QUILT, Issue #103 – August/September 2009
Celebrating 30 Years of QUILT
Dear Quilting Friends,
Quilting has changed so much in the last 30 years. Thinking back three decades to one of my first quilts, I could hardly find fabrics to coordinate with the wallpaper I was trying to match. I cut 6-inch squares with scissors and arranged them in a simple patchwork design. I didn’t even use cotton fabrics; rather, I had a mixture of blends. I’m sure I stitched with a 5/8-inch seam allowance, since sewing clothing was all I knew.
America’s bicentennial celebration in 1976 led to a resurgence of quilting, as sewers created quilts to commemorate the event. Shortly afterwards, in l979, Harris Publications presented their first issue of QUILT Magazine. I remember some of the very early issues. It was my favorite publication with its cozy, old-fashioned patterns. Since that time, so much has changed in the quilting world. We have seen the ever-expanding collections of great fabrics and threads, many new sewing techniques, wonderful cutting tools and gadgets, and the welcomed acceptance of the long-arm quilting machine.
If quilters from the past could have looked ahead to see what we have today, they would have fainted with joy! Although much has changed over the years of quilting, one thing remains true…quilting is wonderfully fulfilling whether sewing scraps of worn-out clothing or from a collection of brand new prints!
Join us in celebrating three decades of quilting magazines with the quilts shown in this issue. And what celebration wouldn’t be complete without giveaways? Find out how you can win a variety of gifts. Whether you are new to QUILT Magazine or you have been a faithful subscriber over the years, we say a special THANKS for enjoying the journey with us!
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