Guest post from Bethany!

Bethany, who doesn't have a blog, is an old friend (old as in, we've been friends for a long time, not that she is old!) She offered to blog about her adventures in taking a quilting class!

Source

Thanks Megg, for giving me this opportunity to ‘guest blog’.  Most of your readers probably don’t know me so here is just a little bit about me.  Like Megg I moved from one coast to the other when I got married.  That was 22 years ago.  Megg is newly married and figuring out to how establish her own home and family.  I am quickly approaching empty nest and re defining my goals and priorities now that my daughters think they are all grown up. It’s more about just being mom and less about parenting.

I have started a new hobby.  Quilting.  I have been a seamstress for many years.  I made a few dresses in high school and I made the bridesmaid dresses for my wedding.  Thankfully God blessed me with two little girls who I could make countless Easter and Christmas dresses for. I confess one year I started the Easter dresses on good Friday.

I have played around with quilting in the past but nothing serious and nothing really to show for it.  So I decided to take a class.  It was Pinwheel passion and only 4 weeks.  Great I can get something finished.

The day before the class I went to the shop to choose the fabrics.  A few lights a few darks. Here is what picked the first time.

I went home and got out my rulers and rotary cutter and my mats. I just looked at them.  I wasn't ready to cut yet.

I washed and ironed all my fabrics. A very important first step.

And off to class I went.  Well it turns out this is a skills class and not a project class.  That means we are learning technique and are not expected to finish the project in the 4 weeks.  I was a little disappointed about this but at least I am learning.

The instructor went over how to fold and cut the fabric and then how to construct the pinwheel.  By the end of the night was passion for pinwheels and quilting was re ignited. 

I will though in a few pictures of my progress. I made a few mistakes along the way. And I was reminded of the importance of reading directions even when you think you remember.   So I have a pile of little seams to be ripped out. 

Towards the end of the last class the instructor showed me the quilt for the April class...sigh.  I would really like to take that class.  but I just don't want to gather any more UFO (unfinished projects)  So I will work diligently through February and March to finish my pinwheels so that I can take the April class.  The instructor said with my skill level and a nominal time commitment outside of class I will be able to finish this one during the 4 weeks.