My First Quilt with Sarah Goer

It's the last Friday of the month, which means it's time for another My First Quilt interview! Today Sarah Goer is sharing the story of her first quilt with us. Sarah is a quilter, artist, and teacher who helps quilters learn improv piecing skills.

You can connect with Sarah at her website, on Instagram, and on Facebook.

And now, here is Sarah's first quilt! Isn't it pretty? I may have laughed when I first saw it, though, because the colours are not at all what I would expect to see from Sarah (and you'll learn why below) 😄

What year did you make your first quilt? What prompted you to make it?

2002. Post-college we had two family friends who were avid quilters. I was drawn in to the geometry and color of quilting.

What techniques were used in that first quilt? Did you quilt it yourself?

My first quilt had four 9-patch blocks set on point. I quilted it myself with stitch in the ditch straight line quilting. I'm pretty sure I didn't even have a walking foot yet then.

Who taught you to make the quilt?

I already knew how to sew and I borrowed books from a family friend quilter to learn how to make a quilt. The patterns I used for my first two quilts were out of the book Quilting for Dummies. For years I was convinced that the pattern was incorrect on my first quilt and that's why I lost all my points, but I eventually realized it was probably because my 1/4" seam allowance wasn't super accurate.

Are the colours you chose for your first quilt ones you would still choose today?

Oh no! I think I was using a lot of fabric that my mother had on hand, so my first couple quilts were much more her colors - dusty rose and country blue. My first project featured a large print floral background in those colors and I chose solid or near solids for the rest of the fabrics.

Did you fall in love with quilting right away? Or was there a gap between making the first quilt and the next one?

Right away. I started my second quilt before I finished the first one. That began a long chain of having multiple projects in the works at once.

Where is the quilt now?

I gave my first quilt to my mother. It is a small table topper that matched her aesthetic. That quilt is back in my possession now. In a closet. Because it really does not match my aesthetic.

Is there anything you wish you could go back and tell yourself as you made that first quilt?

I guess since I was striving for precision, I could give my past self some tips on that front. And I had no idea at the time that quilting would be a lifelong passion and eventually a business for me.

Anything else you want to share about your first quilt?

It was the first quilt I started, but the second quilt I finished. I've included a picture of my "second" quilt as well since it was officially the first quilt I finished.

Thanks for sharing your first quilts with us, Sarah! I loved seeing how you got started quilting ❤