Hi, I’m Chris!
(also known as The Scribbler)
Happy quilter, creative quilt designer, pattern writer, loving wife, proud mother, and owner of a spoiled dog.
My Story
My quilting journey has been unique to say the least. I want to say right now that this may prove difficult for me to make this interesting for you. If I only told you the facts, just the facts, like the guy on Dragnet… Well, you would think I’m about as interesting as Joe Friday. So, I have added embellishments (notice the quilt reference?), but I promise to be honest.
It all started when I was a little girl. I remember my mother making doll clothes. I was the youngest of three girls and we had dolls, lots of dolls. And she made many, many doll outfits. My mother had a mission to make sure they were clothed, but even as an avid quilter, I still can’t figure out how she sewed in all those teeny tiny sleeves. Yikes.
When she sewed, it was at the kitchen table which was about eye-level for me at the time. I remember having a fascination with the sewing machine (and still do), all the dials and the needle going up and down so fast to make thousands of stitches. As an aside, I also had a fascination with typewriters, but this little fact is important later.
However, when my mom paid a neighbor to provide my first sewing lesson, my experience was less than happy. My mother chose the pattern—pajamas—as well as the fabric. Sale fabric… sigh. You know, the fabric that nobody else wanted. I was hoping for the cool 70s fabric that I saw several times at the Five and Dime store, but I didn’t get any of it.
Even one of my teacher’s eight sons went out of his way to tell me it was ugly! And I thought boys didn’t notice anything. Being a nine-year-old, I told him I was making pajamas and nobody was going to see them anyway. So it didn’t matter. But it did (to me anyway) and I put down my needle and thread.
Over the next decade, I did little to no sewing.
I could have taken home economics, but didn’t.
I could have spent my free time in college sewing, but didn’t. Instead, I majored in journalism. (Remember the part where I mentioned I liked typewriters?)
I could have revisited it when grandmother gifted me applique blocks from (I think) the 1930s but didn’t. As much as I loved them, I didn’t think I could do the blocks justice.
And I even watched hours upon hours of Georgia Bonesteel on public television (and learned a lot) I was still too discouraged to pick it back up again.
It wasn’t until March of 1989 that put the (sewing machine) pedal to the metal. We were at my in-laws house in southern Minnesota and it was snowing heavily. We weren’t going anywhere that day and my mother-in-law decided that I could use her fabric and one of her quilting patterns to start a quilt (Wasn’t that nice?). I needed an activity to distract me during a difficult time. It was right after my second miscarriage, but I won’t go there.
Do you want to know the pattern she selected? I thought so. It was a Quilt In A Day pattern, Star Log Cabin. And the fabric choices were blue and pink. No, make that dusty blue and a violet mauve because it was the 80s.
And by 1990, I found my passion (or what I like to say), my bliss. (The term passion is overused and bliss rhymes with Chris). Allow me to continue.
I just had a little boy and we were just home from the hospital when I found an announcement in the local paper that caused my hear to skip a beat. It with an invitation to join a quilt club… THAT NIGHT! To my great fortune, my mom was visiting and helping me with my growing family and encouraged me to go. Mind you, my baby was only a week old, but I went anyway. (Sorry Dan and thanks Mom!)
My youngest son Dan with his older brother Mike and my husband, Greg.
Joining that quilt club changed my life forever. It was wonderful in every way. The members were women of all ages, but they enjoyed the same things I did. They were my social outlet. We talked about all the things women like to talk about. I also learned a lot about quilting. I saw other people’s quilts and patterns that I loved.
Fast-forward 30 years, I’m still quilting, just about everyday and teaching classes (now virtually).
Even with the pandemic, I can still follow my bliss and count my blessings. I have great hubby, a new grandson, and three great kids… well, four, if you include my fur-baby, Marv. (Have I told you about my dog?)
Your Quilting Friend,
The Scribbler,
Chris