I hadn’t intended to post twice today but Gemma over at Pretty Bobbins created such a thoughtful post that it made me thoughtful! She was looking back at the growth in her journey as a quilter. I have to say, she started this whole deal WAY ahead of me!
Since I post nearly every day, you probably have a good idea of where I am now so I thought I would get real and show you my first ever quilt. You might want to look away now.
Don’t say I didn’t warn you!
This picture is not good. But that may be good for you. It is bad. Are you ready? Brace yourself!
I made all these counted cross stitch blocks while pregnant with my first born. I knew I wanted to make a quilt but had no idea how. I got library books and watched a quilting show on PBS. There wasn’t nearly as much info available back then. Have you recovered enough for some close ups? Here goes.
Are you still with me? LOL! Those are some honking big stitches! I could say I invented big stitch quilting but if I am honest, that was NOT my intent! My husband had recently taught me to use a second hand sewing machine and this was all cut with scissors. I made a twin when dear son was still in a crib because I figured it would take a lifetime to finish. It took 6 weeks and I thought I was fast!
However, this quilt started a passion for quilting and creating that has never died. As ugly as it is, this quilt was my first and that is important. Will I pass it on to my grandson? Hmmmm. Maybe, maybe not.
It is good to look back and see how far I have come. It also reminds me that my hubby is my biggest cheerleader. His grandma was a master quilter. He KNOWS what a good quilt looks like. If he had told me how bad this quilt was, it might have been my last but he always believed in me. Even when I didn’t believe in myself. Thanks, love.
Now head over to Gemma’s and read the stories of others quilting journeys!
And if this is your first time here, please look around and see that I have actually improved!
KatyQuilts 
Oh my goodness, I LOVE this post!!! That quilt is awesome. Sure, it’s totally a first quilt 😉 But it has so much love in it! I love that you used cross stitch patches in it, would you ever do that now? That’s the best bit of being a beginner, you do unusual things because you don’t know the “right” way. AWESOME! I do hope you pass this quilt onto your grandson. It might not be your style now but it seriously says so much about the love you have for your family (and your husband for you – bless him for not discouraging you!). Thanks for linking up xxx
Katy, Your first quilt is wonderful! You are way too hard on yourself… I love the counted cross stitch and your stitches are very even for a first-time quilter. It is a family treasure for sure.
This quilt was made with love and in the end, that is all that matters. I came over from Gemma’s so I will go look around some more now.
I happen to love your first quilt! It is you, where you were at, at the point you made it. And I bet that you have come a long way since. (I have to check out the rest of your blog as i am one of Gemma’s hoppers from hers, checking out the blogs she suggested on “I Quilt”). When my kids were little cross stitch was the way to go so they have those to look back at. I only started quilting over the summer and I just finished my first quilt top and it’s for my biggest cheerleader, my husband. Now to put it together and decide how I want to quilt it. I haven’t taken any formal classes, I have just been watching tutorials and reading blogs to learn what i have learned. What a wealth of information you Ladies are, and i thank you very much. This week I signed up for and completed my first swap and I signed up to a Quilt Along for November. I’m playing catch up to all of you that have been doing this for years. Lol!! I find it very therapeutic though.
Keep doing what you’re doing. It’s a beautiful I thing!
That is an amazing first quilt…no warnings to look away were necessary. Your hand stitching is gorgeous. It is good to have family that believe in you and to reflect back on growth.
Your first quilt is lovely! Your early hand quilting was very good. My first attempts at hand quilting were on a doggie quilt for a dog we had then. I think my stitches were at best 2 per inch and crooked. LOL! But they got better.. I don’t have that quilt anymore because another dog we got later ate a whole in the center of it when she was a puppy. I think it’s cool to be able to look back at our earlier work and see how we change and grow. 🙂