BellaOnline Forums Hobbies and Crafts Quilting Quilting Friendships - our interesting stories

thanks rosie, im sure i will


tammie

One of my aunts had a quilt her mother started but never finished before she passed away. When I was in jr. high she asked if I would like to help her finish it. It was a real learning experience since I never met my grandmother. My aunt talked about her and quilting.

As I read through these posts, it is very apparent that I'm missing out on a great experience by not belonging to a guild. As I have mentioned earlier, I am a casual (and nearly self taught) quilter. If I want to do my own thing, or not do anything, as the mood takes me, would I be a good guild member? I've still got #1: the quilt that has been in my frame for 5 years, #2: I'm making some progress on the state blocks, #3: I have one graduating grandchild this year (he'll get a sampler) and #4: my sister has given me one of hers to finish. Would I be better off staying home?

Note to Judie: You call your husband DH. Those are my husband's initials. To go one step further he is DLH, so does that make him Dear Loving Husband?

GrannyH

Oh GrannyH you make me laugh!Say hello to your DLH for me. You know, I'd recommend you join a quilting group, somewhere local where you can meet people with the same focus. You don't have to bare your soul at this group, but you will find that there's always lovely quilt friends that are good to be around. Let me tell you my story.

I've been quilting since 1976 (and lovin' it!) and I joined our state guild here in Queensland in 1994. Prior to that I joined two cottage groups that met twice per month. Anyway, in 2004 I was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (the dreaded "C") and had to undergo chemotherapy for 8 months, followed by a Bone Marrow Transplant. The chemo protocol was 5 days straight of chemo followed by 3 weeks to get over it, recover and get ready for the next lot. This came to 40 days of chemo. So my darling quilting friends got together 40 little gifts. They gift wrapped them and arrived with them on my doorstep the first day of my 8 month treatment. They said that each day of treatment I was to open one present, the cheer me up and take my mind off what was happening. I simply can't tell you how much this meant to me. Not the presents, but the loving gesture behind the gifts. Little did they realise that the best gift they were giving me was their love and support.

When I talk about joining a quilting group - it's because we reap so much more from belonging to a quilting group - you're belonging to a common group of women who really care for each other. It all sounds very gushy I know, but I'm living proof that the sort of love and support you receive really can carry you through the tough times in life.

So go on GrannyH, join a group today, you'll still be able to make all those items you mentioned, but have some lovely times with other quilters along the way.

Even belonging to this forum is good for the soul. If you can't get out of the house to meet others, you can always have a chat and a cuppa here.


Cheerio for now

I so agree with you, Judie. Ladies who quilt are such a caring and loving group. Although there is the common bond of quilting, we all come from different lifestyles and different parts of the world. And yet, we can openly show our love and support in times of need and our true friendship in times of joy. I was put on disabilty and had to leave a job I lived for. Within two weeks, we had sold our home, packed our belongings into storage and I was living in a 26' holiday trailer on property we had owned as an investment in a very rural area where I knew no one. I was to oversee construction of our dream home while my husband continued to work miles away. He knew a couple of people he had gone to school with lived in the area. I met one of his friends, a lady who decided she would introduce me to quilting. My grandmothers had always quilted but I was not a sewer. This lady took me to their quilting get-togethers and I met some more wonderful ladies who had a large amount of patience as they taught me to sew and then to piece a quilt. That was 9 years ago and these amazing ladies are like family to me. I have not been driving and one of them is always there to take me where I need to go. I get phone calls two or three times a week just to see how I am doing. Another lady seems to know when I am getting closed in by the four walls and invites me out to lunch. Yes, I have learned quilting but the most important thing I have received is the friendship, the love and the support from this small group of quilting women. They have welcomed me to the area and included me in their circle while they shower me with kindness. Quilting is absolutely more than piecing two fabrics together and I recommmend joining a group, no matter how small or large.

I have no "real" friends who quilt or crochet my other love but have met the nicest women thru the net. I belong to several forums on both subjects and have learned so much. On the quilting forums I am the oldest member as far as I know but these younger women are really gung ho. It will never die out as a favorite hobby or pastime. There are no quilt clubs around here that I know of but I am going to call around to see if they are hiding from the public. LOL
Darlene