Quilt Qwazy Queens Blog Hop

I want to thank Marian at Seams To Be Sew for inviting me and for setting up this blog hop in honor of International Quilting Day.

For those who don't know me and may be visiting for the first time, my name is Sharon and I DO live on Quilt Lane in one of the valley's original family homesteads. 

I wasn't always a quilter.  Many life times ago I was a professional Horsewomen questing for a spot on the Olympic team.  Another life time I was a designer/maker/seller of dolls and Mohair bears.  And another life time (and I still enjoy) I designed and made cross stitch.  But our life is about journeys - and becoming a quilter is another journey.

What led me to quilting?  Recovering from a  bad car accident.  Once I got into that wheelchair - and being totally bored with just hand work in a bed - I went into hyper-speed educating myself about quilting.  Although my Mom is a master quilter (teaches in the home these days) and member of the Quilter's Hall of Fame, I am self taught.  The computer was my life line during rehab for many things, but it truly opened my eyes into the quilting world.

AND I cannot express enough - educate yourself about this industry.  Learn about the founders, history, all the fabrics available, techniques - all aspects of the quilting world to truly open your eyes.  Eleanor Burns, Pat Speth, Bonnie Hunter, and Barbara Brackman are the 4 cornerstones to my quilting foundation.  And then I found the wonderful world of Quilt Bloggers - what a wide web of friendship and information!

I like to play with traditional, modern, applique, minis, quilt alongs and block of the months, blog hops, fabric and design contests - heck, I play with all of it.  But my favorite....

SCRAPS!!!  They are like playing in a leaf pile and my furkids agree. Civil War, reproductions, moderns,brights and solids, prints and plaids, batiks, homespuns, wovens, all bits of lines from so many fabric companies.  My furkids are an inspiration, too.  Whether trying to work with and around them or using them to create a new project.

I, also, have a passion for using those scraps to make charity quilts.  Our local guild is wonderful in various charity projects and I participate in Hands2Help every year as well as any emergency call-out on the web.  I can truly appreciate the love that goes into these quilts as our valley was devastated with the Flooding of Irene and we wrapped a quilty hug around every family affected in our valley - some were even our own quilt guild members.   

Thank you for visiting and being a part of my journey, take time to browse around, take a peek at the tutorial tab, and visit those side bar buttons.

Please be sure to visit the other QQQ's whom I share my day with:

Feather Your Nest
Grandmama’s Stories
Pamela Quilts
My Quilty Musings
After You leave your comments at the above blogs
Stop In To Enter Only At
Seams to Be Sew

I have two give aways thanks to Sponsors with Seams To Be Sew:

Scrap Lovers Book from C & T Publishing

Seven 1/2 yard cuts from the Fire Island Collection

**I don't use Rafflecopter**

Please leave a comment and be sure I have a way to contact you - also if you have a preference please list.  Entry for give aways is open for only 24 hrs.  (March 22 - 00:00am  to 12pm est).  Winners will be listed following close of time (selected with Random and added with an edit on this post) and Marian will be in contact with you.

EDIT:
Winners Are
Beth @ Add a Pinch - Batiks
Amanda BestMarch 22, 2016 at 3:01 PM - Book

Sewingly Yours,

Sharon