Hello everyone. I've just found this site and saw you all having such fun that I "jumped" right in and joined. I've also signed up for the May Happy Block exchange which sounds like alot of fun. Now a little background.....

I'm 58yrs young and have 3 children; Debbe, Matt, Cathe. 5 grandchildren; Jonathan, Jeremy, Christopher, Kaitlyn, Ryan. They range from 19yrs to 1yr.

I love to do most handwork; quilting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, counted cross stitch, crewel embroidery, scrapbooking.

Only one granddaughter so far to pass on my love of handwork. My youngest daughter is already following in my footsteps. She does counted cross stitch & scrapbooking and is learning quilting & crocheting. My wonderful daughter in law Shauna is a fantastic scrapbooker and stamper and wants me to teach her how to crochet. I'm reeling 'em in.

I have been a Public Safety Dispatcher for police & fire for 25yrs and still love it. I have also been a CNA, EMT & RN.

I live in "The Biggest Little City" - Reno, NV. I love it here but the area is growing too fast! I think NV has been the fastest growing state for the last several years now.

I taught myself to quilt back in the late 70's/early 80's with Eleanor Burns very first Quilt in a Day book. It was done in black & white with hand drawn diagrams for the Log Cabin. I still have that book too. While raising my children I didn't have time to quilt, but I did sew all their clothes to keep my sewing machine humming.

I came back to quilting - or really piecing as I have so many quilt tops done but not quilted yet - about 6 years ago. I am a real fabric collector. I saw a saying once that really hit the spot with me. It said that no one expected a coin collector to spend his coins so why should I have to use all my fabric!!

I love applique, paper piecing & English paper piecing. I'd like to try a crazy quilt some time, and a Dear Jane quilt, and a Baltimore Album, and a really complicated Mariner's Compass. Crazy aren't I?

Which reminds me. My id of sew crazy and my email sew_1096 came from "cop talk" I love to sew so that part was easy and ten 96 (10-96) is our code here for a crazy person (like California's 5150) so it describes me perfectly.

My favorite fabrics at the moment are Batiks, 30's and 1800 Reproductions, but I've never found a FQ that I didn't like! And I have probably 2 dozen boxes of them to prove it too.

I think I've droned on for long enough. I hope this helps you understand what a real "nutter" I am, but hopefully a nice one.

Shari

Wow, Shari! Is there a full moon or something! Sounds you are just the type to join our band of quilting lunatics! Welcome! I do like that philosphy, and my husband has a coin collection, so now I have the perfect comeback! Thanks! LOL

Shari, you are going to fit right in here! Now I never thought of the coin collection that way but like Meg, I will use that often! Welcome to BC!

Hi and welcome, Shari - always good to have a quick comeback on hand for those pesky critics of our stashes.

Mary

Sew Crazy... lolol

Loved your write up you funny lady!! Ok... we do have a bit in common. I’ve also done crocheting, counted cross stitch, crewel embroidery, scrap booking (also painted for a couple years)...and now... quilting!! I feel like I saved the best hobby for last. MY favorite fabrics are BATIKS, and retro fabrics from way back. I was a “Closet Quilter” and didn’t know it. I was only diagnosed a couple years ago by a coworker who was a quilter. I really didn’t sew (had made easy little curtains for my kids rooms as they grew up)...but I had collected fabrics for years! I loved to look at it all stacked up in my craft room and pet it! She got me to take my very first quilting class about 20 months ago...and I’ve been eating, and sleeping fabric, quilt books, and quilt shows on TV ever since. My very first quilt was done out of 95% vintage replica fabrics. Love them!

Reno is NOT the sleepy little town it was back in the 60- 70's THAT’S FOR SURE! I got married there once as a dumb kid...lol ...lol I’m SURE you have seen your share of insanity!! I don’t’ think I ever properly introduced myself in here so I’ll drop in an introduction. A group of us just jumped into BC due to a rather emergent situation from another chat board as it sunk into the cyber ocean...lol Now...we are having fun...and some of the NHGC (National Home Gardening Club) folks are even getting out their sewing machines and joining the locals. They have been gracious hosts to the gardening gypsies!

We are roughly the same age (I’m 56)... I have two kids (son 27 daughter 24), and just got my first grandbaby 5 months ago. My SIL’s family only has boys of all things.. so my GRANDSON will be taught how to sew if he shows an interest..lol I’ve seen some of our male quilters on TV and they are fantastic!

I work for a hospital, and up until 2 years ago I was known as the “Code Queen”...lol There was nothing like a rowdy Code 3 to wake up a slow shift...lolol Years ago code 3’s were usually just a drunk getting mouthy and/or taking a swing at someone, but with the rampant growth of Meth use....codes are no longer a laughing matter and we had to take special training to attend them. I’m a licensed surgical tech, phlebotomist, but now I work in our cancer center and wear a few hats so to speak. I chase funding for people in cancer treatment who are overwhelmed with the staggering costs, and I help run our youth “Drug and Alcohol” intervention programs. I LOVED working in the main hospital, but I got into the habit of catching every HOT bug that came in. I finally ended up with a lung that would not recover from anything respiratory. When I got down to having bi-lateral pneumonia annually my physician suggested I step away from ER/CCU (for my health) so I did. It broke my “adrenaline addicted heart” to no longer be in the hub of the insanity...lol I was also an EMT in my younger days, and did a 25 year run working in vet medicine. I ONLY left vet med because there was no insurance benes or retirement perks connected to it (not to mention it doesn’t do much for your job security when you divorce the boss... lol) Your job sounds like a real FUN & wild date!! Not many people can say they STILL love their jobs after 25 years.

I’m so glad you joined the May Happy Blocks! I bow to your FQ collection!!...lololol Now that I’m totally HOOKED on quilting I can’t stay out of my local quilt store’s “discount corner”. ANY FABRIC that has the potential to be a good 2 1/2” border is coming home with me in ½ yard hunks...lolol My hub is 1000% supportive of my fabric addiction. The gal who diagnosed my “quilt gene” is my local partner in crime and was my coworker from the hospital. We LIVE to hit the “shop hops” and once a year we map out a trip for a fabric stash run. We leave at 5 am-ish....and sometimes drive 5 hrs in one direction. We have breakfast and then we work our way back towards home hitting EVERY fabric store and antique shop we have Map Quested out. It is soooooooo fun! Last time we got back home at 3 AM!! We are not spring chickens and that little episode took us a few days to recoup from...lolol

Enuff said... have a great day, and sooooooooo happy to have you playing in here!

Poof*

to, BC, Shari,

I am glad you joined us in the May Happy Blocks Swap, too!

Your job sounds like it could be very interesting sometimes.

I have only been quilting really for about 3 years, although I did make baby quilts for my three children over 20 years ago. They are Jon (24), Matt (22) and Marissa (20) ... no grand babies yet for me. I hope to making baby quilts for my grandchildren someday. Until then I will just make quilts for lots of other babies ...

and beds, and friends, and walls, and donations,

... and the closets are getting full of fabric and quilts ... but that is all good ... Pat

Thank you all for your wonderful welcome.

I'm sorry I haven't gotten back on sooner but I probably should have let you all know that it will be hit and miss for awhile. We're so short handed at work (anyone moving here want a good job? ) that I'm working nearly 60hr weeks...and I'm one of the shorter weeks! A lot of the younger girls are working more than that.

Sometimes if it's slow at work (I work the yard) I can slip online for a little bit and I'll try to catch up reading posts then.

Shari

Shari-

Join us when you can. In this economy, you have to do what have you to do! Everybody understands. Just don't get so worn down that you can't sew! Take a little time for yourself, hun.

Thanks Meg. I haven't been able to sew for awhile and it's driving me crazy. That's why I signed up for the Happy Blocks. If I have to make it for someone else maybe it will get me "jump started" so to speak.

Shari