Quilting Momma & The Youngest: Irish Chain

I think we are starting a new trend! As you know we proudly post our WIPs and finished projects through social media and our blog. I never realized the reach we had through social media until our friends started contacting us inquiring about quilting.

Momma here....Morgan's friends have been asking her for-eeevver to teach them to quilt!

People were showing such an interest in quilting that "Quilting Momma" decided to host a quilting class at her house!!! KUDOS Mom... I just came along for the ride.

....and I jumped at the chance to bring some new peeps into our fold! Hee hee...to join the "Crazy" fabricadabra spell that Quilter's fall under!

My very first quilt I ever made was an Irish Chain quilt, my mother registered me into a quilting class on the weekends when I was ... I think 14 (can't really remember exactly) It was around the time that we moved to the big city and I had zero friends and nothing to do on the weekends!!! In all honesty I think my Mom registered me into the class because I was driving her crazy.

...oh be still my heart my Youngest! I never once felt you driving me crazy, but to be honest, you really did need something to do! You were soooo little....so teeny...even the gym teacher thought you were too much of a risk to have in any gym groups {picture Morgan, the size of a kid in Grade 4, with the kids in Grade 7 - playing any team sport...she would have been squished!} so, "Hey Morgan, what do you think about making a quilt for yourself?" PS..it wasn't too long after this that she made some amazing friends [ Britt...her bestie and recent Maid of Honor, was one of the first to want to learn how to quilt!]

I knew absolutely nothing about quilting asides from watching my Mom, so this was a challenge. I remember walking into the classroom with my mom seeing all these well versed ladies sitting at their stations. I think half of them welcomed my Mom to the class where she corrected them stating it was actually me who had registered. Bit of an awkward start ha-ha.

Those very same ladies were so eager to help her! God Bless Anne of My Sewing Room, here in Calgary, that took Morgan under her wing and taught her. I can bet there are a lot of you out there that know exactly what it is like trying to teach your child something that they really are not too keen on when they are 13 or so! Every one of those ladies were in awe of Morgan week after week as she had all her homework done and was ready for the next step!

I was a bit intimidated by all these ladies who had amazing sewing machines, beautiful fabric, and a general air of knowing. I was experiencing so many new things lately since we moved to the big city, it felt like I had a constant swarm of butterflies in my stomach.

I kept my mouth shut when she choose her fabrics! They were NOTHING like I would choose, but...I had to let that go! This was HERS and hers alone! She had to LOVE what she was working with!

There was no turning back so as the saying goes I "Jumped in with both feet". This was one of those key moments where my passion for sewing ignited.

Thank goodness I learned to keep my mouth shut at that time. It was a good lesson for me too, because I didn't want her to be turned off of quilting. She was a natural!

When my mom sent me her syllabus for the lesson and the Irish Chain quilt was the project I was immediately on board (yes she had a syllabus). My mom has always been diligent and patient with me as I expand my knowledge of sewing. She's is an amazing teacher, just comes natural to her. You could see the passion exude from her as she was teaching her class.

Awwww... thanks honey! I do LOVE it. One thing that you taught ME was to be patient and to wait for my students to ask ME questions rather than budge in! Trust me....that part is still a work in progress!

One of the best parts is seeing all the progress updates pour in from the new quilters. They are all eager and determined. It honestly is shocking how fast they have put their tops together and with such accuracy!

I am seriously proud of all of our students. We had ONE...read it...ONE class. There was a flurry of information and I am sure their heads were spinning the very first class! I am hoping they will continue to grow in their quilting and not take this one class as the FIRST and ONLY! After the first day was over, I was thinking they would have given up.

Check out our sneak peeks of the Irish Chain quilt below.

AHHHH - mazing I say!