2017 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop Week 2!

My first quilt was World without End from A Quilter's Companion ​by Deloris Hinson.

​Welcome to Week 2 of the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop! It is my turn to introduce myself.

​I have been quilting as a hobby on and off for about 38 years. My first quilt was a baby quilt for my younger son. I hand-pieced and hand-quilted it. Unfortunately, I did not finish it until he was 12 years-old. So I made it a wall hanging instead. The pattern is  a classic entitled World without End. I found the pattern in my first  quilting book A Quilter's Companion by Delores Hinson.

​I enjoyed making that quilt, but it took so much time. I tried machine piecing, but I was dissatisfied with results. Then, I happen to see one of Eleanor Burns' quilting television programs. It changed my quilting life.  She showed me how to machine piece accurately. Soon I was completing quilts in a timely manner, and I was pleased with the results. Over time, quilting became more and more a part of my life. Some people might say I am obsessed, but I think that is a matter of opinion.

My New Adventure

I live in Oklahoma on a farm called JANDA Bend. It is the home of  JANDA Bend Christmas Trees. We have been raising and selling Christmas trees for many years. My husband started the business when we moved to Oklahoma so that I could take a faculty position at a nearby university. In May 2016 after 17 years of service, I retired as a Professor Emeritus and decided to start JANDA Bend Quilts. I think that this opportunity is a prefect blend of my love of quilting, love of teaching, and my desire to help make the world  better place. We named our farm JANDA Bend by using the first letters our first names. Jerry and April. The Bend came from the bend in the meadow that our log home overlooks.

​At JANDA Bend Quilts, I am dedicated to helping others enjoy the art of quilting.  I hope to do this by teaching quilting skills, designing quilt patterns, and supporting a community of quilters. I provide workshops and presentations for quilting guilds, quilt shops, and other groups and venues. The workshops feature Quilt in a Day patterns and techniques.  I am a Quilt in a Day certified teacher. As I design quilt patterns, workshops will be available to teach those patterns as well. The designs will be available as pdf downloads initially. If you happen to live in Northeastern Oklahoma, I will be selling quilts and quilted items during the Christmas season in our shop at JANDA Bend.

I prefer modern/traditional quilting. I enjoy making traditional quilts, but I also enjoy looking at traditional blocks and quilts in new ways and in new fabric choices. To give you some idea of my style, I have included some photos of quilts that I have made. I want to thank my family for allowing me to borrow the quilts that I gave them so that I could take pictures of them. I had to pinky swear that I would return them.

Quilts provide more than warmth. I was finishing this quilt when my husband entered the hospital for major surgery. While he was in the hospital, I was able to complete it at night. He recuperated under that quilt. Even today, when one of us is ill we sleep under that quilt. It is our official healing quilt and provides both a feeling of warmth and a feeling of being loved. That is the power of quilts.​​

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Pioneer Sampler by Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day kit.

Having grandchildren changed my quilting life! We have a wonderful nine year-old granddaughter, and a marvelous six year-old grandson. Here are a few of the quilts that I have made for them.

Going Bananas, Gadabout Quilt pattern  from Still Stripping after 25 Years by Eleanor Burns, Quilt in a Day.

Let It Snow, Candy Cane Lane pattern from Christmas at Bear's Paw Ranch, Eleanor Burns and Staff, Quilt in a Day, fabrics by Connecting Threads

Angry Birds, adapted from a pattern entitled, Simple Six by Sue Harvey and Sandy Boobar in Quilting for Baby edited by Jeanne Stauffer and Sandra L. Hatch

I hope you will come back later in the week. I have some surprises planned. In the meantime, please be sure to visit the other 2017 New Quilt Bloggers in the Let's be Quilt'n hive, who will be introducing themselves starting the week of April 17:

April  at​ JANDABendQuilts  (That's me!)
Gail at Quilting Gail
Kathy  at Kathys Kwilts and More
Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting

​The other members of our hive are

Amy at AmyScrapSpot
Andrea at Goofin' Off Around the Block
Barbara at Crazy Red Quilts
Becca at Pretty Piney
Emily at The Darling Dogwood
Gina at​ Quilts and Cakes
Gwen at Tillalili
​Kara at Sunshine Kwilts
Nicole at Handwrought Quilts
Rita at Posterity Quilt Company
Samantha  at Aqua Paisley Studio
Sharon at Yellow Cat Quilt Designs
Vivian at Quilting with Vivian
Wendy at Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life

For more information concerning blog giveaways from our sponsors, please see our hosts:

Yvonne at Quilting Jet Girl
Leanne at She Can Quilt
Beth at Cooking Up Quilts

They have a complete list of participants in each hive and a list of the sponsors for the 2017 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop on their blogs. In addition, there are instructions concerning how to register for giveaways. There is a new giveaway each week. So if you did not win last week, you can try again!

Blogging Tip

​As a new blogger, I think it is important to realize that blogging is a learn-as-you-go process. Technology is a moving target. Be persistent and choose what you want to include based on your purpose. It is very easy to get side-tracked by the latest and greatest blogging tool. If you need it, use it. Otherwise let it go, there will be something else new very soon.

Quilting Tip

There is no one best way of doing anything, especially quilting. Do what works for you and follow your heart. After all, quilting is supposed to be fun. That is one of the reasons I do it. I also quilt because it relieves stress; it is creative; and I think that it makes the world a better place.

​Why do you quilt? You can type your answer as a comment at the end of the blog. Other comments are welcome as well. Hope to hear from you! I tend to reply on my blog instead of by email. You can also send me an email, and  I will reply directly to you. I would love to hear from you.

​Happy Quilting!