My Church Quilting Ministry Experience

[Diann]

When I returned home from Missouri, after having been there for nearly 3 months assisting with the care of my elderly father, I went to my church's new quilting ministry. We are making lap quilts to give as gifts to let recipients know they are loved and are being prayed for. We meet one Saturday a month and every other Tuesday.

I was introduced to a new quilting pattern (at least for me) called "crazy quilt". The idea is to pre-sew strips of material diagonally to pre-cut and sized batting squares. There are 4 squares which make up a block, and 4 blocks which when put together make a lap quilt. The strips do not have to be sized as to the same width, nor do they have to be squared. They do not have to be same in each block, so as to create a specific pattern, nor do they all have to be the same size in width. When the backing is added, sashes are added to the blocks. Then it is squared and a binding is added. That's it.

However, due to my having a excellent teacher who stresses precision and measure and re-measure and square and check it and square it again if necessary, I am having a hard time with not having to made the strips all the same for a particular pattern and I just cannot seem to add strips without squaring and measuring each one to be a 2" strip. So, in order to have all my corners of the squares in one block meet "perfectly" with each other, I have added my own touch -- I am zig-zagging my squares together. Then I will zig-zag the blocks together. I am not sure yet what I shall use for sashes or backing. Most of the materials are provided. So this is a new challenge in the World of Quilting for me.

Getting together with the other ladies is fun and encouraging when we see each one creating from their creativity. The fellowship is great as well. I had a fun time. I brought my materials home with me and it has been alluded that I would have had mine finished within a few days. NOT! I am a "NEWBIE" and have to take my time in thinking it through and carefully proceeding with all the steps as I have been taught. Thank you to my sister, my friend, my sewing (quilting) mentor, who also blogs on this forum.

[Granny Judy]

Awww. There's that ol addage. "Ya can't teach an old dog new tricks." "Ya can, but it may bite you before giving in." Yes, those words of wisdome come from My families quilting bees. Try 3 aunts, a grammy, Mom and 2 friends of Moms as teachers. Each with Their Way is the Right Way.

[Sandy Navas]

Do believe that your wonderful sister in KC may have left out just a couple steps . . . those that would have told you to relax and just do your own thing and have fun. Sorry, Deb!
Anxious to see your finished lap quilt!!!

[auntiemern]

Can't agree with Sandy more. Me, not so much a stickler about things needing to be perfect. The little imperfections are all part of their handmade charm. Have fun with it. When you start stressing over it, some of the enjoyment gets lost. Maybe you can teach them a thing or two with the way you have decided to do it.

[Diann]

Marilyn, I admit when hearing how these quilt squares were to be pieced together, I frowned all over it. I watched one quilter just start picking up the strips with not one care about whether they were even or the same width. But, once I decided how I was going to make mine - with all the strips measured out at 2", I was fine, and did not stress over it. I enjoyed every minute of it, including the challenge of having all the strips the same width, lining up all the lines and matching all the corners (and even with all of that, it still has "imperfections). And I have had some opportunity, as we all in the group do, in sharing how I made these particular squares. The idea of zig-zagging the squares together was mine, and a new concept to the group. I couldn't see any other way for me to do it (the emphasis here on "for me"). I took the zig-zagged block back to the group and once it was noticed that I actually had really zig-zagged them together, the block was examined very closely and the topic of conversation for a bit. Others have just recently attempted to try that application as well. And so, not only am I having fun with it, it had also shown some success with a new concept.

[madampolo]

What size does this lap quilt come out to be once finished?

[Diann]

Mine measures out to be 40x40". Each one is different depending on the size square - from 8" up to 12". Four squares to a block, four blocks to a quilt. A border is optional and the personal preference of the individual quilter. I included a border. Pictures coming soon. Thanks.

[debi weaver]

Hey, hey, hey, girls...this sister only taught HST and they really do look better when squared! I only had a little time with her, and it was full of relaxation, laughter, and accomplishments! Much needed antidotes for an elder-care giver!
Give me a little break, ok?! BTW, she came with those perfected seam wishes, so HST came easy to her!
And...added to all KC offered her (including an introduction to the MSQC famous cutting table & Jenny's family), at least she caught the bug for quilting which paved the road to a guild at home!
Isn't that worth a pat on the back or maybe just a small badge?

[Diann]

PLEASE! I did not intend to relay the message that I was stressed out in making this lap quilt crazy pattern. I, personally, just could not pick up uneven strips of material and sew them together to make a square. Some had wider tops and more narrow bottoms or vice versa. I know this was to be a "crazy quilt", and the unevenness did not matter, and was to be, actually, "the look". I just could not do it that way.

The quality of teaching I got was top-notch and included "having a good time" with making it and while doing it. My sister and I shared A LOT in the time we had together quilt making, including joking around and laughing (A LOT). We even went to a quilting meeting at her church and had a lot of fun and fellowship with other ladies while working on our individual quilts.

I already had within me the desire to have seams match and lines correct and corners meet even before I started quilting - I have been sewing other types of things for many years - clothing and household accessories.

The atmosphere and temperament surrounding me all the while I was making my very first quilt left me with a craving appetite for more. I am sorry I gave the impression of dissatisfaction and frustration. It was just a different concept, a different pattern, and one I found impossible for me to work with. In order for me to work in a diagonal strip style, my strips all had to be the same width, the lines had to line up and the corners had to match. Others worked, and are working, the original crazy quilt pattern quite well, and I hand it to them.

My next lap quilt will be working with squares!

[Diann]

ABSOLUTELY...and can't thank you enough. (Read my replies to others' posts).