thinking about making quilts but never knew where to start. We where on vacation at Port Clinton, Ohio. We stayed at a bed and breakfast called Our Sunset Place. It is fabulous. Our hostess is a long arm quilter. I mentioned that I would like to quilt when I retire. She laughed and challenged me to get to it when she asked "why are you waiting". That winter I did my first quilt. I had no idea what to do other than use 1/4 inch seam. That was about three years ago. I've done about two dozen quilts and am teaching (learning with) my 11 year old granddaughter, and having a blast.
Sounds like a wonderful week! I am a quilter because I met a friend at work who quilted on her lunch hour and I adored watching her. She convinced me that I could be a quilter, and so I bought a sewing machine and never looked back!
ReplyDeleteKevin, I jumped into quilting cold turkey. I learned to sew in my youth, life got in the way, then when I retired in 2008 I returned to sewing and took up quilting. Subscribed to magazines and cruised the internet to read how to do it. Haven't looked back since. I still do some sewing and machine embroidery, but making quilts is what I enjoy the most.
ReplyDeleteHey Kevin, glad to see you made it to Fabric Depot. I'm lucky to live in the area and really appreciate all the great fabrics there (and the frequent sales too).
ReplyDeleteMy quilting inspiration is my mom. She got me sewing at a early age, and now we both practice our piecing techniques and FMQ skills as often as we can.
So when you're being deadheaded, are you in uniform?
ReplyDeleteGosh, to answer your question, I really have to think. I've been around quilts since I was born, made by family members. I remember my mom making quilts and quilting them on a big frame in the basement that was on some kind of system where she could lower it from the ceiling when she wanted to work on it and then raise it up so it'd be out of the way. She sewed clothing for herself and all of us kids, and kept all the scraps in a big metal-drawered bin she picked up at a flea market or something. It was next to the washing machine in the basement. Talk about a treasure trove! I do remember raiding the scrap bin on many occasions because I liked to make small craft projects. One time I did make a patchwork something or other. It was about the size of a seat cushion or placemat. As far as mom's quilting, though, she was best left to it herself. Once I remember watching her carefully lay her pieces out on the living room floor. She had started to pick them up (and we quilters know we have an order how to pick up our blocks, but I had no clue...yet) but got distracted for a moment and had to leave the room. I thought I'd help by picking up the rest of her blocks, but when she came back, instead of thanking me, I got an "education," we'll call it. I can laugh now, but at the time, it was also a lesson in "don't bother mom when she's making a quilt"!
Years passed, I made clothing mostly, but sometime in the 1990s I got interested in some quilty projects in a library book. Then I bought a book on Learning to Quilt and started a sampler (which took me years to finish), but put the blocks aside for several years. During that time, the internet took off, and I discovered Bonnie Hunter's website, and that really revived my interest and enthusiasm. The rest is pretty much history!
I've been to Fabric Depot also - as I used to live in North Idaho. Thankfully I was driving so I didn't have to worry about making room for my great deals.
ReplyDeleteI began sewing as a young teenage girl. Mostly crafts and clothes. When I was in my mid twenties I began quilting. Now I own a long arm and have customers. I never would have imagined where this wacky road was going to take me.
My maternal grandmother sewed everything from our clothes to hers. When we were teens, she turned her hand to quilting. She pieced on her machine, then sat at a home built frame throughout the winter hand quilting. One of her 6 sisters, both ladies widows, would visit each year to escape the frigid cold of Michigan. My Aunt Toots sat next to my grandmother Annabelle needle in hand, up, down, up, down. I have a quilt she made for me when I got married, as well as a couple she stitched for my children. She died when my youngest daughter, also Annabelle was just a wee babe. It's incredible to see my daughter now taking up sewing and quilting. My grandmother would be so proud.
ReplyDeleteI am originally from the Portland area. Fabric Depot is a must when I visit my family in Oregon.
ReplyDeleteI learned to quilt using a template from my great grandmother. She did not quilt, but she tried to keep a rambunctious little girl busy so I learned to sew very young.
Great blog Kevin, and awesum CS quilt. I had never sewed (cept for being made to at school) and didnt really have any sewing role models in my life. I only discovered quilting in Australia in the late 90's and fell in love with the look of it, now to find somewhere to learn (you are so lucky in America it's been around for ever). Made my first quilt in 1999 and have been hooked ever since :)
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work
My mom started quilting after I left home and moved across the country so I didn't learn from her, rather that gave me the itch, you know the, "someday I'm going to quilt" itch? My SIL lives 5 hours away and once I decided I was ready, I took a class to make the simple Star Trip quilt. That was all it took! I found a quilting friend at work, joined a quilt guild and I was off and running :)
ReplyDeleteMy mother taught me how to sew, but the quilting bug came to me in a random way. Maybe it was because it was the bicentennial and quilting was having a resurgence. Probably it was because the previous owner of my house was a quilter, and had a beautiful tie quilt on the wall and a wonderful denim quilt on the bed. I got myself a subscription to a quilting magazine, and made the quilt on the cover - not knowing how to quilt, not realizing that it was not suitable for beginners, and thinking that I had to make a quilt out of each magazine to get my money's worth out of it! As long as it took me to make that one - years! - I realized I got away from the make a quilt out of each magazine pretty quickly!
ReplyDeleteI've ordered from Fabric Depot but never realized that they had a store! Great find.
ReplyDeleteQuilting...well, I learned to sew from my mother when I was young. Life happened and sewing took a back seat except for mending and "utility sewing". But I knew that when I retired I wanted to sew again. I was going to do crafty things but NOT quilt....until son #1 asked for a t-shirt quilt and then I made the pirate quilt and then I was hooked. I think my college years in West Virginia laid the groundwork though. And, truth be told, my very first "sort of" quilt was made years ago from my dad's handkerchiefs way before I knew anything about quilting. So I guess it was a sort of slow development. Thanks for sharing your day with us, Kevin!
My mother taught me to sew clothes as a tween, but I wasn't into clothes like she is. But I did like the sewing so I decided that I couls sew other things, so then came the potholders that everyone got when I saw them. Then I wanted to quilt and didn't know anyone who quilted so I got some library books and taught myself. Thirty plus years later I am still quilting and taking classes from Bonnie Hunter, Pepper Cory, and Linda Hahn. I have also taught my husband and two teenagers to quilt along the way, which makes shop hop rather expensive at times.
ReplyDeleteHi, I am new to your site blog and love hearing from you. My 1st experience with quilting was when I wanted to sew on my mom's treadle Singer. She told me that before I could sew on a machine I had to learn to sew by hand. So she showed me how to piece blocks together for a quilt, I was about 11 yearsold. When I became engaged, my Mom, aunts and myself put the "quilt on" the frames and we all quilted it. My 1st quilting experience, but, the quilt was finished for my newly married life. I turned out to be an excellent hand quilter and not too bad piecer. The most important thing that came out of all that was I learned to love handwork and machine piecing.Some people only like one or but we really need to love both hand and machine.
ReplyDeleteMy good friend Arlinda was taking a quilt as you go class, and told me how much fun it was. I didn't really believe her as I didn't enjoy hand sewing. I would make a dress for my mom, just so she would hem mine. My friend kept talking, and I signed up for the next class. Turns out that I loved it. that was in 1978. That first quilt took 5 years (all by hand), thankfully I've put on a little speed since then. Now my piecing is done by machine, and I do a lot of crazy quilting (back to hand work). I'm so glad she talked me into that first class.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first got married, 20 years ago, my mother-in-law taught me how to make a sampler quilt (tracing cardboard templates and scissor cutting each piece). Needless to say, I didn't do much quilting after that with 2 small babies to tend to, but a few years later, I picked up a pattern (with rotary cutting instructions) and tried again. I was in love...for the next 7 years or so, I taught myself how to quilt. Then I joined a sewing group and learned about paper piecing and curved piecing.... So to sum it up, I got a taste of quilting for my MIL. but I'm basically self taught. I love to learn new techniques from friends and bloggers!
ReplyDeleteMy maternal Grandmother taught me to quilt as a child, yea, Kev, we won't count the years, let's just say almost 50. I also have all my Great-Grandmother's quilt patterns, great inspiration! And we don't need to talk about how old some of my personal UFO's are.
ReplyDeleteWoo Hoo Fabric Depot! I have a brother who lives just 25 minutes from that awesome store...so of course, I visit him, er, quite
ReplyDeletea lot. I grew up sleeping under a vintage 40's grandmother's flower garden. I jumped into quilting in the late 80's, early 90's and
have never looked back.
Glad you have an office with a 'window'. That looks like a great shop to visit. How did I get into quilting??? My great grandmother made quilts. My grandmother had some quilts, but, she never liked quilting, just sewing clothes. She also had a treadle (how I got into vintage machines). I finally took a class at my church back in Sept 2001. I've been quilting ever since. I even have the quilt my great grandmother gave my parents as a wedding gift, more than 50 years ago. It is all I have of her, other than memories.
ReplyDeleteKind of jealous of your *office* What a view!! Fabric Depot sounds amazing!! You could get lost in there!!
ReplyDeleteWow what a view from your office!! So cool to be able to quilt hop around the country.
ReplyDeleteWhile my mother, Aunt and both grandmothers all either knotted, crocheted, embroidered or sewed clothes and curtains etc. I was introduced to quilting by two friends. One you know well called Cardygirl. The other is a friend of Cardy's and she can be found at Fairy Floss Stitches. When I lived closer to them we would meet regularly every Tuesday night to stitch and eat lots of cake and chocolate while sipping lots if tea and occasionally wine. Loads of fun. My first quilt was made by booking into a workshop. I had no idea what a rotary cutter was or how to use it. BIG learning curve. Next quilt made at a weekend workshop and lots of advice and encouragement from Cardy and Fairy Floss.
First of all, I, along with many others, I'm sure, am VERY jealous of your "office view"!! Secondly, I LOVE that you travel with a Featherweight!!
ReplyDeleteI am from a quilting family. My mother and grandmother quilted. But I didn't get the "bug" until I was 40!! I often feel like I "wasted" so much time not starting earlier. Of course, I had other crafts to keep me busy, but I put down the crochet hook and the cross stitching needle and have devoted the last 20 years to quilting!
Sorry, I forgot to add that Fabric Depot is one of my favorite shops. My daughter lives in Portland, so when we go up there (from New Orleans) that I one of the places we go to AFTER we go to Mutlnomah Falls!!! My hubby and daughter usually drop me off at Fabric Depot and pick me up 2 hrs later!!!
DeleteIt's so great that you love what you do! And you get to visit the best places. I know of Fabric Depot from online, but alas that's another one I'm unlikely to visit in person. Keep sharing the pictures so I can see what I'm missing!
ReplyDeleteAs for your question, I got into quilting purely by accident. I started sewing by making curtains for our new house and saw a BOM in JoAnn's one year. I decided to make it as a gift for my mom 2 weeks before Christmas. I actually finished the top in time and haven't stopped quilting since! I've even gotten my mom interested and we've made several quilts together. Good luck with your presentation!
Mom and Grandma! Grandma made simple flannel tied quilts - which I still have!! Love in a blanket for sure. Mom always sewed, and I always played with the machine (and most likely messed up the tension a lot!) I learned from Mom to make clothes and Barbie clothes. I joined a guild with my Mom when I was 20. Over the years I have pursued other hobbies, but the road has always led me back to my machines and quilting. I have a quilt my Mom started for me, and now you have me feeling all nostalgic, and thinking it will need to get done this year! Now that I am a Grandma, I sew with my almost 3 year old Grandson on my lap. Hopefully, he will become a quilter too!
ReplyDeleteYou have the most wonderful office view of anyone I know :) While you're deadheading, I hope you are getting a nice manicure, 'cause you are HIRED as my nails stunt double sweetie!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure I would have made it out of Fabric Depot alive!!! They'd have found me the next week under a pile of fabrics - probably when the smell began to give me away :) You brought home some really wonderful fabrics - so jealous!!!
My grandmother is probably most responsible for inspiring me to quilt. She was always crafting in one way or another - and teaching me along the way. She taught me to knit, crochet, embroider, and sew -- and she got me started on my life-long love affair with fabrics. My first quilt class was to learn how to make a GFG block so I could make a quilt for her. Sadly, she died a few years later before I could finish it. It sat on a shelf unfinished, and I didn't quilt another thing for 12 years. But then, I moved to Tennessee and met this wonderful group of quilters, and they welcomed me in like I had always belonged in their group, and I started quilting like a crazy woman LOL!!! I'm so grateful for the quilting community and what it has meant in my life!!!
You have the best "office view" of anyone I know. I am envious that you can eaasily visit all those great fabric shops across our great country too. To answer your question: I've had a love affair with fabric from a very early age and started by sewing clothes. Then being a child of a Depression mother, I used the leftover scraps to for rag rugs and lots of other craft projects. Made my first 9-patch block when I was 10 yrs old just so I could use my mother's portable White sewing machine, which she used for mending only. When I was in college my interest was sparked again by watching my landlady piece scrap blocks leftover from her garment sewing. From that point on I was focused on using up my clothing scraps to make quilts. From the mid-80's to the present time I've made hundreds of quilts and I still love doing it. PS My Featherweights get to travel with me too, but only in the car. They are jealous that Miss Bev gets to fly to her destinations.
ReplyDeleteGreat view, you never have to look at the same thing!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother was a quilter and Mom made a lot of our clothes when we were growing up, so I was around needle and thread my whole life. I loved the quilts my grandmother made for me but it wasn't till I was in grad school that I got a chance to take a class. I was hooked, but it would take another 14 years and a few classes before I became truly addicted.
My mom sewed and she taught me how. I never really liked making clothes. I did it because back then in them olden days (the 70's and 80's) it was cheaper. I also had an Aunt Marie who quilted. She started around 1915 doing quilting the "old school" way and continued that way until the end. My sister and I were given many quilts over the years. They were gorgeous and all hand stitched. My mom taught us to appreciate them. In 2000, my daughter gave birth to my very first grandchild. I wanted to make him a quilt. I had tied quilts, but my daughter wanted a "real" quilt. The first time I sewed two strips together to make 2-patches I was in heaven! I finally fell in love my machine because it did something I enjoyed!
ReplyDeleteKevin it is so wonderful to see you taking your machine with you as you travel and all your ideas in block and quilts. Your creativity amazes me every time I see something you have done. And that store!!! WOW! I sure wish N.C. had a store that large. I do believe I will be checking out their website. Thank you for sharing all the info on your blog about them.
ReplyDeleteNow to answer your question: My grandmother started out teaching me to draw my visions out. She said a creative mind is a busy mind. Then she taught me how to take that pattern and cut out the material. We hand sewed our pieces together way back then since us poor people couldn't afford a machine. We even made our clothes. She passed away when I was about 7 years old and I was really on my own when it came to learn more about quilting. Every time I saw anyone quilting I had to stop and watch. Sometimes I asked questions but I was very shy so not many were asked. In high school I took a home economics class and had a very wonderful teacher. We had real sewing machines in our classroom and she had to teach me from the beginning how to use one. I ended up making a 3 pc dress suit and won first place in state. It only took me a week to do it and we had 12 weeks. So I then became her little assistant in helping others. From there my family and career took over most of my quilting time so there was a period when none was done at all. I am happy to have found such a wonderful quilt guild locally. The ladies there have taught me so much more than I can ever dream. And some of those ladies, yes they actually hand pieced and quilted just as I had learned. Any quilter that is willing to teach you something and share ideas with you about their journey and techniques is a true quilter. Good luck in your presentation. I think you will be awesome!
Lovely to see your working week...so it is a good thing to be a deadhead! What a shame I was in Portland and never saw that shop! Too much night shift was what got me sewing!
ReplyDeleteMy roommate taught me the basics of sew, 1/4 in seam, right sides together. When I brought my first top to my LQS that's when my interest really took off.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother, Missy (real name Laura), quilted, as well as crocheted, gardened, cooked....it was just what she did to make it warm and cozy for the family. She taught me to love my family and love what I am doing. There is something about sleeping under a quilt made by someone who loves you that just makes it all better.
ReplyDeleteAs far as i can tell, I am not a hereditary quilter. I have questioned my parents and neither of them can remember any relative of mine that ever quilted. My mom and aunts have sewn (not extensively) things like matching dresses for my sister & me while in grade school and the occasional bridesmaid dress, but none have never quilted. I never had Home Economics class in high school. Mom taught me how to use her behemoth old machine when I was about 7 or 8. Not sure exactly sure how I caught the quilting bug but I've always drawn, painted and even threw pottery. Out of all the mediums, fabric is my favorite, whether I am making traditional, modern or art quilts. Hopes this helps your presentation.
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ReplyDelete