A Quilter's life after 50

I have finished 3 years of Community College, getting 3 ATA's. I'm over 50 years old. I do love Birthdays, so I'm willing to tell my age. Growing up with 2 brothers and a grandmother made life interesting. We traveled the world because my father was in the USAF. I've seen things and heard things most people ever dream of. I married in 1982 and am still married to the same person. We have 2 children, one in NC and the other at Pullman. Since I was 7 years old, my mother and grandmother taught me how to do needlework. I have done crocheting, knitting, cross stitch, and counted cross stitch to name a few. I made embroidery flowers on my jeans as a teenager. We were taught to respect our "elders." So, I would ask my mother and grandmother to teach me how to make things. I've made so many things over my lifetime, but little has followed me. I still have a sweater I made in HS that my daughter is wearing these days. So, a few things I still have. While in HS, I decided I would not become a quilter. It wasn't what I wanted to do. Too much work, too much time, too much mom's thing. When I graduated and tried to get my mother to make me a blue double wedding ring quilt, she said she would buy the fabric if I made the quilt. (By HAND) After picking the fabrics and waiting for her to start on it, I decided I would learn. It took me 4 years to piece. While I was dating my husband, he saw what I was working on, and talked me into finishing it. After we were married, he even made me a quilt frame to put it on so I could hand quilt it. I finished the quilt just before my son was born in 1985, so it took 7 years from start to finish. I gave my husband that quilt. (I will look for a photo and post it on here). That quilt has been in three different magazines in the 1980's. After my son and daughter were born, quilting because a "second" to everything. I went to work to help with paying bills. We worked hard to get where we are now. I even worked for AmeriCorps to help pay my way in CC.

So, today, of all days, I thought, "what the heck", I could write down what I'm thinking at the time I'm quilting and I can show some of my quilts, that usually don't get shown. I'm usually a quiet person, who stay in the background and waits to see what others do.

I am quilting on my own designed Hawaiian quilt, also quilting on a quilt top given to me by the SSW Rainy Daze Quilt Guild, after I step down from President. I'm finishing some unfinished project that were started over 10 years ago. I'm working on a block of the month that my mother and Vicki Parapya did for the SSWRDQG. I have two going at once, because my daughter wanted her's in orange. I wanted to do one in blue. So, I have one for me and one for her. Should be interesting. I've completed 5 months of blocks, so I have a ways to go.

I could just keep typing, but I'm going to get lunch, think about this blog, and decide how I'm going to do this. Should be interesting to see if anyone cares. (smiling)