Tutorials
3.14.2022March 14th- 18th is known as National Quilting Week! Now, this is a pretty big deal for us here at Connecting Threads. We were inspired to reach out to our co-workers and ask them some questions about their quilting journey.
Elizabeth is one of our photographers, so you probably have seen some of her work and didn’t know it! We asked her a series of questions regarding her relationship and journey with quilting so we will let her take it from here:
How did you start quilting?
My mother was a professional quilter throughout my whole life, so I’ve been around it since birth!
My mother was a professional quilter throughout my whole life, so I’ve been around it since birth!
What is your favorite quilt-related project to date?
I made a wedding quilt for two of my closest friends and it ended up taking 2.5 years to finish. My mother helped me design it and start the process, but she passed away a few months into it. It took 18 months before I could pick the project back up again, but I was able to finish it just in time for my friend’s wedding. Presenting that quilt – designed and made by me, but with the original help of my mom, who had been like a second mother to my friend – was truly one of the most special moments of my life.
What does quilting mean to you?
Quilting is my home. I grew up on beds made with hand-sewn quilts, in the back rooms of fabric shops helping my mom fold fat quarters, and surrounded by stacks of unfinished projects. Quilting is a warm hug from a lost loved one or a memory box of textiles. It’s a craft that offers the ability to tell others you care for them and yet still offers the full breadth of creativity with just thread and fabric.
What do you wish you knew when you started quilting?
I wish I’d understood that textiles truly know no bounds. If you can dream it, the fabric gives you the ability to create it. There are no walls in the universe of quilting and it’s something I wish I could shout to everyone I meet who loves the craft.
What is your next project?
Planning out a quilt to mimic my favorite photo from a recent trip to Sisters, OR!
What is your dream project?
My Portland Bridge quilt – for years, I’ve been photographing the bridges of Portland to turn them into quilt blocks. So far, it’s only in the idea phase, but one day I’d like to actualize it!
Thank you Liz for sharing your story with us! How would you answer these questions?
