My job

Categories: UncategorizedBy Published On: August 16, 201228.2 min read613 words4 Comments on My job

I think it’s kind of funny that when I tell people I am a quilter….and that it  is my profession…95% of the time they don’t get it. I am not taken seriously…because after all …quilting is just a hobby. We take scraps of fabric from old clothes and sheets and make blankets.

Blankets…pfft!

LOL! That may be the case sometimes. There is nothing wrong with that…..However, I am shocked by the amount of people who honestly think I have taken over my husband’s garage just for the sheer fun of it. Honestly…he wouldn’t have even given it up if I didn’t provide enough money to make it worth his while. Yes, he wants me to be happy…but why make his own life harder by having to store all of his tools and what not in a storage unit down the street? Trust me he wouldn’t have.

Many people ( around town) have heard that I am a quilter through many discussions…and I would say of  half of them…. I make more than they do ( not that I care about that)…and they treat me like I just fiddle around…and I don’t contribute to my family?

Honestly, I could care less of what they think about my job….or if they take me seriously. But I really don’t like anyone thinking I don’t honestly contribute to my family. I wouldn’t have taken this leap if I didn’t think I could pull it off..I would be in school still trying to graduate..so I could get a “real” job.  The “real” job would honestly pay me less……in so many ways. This quilting “gig” is a “real” job. I have to do just as much paperwork as the next person. I have just as much office time as I do “hobby” time. I have to have customer relations..and business sense. But in the grand scheme of things ..I can make my own schedules…I can be at any doctor appointment or function my kids need me to be present. I don’t have a die hard set schedule. There is a good and bad part of every type of career. So I think I should be taken seriously. But I also honestly think if I didn’t get a paycheck…..the fact that I can be available to my kids at all times means I do contribute to my family in many ways. It’s just that in my case God has provided me with all of it. He is all that matters….but I just feel I need to get it out there. I will laugh it off..and let people think that they know everything…I won’t defend myself. Cause it doesn’t matter…in the grand scheme of things.

But I thought I would also share a post of what the process if of quilting and how I load a quilt onto the frame. Many people are just curious and don’t actually know what I am talking about..so thought I would share.

First the empty frame…those are my leaders that I snap the quilt to:

Then I load the backing, Roll it taught..nice & flat:

Now I lay the batting on top of the back

 

Then I lay the top of the quilt on top of the batting.

Then I stitch a line straight across the top:

Then I roll snap the bottom of the top on my last roller….

and then roll it taught.

Now I am ready to quilt…..No computer designs. I do it all freehand. It all comes from my brain through my hands…to the machine.

 

 

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4 Comments

  1. Harmony August 17, 2012 at 10:30 am - Reply

    You go girl!!!!

  2. terea s lowery August 17, 2012 at 11:00 am - Reply

    AND MIGHT I ADD THAT YOU DO AN AWESOME JOB…….many people would fold under the sheer presure of taking care of a family your size…but to…love each and everyone on top of take care of all of thier daily needs is a JOB …in my book anyway…love you dearly my friend….T

  3. Kathy August 17, 2012 at 7:32 pm - Reply

    Thanks, that was very interesting! I have a question also…when you do a quilt that has a pattern on the diagonal, such as the barn raising log cabin in a recent post, how do you keep what appears to be a continuous diagonal pattern going? Do you stop and start alot? Just curious. :) I absolutely love your quilting!

    • Charisma Horton August 17, 2012 at 7:35 pm - Reply

      Hi Kathy,
      Great question…and yes..lots of starts and stops. No way around it really. I just quilt as much as I can..at any given time..adn I have to roll more often…but it’s worth it for custom quilting.
      Thanks so much!

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