Sew Thinky Thursday

Emily, over at Momy's Nap Time is hosting a linky with a bit of a difference. Thoughtful blogging about quilting. Each week a different question. This first one is about your sewing history.... it's nice to look back so here goes.

design by Margaret Sherry

My Grandmother was a seamstress - she entered things in WI (Women's Institute) competitions and won prizes, she created collections of dolls, telling the history of British traditions which she toured round local WIs, she knitted, crocheted, made lace. And she did it all by hand. My Mum has a dressmaking background, but hasn't done any for many years. Lots of other bloggers talk about getting hooked on quilting when they were pregnant or new mums. I got hooked on sewing aged about 5! I was bought a long stitch tapestry kit, then another, and another and another.  By the age of eight I made my first ever cross stitch card. And for another 15 years I was a cross stitcher -

Design by Maria Diaz

I dabbled in free hand embroidery, I made a patchwork cushion, but really I was a cross stitcher. And I was definitely encouraged by my Mum. My Grandmother isn't the easiest of women, yet our shared love of all things made with the needle means that we have something in common, and are still able to have in depth conversations and forget some of the other problems.

Charlotte from Heritage Stitchcraft

Then I met Michael at university, and two weeks after we started dating, I was taken home to meet the family - baptism of fire or what? I met his sister, Steph, aged 13, who asked if she could be a bridesmaid (two weeks!). And I met his Mum, now my mother-in-law, Linda. And all of this is her fault! She took to me a local craft show and I saw a quilt made of seven hand embroidered panels.

Wilding Angels from Letters Tied with Blue

Then she took to me a Christmas class at the local quilt shop who sold the design. We did a little bit of embroidery and some hand stitching and I decided that I was going to do that quilt. So I did. We came back on my birthday for a class to make a memory book. But it used a sewing machine. And sewing machines scared me. I had a 1950s electric Singer and a 1980s Pfaff. But neither worked. So I bought a £100 machine from John Lewis and went to the class. And then I did another class.

Block made a class with Jennie Rayment

And another class.... and then I found the Vignette magazine at the shop, and then I discovered this wonderful online community and now I am 100% addicted. Fat quarters should come with a health warning!

Vignette in Stitches block 1

So thank you, Linda. And thank you Granny. And huge thank you, Mum.

Check out some other stories here