Just like any other quilter, it started someplace, somewhere and somehow. I started sewing when I was in high school and my first “real job” was working in a fabric store. As time went on, I worked for a drapery company and then did tailoring for a local men’s wear shop.
After a few years, I came to realize that “doing alterations” wasn’t my cup of tea. I cannot even begin to guess how many pants I hemmed or suits that I altered during my stint. I also came to the realization that I would never make a huge living doing alterations and decided to return to school and was accepted into a nursing program. So needless to say, the sewing took a back burner while I was studying and going to school.
There had been so many times that I would travel through the town of Elmira, Ontario and always noticed the quilt shop “Reichard’s” since they had the most intriguing quilts displayed in their front windows. More than once while gawking and driving at the same time, I would often think to myself “I wish I could do that”. I decided to take the plunge and go in.
Boy, talk about being overwhelmed!! It took a couple of trips to this quilt shop, when I finally decided to take a class, the first of many to come. At the time, I was juggling two part-time jobs and was constantly switching shifts to attend “classes”. The Director of Nursing thought that I was dedicated to my profession but what she didn’t know was that these courses were “quilting” related not “nursing”.
After a few years and quite a few changes in my personal life, I decided to relocate to Ottawa, Ontario to accept a full-time Operating Room position. On my days off, I searched out quilt shops and went to quilt shows in the surrounding area. I came across a vendor “Annabelle’s” from Brockville, Ontario at a quilt show and started talking to one of their staff by the name of “Nellie Holmes”. We hit it off immediately and she convinced me to make the trip to Brockville to see the shop. I had never been to Brockville before, only drove by it a few times on the 401.
Annabelle’s became my secret get away from the busy and at times hectic days in the Operating Room plus the “quilting disease” had been in remission caused by relocating, new job, new city etc. I remained in Ottawa for four years and decided to return to nursing school once again for upgrading. I had two choices, either attend a local college in Ottawa or relocate to Brockville and attend school there. This was a “no-brainer” since I knew more people (quilters) in Brockville than I did in Ottawa.
Now fast forward 8 years later… I now work as a Critical Care nurse in Kingston, Ontario, teach at our local quilt shop “Taylor’s”, I’m a member of the Thousand Islands Quilters Guild and started blogging Will Work for Fabric. I’ve been blogging for a year and a half now.
I really don’t take myself too seriously but also wanted to share with others “a quilter’s life” . I get odd looks from people when I tell them that I’m a quilter on my days off away from the ICU. (Keep in mind, I’m 45 years old and have been quilting for almost 20 years).
I get a kick out of each of my blog entries whether it’s about my latest quilt that I’m building, skiing with Neil, or the adventures of our French-Canadian, bilingual golden retriever, Dakoda, or family life while living in Brockville. I hope you enjoy reading my blog as much as my family does. No secrets revealed here.
Thank you for such an interesting story of your quilting history. It has drawn me to go visit your blog.