Learning to Quilt

I have been feeling a bit like a fish out of water at Quilt Market … like a fraud waiting to be called out as such. While I started my first quilt many years ago, until this past year I have only made a quilt for each of my children. By no means prolific, I would not even consider giving myself the label of “quilter”. So at Quilt Market, surrounded by so much talent, I wait for someone to walk by and laugh at the few quilts I have produced and point out that I have no clue what I am doing.

In the desire to by educated, I went on an online search a few months ago in hopes of finding a group of local modern quilters who were not all francophone (while I can get by bilingually after many years of struggling with a second language, I am still far more comfortable, and certainly absorb and contribute more in my native tongue). I was so thrilled to discover the Montreal Modern Quilt Guild, a branch of the Modern Quilt Guild. Sign me up! I went to my first meeting in November and found myself surrounded by a group of very talented women who have a similar love of fabric and of the hand made as I do.

So now I am being educated on the art and the craft of the quilt, my eyes are being opened to new-to-me techniques and approaches, and I am definitely being inspired by the work of these creative women. Bi-monthly sewing challenges are sure to get me to try things I would not otherwise and to see things differently … always a good thing. My first project:

Front and back of a quilted name badge for a fellow member (size: approx. 4″x5″). My first attempt at random cutting & piecing and sewing curves.

Here’s to never wanting to stop learning, and to being inspired by the abundance of talent out there, even so close to home. And to developing new relationships with those that share a passion.