Back in the Groove

I've been out of the groove to sew for awhile with surgery and the holidays but now with Christmas packed up and put away, the house all clean and tidy, I'm in the mood again. I'm working on a quilt for one of my sisters. I am determined to create a quilt for each of my siblings. So far I have done 2 and am almost finished with the 3rd, and already know what the 4th one will be. That makes 5 more to go! I recently stumbled across a quaint quilting shop close to where I live. They have an open house tomorrow and offer a large assortment of classes to take. I am signing up for the hand quilting class. I really have a fasination with hand quilting for some reason. I have arthritis in my hands so I don't know how long I will be able to do hand quilting but want to give it my best shot. If you have shopped for fabric lately, you will have noticed how expensive the quilt fabric has become. Some of the less expensive fabric at JoAnn's and Hancock's is not as nice as the fabrics in the quilt shops. I have decided though, since quilting takes so much work and time, you don't want to use inferior material. I also have used just a sheet for a backing on my quilts but have decided not to do that. When Susan and I were making a quilt for our sister Barbara's 70 th birthday, she made the back out of the leftover fabric we used on the front. With the quilt I"m making now, I'm going to do the same thing. I'm thinking of sewing strips of the fabrics I used on the front to make a backing. Barbara, who was the first in our family to start quilting once told me that when you make a quilt, you want the back side to look nice and compliment the front of the quilt and she is so right. If you live in MIssouri, Susan and Barb can direct you to a fantastic quilt shop in Caladonia. Yes it's way out there in the boon docks but her fabric is high quality and low priced. Well worth the trip out there. Until next time ladies, happy quilting! Debbie