HI - My name is Marty and I live in Goodlettsville, TN - that's about 10 miles north of Nashville - I'm sure you all know where that is. Born and raised in Ohio where I learned to sew, knit and crochet and my twin sister (no we don't look alike - we're fraternal) got the gardening and green thumb genes - from our mother. Most of my sewing years have been spent making clothes for myself and my husband, ventured into Prom and Bridesmaid's dresses and alterations for a bit. Then I was bitten by the running bug and ran a couple of Marathons and 1/2 marathons and a lot of 5K races, so naturally I accumulated a LOT of t-shirts that I knew I wanted made into a quilt. As fate would have it one day at our local Joann's store, I met an instructor that convinced me that I could make that quilt and I haven't stopped since! That was 4 years ago. I retired last year and bought a Longarm machine and just love it! I have watched Alex on Simply Quilts-loved it-, watched all the PBS shows that were available so I've seen a lot of Eleanor Burns too. I love TQS. This is the first exchange I have been involved in and am really excited to have the opportunity!

I can not imagine the hard work and all the time you all will spend doing the sorting of our triangles and I will appreciate every triangle that comes back to me! We are so blessed - You have my deepest thank you and appreciation for taking on this monumental task. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!

My same sentiments as Connieo! Debbie and Clara, and all your helpers -- a million thank you's for taking on this project! We're not the quilt police out here...just hungry, excited quilters who can't wait to get their hands on our HST's whenever they arrive! You ladies take whatever time you need because this has been a fantastic journey so far. And...everyone out there...keep sharing your stories! Clara, you really scored huge points with your suggestion about us sharing how we got into quilting...great thinking...way to go, Clara!
Shirley
Gresham, Oregon

ClaraLawrence wrote:
What a task ahead of you. There will be gliches. After all you are human and 'stuff' happens, even to royalty. Your best is more than good enough!! We trust you and if any of us 'common folk' get upset, off with our heads!!!

Hi, I'm Charae. I was a dental hygienist and a teacher, but I have spent the last 25 years running a totally unrelated business with my husband. I learned to crochet at my grandmother's knee and knit at my mother's, but I am a self taught quilter. Although my quilt book resource library is out of control, I find I most often learn by doing things incorrectly so I have been really thankful for the TQS site and I lurk daily. I was finally able to take a couple of classes last year and they won't be my last. I grew up in Colorado then spent my 20's and 30's in Chicago, but now call the Bay Area, California my home. This is the first exchange I've participated in and it was so much fun!

hi, i'm joanne and live in flagstaff, arizona. for those of you who haven't heard of it, it's not hot.....at 7,000 feet. we get about 100 inches of snow each winter. i have been quilting for about 20 years. i used to make all my own clothes in high school so i've always enjoyed sewing. i also sewed for my daughter and my grandkids. a friend of mine talked me into a quilt class and, after that, i never made another stitch of clothing!!!

i got my mother into quilting now and she helped me with my HSTs. she gets half of what i sent and she's about as excited as i am. she's 85 and much faster at finishing quilts than i am. she's now selling them to people!!!

i'm 60 years old, have two wonderful grandchildren. my grandson is in the marines and just returned from afghanistan a few months ago. when he walked in the greeting room i don't think i've ever felt so relieved.

my granddaughter is starting college soon in tucson, arizona. she's wonderful girl and the light of my life.

i have two great-granddaughters, so much fun i never knew. they are wonderful. i just talked my granddaughter-in-law to make her first quilt. she did a terrific job and is now talking about another. she's never sewed before and did an outstanding job.

i've been a member of TQS since 2009 and look forward to every new show.

i'm really looking forward to seeing the quilts posted that are made from this exchange. i think it's been a blast.

ClaraLawrence wrote:

OMG! i knew it was going to be a task, but had no idea just how much time was involved. now that i see the actual numbers crunched i'm dumbfounded. i wish i lived closer than arizona so i could get my hands in there with you. thank you thank you thank you again for all your hard work.

Margo wrote:

i saw the show and got soooooo excited because we were doing this exchange. i'm really looking forward to getting my triangles.

i can't imagine how much time and toil everyone has put into this project. it is so greatly appreciated.

joanne

Hi I am Joan 64 years old and have been a widow for over 20 years. I have three wonderful sons two of which are police officers, I have one delightful granddaughter who I am sure will be a quilter. I started sewing in junior high school sewing for baby sisters much younger than I. When I moved to a community that had two quilt shops I started taking classes and got totally hooked on quilting about ten years ago. Moved back here and found the internet, computer and credit card very dangerous. Last year a friend opened a sewing store doing alterations, selling sewing and quilting supplies I was asked to teach workshops they think I am so knowledgable it is everything I have learned from TQS, they think I am so patient. Eleanor Burns is my hero I have videos of Simply Quilts now my obsession is strips, scraps and triangles. I ordered Edyta's pattern Mountain Top and have the background ready for triangles to arrive. Extra hugs for Debbie Clara Margo and the rest of the sorters.
Thank you all for this ride everything is better shared. Joan Northern Ontario Canada

Hi, I'm Elizabeth Phinder and I live in Arcadia, CA. I am 45 and have been married to a wonderful man for 19 years. I have 2 children - boys 8 & 13. I have been sewing for 34 years, learning in Home Ec in 7th grade. I made all of my own clothes in and eventually majored in my hobby, getting a Clothing and Textiles degree. After college I got a job and Robert Kaufman Fabrics and worked for them for 8 years going to the trade shows and working with customer and sales reps. As Kaufman got more into the quilting industry I figured I should see what it was to make a quilt. Mind you I had been avoiding it because every little piece of fabric could be important or used in a quilt. I was used to garment sewing and so I took the plunge. My 1st class was Alex Anderson's Stars at Road to California in 1996. I have been hooked ever since and I haven't made an article of clothing since. I fell in love with all of the blending of fabrics and just the beauty and creativity that happens in quilting.

My favorite teacher would have to be Alex, since she was my 1st teacher and gave me a love for stars. But I have loved any class that I have taken and learned so much from all the teachers that taught them.

I have not done much on the TQS website other than watch shows - but I have really enjoyed all of the posts and reading about all of you. This is my 1st fabric exchange and it has been so much fun!! I am really thankful to Clara and Debbie (and the others) for putting this all together. I am so looking forward to getting the HST's - it will be a great b-day present!

Elizabeth Phinder

Hi! First off I have to say that this has been so much fun to be part of and I cannot wait to get my squares (even if I get most of my own back). Clara and Debbie, you have been wonderful to organize this and I am very grateful that you did. Hope your sorting day if full of good surprises and laughter.

My name is Kari, new to St. Charles, IL. I am now a stay at home mom of a very active 21 month old toddler. My husband helps me to get as much time as possible to craft, but I wish I had more time and 10 sets of hands. I started out with plastic canvas, crochet, and hand sewing. Moved on to knitting, drawing, painting, and basketry. In college I decided to make a log cabin pillow which sent my mother on a quilting journey that I have continued. (The pillow never got beyond the first 3 rounds). Knowing that I would one day quilt, I started watching Alex on HGTV religiously so that I would know what to do when I had money to spend on a hobby. Two years later, in 2002, I made my first quilt (it is still pin basted in my closet!) I now make several quilts a year, although I have none of my own in our house. I think everyone I know has received a christmas quilt from me at this point.

I entered Ricky's 5 fabric challenge and took 3rd (of course, for all I know there were only 3 entries - lol) but it was a lot of fun. (Please don't judge me on the piecing - it was my first experience drafting my own block, and the first time i have ever done paper piecing - I learned a lot!) Hopefully I'll be able to enter more challenges as my son gets older ... speak of the adorable devil ... the prince is calling.

Thank-you for the wonderful experience! Kari

I'm Kathy, I'm divorced with no kids, one cat, and my Mom has come to live with me. Under my influence, she has learned to quilt and is now independently dreaming up her own projects and quilting them herself at the age of 90! I come from a long line of knitters, quilters, or sewers. I started sewing around age 3 when my neighbor and I made doll clothes for our "little dolls". Sewed my own clothes in high school when I was thin. I got into hand and machine knitting for a long time, dabbled in clothing, but then finally listened to my friend Audrey who convinced me to come to quilt guild. That was about 12 years ago, and I am truly hooked now. I love all kinds of quilts, love to learn new things, love fabric! In my non quilting life I am a pharmacist at a hospital, so quilting is a good antidote to all of that seriousness. I learned a lot by watching Simply Quilts- so many guests with so much to share! I was lucky enough to have Dale Fleming as a teacher at Empty Spools seminar a few years ago- she is wonderful. There are many teachers that have influenced me. Alex and Ricky are obviously up there at the top of the list. Being on TQS has really stretched me. It's like having another quilting mini-group. Participating in the triangle exchange is exciting and has opened up our group to talk to each other, which is fantastic.
Kathy

Hi, I'm Shirley, born and raised in Chicago, Illinois and living in Gresham, Oregon for the past 38 years. My love for sewing began when I was 5 yrs old when Mom showed me how to make doll clothes from her fabric scraps. During my teens and 20s, I signed up for as many tailoring/dress-making classes I could afford. I was an American Airlines stewardess and legal secretary. At 30, remarried, and involved in my step-daughter's school activities, I joined the Columbia Stitchery Guild in Portland and learned more skills in stitchery, fiber arts, embellishment, design, color, and QUILTING! That experience lead to wonderful exposure to classes from Jinny Beyer, Michael James, Yvonne Porcella, Nancy Crow, and Lois Erickson...just to be a name dropper! For 5 years I taught creative stitchery/sewing/quilting classes in the Portland area.

Beginning In the early 1980s, I worked alongside my husband in our test publishing business for 27 years, until 2 1/2 years ago when we retired. During that time, I kept both feet in the creativity door and joined the Custom Clothing Guild where I signed up for fantastic lectures/workshops with Bobbie Carr, Patti Palmer, and other fine teachers.

Later I joined the Northwest Quilters in Portland and quilting really became my passion! Many lecture/workshops later with Judy Niemeyer, Ruth McDowell, Ricky Tims, Karen McTavish, Maxine Rosenthal, Janet Fogg, Helene Knott, and others (these teachers made a fantastic impression on me with their art quilts and love of quilting), I'm hopelessly in love with and hooked on the art of making quilts! I enjoy all forms of quilt making, but creating story quilts with a message are my favorites.

The frosting on the cake for me was becoming a member of Alex and Ricky's TQS! For a nominal fee, their online show has brought me in touch with the world's greatest quilters (of course Alex and Ricky), latest info about the quilting industry, ideas that inspire my creativity, and best of all...all of you quilters out there worldwide who have the same passion! I love it all!

In between making quilts, I feed my other passions for making jewelry and heirloom Christmas ornaments. They're small projects that give me a sense of accomplishment when I'm faced with the actual quilting of my quilt tops. Even though I've won 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons for smaller quilt projects in local quilt shows, I'm going to pin back my ears and "go for it" and enter bigger pieces (Rhonda Beyer is a great inspiration for me here).

I'm almost done...please bear with me!! I've graduated from being a Fabricholic to "Fabric Slut" because I have an OBSCENE stash (like many of you, I'm sure) of fabric, buttons, beads, thread, books, etc. that feed my passion during my current retirement. Life is Good!

TQS Forever!
Shirley, from cloudy Gresham, Oregon

Just a tease. You know us girls like to tease. The sorting is coming very soon!
Just to prep all the quilters. We will make mistakes. Period. We are going to do our best, but it will happen. Before anyone gets upset about any of this process take a moment and breathe and think... If I had to sort a bazillion HSTs could I honestly do any better. If you can, please get on the forum and start a new one. I will sign up and enjoy the ride from the other side.

We are going to have fun, and sort like mad. We promise to do our best and enjoy the experience. Simple. the Sorting Queen

Hi, I'm Debbie and I am a fabricaholic. I discovered my passion for quilting in 2004 when I was invited to a Shop Hop. I had recently purchased a Bernina Artista 200 from my LQS and became friends with the lady who sold it to me. I bought the machine to do mostly embroidery and basic sewing and had NO INTEREST AT ALL IN QUILTING. The lady who sold me the machine invited me to join her and her quilting friends on a Shop Hop. Driving to the Shop Hop, I was lost with all the quilting conversation going on around me, but once I starting seeing all the incredible 'fabric and stuff' in the quilt shops, I saw quilting in a whole new light. I always thought of quilting along the lines of 'my grandmother's' type scrap quilts and never found it that enticing. Boy, did that change for me when I saw the multitude of quilting options that were available. I took a few basic lessons at the LQS, but since I was working full time, I wasn't able to devote that much time to it. However, that didn't stop me from building up my library and fabric stash. Now that I am semi-retired I have been able to devote more time to it, but I'm still looking forward to retiring fully and being able to quilt full-time. I certainly have enough patterns, books, and ideas to last a lifetime. But, being a fabricaholic, most surely not enough fabric.

I quickly discovered Alex and Simply Quilts on HGTV and her shows & guests added fuel to my fire. And now, thanks to Alex & Ricky, we have TQS to keep the fires burning.

I also have an idea for a really useful iPhone quilt app that I'm trying to figure out how to get out of my head and into cyberspace.

My DH & I will celebrate our 40th anniversary on May 1. We have two fabulous daughters, both elementary school teachers. They each have two children, so we have four wondeful grandsons and granddaughters. They live close to each other and about forty-five minutes from us, so we are fortunate to see them a lot.

Hosting this Sisterhood of the Traveling Triangles Exchanges has provided even more quilting friendship opportunities for me and I am so very grateful for those new friends.