My First Quilt with Becky Jorgensen

It's the last Friday of the month, so I'm here with a new My First Quilt interview! I love getting to share these stories of quilt industry folks and their first quilts! Today Becky Jorgensen is sharing the story of her first quilt(s).

Becky Jorgensen is a quilt pattern designer, author, business coach and award winning quilter. Since beginning her blog and pattern design in 2007, she has also launched Patchworkers Plus- an online quilt group connecting quilters from around the world,  and the Patchwork Planner - helping quilters track and organize their projects, calendar, classes and more. 

You can connect with Becky at her website, and learn more about Patchworkers Plus here.

And now, here's Becky's first quilt (maybe 😆)!

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

Oh - I don't even remember!  I have been a sewer for quite a long time. I have a little X-stitch from when I was 8 and for a few years stitched for stitching store, Shepherd's Bush before I became interested in quilting. I even sewed up some shorts and such when I was a teenager. I believe though that my first quilt was a table topper that had alternating four patch blocks and a square. 

I am a lover of libraries so I'm fairly certain that the pattern I used was from a book that I had found there and checked out.  

I'm thinking that I just wanted something to do.  I had gotten a sewing machine from someone and needed a project so I could use it. 

Another contender for the first quilt was a baby quilt for my first daughter Jerika. It had nine patches and then pieced people in the border. I remember that not being easy! I vowed never to sew people again. lol 

I'm pretty sure that my journey and interest in quilting was pushed by having children, which is very similar to other quilters. 

Neither quilt is perfect. I look at them now - especially that table topper and think. Wow. Those four patches are not even the same size. I totally didn't care! They needed to work and so they got trimmed to make that happen. I don't mind.

The other candidate for Becky's first quilt

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

They are traditionally pieced. I don't remember if I had a rotary cutter when I began. I did quilt it myself. Straight lines - nothing fancy and on my own sewing machine. No hand quilting.  

Who taught you to make the quilt?

While I was the one who followed the instructions from the pattern and did everything, my mother is a quilter and grandmother is also creative. I believe since I had experience in hand stitching from very young, I picked up the sewing machine and quilting pretty easily and quickly. 

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

Yes! The baby quilt - while bright in colors wasn't aghast or offensive. lol The table topper was more civil war fabrics.  Both I still enjoy.  

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

I believe that while I had breaks, I do remember that after exploring those I began attending a block of the month with my mom every month. Sewing up blocks and learning a bit more and paying attention to a few rules - like trimming up and pinning at seams to make sure they aren't off.  After that I found a quilt group to attend and began to sew even more.  

Where is the quilt now?

I have both of these quilts still! In fact, the table topper I even use. I don't mind them not being perfect. I enjoy the layout, the fabrics I chose and the end result. While they could offend a lot of quilters, I like having them around still. 

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

Go for it. Try it out. Cut that fabric. Sew whatever you want. If you want to use crazy fabric, use crazy fabric. While listening to others opinions is great - you still need to allow yourself to do what pleases you and makes you happy.  

Don't worry about making others happy or worrying over your points. Enjoy the process. 

And - if you don't like it.... change it! Don't finish it. Make it into something new. Figure out what you can do so you do like it. 

Anything else you want to share about your first quilt?

Not really about my first quilt, but just some thoughts. 

Quilters tend to be such givers. We sew for charities, babies, graduations, weddings, birthdays... any kind of celebration that could include a quilt - we sew for it. But don't forget about yourself. I love having quilts all over my home. I allow myself to keep them if I want to. Sometimes I make something extra special just for myself. 

Don't let the cost of fabric keep you from quilting.  I still shop thrift stores.  I cut up clothes and men's dress shirts and woman skirts. They have wonderful cotton and they can be used in quilts and don't break your bank. Look outside of the quilt store if those prices don't fit your budget right now. 

Also- Use Them! Wash them and get them crinkled and snuggly. Toss them on beds and chairs and couches and in your car. I don't intend for my quilts to last for 100 years. I would really rather them be used to threads, that's why I sewed it in the first place. 

I feel the same way, Becky! Quilts are meant to be used and loved! Thank you, Becky, for sharing your first quilts with us 😊