Quilty Friends

  Have you ever met someone that made you feel so comfortable in the first 5 minutes that you feel like you've known them for years?  I felt that way last night when I met Karianne Wood (pronounced "car-e-ann")  of Thistlewoodfarms.com  She was so genuine and so funny that I walked away wishing I could know her better! The minute I got home, I started following her blog...what better way to get to know Karianne than to read her blog on a regular basis!

A fun project using Karianne's fabric line from Hoffman Fabrics called "Sweet Tea"

  As I thought about my instant liking for Karianne, I started thinking about all my "quilty" friends in general.  Quilters are just the nicest people that I ever come across!  Whether I am doing a trunk show for a guild full of women that I have never met, teaching a class full of eager learners, or taking a class myself, I am always so excited to meet fellow quilters.  There is an instant rapport that occurs between two quilters.  Rather than awkwardly searching for something that we might have in common, we have an instant connection in a shared passion for the quilting arts.  From that connection, it doesn't take long for us to find other things that we have in common, and a friendship develops so quickly, it can feel like we have known each other for years.

   Believe it or not (and those that know me well and think I talk non-stop may not believe it!) I am an introvert by nature.  I find meeting new people uncomfortable and stressful.  Often, I avoid situations where I will be thrown into a group that I don't know.  The exception to this natural tendency of mine is when I have the chance to meet and spend time with quilters.  They are so warm and inviting, so welcoming, so unconditionally accepting, that I feel at home.  The friends I have made in the past seven years as a longarm quilter have truly blessed my life.  I have met wonderful women and found a comradery that I need in my life.  I am so thankful for my quilty friends, and I can't wait to make even more as I continue to speak and teach about my love of quilting.