My name is Ann Ford-Rafferty and I live in sunny Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I am a retired educator. As long as I can remember I have enjoyed doing many different kinds of craft projects. Sewing clothes for myself and my daughter was also something that I enjoyed doing. Six years ago I discovered quilting.

I took an adult education quilting class at a local high school. The class was so much fun that I kept signing up to take it over and over! Our first quilt was a “sampler”. I ended up making two sampler quilts at the same time, a queen size for my husband and me (blue and yellow) and a full-sized purple and green one for my mother shown to the right.

My quilting teacher, Glenda Irvine, was such a wonderful teacher. She is a very enthusiastic, creative, knowledgeable and patient teacher/quilter. She told her students that, “Quilting is to be fun NOT stressful.” Glenda has moved away to central Florida, but returns to Fort Lauderdale once a month for our “Quilting Bee”. At the all day bee she gives assistance to anyone who needs it. She also picks up and returns any quilts that people have her quilt for them. Glenda does the beautiful long arm quilting on all of my large quilts. I quilt my own wall hangings and most of my lap quilts.

This Irish Chain quilt was our project at my first quilting retreat sponsored by Glenda. It was a fun-filled learning experience. My quilt was made queen-size.

I like to practice my stippling and other free motion quilting techniques on the simple quilts I make for my 2 dogs and 2 cats. This way they have something cute to sleep on or under and I can practice on something that will actually be used.

Often two heads are better than one. Zhivago is always eager to be with me in my sewing room to help. He never minds being under the things I am sewing! He has several of his very own quilts. As you can see in several of the other pictures he has grown up on the quilts.

I find quilting to be a very relaxing and creative hobby for me. I am also very lucky to have an entire room devoted to my hobby. With plenty of shelf space and a large closet with only shelves, I am able to keep the room quite organized. Being fairly new to quilting I use as many sources for ideas as I can. I want to learn as many techniques and skills as I can to become a better quilter. First and foremost I learned many tips and valuable techniques from my quilting teacher, Glenda.

Other sources that I have found helpful include:
The many fine quilting magazines and quilting books available.
Public libraries and community center classes
Topic specific DVD’s available on-line or at shows
The vast array of quilting shows available on QNN.tv
Quilting shows on PBS or DIY and HGTV
Learning from other quilters at “bees” or in classes
Getting ideas and inspirations by visiting quilt shops and attending quilt shows.
Visiting the vast number of quilting sites on the computer by going to Google.com

I did purchase several reasonably priced old quilts on e-bay. My first was purchased as a “cutter” quilt, but when it arrived it was in such good condition I could not cut it up to make teddy bears. With no label on it I decided to contact the seller and found that the Dresden plate quilt I bought was over one hundred years old, but she did not know anything more about its history. I realized then that there was a need for a quilt label to determine the origin of each quilt for future generations. I decided to make labels for all my quilts.

I am very lucky because my husband creatively designs each of my labels which are personalized and include: (A) the person the quilt was made for and the reason (graduation-wedding-birthday-anniversary-etc.) (B) my name (C) the month and year the quilt was made (D) the name of the pattern and the book or magazine the pattern is from (E) The person who did the quilting.

For a special touch he often adds a photo of the person receiving the quilt and a special message, quotation, or poem to give it uniqueness.

A variety of simple programs to create your own unique labels are available from computer stores.Ask for advice on how to start with an easy to learn program.

Since I started quilting I have taken pictures of all the quilts and quilted items that I have made. I keep the photos in the “Quilt Journal” (a blank book you can purchase just for this purpose) with the date made, who it was made for and any comments and thoughts. I also include the size of the quilt. I find this a very helpful way to keep track  of all the work I have done. My husband and I enjoy taking vacations. One of our trips was to the Quilting Hall of Fame in Paducah, Kentucky. That was such a memorable experience. The quilts were such an inspiration.

When returning from a North Carolina vacation we visited the Quilts of Gee’s Bend exhibit at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. That was a very uplifting experience. My fingers hurt just imagining the ladies sewing layers of jeans by hand to make those incredible quilts. I make all of my quilts by machine. I even machine quilt my small whole cloth samplers!

At the Folk Art Museum in Asheville, North Carolina we have seen some beautiful large quilts and wall hangings on display. Many of these quilts are award winners from around the country.

When we vacation we always stop at quilt shops and quilt shows along our route. When planning trips Google.com helps us locate them. My husband is very patient with my hobby and gives thoughtful ideas when I ask.

Each March we have a very nice three day quilt show here in Fort Lauderdale with many vendors and several well-known quilting celebrities teaching classes or giving lectures. It is very well attended and a resource for more ideas.

Sharing Some of My Creations

This was a fun quilt to make using batiks. It is a Fons and Porter Pina Colada pattern from their July/August, 2004 magazine. I also used this pattern to make a quilt entirely out of music themed fabrics for my nephew for his high school graduation. He is a drummer in a Christian rock band.

It is easier than you think. At a quilt show I got this exciting idea. I decided to make these two 18X24 inch wall hangings for my mother to hang in her room at her nursing home. The one on the right features photos of my mother as a child along with her brother and parents. The one to the left has pictures of my mother and dad with photo memories of their time together. All of the lace, doilies and tatting were purchased at antique shops while vacationing in North Carolina and Branson, Missouri. The old pictures, letters and cards were scanned and then printed onto ink jet fabric sheets purchased at our local craft store. We are currently in the process of making a larger wall hanging for our daughter with highlights of her musical career. After that, we plan on doing a complete family wall-hanging with both family trees side-by-side. Some of my quilting friends have expressed a desire to do similar projects. Creation of these projects is easier than it looks at first. Try one!

Hints for a successful memory quilt.

First, determine the theme you want to use. Second, gather the photos or other items that you can scan and want to use. (We even used a 1934 drivers license.) Third, decide on what background you find attractive. Fourth, make a black and white paper copy of each photo to be used on the background to help you determine composition of your final product. Move them around until you are satisfied with the placement and the size.(We've had to shrink or expand some photos to get it just right.)

We did the layout pictured above first and found out that the size of some of the photos needed to be adjusted. Also you can not pin into the photo fabric sheets as you will leave holes in them. So I took a digital photo of the actual final layout to use as a model. Then I used basting spray to hold down one picture at a time until I sewed it. (Voice of experience says, “baste spray ONLY one photo fabric picture at a time to sew it down, because it you spray more than one they will all fall off.) The entire wall-hanging had already been quilted and bound prior to any photo placement.

When reading through “McCall’s Quilting”, December 2006, I saw the “Little Buddies” wall-hangings by Jeree McDade. I really liked them BUT had no place to put them. Voila!! So I used the cute dog and cat appliqué and embroidered in the middle to make this wall-hanging for my wonderful vet. Dr. Shank has taken care of my pets for over 20 years.

He now has this hanging in his main reception area.

Quilted Sweatshirt

I saw several quilting programs on television showing how to cover a sweatshirt, so I decided to try my hand at it. I found it quite fun and ended up making 3 adult jackets and several for children. Just be sure to use a sweat shirt that is a size larger than the person normally wears.

NASCAR

The photo to the right is one of four NASCAR themed quilts that I made for our young grandsons. All were different. This pattern is adapted from one I found in a quilting magazine.

I also made a queen size NASCAR themed quilt that used many of the NASCAR pillow panels for my brother-in-law. Needless to say racing fans love these type gifts.

Football Fans

My husband, John, is a longtime U. Of Miami (Florida) Hurricane football fan. While visiting an upscale gift shop in the area I saw a quilted bedspread for another team. This gave me an idea for a gift for him. I decided to adapt the concept and graph out my own pattern and make him a wall-hanging 40”x 52”. It hangs in our entry way much to his pleasure. I also made small U. of Miami wall hangings for 5 of the football coaches there. I incorporated pictures from their best games, as well as, scanned photos from “Sports Illustrated”. These photos were then printed onto inkjet fabric sheets. Each of the 5 coaches’ quilts was different. The largest seen to the right was given to a coach and friend who won 5 National Championships with Miami.

In 2006 at a Coral Gables, Florida quilt show we saw a large retirement quilt featuring many photos for a recent retiree. It showed his love of flying from boyhood toys to commercial jet pilot. Many airplane themed fabrics were used. Ideas are endless for these photo memory quilts or wall-hangings.

As my friends retire from teaching I make each of them a large lap quilt. I use school themed fabrics that I have been collecting, as well as friendship fabrics. Also included on each quilt are blocks depicting “sweet treats”. Even one of a “box of chocolates” that I found using Google to locate a site that carried it. The quilts I make for friends up north are backed with flannel.

Handprint Wall-Hanging Quilts

Using ideas from the book “Calendar Kids” Handprint Quilts Through the Year, by Marcia L. Layton, I made these small wall hangings using my grandchildren as models. I also used the Quick Easy Mitred Binding Tool from Sew Biz to do the binding. I put a small sleeve on the back with a dowel for stiffness. Then I used ribbon to hang them. The family was pleased with the results.

My Favorite Quilt

This was one of my favorite quilts to make. The pattern is called “Oklahoma Twister” and it is from a 2004 copy of “Quilt It” magazine. I had purchased a large bundle of lovely hand dyed fabrics without a clue as to what I would make with them. As soon as I saw this pattern, I knew it was meant for these beautiful hand dyes. Thanks to the label on the back many years from now people will be able to trace the history of this quilt.