Please join me in welcoming today’s guest blogger, Beth Helfter, as she shares with us her quilting journey. Leave a comment below for a chance to win a kit of Beth’s Funky Tree Farm pattern too.
Sixteen years ago next month, I became a quilter. Logic might then lead you to guess that my age is somewhere between 60 and 80 and that I have a full head of gray hair. In both cases, logic would be wrong, although in the second case this is mostly due to the fabulous invention we call L’Oreal Excellence Crème hair color. In reality, I’m a brunette-turned-redhead of 41, and have proudly called myself a serious quilter since the ripe old age of 25.
While I am no longer the infantile quilter that I once was, I still refuse to put myself in the mid-range of quilters, and will resist doing so until I am at least 93 if possible. Young is an attitude, after all, and I have plenty of that. And thanks to most sources I found when I used the very professional research tool "Google", which puts the average age of quilters at between 55 and 62, I have a long way to go before I am average – as if I ever could be. Even though my campaign to keep me the youngest member of my guild via blocking all new members under 40 is destined to fail miserably, I’m apparently still on the younger end of all quilters everywhere, and I’ll keep it that way as long as possible.
Those of us who discover quilting at younger ages get to have many more decades to enjoy our art than those who take it up later in life, but sometimes we have to work just a little bit harder to be taken seriously. A friend of mine, Robin Koehler of "Nestlings by Robin", told me that she walked into a guild meeting for the first time as a thirty-something and was immediately taken aside by one of the members and taught all sorts of basic quilting stuff. Little did the member know she was already a published designer.
Another member of my EPQD facebook community, Lisa Dragan of "Equulibrim Studios", told me people tell her all the time she doesn’t "look like a quilter" because she sports tattoos and sometimes quilts directly from the horse barn in riding breeches and boots. And I’ll truly never forget the time I asked for a quarter yard cut of fabric at a quilt shop when I was about 30 and was asked if I wanted a fat quarter or a regular quarter yard. When I replied that it didn’t matter to me, the sweet lady behind the counter put on a caring face and asked "Honey, you do know they are different shapes, don’t you?"
Now, many of you are likely asking "WHY did she only ask for a quarter yard of fabric? That is barely enough to make a pincushion!" The answer would be two-fold: 1. I was buying other fabrics as well, so never fear, I am a real quilter (even though I never prewash, but that’s a blog for another day). And 2. Sometimes we quilters with young families need to be cheap so as to pay for the numerous dance recital costumes, swimming lessons, drama lessons because we don’t get enough of that for free from our kids, and 35 pairs of shoes each season. Having to share my resources, which could be used for fabric, with my family is a burden, but one that I shoulder happily. I figure eventually everyone will be out of the house and out of my wallet, and then I can buy as much fabric, in all shapes and forms, as I like. Until then, it’s another price to pay for being a youngish quilter.
I attended a webinar with Maria Peagler recently, and she gave a statistic that was upsetting to me – there are fewer quilters in America now than there were a few years ago, and the segment that has dropped off the most are quilters under 45. Ladies, (and a few gents I am sure), where are you going and GET BACK HERE! But on the other hand, I do get it to a certain degree. For those quilters in the throes of raising families, quilting is just one more thing to add to the day’s "to do" list, and in our quest to make everyone in our lives happy except ourselves, something that gives us pleasure is the first thing to go. But it shouldn’t be. I am a firm believer both in "a happy mom means a happy family" and in my own personal 20 Minutes a Day rule.
See that quilt? That’s one that I use in my trunk show to demonstrate that 20 minutes a day can really add up. Sure, that was a lot of 20 minute increments of my life over the course of two and a half years, but those 20 minute increments may have been all that kept me sane and feeling like I was accomplishing something just for me during the first two and a half years of my twins’ lives. And there is a lot to be said for remembering what makes YOU happy while you are trying to keep everyone else in your family happy. I am not sure how to reach all the former quilters who have given up due to a perceived lack of time, but I sort of want to make it a personal quest now to get them back. Because for one thing, the more under 45 quilters we have, the longer I can stay well under the average age. Do it for you. Do it for me.
There is one huge bonus I can think of to having a young family and being a quilter or quilt designer – you have cute models for your photos who will work for Goldfish crackers. Take this photo of my eight year old daughters, Eva and Paige, that I use on the inside cover of my "Diamond Dazzle" pattern. Cute, huh?
My friend Jen Eskridge, the thirty-something force behind "ReannaLily Designs" used this cute photo on the cover of her book. Who can resist those little feet?
It’s sometimes amazing to me that I have been doing this for as long as I have, and when I give my trunk show lecture to guilds I can only hope they enjoy comparing where I have come from to where I am now as much as I do. Every time I start at the beginning of my journey 16 years ago, I am amazed by how my style has changed so drastically. But that’s another fun part about being a quilter with decades ahead of you – you can experiment at will and find your bliss in your own style at whatever pace suits you, and can keep growing as a quilter for a little longer.
I’ve always liked the look of appliqué, but it took me years to develop my machine appliqué style of using lots of tone on tones for backgrounds and lots of funky shapes and fun embellishments to dress it up.
Although most of my designs tend to use some sort of machine applique and embellishment, I do now and then create something pieced as well, but like my applique, my pieced designs have evolved from traditonal to more artsy. Some might even say "wacked out".Which I would take as a compliment.
I want to thank Michele for allowing me to muse this week about the joys of discovering quilting at a youngish age. I hope no matter how many years you have been quilting and no matter what age you were when you discovered it, that you always have nothing but joy for this art that gets under your skin like no other! I also hope you will visit my blog, Quilting Hottie Haven, now and then to find out what new things I am up to or musing about!
For now, I’d love to hear your comments and am offering a kit to make my "Funky Tree Farm" pattern pictured above to a lucky winner who has something lovely to share about his/her quilting experience.
Give-Away
To enter the give-away: Leave a comment below sharing a brief quilting story of your own. One random winner will be selected next Wednesday to win one of Beth’s "Funky Tree Farm" quilt kits.
If you’re reading this on Facebook, please visit the blog and leave your comment there, not on Facebook. CLICK HERE to visit the blog post.
I love the funky tree design.. my kind of quilting. I too started out in traditional quilting which I still enjoy but am venturing out in my artistic form, namely landscape. I’m still learning techniques. There isn’t anything I can think of that I don’t like about quilting. . so many possibilities for expression. The fabric is the medium and the quilting is the fun and the art.
Enjoy reading your story, very inspiring. Love the Funky Tree Farm quilt.
I started quilting in my early forties when my twin girls wouldn’t wear those cute little dresses I made any more. The “cool” kids didn’t have mothers who sewed, which I thought was kind of sad! Anyway, my fabric addiction remains intact and merely took a turn for the better… toward quilts. (Come to think of it, I guess I should thank my daughters!) Beth’s patterns are a lot of fun, and I love the bright colors she favors!
I started quilting using scissors. I cut lots of rectangles from my families clothes. I used mattress protectors as my batting and sheets for the backing. With such a non tradition start at quilting I find it very easy to just do my own thing and not worry about the rules.
I started quilting in my early 20’s too and up until this year, I was the youngest member in my guild. I am sure many of them think I am a new quilter, but I just don’t have the same amount of time/resources, with two young children as those of them who started when they retired. I completely relate to your story. Thanks for the giveaway!
Thanks for sharing a bit about you and where you come from. I’m 48 and still consider myself a newbie;o) as my skills are not what I would like for them to be. My granny quilted and its always been something I wanted to learn. A few years ago I bought one of those rag fleece blanket kits from Joann’s and made it for my youngest daughter. That helped sew (smile) the seed for quilting. Not that I started right away. It was a few years after that project that I came across a quilting blog (oh my, do I ever enjoy reading them). Now to apply as much time to sewing as I do surfing the quilting blogs I would be well on my way lol. Thanks for a chance at the giveaway. Sarah
It’s nice to hear about other “youngish” quilters. I’m 29, and have a hard time being taken seriously when I go in the fabric store- especially when I have my 9-year-old and 4-year-old daughters in tow. Once, I was buying material for a quilt I was making for my husband (I was making a Pittsburgh Penguins inspired quilt and used the colors from their jerseys- black, “Las Vegas Gold”, and “Carolina blue”) and the fabric lady looked at me and said, “The black and gold are going to be very pretty, but what are you going to do with the blue?” When I told her that all the fabric was going into the same quilt she turned up her nose and told me it wouldn’t work. I bought the material and made the quilt anyway. I’ve received more positive comments about that quilt than any other I’ve made so far!
I’ve been sewing clothes (for myself and others) since I was in the 6th grade. For 9 years, a friend of mine tried to get me into quilting, since she was an AVID & expert quilter. Somehow, and for some reason, I never made a block. I got her into machine embroidery, but it wasn’t until we moved away from each other that I tried my hand at quilting. My first piece was a small machine appliqued bird house wall hanging. I haven’t stopped since! LOVE it!!! Of course, I still make an outfit every now & then, but nothing like before! And even tho I’m at the low end of the “average” quilter’s age, I’m usually the youngest one in the room at any given quilt shop or workshop. Not that I mind :)
I am not a young quilter, but just bought a new sewing machine after 20 years w/o. Just sewed clothes and craft projects before. Said I would never get into “quilts” but guess what..discovered baby quilts since my daut is expecting triplets and am working on a toyko subway quilt and have the fabrics lined up to do a bottled rainbows after that is done….what is it about quilts that draws us in?
I created a “100 Wishes” Quilt for my neice. My brother and his wife adopted her from China. To welcome and celebrate a new life, there is a tradition in the northern part of China to make a Bai Jia Bei, or 100 Good Wishes Quilt. It is a custom to invite friends and family to contribute a patch of cloth with a wish for the baby. Part of the patch of cloth goes into the quilt for the baby, and the other part of the cloth can go into a creative memory notebook with the wish for the child. The quilt contains the luck, energy, and good wishes from all the families and friends who contributed a piece of fabric. The quilt is then passed down from generation to generation.
If you click on my link you’ll see the quilt come together. This was my largest quilt project by far! I received so much fabric from family and friends that i made a King sized quilt…with a pieced front and back.
I can’t wait to start on my next quilt top.
I came to love quilting when I used it as therapy to help get me through a divorce. Fast-forward five years later….I’m on my honeymoon with my new husband and he says, “Sweetie, I know how much you love to quilt. Would you like to quit your job, stay home, and try to quilt for a living?” Say what?!!! Heck, yes!!!!
Thanks for the opportunity to win your generous giveaway!
As a super young mother/wife and a hubby that was usually unemployed in the winter, I started quilting to make gifts. I was an avid reader and craft magazines my only source for ‘how to’s’ but I managed with some pretty nice things…I drafted triangles in gingham for my first try…I birthed that baby and stitched in the ditch then tied in places to hide the puckers…no walking foot…didn’t know about that. I had to put crafting away since I just didn’t have the room or time with six little ones; but once they started leaving home HA I got a room ALL TO MYSELF!!!! I make that my haven…
This was an interesting interview…love your humour. True quilting story…I have an arrangement with my lqs. They put out a little basket and when there are classes people can put the little scraps that they would otherwise throw in the garbage in it for me. There is another basket for “scraps” that the store keeps. I just get the really small stuff. I have a couple of brown paper bags full of scraps and they are so fun to play with. I’ve made about 15 different items from those scraps and I have a postage stamp QIP that is going to be a full size quilt. Thanks for achance to win.
I am learning to quilt on break from college this summer w/ my mom – what a cute pattern! thanks!
I am making two quilts right now for my twin sisters -picnic quilts for them to use this summer – I am a new quilter so not too much fun stuff to tell! thanks!
I learned to quilt Sept 2001, almost 10 years ago. It’s been a nice journey. Thanks for the chance to the pattern. It’s cute!
Great story and great quilts. I’m a beginner and yes I’m doing mostly traditional patterns but like you I’m doing some nontraditional quilts in that I’m starting to applique and I have been dyeing my background fabric and piecing them together. I’m having so much fun dyeing fabric right now that I’m a little behind in the piecing and the applique.
I’ve only recently started/discovered quilting. Started with a doll quilt, have just completed (well need to finish the binding) a simple cot quilt. And have the fabric waiting for me to start two single quilts for my kids for christmas…I think I’m hooked!
Thanks for sharing your story. I really enjoyed reading your post.
I enjoyed reading your story. I am 51 and am also the youngest in my guild. I love to do traditional quilts, but also love doing what fellow guild members refer to as quilting “outside of the box”. I often use colors, designs or techniques that are a little out there. What’s fun is several of them are joining me!
Like the others, I enjoyed your story. Me? I had sewn Halloween costumes (large and didn’t have to actually fit) for my children, but never made actual clothes for daily wear and didn’t make quilts or anything like that. Then in 2005, one of my twin daughters gave birth to a baby girl. I had a friend that had quilts throughout her house, but I had never seen her actually make a quilt. When I asked her if she would make a quilt for my new granddaughter, her answer was, “No, but I’ll teach you how to make a quilt.” And that’s how my quilting hobby started in 2005. At the age of 52, I made my first quilt. Since then, I haven’t made a lot of quilts (I think I’ve made 5 or 6), and it’s so long between each quilt that I feel like I’m having to learn all over again each time I start one. But now I’m trying to get into a rhythm of practice on the quilts. I’ve joined a few challenges for charity quilts and hopefully with the practice I get with those, I can get more and more experience and gain more confidence. It does my heart good to see younger quilters like you. I’ve got twin daughters and I’ve tried to get them interested, but haven’t been successful. I’m hoping to get my 5-year old granddaughter for a week or so this summer and have plans to get her with me at the sewing machine to see if I can get her interested. That would give the two of us a bond that I have with nobody else in the family.
I started quilting quite a few years ago and have many UFOs to show for it. I started sewing clothes for my daughter when she was born and from there moved into quilting. I love it. But my daughter doesn’t. So I am going to try to get a granddaughter into quilting in a few years.
I took up quilting in my early twenties also but as soon as I had my daughter I put it on the back burner while I did mostly sewing for her. Now I am a grandmother and I am back into quilting again. I mainly made baby quilts using traditional patterns so I don’t think I can say I have a certain style. I do remember asking my brother to make templates out of metal for me and I still have those. I also remember cutting all the pieces by hand-I know that dates me:-) To say that my rotary cutting tool is my best friend is an understatement. Thanks for sharing with us!
I started quilting 20 some years ago! Guess I was young then!!! Three kids later I am still loving quilting! Wishing you the best on your quilting journey
I started piecing and quilting in the 70’s when we needed a quilt to go with our new antique brass bed. Got hooked and I now carry hand piecing wherever I go.
Last week I was visiting my 3-yr old grandson and he “helped” me by cutting slits into the feathered star I was finishing up when I went into the kitchen to get him the jujice he’d asked for.
He was so proud of himself I could do nothing but bite my lip, thank him for his help, remind him that he isn’t supposed to cut things without help, and resolve to carry my scissors with me from then on.
Thank you for sharing your quilting journey. You are so right about that 20 minutes a day being a necessity! Your daughters are adorable! I’m a traditional piecer, but I enjoy applique too, needle turn mostly, although modified to be a bit easier for me. After all, it’s got to be something we enjoy right?!
I’ve been quilting for about 10 years myself and have gotten started as a longarm quilter in addition to piecing. It’s addictive!
yeah, 40somethings…..i always feel like the baby at guild meetings….i started quilting when my granny gave me her button jar and scraps to play with at 3….love love love your story!!! keep it going!
I adore the funky tree farm and I enjoyed your quilting journey. Hooray that you have conquered the “never enough time” dilemma; it’s an encouragement to all of us.
Though I made my first two quilts at age 16, I didn’t “become” a quilter until 16 years ago. I took my Camp Fire USA group to a local quilt shop for free lessons offered. As the lessons progressed, I thought to myself, “I can do this!” A year latter I worked for that shop as a clerk, long arm quilter and instructor. The quilting bug bit me hard!
I REALLY enjoyed your writing! You are delightful and refreshing, for such a youngster…
You have a wonderful perspective on quilting and do beautiful work. I will be using your 20 minute tip and hopefully add more quilting to my life!
How fun to hear of your beginnings and to see those cute models showing off your quilt. I tried a “quilt” when I was 18..no instruction and used the unfinished top anyway till my granny tied it for me years later. But when I was 42, I got a new Bernina and a quilt class and my life hasn’t been the same since. What did I do with all that time before? Well, there was school and work and more school but really..what did I do?
I hope I win the Funky Tree Farm kit because it is really cute!
Love the results of your “Scrapapalooza 2003-2005.”
I made my first quilt in a blizzard of 1996. As a teacher, I had a whole week off since school was out that long due to the snow. So that means, I made my first quilt at 23 and am now a ripe old 38 and happily still quilting. My kids, however, get dragged along to guild meetings, shows and recently a Shop Hop. The daughter is dying to make her first quilt and the son still likes to eat the scraps. Fun way to keep the hobby in the family! Thanks for the stories!
Lynn
I learned to quilt standing next to my grandmother when I was about 6 or 7 yrs old. She had an old fashioned quilting frame and she always threaded a needle & allowed me to quilt. Somewhere in the family are probably some of the quilts with my long, uneven stitches some 60 yrs later! She also allowed me to use her “treadle” sewing machine at about the same age. I had to stand to pump the foot pedal, first with no thread then later using scrap fabric & learning to guide it through. I am still sewing and making quilt blocks, tops, etc. Not too much into the quilting end any more.
GORGEOUS kit !! I love your quilts (and the kids are pretty cute as well…!! ) I too am a young (ish) quilter – I started when I got married 15 yrs ago, and I’ll be 38 this year. I am the only quilter I know :( but I now refuse to make quilts for people – I offer to teach them how to make one themselves !!! I would love to make 4yrold DD a “proper” quilt, but I never seem to have time – however, I think I might take your 20 min approach…. Thanks for the kick-start, the chat and the opportunity !
I started quilting in 2001 and still love it. I love the traditional quilts with Civil War fabrics being my favorite. I belong to our local guild and two quilting groups in our town. I also have lots of UFO’s or WIP.
What a wonderful story and the pictures are great. Thank you for sharing and it’s very nice to meet you
I always saw these beautiful quilts in movies as in South America was not released patchwork. One day I took some classes and did my first block, from there I could not stop, thanks to blogs I can keep learning. Greetings from Uruguay. South America.Maria isabel
I tend to stick with traditional piecing projects, but I really like the look of the Funky Tree Farm! I may have to expand my horizons a bit!
I understand completely how daughters take up most of the quilting money. I would do little projects from time to time when my two girls were little. I remember the year I made their Halloween costumes. A fairy princess and clown. I still have the clown costume. We also had dance recitals, choir costumes, and then drill team. Now they are both grown and much of the sewing I do is to decorate their homes. I’m retiring this year from teaching and really plan on expanding my quilting and sewing to try different techniques.
Thanks for your story. I don’t think it matters how old or young you are just as long as you enjoy it. I guess the older ladies you know didn’t have the opportunity to do both when they were young. Quilting brings together people of all different backgrounds which is a great thing.
Happy days.
Bev.xoxo
I love quilts that have nature themes!
I started off quilting with an Elenor Burns Log Cabin book and a sewing macine from Sears. It was hard starting out without a quilty friend and trying it by myself (the binding was a mess, I could not for the life of me figure out how to attach it so hubby helped me) Now I have internet quilty friends and groups to get support from and fuel my ever growing fabric addiction!
I started off making an “I Spy” quilt for my youngest son; had crocheted for my other 2. I really like quilting so much more! I like just about all styles of quilting now; would like to do some wonky patterns…
Thank you for sharing your quilter life journey. It is always fun and inspiring to read other’s journey…I am still a beginner at this….and always learning new things everytime i sat in front of my notebook….I can say that I am a self learner…learn from those gorgeous tutorial provided by generous quilters….it not for the internet, I think I would still be struggling to learn this art! :)
I NOW START Patchwork. ME very enjoyable fun. MANY INTERNATIONAL SITE viewer, I had A LOT to learn from them!
I’m the ‘baby’ in my sewing group. At 47, I really shouldn’t be! The good news is that recent quilt exhibition winners of ‘best of show’ have been young mums! How great is that!! The philosophy of a few minutes for mum each day seems to be sinking in… still – with kids to organise and jobs, it is hard. I’m often brain-dead at the end of the day. Can barely get through the chores let alone sewing! But there is always a lovely quilty book for those days. And sewing on others!
Thanks for sharing your story!
Yes I love the funky tree design also I’m moving more away from the traditional to art quilting it’s having more appeal at the ripe age of 53. lol
My 18 yr. old granddaughter and I made her a T-shirt quilt together this spring. I think I may have planted a seed for a future quilter. (fingers crossed) She, now has bought a kit for a robot baby quilt and some fabric for 2 pillowcases..All her own idea. I know the next few years will be terribly busy for her but at least, she has an inkling what it takes to make a quilt and she loves going to the quilt shop!!! Yeah!!!
I started quilting about 10 years ago and love it. Can’t get enough. Going on a shop hop in June and can’t wait. Your quilts are beautiful.
I am currently raising my 3 kids, ages 11, 9, and almost 8. Life is very hectic, especially with one kiddo with spina bifida who uses a wheelchair for her mobility. I have recently made sewing a priority again & it’s so important to my sanity. I stay up too late at night most nights, but it settles me & I am ready to tackle the next day after having some time for ME & a release from thinking about all of the stressful things in my life. I really enjoyed your story & need to continue to commit to 20 minutes a day. I take a small hand sewing kit to baseball games (and everywhere), so I can sneak some sewing in no matter where I am with spare time! Love the tree pattern!!
I took my 1St quilting class with templates and scissors! Oh I love the tools available today! I am a traditionalist, but also love paper piecing!