A First Time For Everything

When Jovita asked me if I would like to join some friends and blog "under the willow tree", I thought, "sure why not-I've never done that before." That is actually my story of how I started quilting. It was 2001, and my then "over the fence" friend and neighbor (who shall remain nameless and blameless), would invite me on outings, which would always end up at a quilt shop. "You don't mind do you", she would ask. What could I say, she was driving. What I didn't expect was the sensory overload that awaited me. I was in a foreign country full of mind-boggling patterns, delicious colors, and sumptuous textures. In short, I was a goner! There was only one small problem-I had parked my sewing machine 30 years before, because I HATED to sew. And, over my somewhat plump, dead body would I ever drag it out again. But what to do with all that beautiful fabric? I continued to drool over and fondle fabric for several months, when my friend (noticing my dilema), swore on her cat's grave, that all I needed to sew was a quarter inch seam, and voila!, I was in business.I hauled out the offensive machine (which my neighbor said sounded like a Harley Davidson motorcycle),dusted it off and took my first class, and made my first quilt.
Thus, began a love affair with quilting and quilters,which lasts to this day.
So here I am, having reached full circle with my history-I had never quilted before that time with my friend, and I had never blogged before until this evening. There is a first time for everything, and everyone, and I hope you, perhaps first time readers and quilters, will join us under the willow tree for many a chat, and regale us with stories of your own adventures in quilting.