"What made you get into quilting?"
"Isn't that an old-person hobby?"
"I couldn't do it — those are too many pieces... how do you?"
Well, quilting isn't just for “old” people — and here's how I got into it.
During my childhood, I explored a variety of crafts. My mother was skilled in sewing, cross-stitching, crocheting, and even made those cringe-worthy puffy paint t-shirts that I found embarrassing as a pre-teen. She taught me how to sew, and I managed to create a few clothing pieces. But as I transitioned into adulthood, my hobbies took a backseat to college, work, relationships, and caring for family. I still crafted — mostly cross-stitch — but also dabbled in jewelry making, sewing clothes again for a bit, and even tried scrapbooking.
I struggled to find the right fit. I wanted to sew my own clothes but didn’t have the patience to understand why the patterns didn’t suit me, even after taking endless measurements. I even attempted to make my own dress form, but the clothes still didn’t fit quite right. Eventually, I focused on my job and found comfort in woodworking — building bookcases, built-ins, and even a clock I made for my dad.
Then I became a mom to a wonderful little boy.
At the time, I was still doing woodworking — mostly toys I hoped he’d pass down someday. But I started noticing how lacking most baby blankets were. They were either too fluffy, too thin, or all looked the same. One day while browsing Wal-Mart, I spotted some fat quarter bundles, and it sparked something. I went home and searched YouTube for beginner quilt tutorials.
That’s how I discovered quilting.
I followed people like Missouri Star Quilt Co and Donna from Jordan Fabrics to learn piecing, and experimented with free motion quilting on my home machine after watching Angela Walters of Quilting is My Therapy. What I loved most? I could pause and pick up exactly where I left off. No deciphering symbols like with cross-stitch or worrying about drying times like with stain or poly. Quilting fit perfectly into the unpredictable rhythms of life with an infant while working from home.
At first, I used budget fabric from Wal-Mart — I didn’t want to sink too much money in until I knew it was something I’d stick with. I’d made that mistake before. But I kept going, learned faster methods, gave quilts as gifts, and eventually moved on to the high-quality cotton fabrics you’ll find in quilt shops across the country. I tried out new quilting thread colors, worked on improving my binding (still a challenge!), and tested different basting techniques until I found what worked best for me.
I still enjoy cross-stitch once in a while, and as my son grows older, I plan to return to woodworking — I have some furniture pieces that need refinishing, and I’d love to build my own storage hutches. But quilting will always have a place in my life. It’s calming, satisfying, and even when I’m creating pieces to sell, I still enjoy every step.
Like Angela Walters and others have said, quilting truly is my therapy.
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