My First Quilt made me a better quilter...

Family Fundays Memory Quilt^©

A quilt-as-you go wall-hanging

42”x54”

By Jacquelyn Morris-Smith

August 2013

I wanted to have a family photo wall in the entry of my new home in 2006, but I didn’t want to hammer nails in the wall for each frame. Knowing that as the sizes of the pictures may change regularly I would be constantly filling holes and making new ones I had to come up with a different plan. I was not at the time a quilter, but I have sewn all my life, so when I saw a sign in my town for a quilt shop I got the brilliant idea to make a Family Wall Quilt, now renamed to Family Fundays Memory Quilt^©. I called that shop and inquired how one could go about making such a thing, and they recommended a quilt instructor- Jean Hoagland. She assisted me in understanding what I really could do to make this happen.  I started by buying fabric (more than I really needed).  I didn’t realize that I wouldn’t have to cut all the fabric into strips…but that I could have saved some fabric for other projects and only used what I needed.

My first version was so unorganized and the blocks were not equal or straight.

Here is a photo of that first quilt 

Although my friends and family (who don’t quilt) love this Family Wall Quilt, I can see the imperfections and realize that I have really gotten better over the years.  It is always good to have a first quilt reminder. What was your first quilt?

I will be posting later the new version, and I am designing a pattern for  Family Fundays Memory Quilt^©

^{Thanks for reading and let me hear from you.}

^Jacquelyn