We've come a long way, baby!

One of my Florida quilting friends, Nancy, from Quilting Potpourri, made a comment about me becoming the new bag lady!  She's pretty much on track!  I've been watching the grand kids every Wed. since I retired in '99 (Amber was about 8 weeks old when I started this routine).  Well, each week I would load up the bag above with my grandma things!  It's a far cry from the bags I'm making now isn't it!  I just stopped using this bag about a year or so ago!  It's been good to me through the years and has hauled lots of kid stuff as well!

Back in '83 I took my first quilting class in Holly, Michigan taught by Jan Parcell.  Mrs. Parcell was a delight and at that time was so organized in her class materials and presentation.  I still have both my folders from her basic quilt making and quilting II Intermediate classes!  She passed away in 2003 and I'm sure is/was missed by many in the area. 

I made my 'grandma' bag even before I was a grandma!  It was one of the first quilting projects I completed in Mrs. Parcell's class!  That bag was made using cardboard templates (from a cereal box I think!) and actually was the first machine stitched block project I did.  Mrs. Parcell had us do all hand stitching and hand quilting back then so a machine stitched project was out of the ordinary at that time.  

I still have my very first quilt all hand pieced, hand quilted and with a 1" wide binding!  Of course it's all in shades of browns and beige and a little worn. 

Where would we be as art quilters today without the Mrs. Parcell's in our past.  I'm so grateful for all Mrs. Parcell taught me and I'll keep the wonderful thoughts I have of her well as her class books until I'm no longer around.