Top Notch

 I was Nominated from Terry TerryKnott To Participate in a few questions about me!!  This started from Melva melva loves scraps

And I will be emailing a few of you to participate!!!

These are the Questions for me!!! 

1. Have you had any major Quilting/Sewing successes that you'd like to share with us?

Heck ya!!! Tooting my Own horn... hmmm.... I quilted a quilt that won Reserve Champion at the fair, and!! one that won Grand Champion in a Fair.

My Biggest Brag tho - is teaching 100's of Kids to quilt, and to appreciate quilts, all while helping to grow Quilts of Valor to what it is today.

2. Were you influenced by any family members to get into Quilting? and have you passed on the love to the next generation?

Well..... I started Quilting because of my Dad. My Dad was Rescue and Recovery at the Twin Towers on 9/11   . He worked with many fire departments, and was given fire patches from each of the Departments there. My Aunt flippantly said - you should make him a Quilt with those patches.... so I did.

Also - this was the first quilt I made... and the WHOLE reason I purchased a Long Arm Quilting Machine - and!!! it is HUGE!!! 144 x 144 inches.... gulp.

The second part - yep - again - teaching all the kids to quilt, and quite a few of them ( as adults) come to our QOV sew days.

3. How do you learn best? Reading/Lessons, watching a mentor?

Do you really want to know???  I have a tendency to just jump in and try things - and if they don't work - try again. 

Binding would be the one thing I did take lessons for. I was getting teased a lot for not knowing how to do them properly , so Daisy B and Laurie A from my guild gave me lessons.  I am pretty sure they would both give me a D.... I did learn from them, but I also - don't follow their rules to a T 😍😍😜😜

4. Early Bird or Night Owl?

Is Yes an answer? 

5> What Quilt are you most proud of and why?

Hmmm - I am not sure?  I think everyone makes my heart a little happier!! I know!! I am most proud that the Quilts I ( we all) Make Comfort people and show them the love!!

I love the Stories the Quilts Tell, and the stories those receiving them tell. I love being able to hug people with a quilt, cuz in real life... Hugging people takes a lot of effort for me ;-)

Who is Next?  I forgot to email them before this post - so I'll have to let you know!!!

Linking to:

Inquiring Quilter - Wed Wait Loss

Find me at all these places:

    

Etsy        Instagram      Facebook       Amazon

(ps - a commission is earned on purchases from amazon thru my link)

Outstanding Blogger Award

Well this just made my week!!  Melva Nominated me for an Outstanding Blogger award.

If only she knew that this was just my way to get my words out without annoying my husband haha!!

This is just so sweet! Thank you!!

Alright - there is a job that comes with it - you have to answer the 5 questions that she asked... Oh boy!

How did you get started with quilting?

Totally By ACCIDENT!!! My dad was a Firefighter/EMT. He got Called to Ground Zero in New York on September 12th 2001 - the day after. He worked with many many many Firefighters, emergency personnel etc and they all traded patches from the various departments.

He came home with about 40 patches. He wanted a cool way to display them. I, being a seamstress - I owned a Maternity Manufacturing Company - brilliantly thought - wow lets make a quilt and put them on it! Well the patches continued to grow in number as I was planning the quilt. So I just added more blocks. I had decided to make a log cabin quilt - because that looked easy to me....(cough cough sputter spew) I had never used a rotary cutter. Nevertheless I conquered - and ended up with a King Plus size quilt with all these patches. I did not have a long arm ( now I do) did not know such machines existed, so I threw the monster on my little Janome and struggled to sew the patches on it.

Then not know that binding was a separate step, I folded the back over, mitered it and stitched it down - with the machine. It took forever! But it was done. It now resides on my Dads bed and is looked on with a lot of love.

Well it isn't perfect, but it was the intro to quilting. I had a lot of fun with that quilt, so I got a quilting magazine. There was a picture of a blue and white quilt I just loved - so I decided to make it for my Cousin and his new wife. I asked them there favorite colors, found the quilt shop ( who knew those things existed) walked in and told her ( she is now a great friend) I want to make this quilt in these colors. How do I do that? and voila - a quilter was born! Now I have a long arm and everything!!

What is your Favorite Block?

Umm too easy!  Churn Dash  - I even put one in my little header thing!!

Do you Participate in a quilt Club or Guild?

I do!! I belong to the Pieceable Friends Quilt guild in Greeley CO!

Have you ever entered a Quilt in a Competition?

I have! 

I was asked - as a new quilter - to join a group of ladies who were very excellent quilters to make a challenge quilt for a competition in Berthoud. You each had to make 3 blocks, and make 4 of each - one for each participant. Then we could set them the way we wanted - all of us using the same fabrics. and have it quilted and then all 4 quilts were the *competition* against other groups of 4.

I was terrified - I made my blocks while sitting at one of the *excellent* quilters house, to make sure ALL the measurements were correct. I am not sure that I have stressed over something so much - but! Our group won. ( I am sure it was because of one of the other ladies quilt... but Hey! I am claiming it!)

That was my top - I can't not find a photo of it quilted - so Heck... there's something to take photos of!!

What is something you enjoy doing outside of the quilting world?

Oh boy.... Lots of things... Roping, Riding, Taking Photos, Hiking, and get this... I am actually starting to enjoy cooking.... I actually really like to be outdoors when I can. 

So there you go - more than you wanted to know about me... haha!!

Thanks Melva for the Nomination: 

Now - To nominate a few others:

Pat at Bell Creek Quilts.  You should see this quilters amazingness!!

Donnaleeq - she has an amazing array of coolness!

Here are your Questions Quilters:  ( the same ones Melva gave me )

★  How did you get started with quilting?

★  What is your favorite block?

★  Do you participate in a quilt club or guild?

★  Have you ever entered a quilt in a competition?

★  What is something you enjoy doing outside of the quilting world?

Enjoy!!