Who Knew ... Me A Covergirl/Centerfold!

LOL ... Got your attention didn't I?!?!?!!  LOL

No, really, I have fun saying that... not very often, but still... the reactions are hilarious !

Here's the lowdown ....  When I first began quilting, let's see, some seven years ago now, my very dear friend was teaching me (brave lady that she is!!) and I just had my second and youngest baby, Miss Abbie.  Not knowing very much about the rules of quilting, fabrics, color choices and how to actually go about the mystery of making a "baby quilt,"  but wanting to make a quilt for my darling baby, I grabbed whatever scraps I could find from my "stash" that caught my eye and designed and made the happy little flower quilt you see pictured on the front of Fons & Porter's Quilting Easy Quilts Summer 2008 magazine:

i.e.  Covergirl

This happened quite by accident. Fons & Porter had been running a baby quilt contest at the time I made this quilt.  My very dear friend suggested I enter my quilt.  Newbie to the quilting world that I was, I didn't know any better, so I entered. lol ... Needless to say, I didn't win the baby quilt contest, but I found out F&P deemed my humble quilt worthy of entry into their Easy Quilts baby quilts magazine issue!  Holy Cow!!  How cool is that!!  How could a person not feel they didn't win when this is the result of losing? lol

Then, to top it off, not only did I, a very new quilter, get published in this holy grail of quilting magazines, but I made the cover!  Way cool!!!  Oh, and the Centerfold part of my funny .... well, if you open the magazine to the very center, my quilt again is pictured with the directions to my Happy Flowers baby quilt immediately following.  Me. A girl from small town Montana in a nationally published magazine. 

Can you say ..... Holy Cow Poop!

I found myself saying that if I would have know this quilt would have ended up where it did, I would have made better color choices, or better quilting choices, or better ....  Obviously, someone thought it was "good enough" the first time and I didn't have to second guess myself.

Oh My Goodness?  How do I possibly follow this up?  LOL  ... Expectations, expectations for yourself!!  Well, I've since learned about quilting "rules," quality fabrics, proper tools and what it means to follow my instincts no matter what or how much advice others offer.  I love the process of piecing a quilt as much as I now enjoy quilting and completing a quilt.

To all the newbie quilters, sometimes its more fun to do it your way.  While its safer and more often easier to follow every rule, sometimes when you stray from the path of expectations, fun creativity happens... you might just find yourself a new passion, just as I did years ago listening to and absorbing all I could from those experienced and talented quilters that were willing to teach, but trusting my own instincts in my own creativity.

To all the experienced quilters, thank you for taking the time to introduce your talents and skills to us newer quilters.  What a joy it is to learn so many tips and tricks from such gifted teachers.  However, please be patient with us if we choose a different direction or slightly different technique.  We are still truly grateful and appreciative for the time and knowledge you so graciously share!

Take it from  Covergirl/Centerfold ... have fun with your quilting, do what you want and follow your own rules ... you never know where it might take you.

~hugs to you~

Wendy