What about an Acrostic Quilting Poem?  This can rhyme, be unrhymed, tell a story, give random facts, relate a family’s quilting history. You can use a word, phrases or complete sentences.  That’s why they’re so much fun…you can set your own rules.

 Mine is sort of a random list of acrostic facts.  But it has me thinking about one that tells a story or relates my Trails End Quilting heritage.

Q- Quiltmaking forms a bond among quilters of any age.

U – Use up those scraps with family memories for a unique quilt.

I – Into each quilter’s life must fall…quilt patterns, fabric and quilting bees.

L - Look for fabric stores and quilt shows wherever you travel.

T – Time passes too quickly when you’re involved in a quilting project and housework doesn’t get done.

M – Memories find their way into our quiltmaking.

A - Always stay ready to try something new in the world of quilting and fabric art.

K – Keep adding to that fabric stash!

I- I’m under the spell of the patchwork fairy who sprinkles quilting dust into our lives. 

N – Never refuse a gift of fabric, fat quarters, or quilting squares, no matter how worn or old.

G – Grandma taught me to quilt as I sat by her side in the farmhouse kitchen, carrying on the tradition of the Trails End Quilters.

Post from: Blisstree

Acrostic Quiltmaking? Sharing Poetry? Try Yours!

A quilt bridges the generation gap by connecting people from the past with people yet to come.  Perhaps that longing to participate in the future gives quilting its strong appeal. 

(Check out Kristen’s blog to learn more about Mary Tatum’s book and the remainder of this quote.)

Quilting, to me, is a bond between the generations.  I come from a quilting heritage, one I call the Trails End Quilters, that goes back at least to my great grandmother.  It’s also delightful that my daughter and granddaughter  are carrying on this tradition, too.  Beth often blogs about her quilting act at Meandering Threads.

(I call us the Trails End Quilters because the original ladies in our family who participated in this quilting art lived at Trails End Farm in the town of Milan, NY.)

Post from: Blisstree

The Quilt of Life – a Lovely Book on Quilting Philosophy & Inspiration

So even though I’ve listed seven facts at Home Biz Notes, I’ll see what information I can provide here that may be somewhat different, yet randomly related to quilting.

1. I began sewing at an early age, first doll clothes by hand with my grandmother (Nanny) and then an apron on a treadle sewing machine under the guidance of my 4-H teacher (Aunt Mary).

2. My quiltmaking began at age 8, when I sat beside my grandmother in her kitchen and stitched quilt squares together for quilts she made for my two brothers, my sister and me.  I still have my quilt even though it’s rather worn.

3. During the U.S. Bicentennial years, of 1975-76, I became involved in quiltmaking again which evolved into a home based business.   Initially my mother asked me to make quilts for her country general store.  The one lady supplying her couldn’t keep up with the demand.

4. I began writing for quilting magazines about this time.  This included articles about quilts and quilters.  For 8 years I also write a column, “The Business of Patchwork” and for 2 years “Work Patch.”

5. For several years, I made and sold children’s vests throughout the country.  These were specialty items with appliqued designs.

6.  I wrote “The Magic of Patchwork,” a book for young quilters and beginning adults.  It does go into the role of young quilters in our quilting history.

7. My daughter Beth now designs and makes quilts and fabric art, for which she’s received recognition.  Her blog is Meandering Threads.  I’m very proud of her and her achievements and receive inspiration from her these days.

Misc. Fact:  I no longer have a quilting business, but do work on many projects for fun.  I’d always said if I had to choose between operating my quilting business and writing, I’d have to go with the writing.  But I can’t let quilting go…the fascination of this art has me under it’s spell.  So I’m delighted I can write Quilting and Patchwork, meet quilters and fabric artists, see their work, learn about new projects and techniques…and write about them.

I also have some more book ideas in my mind.   Ask me about the Trails End Quilters!

I won’t tag anyone else for this meme since I think it’s been making its rounds for some time.  However, if anyone would like to list 7 Random Facts on their blog, I’d love to read them.  I hope you’ve found it interesting to learn a little more about my quilting background.

 (Although I’ve never made a Lone Star, the Missouri Star quilt was one of my most challenging, yet memorable quilting projects.)

Post from: Blisstree

Quilting & Patchwork Tagged for 7 Facts Meme

As I’ve mentioned before, this idea must date back to the old time quilting bees when the ladies contributed food for lunch at their get togethers.  Then the menfolk, and sometimes children, too, joined them in the evening in the evening for a social affair.

As I think of quilting at my grandmother’s when I was eight-years old, helping her make quilts for my sister, brothers and me, I also recall Auntie’s cooking.  At that stage in her life, my aunt lived with my invalid grandmother and cared for her.  Auntie was a wonderful cook and her kitchen always smelled so good as Nanny and I sewed.

I was fortunate that another aunt saved Auntie’s handwritten notebook with recipes she used and others she acquired from her mother, grandmothers, relatives and friends.  My daughter and I are in the process of compiling this as part of our family history.

Perhaps I should share a recipe occasionally from my quilting heritage.

RAISIN MUFFINS – Mix ingredients together until slightly lumpy:  1 tablespoon sugar, 1 egg, 4 tablespoons shortening, 1 cup sour milk, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 3/4 cup flour.   (Auntie’s recipe called for 1 cup graham flour and 3/4 cup white flour.)

Spoon into greased muffin tins.  Cook at 400 degrees F. for 12-20 minutes, depending on size of muffin tins. 

Post from: Blisstree

Auntie’s Quilting Recipes

I imagined that my great grandmother, Mary Barker Coon, must have been a quilter.  However, I didn’t know for sure.  Then I came across some of my grandfather, Burton B. Coon’s writings, which described his mother as a quilter and talked about the quilting bees the neighbor ladies held at one another’s homes.

So….Great Grandmother truly was a quilter.  Are some of those squares I found in my mom’s memorabilia ones she made?  I probably won’t ever know for sure, but I’ll have to research more closely their age by the fabrics used and the patterns.  Or they might be some made by my grandmother who taught me to quilt when I was eight.

If you want to know more about the quilters in your family, check into the genealogy.  You might look for family writings (old letters, journals, diaries), through census records, newspapers, and talks with older family members. 

Search through old photos, too, and see if any quilts appear on a couch, a bed, over someone’s lap.  If you recognize the patterns and fabrics, you may be able to recreate them these quilts or at least some of the blocks.

Those who enjoy genealogy, as well as quiltmaking, will find this search fascinating in many areas.  You’ll learn more about your heritage while becoming more familiar with quilts of your ancestors.

Post from: Blisstree

Searching for Your Heritage Quilters