Every dream has a beginning
Every dream has a beginning. Sometimes that dream creates a flash of inspiration that burns down the walls and will not be held back until the finish line is reached. Other times that dream is a nugget of wonder that is nurtured and guarded until the time is right to make it a reality. My dream began seven years ago, yes you read that correctly, seven years. I took a leap of faith and purchased my longarm quilting machine, Millie. She was a secondhand machine and top of the line. I have been using her occasionally for personal use, learning her and Scarlet’s (my Quilt Path digital quilting system) temperament, with the intention that at some point I would launch a business quilting, I just needed the time to make it happen. Well, lots of things happened in 7 years and each once postponed by dream just a little bit.
Then in June of 2024, I moved my 95-year-old Grandmother into my home to care for her and in July I decided that I was going to leave my job of nearly 10 years to care for Gram and set up my quilting business, since I could quilt from home and be close when she needed me. Well, my employer had other ideas and notified me that I would be laid off. Everything was moving forward, and it felt like the stars were aligning…now I needed a space to quilt. I just lost my sewing room because with Grandma moving in, we needed a guest room for her adoring family to stay in when they were visiting her. So, my husband and I decided to take the plunge and purchase a prefabricated shed and convert it into a quilting studio. I will talk about my search for the perfect building in the next post.
Grandma Joyce,
This is my Gram, isn’t she adorable. She was sassy and smart. Took no attitude from anyone and was known to stand up for herself. I used to watch her quilt and craft and have several of her wonderful creations around my house. She passed on her crafty gene to many of her family. She could do anything!
Well September arrived, I was preparing for my layoff and my Grandmother became gravely ill. In just a few short days she passed away and I was lost. She had been one of my best friends, a role model and inspiration for so long, and she was gone. I struggled. My building was going to be delivered in October, I was planning Grandma’s Funeral, and I would be losing my job in just a few weeks. So many changes in such a short time. So, what do you do? If you are a Montana girl and the Grand Daughter of an amazing woman, you grit your teeth and smile through the tears. You get up every day and do your job to the best of your ability. You lean heavily on your support system, and you persevere.
Hip barn style shed in green with white trim. Snow in the foreground that has started to melt.
So now it is March 2025, I am putting the final touches on my building and getting ready to start working on some quilts. Putting myself out there and open to critique and failure, as well as success. Wish me luck everyone, because I can’t wait to start to learn.