Making quilts has always been a joyful journey for me over eight decades. Yes, I have been quilting a long time! You can't imagine the amount of scraps (or quilts) I have.
What has always made it so enjoyable for me is the challenge of making the project from start to finish. I usually start from an idea or inspiration and a piece of graph paper; drawing the design out; figuring yardages and patterns; choosing colors/fabrics; then making a test block. The sewing together, then for me, is the easy part. Once the top is completed, then I design a simple quilting geometric plan. In the past, I quilted the top by hand, but my arthritic hands now protest. I still use the same geometric (point to point, etc.) ideas for quilting on my domestic machine. My binding process remains the same -- machine sewing the binding to the front; flipping to back sewing it down by hand. I find so much creative joy in the whole process (good or bad), and am pleased that it is totally my creation. It doesn't have to be innovative; it can just be a traditional unit rearranged in your own way. Or, excerise creativity, and do something entirely different. No one else will have a quilt quite like it!
THE STATS: Joyful Journey, 2026, 27" x 30", Paper Pieced, Machine Pieced, Machine Quilted.
I know that my process is not for everyone, but doing the whole thing from start to finish has been my preferred way. So, you might give it a try -- grab a piece of graph paper and some colored pencils to start; then put those purchased patterns and pre-cut quilt kits to the side for the time being. You might be rewarded with additional joy in your journey.
