My absolute favorite quote from my husband “Teri, you are the only person I know that can will a room into existence” That there will always make me smile!
So… there was this pile of flooring in our mechanical room that I tripped over on a weekly basis. It had been taken out of our man cave and there it sat. Finally one day I grabbed a piece of the flooring and walked into a room that was “calling my name”. I looked around this room with new eyes. This room was a 12’ by 40’ garage to the lake, sheet rocked with knock down ceiling, central vac, heated floors and a sound system?!! And sadly it was a giant mess.
With building 2 houses from the ground up along with flipping 13 houses and moving it was “that room” in the house nobody wanted to touch. It was right then and there I started a project that I seriously had no idea what would become of it. August 4th, 2016
I started the floor within minutes moving piles, sweeping and slowly trying to make some kind of sense of the boxes of our lives. I was so happy with the results and one thing led to another. This room truly would be a labor of love. I repurposed the girls old bedroom furniture, I dusted off my old framing equipment and hung up pictures, notes and tons of little things I had collected from as early as my childhood. This was a creative process-
One day I received a phone call from a friend who was closing the doors on her quilt shop. She had a Bernina Q24 long arm quilting machine on her floor and wanted to know (after many times I circled it) if I was interested in purchasing it. And I did… it was set up on March 19th, 2017
15 years ago I took a class on long arm machines but it wasn’t time yet.
So here I was 15 years later with a room that appeared out of no where and a machine I had no idea how to use. Kinda reminded me of that movie Field of Dreams-
So, the room just kept getting a whole lot more interesting! My mom named my quilt machine Rosie as quilt machines get named <3 Now came the fun stuff! I designed a wall that would act as a divider, 30 feet for me, 10 feet for lake items.
Also a closet to hide a really ugly but very useful shelving unit.
A new framing table, paint, base trim and my sweet chandelier was the cherry on top!
Then came miss Vivian… I had been looking for years for the perfect chair for “a room” someday… first time ever my Craig was completely speechless. I had complete confidence in my dear friend Cynthia of The Funky Little Chair. She, as usual did the deal. We even created a matching ottoman- I was beyond thrilled!!!
I’m telling you, Cynthia is INCREDIBLE!!!
Since the room faces the lake and has no windows I thought of one more idea, a screen that comes down on the garage door opening so I can quilt lakeside in the summertime-oh my gosh! This is definitely my favorite part!!
So I had the room of my dreams, an amazing chair and clearly no idea how to use this machine. It would be my oh so supportive husband that suggested I try YouTube to learn how to thread it, load it and use it. My engineer son Tyler (my rock with a wisdom beyond his years and SUCH a beautiful old soul) really made it a reality.
He told me this machine only had 2 hours of running time on it and explained to me about its sensors, stepper motors and the many features I needed to learn. His words to me exactly- “Ma, plan on screwing up the first 10 baby quilts- After that you might be a little better”- wow. Seriously wow. Really?!!
So begins the signature school of Teri – a project is needed ASAP so better figure it out. Quick.
My first quilt was just that. Talk about scary, to think of how much time I put into making the top and now it was in my hands not to ruin it plus I needed it right away-such a learning process. When I was finished I was beyond proud. This will always be my favorite quilt. It was my very first one done <3
I needed another quilt done immediately after, it wasn’t perfect but again I learned and the feeling of accomplishment knowing that I had total control from beginning to end of project was exciting! It will take me years to get really good but I was going in the right direction.
I bought two classes to help me. One from Judi Madsen – she is the reason I wanted to attempt to finish my own tops and then Angela Walters who I creatively connected with. These women are incredible and gave me the confidence I needed.
I had added the Bernina Q Matic… again with no instruction I figured it out and completed my first automated top by the next day.
The Q Matic was interesting…. I loved the automation but realized I really wanted to conquer this machine all by myself….the Q Matic will find a use somewhere down the road. Wink wink!
Party of one.
Thats me, I like it that way. I have always done my best in everything I’ve ever encountered by learning on my own. By making many mistakes I learn, then I try to turn those mistakes around into something beautiful. Now to learn the fine dance of my new adventure-1) always have something that I’m sewing upstairs 2) always have something on the rack downstairs 3) always have something to hand sew by my chair… repeat.
So I kept quilting, learning from every single one until finally it didn’t feel so scary… I stopped and counted and had no idea but it was the 11th quilt. I just smiled because Tyler’s words came rushing back, he was right! I was definitely getting a little bit better at it!
I loaded my first big quilt and was feeling pretty confident. I think the part I don’t like is right before you start, there are so many ways to go and of course my perfectionism takes over…my daughter Allie reminded me of my own favorite piece of advice- “do what you know” so I did just that. After a night of quilting I looked back and I liked what I saw! This one was becoming more fun than scary!
I feel like this room, machine and new talents are part of a newer bigger picture that God is presenting and pushing me through,-it’s exciting for sure and can’t wait to see where this is all going!! I couldn’t love this room more, its like walking into a hope chest filled with memories of all of my favorite people.
A very special thank you to my husband Craig for helping me make my ideas and dreams a reality <3
