I started my quilting just like most of you - buying the wrong fabric, using the wrong batting, and using the wrong needles. With time, I learned to use what really works for me, even though the product might not be known as the "right" one. However, I do not, under any circumstances, compromise my standards.

I had to learn what a scant quarter and a fat quarter were. Translating all those unusual terms that we use, so casually, was the next step. The first year was just a spin of learning and creating a base for future quilts. For a novice, the learning curve is quite steep.

I remember my grandmother quilting back in the `60s, but everything was so different when compared to today. I hope that the quilt world will be just as different for my grandchildren.When I first began I had no idea that quilts were being machine quilted. I remember only that quilts were all hand-pieced and hand-quilted.

I remember my Grandma Larsen counting the stitches per inch and ranting about being inconsistent, so that is where I went. I set out to find how many stitches per inch I needed to make my quilts "right." I asked the wrong person, and she told me that it was just rude to ask. This was the first indication that I needed to be a teacher.