Why I Quilt - Linda from Wathena, Kansas

This is a wonderful series. Hope it continues with other fabulous women’s stories.

Her quilting more after retirement resonates with me. Although I quilted before I retired, I did not have as much time to make them. I now sew just about every day and have gotten much better at it.

I love these interviews! I think we can all identify with something each interviewee has said. I hope this is a series, and we'll see more!

My mother’s name is Wathena. She took me to Wathena, KS when I was a teen just to visit a town with her name.
Keep on quilting! It’s great for our minds and bodies to create things we love.

Please share more quilter's stories! I love this!!!

❤ love your story and it probably sounds like many of us. Thank you for sharing❤

Absolutely two hobbies in one! Thank you for telling us your story. Keep on quilting. Pedal to the metal! ❤

Great video. Please do more! I, too, have collected way too much fabric so there’s plenty of quilts to be made. My grandmothers quilted, my Mom made quilts, and I pretty much taught myself by watching KRplus videos and reading Pinterest articles.

Thank you so much for sharing your story, it means a lot to us.

My grandmother quilted, my mom made all of our clothes, and I quilt. What a wonderful story of Linda. Thanks.

I am the same way! Lots of quilts, I like to stay busy!

This has the makings of a great series!

Such a nice story Linda. Thank you for sharing with us. My grandmother taught me some hand sewing when I was young and I learned to use a machine in junior high in a Home Economics class. Over the years, I made a few costumes for my kids at Halloween when they were small and made a few other small things. I really became interested in quilting and learning to hand sew again when I retired. I needed a project I could do at any time and I enjoyed it. I'm still an intermediate beginner, learning all the time how to do things, reading quilting books and love to go to our local quilt stores here in Anchorage.

Love it!! And the line at the end is so true "two hobbies in one!"

Please do more of these stories. Very touching to hear.

Thank you for sharing your story

I lived in Kansas for several years after retirement and learned to quilt at that time. Missouri Star was nearby and instrumental in my quilting education. I love everything about this hobby, including a community of lovely quilters.

Quilting a family legacy. As A child I remeber my aunts and ladies sitting in a row on a sofa hand quiling on a fram made by my grandpa which was put up in front of them.They seemed to redo the same pattern: thriple Irish cross, which I have not found anywhere. Their machine was a singer treddle, which I have. They also ripped their fabric, what a mess they dealth with, not knowing any better. Mom got into embroidering tops with cross stitch patterns. When I got older we started collaborating: i pieced, she quilted. We both looked at patterns, shopped for fabric. Sooo many quilts. I do have a favorite. Mom made me a white on white. When she passed there was lots of fabric which went into the sale. So now I’m solo quilting on new computer machines using all kinds of fancy gadgets. I’m slow, but still having fun. This lady’s story brought back memories because our history is so similar. I’m in my mid 70’s and just bought a few jelly rolls and another sewing machine juki. My favorite machine is my 1970’s Elna Super which never gave me any trouble. It still purrs. Somebody should start collecting our stories for a book. Thanks for your attention.

That was a great story…hope to see more!

Great interview, Linda!

Me too. I love the process of creating something.

I enjoyed this so much! Thanks for telling the story of many of us! We have to keep our hands busy!

Linda your story is beautiful. I feel very connected to you as we have some of the same feelings about our quilting journey. Thank you for sharing!❤

I love this so much ❤ thanks for sharing your story! Quilting is so much more than the fabrics and tools.

What a fabulous series. Linda you quilt like I do.

Love hearing these stories because I remember watching my grandma, my mom and the church ladies hand sew quilts in the church basement and the laughter and I’m sure gossip!!!
I have templates from my grandma such as a kitty in a basket. I have her pin cushion and measuring tape both well used. Most of all I have her treadle machine and a couple of quilts she made.
Great video, hope you do more!

You have a beautiful story about your love of sewing! Thank you for telling us through MSQC. I have a similar story. My grandmother did the same cutting out her blocks with a piece of cardboard for her hand cut blocks. Almost all the quilts she made were never used much so they are pretty much pristine. Everyone in my family are deceased so I now have all of the quilts she made for herself, her daughter, my mother and my sister and I. Almost all of them have scalloped edges. I decided to enjoy every quilt so I have many hanging I’m my bedroom and around my home. My grandmother made almost all the clothes for her daughter, my mother and my sister & I. I can hand quilt by for some reason I prefer to do hand embroidery in my idle time. One year for Christmas my dad bought my mother a beautiful Sears Kenmore sewing machine with all sorts of pretty stitches. I don’t think she ever made anything. She worked outside the home so was too busy and I don’t think she liked to sew. But guess what my dad made her a beautiful red square dance dress and himself a matching red skirt all by herself. He also made the canvas material that was for a homemade pop up camper. Had zippered mesh windows on both sides. He could make anything when he put his mind to it. That’s all I have to add with the exception that a great place to donate fabric is the Sewing Lab down in the Rivermarket area. The program teaches women to sew and quilt so they can support themselves and their children. Best of health and life!😊

You can never have too many quilts. I saw a quote the other day that said: "If you have someone who tells you, you have too much fabric, STOP talking to them. You don't need all that negatively in your life."

Linda, you sound so much like me. I always want to be making something!

Such a pretty story of Linda's.

My grandma made quilts. I am lucky to one of her quilts. Like you I did make a few quilts when I was working it now that I am retired I make them full time. In fact I think need to get a job to support my quilting habit. 😊 love your story. Never quit. Do what you enjoy!

I use to do that with my grandma she was a seamstress but made her quits by hand and hard cardboard is what I would cut a square with a memory I will never forget.

I love this! Thank you for sharing your story.

Thank you Linda for your story. Many similarities between us and an ocean. My mother didn’t sew but my aunt taught me and I got my first sewing machine when I was 9. Never looked back❤❤❤

I love these stories! Hello from Hays, Kansas

Thank you for sharing your story❤

There is someone else like me😊

Lovely story!

Very nice interview. Sure sounds familiar! I hope some day my daughter will take interest too,but I doubt it. ❤❤

I agree with the first person that you shouldn’t even listen to your son in law he should mind his own business, I love your story as well. I even made my husband a leisure suit as well, ha ha. There can’t be too many quilts.

I loved this video so much. Can somone tell me the quilt block displayed here?

Amazing video, very heart warming

😊❤

I love your beautiful story. I’m (almost) sure your son-in-law is joking. Or he should be. Happy sewing!

Your son in law should just be quiet.