Learning to Quilt

Even though I did sew and quilt here and there while growing up, I have been self taught (with the help of tutorials, books, YouTube, blogs, Craftsy) since I took sewing and quilting back up.  Here is a photo of a book that influenced me a great deal. 

 

The book is called "The Practical Guide to Patchwork" by Elizabeth Hartman.  And it is exactly that, a practical guide.  It has several gorgeous quilt patterns in it as well.  Some of the first quilts that I made were from this book.  I recommend this book (highly) to those who are just beginning to quilt and to those who are taking it back up.  (The quilt in the picture is a Turtle Quilt that I made for my husband in 2010.  At the time, I had no idea of what I had taken on!)

 

Here is a photo of one that I made from some leftover "scraps" that I had after making one of her quilts.  (January 2011)  I basically made the pattern up based on the pieces that I had leftover.  I did some straight line machine quilting with different colors.  It took me awhile, but I liked it then and still like it now!  I came across it the other day as I was "organizing" my sewing room.  (Hah! Like it will ever be organized!)