Odds And Ends From The Pig Pen!

As I was putting on the border of the quilt I showed last evening, I got to thinking about how my likes and dislikes, as far as quilting goes, have evolved over time!  I used to  hate piecing with a passion! My friend Debbie and I would sit for hours cutting out quilt tops and put them into shoe boxes never for the light to see again, in my case!  I have no idea how many tops I have cut out in my lifetime, only never to sew them up!  I hand quilted and was happiest sitting under the frame working the needle in and out of the fabric and trying to keep my stitches as tiny, uniform and as straight as I could!

I was very proud of  my handquilting talent and was always receiving compliments galore because of it. My friend Jackie told me many times that my stitches were so even and tiny, that it looked almost machine done.  But my fingers knew better!

My Granny Ida taught me all about hand quilting and the importance of doing the best job possible, especially if I were going to quilt for the public!

And that is exactly what I did! I had one customer, Mrs. Johnson, bless her kind soul... she always wanted me to quilt her quilts on both sides of the seam. I would quote her a price and she would have a say about it until I reminded her that I was actually quilting her quilt twice!  Then she would smile and give in to allow me to work my magic on her quilt.

I have only quilted one whole cloth in my time and my Aunt Zula Mae purchased it the day I finished the binding.  I had not intended on selling it but she is special to me so I let her have it. One of these days I will quilt another one but it won't be by hand.

In February 2007 I started experiencing numbness in my right hand and was diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome.  In lieu of surgery, I go to my chiropractor for adjustments and so far he has kept me away from the knife. So, I no longer hand quilt.

I now quilt on a Gammill Classic Plus longarm system and have grown to love the work that I put out from it.  At first it was intimidating to say the least but now I just relax and have fun.  I really love teaching others what I know and would be happy if I had a full time job of doing so!

Some days I have a hard time deciding which I had rather be doing... quilting or piecing!  Some days upstairs just calls out to me so strong that I find myself upstairs before I know what hit me!  But I have to spend more days downstairs in the quilting studio than upstairs piecing  because customer work comes first.

I love my clients who are expert piecers! It makes quilting for the public a joy rather than feeling like a job!
  

So, on this beautiful Monday morning why don't you share how your  likes and dislikes have changed in your quilting throughout your life.