I've come a long way baby! Here is a glimpse of the first quilt ever. OMG I think it is ugly, but it is proof of how far I have come. These were dresdens were made the old fashioned way by drawing around a template. They were cut out with a scissors and appliqued by machine onto a sheet! This was made back in the 70's. I am almost embarrassed to show it but it is just proof of how much my skills have grown. This was made for my first apartment.
These were made many years later in the 90's. The patterns used were from various designers but I know a few were definitely from Debbie Mumm books. Debbie's patterns are what got me really quilting in the modern day of rotary cutters, mats and rulers.
All of these were made way before I had a longarm quilting machine. Applique back then was made using a fusible web and I am pretty sure no machine applique was done on them. After all they were made to hang on the wall and not get much wear and tear. Any quilting that might have occurred were all stitch in the ditch on the sewing machine.
This quilt was made in 2003 several years before my longarm days. I really wanted a bed quilt so after piecing the blocks and sewing into rows I learned how to quilt as you go on my domestic. There was some quilting done which doesn't show in the photo. But I remember drawing a couple circles on the flower and a leaf shape for the leaves which I then used the domestic machine to stitch it. I was pretty proud of how flat the quilt was. I never made another queen size quilt using that method as I thought it took too long.
That's all the memories for this week my fellow quilters. But I think I can scare up a few more for you next week.
I will leave you with my purple Clematis in it's current state. It always amazes me how fast this grows back as I try to cut it back to a couple feet tall in the fall or early spring. You see the window in the upper left corner, that is my sewing room.
I'll be back tomorrow to show you my week's accomplishments I hope you will stop back again.
Linking with:
Monday Making
Design Wall Monday
Goooooood morning! Geez, your clematis is beautiful. It must be very happy living where it is. I've tried a few times to grow one or two with no success. I love your first queeen-size quilt. Nice job on all that piecing and quilting on your DSM must have been daunting on that size. ~smile~ Roseanne
ReplyDeleteSo fun to see these posts! I'm glad you kept that first quilt, because it's still a fun quilt and a testament to how far you have come as a quilter. Is it raining over there? Been coming down buckets most of the night here.
ReplyDeleteyour clematis is great! mine is flowering much longer this year than it normally does and is really growing. I remember the days back in the 70's when I tried quilting with a sheet and will never do it again - but I didn't know then all I know of quilting now - it is nice to look back at old quilts.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to go back and look at our first attempts at quilting! We all had to start somewhere and your first quilt is beautiful. You were the table runner and wall hanging queen back then, too! Your clematis is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteFunny--my first quilt ever was also a Dresden on a sheet, back in 1980!! And I made my share of Debbie Mumm quilts, also! Lovely that your Clematis is peaking into your quilt studio!
ReplyDeleteSo many cute projects, Vicki! I think I still have a Debbie Mumm book that someone gave me, but have never made anything out of it. I think that queen sized quilt that you finished with QAYG looks really pretty!
ReplyDeleteIt is quite something when we look at our first quilts and our recent work! I love that you are sharing all these fun projects from the past. Your clematis is gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteJust remember, YOU called it ugly, not me. Nope. I didn't say that. Not out loud, anyway! :) There's something good in every quilt, and your first Dresden probably taught you a lot. It kept your interest and led to make so many wonderful quilts. And isn't that just the greatest thing?
ReplyDeleteA dresden is pretty ambitious for a first quilt, I think. I don't think it is ugly, just vintagy - if that is even a word. That clematis is very happy and a lovely color.
ReplyDeleteIt's always fun to see early projects! I still have my first quilt. I don't love it any more but it's good to see where I started!
ReplyDeleteWe all had to start somewhere. Not a bad quilt at all.
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