Program 200!

21 thoughts on “Program 200!”

1. Congratulations on making the big 200 podcast. It was really great to hear your story about how your grandmother’s influenced your sewing roots. I really loved how you and your sister ‘borrowed’ the sewing machine and did not want to return it.

   I do not have a quilting or sewing mentor in my family. I did not know my grandparents very well and my mom was not a sewer. My first sewing project was a shirt in home economics that looked home made and wrinkled very bad every time I washed it. I started quilting when I took a class while my husband was overseas.

2. Today is Friday 13th and a bit spooky. I came to your blog for the first time today. I had been watching The Quilt Show this morning, episode 209 which I bought recently and I thought I would check out your pod casts as I am always on the look-out for something to listen to while sewing. You were doing this pod cast from Utah where my maternal grandmother was born near Salt Lake City. My great grandparents immigrated to the US from Denmark and lived in Utah for a while until great-great grandfather died and my great grandfather had to go back to take care of his mother and siblings. Sadly I never got to know my maternal grandmother because she died before I was born but she taught my mother to sew and my mother taught me to sew at a very young age. While listening to your pod cast I have been cutting out a skirt and used all what my mother taught me about getting something from nothing. I have moved the pattern pieces around on a remnant of fabric from a dress I made last year trying very hard to get the chosen skirt pattern to fit and I have done it! My mother taught me well – she was very creative when it came to getting something out of a left over piece of fabric being born in 1922 to poor parents and had to make do with what they could lay their hands on during the 30-ties and WW2. My parents got married in 1946 so my mother made all my dad’s and her own clothes including coats and suits having to cope with rationing of fabrics. I thought so much of her last week when I “re-fashioned” one of my husband’s shirts that was worn through on the collar into a nice summer blouse using almost every last scrap of fabric. My paternal grandmother taught me to embroider – hardanger, white work, pulled thread work and of course cross stitch. She also taught me how to knit and my mother how to crochet. Sadly I have not that fond memories of my paternal grandmother as my stitching and knitting was never good enough for her. My mother was a much better teacher and I hope I have passed on my skills to my 2 daughters so they feel they are doing a great job. They both love to sew and I used the inheritance from my parents to buy a sewing machine for each of them as I saw that as a fitting tribute to my mum especially but also to my dad who loved everything hand made – even the wonky tie I knitted for him in the 70-ties 😀 My girls have not grown up near our parents as DH and I ourselves immigrated 25 years ago so it has only been during some holiday visits my girls have had the chance to be with their grandmothers but none the less they both have the creative bug. My MIL was a home-economic teacher so she too was a prolific knitter and sewer as well as a very good cook something both girls our have got from her – certainly not from me or my side of the family
   Now I have better get back to my skirt sewing but I really want to congratulate you on your achievements and for telling us about your grandmothers!

3. My sewing and quilting mentor is my mother. When I was young she sewed me clothes and bags and blankets and all sorts of stuff. A number of years back she had a stroke and unfortunately can no longer sew, this just makes me want to continue making things for my daughter and the rest of my family so they will always have the things I made.

4. I didn’t really have one particular person who inspired or mentored me while I learned to sew. It’s just something everyone in my family did, and I don’t even remember learning specifics. When I learned to quilt it was about the same thing. Different group of people, but they were just everywhere. They say it takes a village to raise a child. It took all kinds of wonderful women to teach me to quilt.

5. My mom and my paternal grandmother were my greatest influences in sewing and quilting. My mom made clothes for herself and me and let me use her “one-stitch” old Singer from an early age for making doll clothes, My parents bought me my own portable Kenmore in mid- highschool, which went with me for a lot of years! Then my grandmother introduced me to quilting – she didn’t make a lot of quilts but had a sister-in-law who was very prolific quilter and my grandmother helped quilt on her quilts.

   One of my 1st quilts (pre-rotary cutter days!) was a huge log cabin I decided to make for a close friends wedding gift! My grandmother & friends helped hand quilt it – and also offered her house for the quilt to be set up on a huge frame to be quilted – while she was away in Fla for the winter! I made more clothes at the time – for myself. my mom and even my grandmother – but eventually with better tools, sewing machines and the re-birth of quilting I got back into serious quilting in the late 90’s – plus the fact that machine quilted pieces were actually considered to be “real” quilts! 🙂

   Great podcast Annie – and congratulations again on # 200!

6. Hi Annie
   Congrats on podcast 200. Quite the milestone. Especially considering your podcasts are often lengthy.
   My grandmothers both lived in England. We saw them on family visits when I was growing up. But the distance from Canada to England was to great to see each other often. My fathers mother did some wonderful applique table cloths. But I don’t remember much more of her work. My maternal grandmother is the one I have inherited all the handwork genes from. She did most everything. I grew up thinking every young girl had hand embroidered nighties and aprons. Everyday items were decorated with her lovely distinct Dorset Stitchery- paisley shapes. I do remember her teaching me basic embroidery and knitting. She didn’t really quilt- though my mother has a small pin cushion of hexagons. She was also an avid gardener, cook, preserved everything- and vine maker. Though just for the family- if the vicar cam to call he would be presented with store bought vine! When she died in 1991 I received many of her patterns for her embroidery iron on transfers complete with order forms. Also the book that seemed to inspire this style. I was delighted finally to find out how to do these stitches I had long admired.
   So though my mother did enough sewing when I was young, she never felt that competent. I think she did id more to save money and because she felt she ought to. I really took off sewing one summer with her blessing

7. …here is the end of the last comment.

   I started sewing the summer I was 10, on the family treadle I still have today. But somehow all those wonderful hand sewn gifts my grandmother sent us over the years really made a lasting impression on me.
   Nice to revel in the fond memories today listenig to your podcast. Thanks
   Claire

8. My next door neighbor Linda helped me make a dress when I was about 8 years old, but my true influence was my Grandma Rosie. She wasn’t a quilter, but I grew up with pictures and stories of the pretty dresses she made for me and my sister and the clothes she made for herself. I learned to tie quilts at church as a young teenager, but I think I made my first quilt top at Going to Pieces in Pleasanton with you!

9. Congrats on Show 200! Amazing!
   I don’t have memories of someone special teaching me to sew and quilt as I taught myself.

   When I was @14-15 I used my Mom’s singer sewing machine that barely got any use (and barely ran). Mom said she used to sew a lot before my time. I sat at the machine and made a crazy quilt type patchwork purse. My second project was a pair of army surplus jeans that I split open. I opened the inside leg seams and made a skirt. I made 2 upside down V sections in a crazy quilt patchwork type pieces, one for the front and one for the back. This was in the 60’s so I was styling. I wish I had a picture. I loved wearing that long skirt.

   I can instead talk about teaching close friends and realives to quilt but maybe another day?

   Cheers!!

10. Just found your blog while stumbling around. My mentor was my grandmother who gave me my great-grandmother’s treadle sewing machine to learn on. It was a workhorse and I spent hours learning to sew and making everything from clothes to quilts. I always felt the magic of sewing came right thru that machine to me!

11. I think my maternal grandmother influenced my sewing/quilting. Each summer she would travel from Tucson, AZ, to Kansas City, MO, to spend the summer with us. She always helped my mother get caught up with mending, etc. I remember her using a thimble and making the “quilter’s knot” and she taught me how to tie a comforter. She wasn’t a quilter and bought beautiful needlework items from very talented people, but she obviously had been around quilters when she was young. Like you, Annie, I wish I had asked more questions–but then I wasn’t a quilter yet! She also told me about her mother making dresses without a pattern. This same grandmother gave me my first Singer Featherweight. It had belonged to her sister-in-law who WAS a quilter. I named the machine Rosie after that great aunt.

12. Unfortunately, no one in my family quilted or sewed. A friend at work made quilts and she brought some in to show me. I was bitten by the quilting bug immediately after seeing them and I remember sitting in conferences rooms at lunchtime while she showed me the ropes. Shortly thereafter, I was taken under the wings of a wonderful group of women at a LQS. I walked in to inquire about their “sewing bees” held on Thursday evenings and the leader of the group not only welcomed me but said I really should come to the guild meetings too and offered to drive me. I was basically a stranger but she – and the other ladies – couldn’t have been kinder. As I was the “kid” in the group (they were all 10+ years older than I), they really were true mentors to me and their friendship means so much! I still wish I had family to quilt with, but these gals really make up for that! I’m still working on my daughter and DIL though – LOL!

13. Congrats on making 200! You are so upbeat.
    2 years ago I lost my job and was at a crossroads. I went to a guild meeting (couldn’t go before because of work hours) and met some wonderful people there! One especially….My mentor is a wonderful woman from the Guild. I apprentised with her for a year (learned to use a Gammill Statler on over 200 charity quilts) and then she “pushed me out of the nest”! I now have my own Gammill Optimum Statler, the cottage behind my house is my studio and home business and I’m the happiest I have ever been! Lu is still my mentor, my cheering squad, and my best friend!
    So my thoughts, when God closed this door, He didn’t open a window, He opened a canyon! What a whirlwind, what a time, and What a WONDERFUL friend/mentor!

14. I am fortunate enough to have a wonderful sewing/crafting/quilting mentor in my mother. She sews, knits, crochets, quilts, and does many other crafty things. She sewed for me and my sisters as we were growing up, often making matching clothes (which I now know was to make the most of a piece of fabric). She tried to teach me to knit, but I only learned recently, and mostly taught myself via internet videos. I still sew and quilt with her often as she lives near by. We have quilt retreats twice a year with about 25 of our other quilting sisters and a bee once a month. I love sharing a craft life with her!

15. I had a wonderful mentor in my Mom. She was very patient (mostly) and would rip things out so I didn’t destroy the garment! She helped out my sisters and I and we formed our own quilting/sewing guild growning up. One of us would lay out the pattern, another would double check to make sure it would work, another would sew, and the fourth would iron. We liked working in committee, made the real work of sewing much easier. We miss Mom now, but when we are able my sisters and I love to sew by committee even now. My daughters gave me a book of coupons, which included a promise of happy conversation over an hour of sewing or ironing. Pretty special gift from my teenagers……my own sewing committee!

    Happy 200th!

16. Congratulations on show #200, Annie! And what a moving story it was, thank you so much for sharing your stories of your grandmothers.

    My maternal grandmother taught me to sew – she made all her own clothes nearly all her life, mostly after her own patterns. My mum also made most of her own clothes, and ours, and I remember visiting the fabric stores with her, and picking out patterns and fabrics. I can sew clothes, and did for a long time, but I am not nearly the skilled seamstress that my mum or my grandmother were! My mum was the quilter, but she didn’t start until fairly late in her life, I think she was around 50 when she started. I was always fascinated by her work, and even visited Houston with her in 1997, the only time I have been, but never really considered starting quilting myself. Then in 2003 she passed away, leaving a huge fabric stash and a number of UFOs, as every self-respecting quilter should 😉 She actually willed these to her quilting friends, but as we were sorting through the things, her friend kept saying to me “oh, you can finish this!” “But I can’t even sew a straight seam!” was my answer – but to no avail 🙂 “Sure you can!” she said – so I ended up with several UFOs, and no idea what to do… A year later I found an evening class to join – and 8 years later I now co-own my own quilt store! I feel my mum with me all the time when I am quilting – it makes me sad sometimes to think that I didn’t find the passion to share with her when she was still alive, but she is there in every stitch I sew. And I named my longarm Jenny after her 🙂 Oh, but most of her UFOs are still UFOs – I haven’t had the courage to finish them yet… maybe I will finally manage to do that soon…

17. My mom hired the high school girl next door to teach me to sew when I was about 12. We made a “shift” together and I was hooked. I remember wearing that dress to church and feeling so proud of what I had made. I made my children’s clothes and their costumes for the plays they were in. Finally, when they had all grown up I signed up at the adult school for the quilting class. I loved the class and have been blessed with the friends that I made there and continue to meet with them in various “quilt groups”

    I love all your podcasts Annie, but especially enjoyed your #200 episode.

18. My mother’s maiden name is Carroll!!!

19. Hi Annie

    My maternal grandmother was also born in 1904. She had lived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (which was a small but fairly cosmopolitan city) and when my grandpa retired in 1946, they moved to a farm in Alberta. No running water, outdoor privy, wood stove, dirt cellar. Think Green Acres.

    But Grandma made the best of it, and her house was always cheerful and welcoming. But, she had no sewing machine – she had given it to her daughter (my aunt) and turned her creative skills to her wonderful garden. She had the most beautiful garden, full of flowers, and won several ribbons at the fair for her flowers and produce.

    She did continue to do embroidery and crochet, and I inherited some of her pieces. She did teach all three of her daughters to sew, and they all were prolific seamstresses and creative in other ways. My mom taught me to sew at age 8, and I’ve been doing it ever since!

    Thanks for your stories about your grandmothers. I really enjoyed them – and the comments that others have written.

20. I’m a bit behind on listening and just heard #200 tonight (while on the treadmill). I was touched by your recollections of your grandmothers. Neither of my grandmothers sewed or quilted. They knew how but put handmade behind them when the Depression ended and they could afford store-bought. I guess they considered handmade to be dorky (my word, of course) and store-bought seemed better. I didn’t really have a mentor for sewing or quilting, just always enjoyed crafts of just about any kind (remember macrame?) and eventually settled on quilting as my thing.

21. Dear Annie,

    I just listened to you 200th podcast. What wonderful memories you have of your grandmothers. I never really knew my grandparents as they had all passed when I was very young. I took an interest in sewing and knitting when I was about 8 years old. My mother always credited my interest to her older sister who was a prolific knitter and sewer. We were not allowed to buy Barbie clothes, because my aunt made dresses for Barbie dolls. That being said, my aunt really never sat with me and showed me how to sew or knit anything, we never discussed the subject. I do not remember her commenting on any of my projects. Fast forward to present day. After my last child graduated from High School, I was finally able to take quilting classes. Soon after I found a pattern that reminded me of one of my aunts on my father’s side. She had recently passed. I made this quilt and then presented it to her daughter at the annual family Christmas party. Well not only was she brought to tears, but also she was able to relate the quilt to our grandmother. My cousin is about 10 years older than me and remembers our grandmother. She remembers the quilts my grandmother made the kids. I never knew my grandmother quilted. As I reflected back on this story, it now makes sense to me where my love of sewing came from. Not my aunt as my mother believed, but through a grandmother who I don’t even remember. I feel a strong connection to my grandmother rather than my aunt when I do any sewing or knitting. Thanks for the podcast, I really enjoy listening when I can.