Reminiscing

Back in 1976, what would make a person think they could open a quilt shop?  And who would have thought that in 2013 it would still  be a growing business with new quilters all the time?  Nancy and Glad had a vision, although I’m sure they never expected all of the changes that have happened in the quilting industry.

For Nancy and I the honor of being selected Minnesota Quilters “Quilters of the Year for 2013” has led us to do some major reminiscing!    It’s been fun to remember some of the classes we used to teach, the projects we worked on and the changes in the quilting industry.  Some of those were really fun, from today’s point of view, some were a little strange, some were industry changing!  Every now and then, one of these projects seems to reappear as something completely new!

 Some of you have been our friends since Glad Creations opened in 1976.  You have gone through many of the changes along with us.  Others of you are newer friends and may have missed some of the fun changes that have happened. We thank all of you for being a part of our lives. You have really enriched our lives and we hope we have enriched yours.

So here’s a little trip down memory lane!    Which of these things do you remember? 

• Templates and hand piecing, fabric at $3.25/yard, Quilt as you go Sampler Quilts.

• Folded Stars in 14” hoops.  Oh no!  We just got some new patterns in for Folded Star Pot Holders!

• Basket making classes and supplies—luckily we had a bathtub for soaking the reed.

• Shadow appliqué—thick yarn showing through voile

• Sherenschnitte—paper cutting with tiny scissors

• Fabric Dying classes with Jan Meyers and Debra Lunn, both of whom became world famous!

• Teddy Bear classes—yes, we sold fur, eyes and joints!

• Wrap around skirts with machine appliquéd apples, strawberries, flowers around the bottom edge and puffy appliqués on chambray shirts

• Quillows—a quilt that folded up into its own attached pillow.  We got sore muscles demonstrating this at one of the Minnesota Quilt shows.

• The Quilt Show at Gustavus College in St. Peter when the temperature must have hit 105 degrees in the vendor mall.

 

• Ginghers scissors—what an amazing new product—we no longer had to rip strips for log cabins—we could cut through  8 layers of fabric at a time.

• The invention of Rotary Cutters and mats—a huge change! 

• The 1^st time a machine quilted quilt won Best of Show at Padukah and the outrage it caused.

• Acceptance of machine quilting and the growth of the Long Arm Machine Business.

This could go on and on………

We’d love to hear comments, stories, memories, favorite projects from Glad Creations.  Feel free to comment.  And be sure to stop and visit us at the Minnesota Quilt Show in Duluth.