At the age of 75, Trudy Schwader can only estimate her lifetime total of quilts. Somewhere around number 50 she began counting and taking pictures before giving them away. By now, her best guess - counting the baby quilts and the wedding quilts and the ones that were an experiment with color or style or pattern - her best guess is that she's made more than 130 quilts.

With that many to her credit, Trudy's quilting experience holds something useful to share with everyone from beginning quilters to lifetime veterans. So I decided to talk with Trudy and make a record of her quilting career. The result is a series of articles representing our conversations. The interviews piece together a little of the rich history that quilting holds, through one woman's story and memories - sharing some tips, insights, and favorite patterns…

[Question: How did you get started quilting?]
Trudy: My mother always sewed, and ever since I was about 10 years old, I liked to sew, too. I'm sure I was sewing younger but I definitely remember sewing by the time I was 10. I was one of the youngest of 13 children, and when the older kids were grown and gone, Mother made quilts. I always liked her quilts.

[Question: So you liked quilts and you liked sewing: it was a perfect match.]
Trudy: Yes. Also, I like to put puzzles together and putting quilts together is a puzzle. (laughs)

[Question: You never really were a beginner, then. You were always sewing. Still, when you were 10 years old, obviously you didn't start putting together a big patchwork queen-sized quilt. When you started quilting on your own, what was your first big project?]
Trudy: Well, actually, 50

[Question: So your first quilt was one that you started as a newlywed and then had three kids before you got it quilted?]
Trudy: Before I got it hand-quilted. The rest of it I finally just tied, and because I had so many kids, (eight all together), I kept using the quilt. I noticed that what didn't wear out as quick was what I had hand-quilted, so I said I'd never tie a quilt again.

In the meantime, I just never did like to do handwork. So I generally don't hand-quilt now, I get my quilt-top ready and then let somebody else machine or hand-quilt it. What I like about quilting is working with the colors and creating patterns and putting the pieces of the design together - not doing hand-work.

[Question: Do you still have your first quilt with the roses on it?]
Trudy: No, no, no, no. (laughs) That was so long ago and I needed it for the kids, and with children you have to wash things all the time. I used that quilt up till it was... gone. By then, I had made another and then another one. Still doing that.

T.J. Modine, internet publisher and fiber artist is a contributing writer for The Quilt Box, offering valuable free information to quilters. Articles by T.J. are also found at First Class Fabric and FYN Photography.

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