Last week I showed a quilt my Grandmother made that has been my source of inspiration. I began collecting quilt fabrics in the early 1980's even though I had never taken a class but I did study the quilt magazines. I just liked the pretty prints and colors. I made this quilt in 1987 in my first quilt class. We used the instructions by Blanche and Helen Young from their book Trip Around the World Quilts. Everyone cut 3 1/2 inch strips just like the book said to do, I wanted mine to be closer to my Grandmother's quilt so I cut 2 1/2 inch strips. The strips were marked and sewn together into a stair step pyramid then cut again, mine 2 1/2 inches wide and repositioned similar to the way a bargello quilt is sewn. I sewed most of the quilt top that day. Wow I was hooked on strip piecing. I finished the top and wanted it on my bed so bad that I tied it with pearl cotton. My mother gave me a wool quilt bat from a woolen mill. It had cheese cloth on one side and was thicker in the middle than on the sides. I tied all the knots on the back side because I didn't like the strings on the front. I thought I might hand quilt it one day or a couple winters when I am an old lady and rather than turn the thermostat up to to 78 degrees I will put on my wool sweater or two and get out my hoop and drape this over my legs and feet and hand quilt............. Just a look back to my quilt beginnings.--Ann--
