Member Monday — Sharon Griffith

Today's Member Monday and Logo Block feature is Sharon Griffith and here is her story.

"I did not come from a quilting background. Actually, my Mom and Grandmother were crocheter's. I do have about five of those very heavy crochet blankets that I really do still put out in the winter and enjoy.

The very first time I started sewing was with my daughter when she joined 4-H in 1989. I went and brought her a Brother sewing machine that she shared with me. We learned how to sew through the 4-H program. At the end of the year, she had a wonderful idea to sew me a satin party dress for the Christmas party that we were having at work. Well, after that experience she continued to sew clothes and I started watching the Eleanor Burns show….lol. She had a beginners class and every week she posted a new lesson on TV and that is how I made my first quilt. I will never forget it. It was her Tulip pattern and it is gigantic. When I look at it now, I think, “oh my Sharon what were you thinking”. The fabric was broadcloth on the back and well my husband loves it. I look and it and just cringe. Since then I have taken classes in all different things that have to do with all kinds of fabrics, fibers, paints for fabric etc. You get the picture.

When I moved here from Florida, I met up with what soon was to be my appliqué teacher, Vicky. For the next 7 years all I did was appliqué. I still do appliqué, it settles my soul for some reason.

Then “modern” came along and I just loved the freedom that I felt with it. I thought wow I can cut crooked and slice the corner if I want. I can even use all solids if I want to and that is where I am at right now. Modern keeps drawing me in because there is always something new to it. With piecing and appliqué, you piece a quilt and/or you appliqué, but with modern you can be so versatile and that is what I truly enjoy about it. You can piece, you can appliqué, you can use solids and you can even make your own pattern. When it is quilted it looks like no one else’s. The fabrics are different most times, the cuts are different and most definitely the quilting is different so it is truly your own quilt. I feel even if it is a pattern, since there is so much quilting done on a modern quilt in most cases it still looks like one of a kind and I like that."

What a nice way to learn to sew…with your daughter. Thanks for sharing Sharon!

Sharon's Logo Block is featured in the ChattMQG Header.

Pam