Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Boxy Star Quilt begins along with my first GIVEAWAY!


Wow! I'm still alive! It's been a month since my last post. I've been very busy trying to get all of my odds and ends done around the house before making a jump into quilting. With that said, along came the Olympics and my quilting got put on the back burner. I love the Olympics: from the opening ceremony to swimming, gymnastics, etc. I love it all! How exciting to see history be made right in front of my eyes. Michael Phelps took home 8 gold medals. Congratulations, Michael! Thank goodness the Olympics ends on Sunday. I have been so deprived of sleep. I watch the Olympics until 1:00 AM and must be at work by 7:30 AM. What can I say...the Olympics only happens every 4 years.

Well, I wanted to share my beginnings with you...my Boxy Star Quilt. I have completed 4 quarter squares to make a larger square. Above is a posted picture of it. I didn't think my color scheme would look right but since I pieced one square together, I am really liking this. It took me forever to start my quilt. Thanks to Diane who sent me a Rotary Cutting Book, I am now couragious enough to continue with my quilt. This book is so wonderful. It taught me how to use my rotary cutter with no cuts. THANK YOU, DIANE! You're a doll!

Since I started my first quilt, I thought it would be fun to have my first GIVEAWAY. To be eligible, all you have to do is blog to me and tell me the name of your first quilt with a brief description. Your name can only be entered into the drawing once unless you go the extra mile and send a picture of that first quilt to me; your name will go into the drawing three more times with a picture which could give you a total of four entries. This GIVEAWAY will end fast so start blogging. The deadline is Friday, August 22, 2008 at 8:00PM (PST). What is the prize??? Let's just say it's a mystery but it is sewing related. Good Luck!

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have no quilt done yet as im new to quilting, but i do lots of xstitch, i have done some small bits of patchwork when i was younger but no pictures of them,

Rose Marie said...

We all have to start somewhere and it is the ethusiasm that gets the top done and then quilted. Looking forward to seeing what you do with your first quilt.
My first quilt was for a baby and it had applique animals on it that I took the shapes from a children's colouring book. That was over 30 yrs. ago and there was not much quilting patterns available back then. Times have changed a lot.

dot said...

My first quilt was a baby Sunbonnet Sue quilt I made for my daughter when she was little. I made it in 1980, I would have to dig for a picture and don't know if I have time before Firday. I will take my chances with on entry. I did not quilt again for many many years but now I quilt everyday, well almost everyday.

Rhonda said...

Hey Susan,
Your block looks great! I like the pink and green combo.

Well, my first quilt was actually the quilt that I gave you... no picture... didn't thought of taking photos of my quilts back then... so how about taking one for me? Pretty please.. ;-D
I'll post something on my blog tonight.

You should set up your sewing machine close by your TV... that way you can sew and watch the Olympics at the same time. Why wait til Sunday when it's over. lol

Anonymous said...

I made my first quilt over 20 years ago! My daughter still has it, but she isn't close enough to get a pictue. It was a small lap size nine patch scrappy quilt with appliqued hearts in plain blocks alternating with the nine patches. I used to sew all my clothes, and my kids clothes so I lots of scraps and wanted to do something with them. I got hooked on quilting and have never stopped since!
Sue Cahill (sbonetsue at yahoo dot com)

Janellybelly said...

Hi Susan
Thanks for the comment on our blog ;-) My first quilt was made in 2000, it was a burgundy and cream 'teapots' quilt - I still have it on my quilt rack!
Love Janelle xx

Helz said...

Hello There Susan... Needed to really give that question some thought as once I started Quilting New Projects just kept appearing as they still do today LOL. But My First Quilt was a Double Irish Chain for my Brother Brian who lives in a Special Unit for Brain Acquired Injuries & although I don't have a photo I do remember sewing on the Quilt Label the day I visited & placed it upon his bed.

Jeanne said...

My first quilt was a log cabin from Eleanor Burns' "Quilt in a Day" book and it's still a UFO. Very sad. It was done with a variety of tiny purple prints. I started hand quilting it until someone remarked that my stitches looked like basting stitches. That was over 20 years ago.

Peddlecar Quilts said...

HiSusan! Oh, you are doing beautifully! I am so glad you liked the book. I forgot all about it!! So I want to enter this giveaway because of course winning is fun, and the Olympics is spurring me on here, but my anniversay is the 22nd so it just has to be my day! My very first quilt was a log cabin, and the only way I knew how to do it was cut lots of strips, lay them across my lap and start sewing them onto a square, trim, turn the block and sew another strip. Not the best method to keep your blocks square, but considering I didn't know any better at the time it turned out pretty good! It is long gone now, don't even remember what happened to it. But I do remember the fun I had, and got really hooked. So include me your contest! Thanks!
Diane

Candace said...

My first quilt other than cheater panels and such was (is) a sampler quilt, lap-quilting by Georgia Bonesteel. I have 20 blocks all hand quilted and ready to sew together. One of these days I'll finish it, it's only been since about 1987.

Anonymous said...

My first quilt was a Sunbonnet Sue for my niece, now 36yrs ago, then I tackled a queen sized log cabin for my bed with 1 1/2" strips. That got me hooked.Judy,
jjkjos@yahoo.com

Diane said...

My first quilt was done in the 80's. The cutting was done by scissors and the piecing was all done by hand. I remember marking the 1/4" lines with a pencil and following the lines with my needle and thread. Then it was sandwiched with a fluffy polyester thread and quilted by hand. You won't find me doing that anymore! Everything is by machine.

TinaJewel said...

I started sewing at the age of 6 and made my first dress by the age of 9! I started on my first quilt at the age of 10 and worked on it for quite awhile. It was a painted state flower quilt! I finished it at the age of 16! But I learned to quilt by hand at the age of 10. All of our quilts were hand quilted as I grew up Mennonite! It is packed away in my cedar chest under a mountain of stuff as we are getting ready to move so I have no picture of it.Love your pretty block!

Anonymous said...

My first completed pieced quilt was a sampler table runner quilt (through a beginning quilt class). We completed six 6 inch blocks (basket, churn dash, log cabin, etc.) to learn different techniques and get a feel for piecing. We picked out our own fabric and decided on table runner or wall hanging. It was made before I learned about labels but believe it was done in about 2002.

Dawn said...

I made my first quilt in the 70's when I was 12. (I hope this doesnt give away my age too much, hehe). I still have it. It doesn't have a name but it is just squares sewn together. It is a treasure to me!

Lyn said...

My first quilt, was made in 1985 with the colours to match that era. Brown/Cream and Orange. It was a small Samplet Quilt hand pieced and quilted. No rotary cutters in those days, scissor cut ad lines drawn on with black lead. Regards Lyn

Amanda said...

Welcome to quilting. I've only been going for about 10 months myself, but it is horribly addictive, just like blogging. I never seem to be able to catch up with my ideas. My first quilt was made for my mother-in-law. She'd had an operation and was sitting at home covered in a ratty old blanket, so I thought a quilt would be nicer. She loves it and I had to make her another so that the first one could be taken away and washed! I'll send you a picture of it.

julia said...

Hi Susan,
I know it's been a while since your Bernina arrived - but congratulations on this gorgeous machine! {I love my Nina Bernina and wouldn't ever part with her}.
My first quilt was a little wall haning with appliqued hearts and mitered borders. I just bought a book, rotary cutting equipment and started knowing nothing ;o). If I hadn't been so impatient it would have turned out better...but ripping my already sewn seams was a lession I had to learn the hard way.
Here is a link to a post where I showed a picture of my quilt:

http://littlegirlquilts.blogspot.com/2008/06/australien-in-deutschland.html

I'm sure your quilt will turn out beautifully!
Cheers, Julia

antique quilter said...

my first quilt was a red and white log cabin for my daughter oh about 18 years ago.
sorry to say its packed away , no picture.
Love the colors in your first block
welcome to blogland
Kathie

Betsy said...

my first quilt was made about 2 and 1/2 years again for my grandaughter.
It was a heart applique quilt and each corner had something about her embroidered in each heart.
Congratulations on your blog.

ZONE F DG TEAM said...

My first quilt was a baby quilt made for my neice.

sarah, rsm said...

I began quilting last year after losing my best friend to ovarian cancer. After she died, a mutual friend gathered some favorite pieces of her clothing and asked me to make a memory quilt. I've an old Singer Featherweight that used to belong to my mom and her mom before that, and I have never sewn more than a straight line. I know how to thread the machine and nothing else! But I made a quilt for us both and, simple as they are, I am in love with the finished product. Now I view quilting blogs like yours to ooh and aah over the fruits of such talented labors. Thank you for sharing them with me via cyberspace!

You can view the picture of my first quilt at htttp://acomfortablecupoftea.blogspot.com

zizzybob said...

Looks like you're off to a great start. I love the colors you have chosen. I am emailing you a picture of my first quilt.

crafty diane said...

That is so great that you are working on your first quilt. I made my first quilt when I was 18 years old. That has been 30 years ago. It was just a simple patchwork and I can remember hand quilting it. I did not follow any pattern. I just cut out some squares and sewed them together! I no longer have the quilt as it just wore out over the years and was discarded. Here is a link to the post where I posted a picture of it. http://craftydianed.blogspot.com/2008/08/my-very-first-quilt.html
Good luck with your quilt and happy blogging!
Blessings,
Diane

Patti said...

Hello from a fellow Vancouver quilter! An online friend of mine in New Jersey sent me a link to your blog asking whether or not I knew you. I guess she doesn't realize how many people work in the financial industry around here! (I retired from iQ Credit Union in January.) I'm eager to read your blog postings. Welcome to the wonderful world of quilting! Now that September is rolling around the local guilds will be meeting again. We have a very large guild - Clark County Quilters - and a small guild also - North Star Quilters. Let me know if you'd be interested in visiting either one or both, and I'll send you the meeting info.

Deb C. said...

Ohh. i love mysteries. Especially fabric-related ones. I don't have access to my first quilt photo, so I'll have to suffice with just one entry.

Kim said...

congrats on your block- I have one of those around here somewhere- I didn't like my colors. I'm going to take the 4 apart and mix them in with other colors
My first quilt was a sampler the dusty rose and blues of the early 80's - no pic as the ex took it when we split up..gggrrrr

quiltmom anna said...

Hi Susan,
What a nice block that you have created from the pattern off Bonnie's blog.

My first quilting project was made the summer of 1987. It was a quilt in a day log cabin pattern ( that took me much longer than quilt in a day)LOL. We used the quilt for many years- it is fairly worn in places now.

Enjoy your quiltmaking adventure..
Regards from a Western Canadian Quilter,
Anna

Linda said...

My first quilt was a 4 patch. I was intimidated by quilting so decided to get it done and over with quick and made the squares 24"x24"! LOL It is still a cherished quilt on my youngest daughters bed. :) Thank you for the memory!
Good luck with your quilt! Good luck to all!

KyQuiltlady said...

You did such good job with your block to be a beginner.

Anonymous said...

my first quilt was patience corner and done in cheap fabrics( just to see if l liked quilting!!!!)done only 3 years ago. I have since done 6 more, all differant,including boxy stars,hope you enjoy it as much as l do,love Sue....

Vicki said...

I think I missed your give-away deadline, but that is OK. I just wanted to let you know that I love your color choices, and also love the boxy Star pattern. I've never made on of these, but it will have to go into my "someday I'd like to make" list! LOL