Quilter’s Name: Brenda Ward from Emerald Isle, North Carolina
Name of Pattern: Nancy’s Notions Sampler (FREE block patterns you can find here!)
Featured Date: 07-10-24
Hey there, my fellow quilters! My name is Brenda Ward from beautiful Emerald Isle, NC. My mom taught me to sew at an early age. Her mother was a quilter. I have early memories of my grandma sitting around her quilting frame with other ladies hand quilting the classic designs they had chalked on the quilt. I was fascinated!
I sewed clothes, hats, purses, several bikinis (as a teenager) and just about anything I wanted to sew. I hand pieced and quilted a Sunbonnet Sue and Sam quilt in my 20’s for my niece (which she still has)! Life got busy with a family and sewing took a back seat. About 10 years ago, I got the urge to try quilting again, with an interest to try free-motion quilting (FMQ). I got a new domestic machine and took off.
I loved the whole process and purchased a sit-down longarm a few years ago– I didn’t even know there was such a thing until I saw it in a new quilt store in my area! I absolutely love the whole quilting process. I continue to learn with each new quilt and my FMQ skills have gradually improved (with lots of room for continued improvement)!
I saw the Nancy’s sampler quilt pattern and took on the challenge to try it out. I enjoyed the process and learned a lot. I used fabric from Tilda’s Hibernation. I fussy cut out squirrels, mice and birds for some of the block centers and corner blocks. The little critters make me smile. I used a simple light beige tone on tone backing to not distract from the colorful sampler. I quilted it on my longarm with in a crosshatch pattern with ruler work. I used sashings and added a border to use on a queen bed. Thanks for reading my story and for the beautiful pattern! (Pattern link is here.)
Brenda
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