chickenscratch Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 I was wondering what everybody out there does for a career. I know some of you quilt full time, but many of you are like me, just gettting started. I am still working full time, teaching 8th grade Reading. I have a Bachelor's in education and a Masters in Reading. I'm thinking of going back and earning a degree in ART. I thought it might help me with my quilting career (which I hope will become full time in the future). Does anybody out there have a degree in art, or have you taken art classes that have helped you with quilting. I have checked into programs and it seems like the closest one that might help me is fashion design, at least that works with fabric, but I HATE sewing garments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Teresa, I don't have an art degree, but have had an interest in the art world since childhood, and if I had had the chance to go to college back in the 70's I would have choosen something there. However, I did work in the advertising agency world for over 5 years (Harrah's Hotel and Casino), was an ad coordinator for a newpaper for 3 years, and I worked as a Desktop publisher for 4 years at a broadcasting agency and did all the proposals for 48 sales people, and with this knowledge it has helped greatly in my chooses of Thread color and sometimes designs. I sometimes stand back and look at something and can hear my adv. director saying....don't mess up a good thing...keep it simple. And its just what the customer was looking for.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 I wish I had a degree!! When I purchased my machine that was one thing the sales people talked about - the fact that most machine quilters had a degree in something. So, is that why I feel like I can't quilt?? I have those words rattling around in my head?? Well, I have decided to ignore those words. I have some college - that will just have to be good enough! I am a part-time secretary - for now, soon to be a full time quilter. Did I mention I have 3 new customers this week?? Yippee!!:cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 You rock...Mary Beth....way to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted August 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Mary Beth, I have two and they don't help me one like when I'm quilting. I am terrible at math, so usually I have to figure things three times so I don't mess up. I have read some art books to learn about contrasting and complimentary colors, but mostly I just do what looks right to me. It's just when I see some of the beautiful, unusual things that some of you are doing that I wish I could do that. Most of my quilts are made from somebody else's pattern. I have only designed three. They've all turned out very nice, but I would really like to be able to draw better and to use color more boldly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Linda S Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Life takes funny turns, doesn't it. I have a Bachelor's degree in Spanish (minors in German, Religious Studies, and Music). I did eventually want to be a professor, but I started out being a bank teller, then worked part of one summer helping to costume a local theatre group. Moved to Oregon, became a credit authorizer for a department store, then the receptionist in the student government office at the UO, then Secretary in the President's Office at the UO, then Assistant to the Vice Provost for Acadmic Personnel, and now I'm the Department Manager for the Economics department there. I am a faculty member (but an administrative one) and I've been that the U for 27 years. 3 more years and I can collect my pension and quilt full time! I believe today's count should be 1115 days left, but who's counting? Linda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted August 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Linda, you are too funny. I wish I was close enough to retirement to start counting the days. I don't plan to teach until retirement. I plan to get my quilt business up and running within 5 years, so I can do that full time to help support the family. All the kids will be moved out by then and the house will be 1/2 paid off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Teresa, I am very bad a math, in fact, I would become hysterical - laughing uncontrollably when trying to learn my mulitpication tables. My parents would take shifts trying to get them to sink into my thick skull. Oh, they would get so mad, because the louder they got, the more I laughed. Can't explain it. So, I did the next best thing to learning math....I married a math whiz!! When I have questions about numbers I go to him and give him fractions, etc. and he doesn't even think about it, he just throws out numbers:) How does he do that?? I don't know but I'm keepin him;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLRtoQuilt Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 I needed a good laugh today and you all just did that! We are a treatment foster care home and DH is a truck driver and I deal with the kids. As far as time with all the kids home this summer, I don't have any, so I am waiting for school to start! That would be 24 days, but who's counting right Plus with moving I am just practising whenever I can. I want to do foster care for 3 more years in hopes the business is going good. I do have to say I love art and colors, I have an accounting degree do you think that will do anything for me, lol. To top it off my DH can do the math fast than I can (specially fractions) but I can buget a whole lot better than him Char Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted August 12, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 Char, School starts in 24 days???? Oh, how I long to live up north. We (the teachers) have been in school for 2 weeks. Our kids have had 6 days so far. I'm ready for a vacation already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsbishwit Posted August 12, 2006 Report Share Posted August 12, 2006 I took art classes and even went to the Academy of Merchandising & Design in Chicago to study fashion design after I graduated from high school. Unless you plan on designing clothing there is very little that will benefit someone in the longarm quilting field getting a degree in fashion design. 1)You learn textiles (evereything you ever wanted to know about the many fabrics out there and how they are made and how they react in any situatuation...it's like a sciecne class for fabric). 2)You learn how to draft a pattern from basic "sloppers" sloppers are basic paper patterns that have no design elements to them other than a dart here and there to fit a standard dress maker form...(sloppers are made from draping) 3) You learn the drapping technique. Taking muslin and drapping it over a dress maker form in a peticular size to make sloppers for shirts, pants, skirts etc... then you will learn how to drape pattern pieces beyond the basic sloppers. 3) You will learn how to sketch your ideas then turn them into a pattern and then into a wearble garment. 4) You learn how to sew on all types of fabrics and learn how to go beyond the simple garment construction how tos. I learned more in my art classes that has helped me in quilting than anything I have learned from fashion design. For instance in art classes you learn to draw, you learn about color, perspective and learning how to switch to the right side of your brain when you create something (the right side of your brain is where all of your creativity is...people who can't draw never learned how to tap into that side of their brain. But everyone can draw if they learn how to use the right side of their brain). A great book that can teach you how to do this is called "The New Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain" By Betty Edwards (Amazon.com Carries it) Anyways after design school I got married & started having kids, left my dreams of being a designer behind to be closer with my family and took a 9-5 job paying chiropractic claims for an insurance company in the small town we lived in at the time until my DH & I won $91,000.00 in the little lotto in Illinois (that was 12 years ago) when my 2nd child was just 6 wks old. Was able to quit work to be a stay at home mom and had another child then DH switch careers and went into the computer field moved us out of the midwest to the southwest and had twin girls (yup total of 5 kids now ). My youngest started kindergarten last year so I decided to get back to my creative side but this time decided to go with quilting instead of fashion design. My kids started back to school last Wednesday and it is so nice to have 7 hours a day to devote to quilting!! Joann Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CLRtoQuilt Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Teresa, Wisconsin passed a law that schools (public) will not start until after labor day weekend because the businesses (tourism) were complaining they where loosing most of their employees because of early school starts. What grade do you teach? I suppose with all the nice weather yet the kids are still on the wild side! Does that mean you all get out early in the spring. Our kids don't get out till the middle of June. My son wishes they had school year round, the kid is a walking book of knowledge. Char Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyL Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 I was a biology/chemistry teacher for three days. I knew right off that was not the job for me. My parents were surely not happy with me after having paid for college but I hated teaching enough to know that I'd rather face the anger of my parents than deal with high school kids. I decided I wanted to go back to school to major in psychology but that didn't last long. An attorney friend needed a secretary for six weeks so I volunteered to help him and ended up staying there for five years. Went back to school to be a paralegal and absolutely loved that job. I was a paralegal til we moved to Kentucky in 1997 and haven't worked at an outside the home job since then. Got the first quilting machine in 1998 and . . the rest is history. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltingnanny Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Well, I guess you can say I graduated from the school of 'hard knocks' ! Married at 14 divorced at 21 with 3 children under 5. Then,,,,went to work at the phone company when the youngest was 4. Worked there 18 years and fired for developing repetitive motion injuries. Took my GED and passed and 10 years after my oldest graduated from high school I graduated from surgical tech school. I was the OLDEST person there ! LOL 8 years into that carrer I was hit by a semi and had to 'retire'. I've always sewn and helped my Grandmother and Aunt tie and piece quilts. Well, I had to have something to do so I tried making porcelon dolls. My hands gave out [molds too heavey to lift ], so then I tried stained glass. Had to give that up because of wrists. Huh, after a LOONG funk. I went to a quilt class. :) The rest is history ! Are you bored yet ? LOL I think I have found my spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtreusch Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 It's interesting to read everyones stories. I started out in college to get a piano performance degree. Went for 3 years and a shoulder injury prevented my from finishing. I went back to college later and got a degree in programming. I've been programming for 14 years now and still love it. The last 5 years has been doing web programming, which I also love. As much as I love the piano and programming, I would say the I love longarm quilting even more. I would give anything to quit my full time job and quilt full time!! I got into longarm quilting as a way to bring in some extra income to invest for retirement (25+ years. It's too many days to count!!). I was hooked at first stitch when I test drove a machine last fall. I still play the piano at home when time permits and I also play a synthesizer and keyboard for a band and orchestra. Debbi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stitchinsally Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 I'm a real estate appraiser with a background in Interior Design and a Business Degree. After working from home for many years I recently went to work for a company full time because I really missed the benefits. I only have 23 more years to go before I have my points in and can retire. My husband could retire now so, we are hoping to get him started on the quilting this winter. Mary Beth, you don't need a degree to be a long armer. You just keep at it. Teresa, just keep trying. They tell me it comes with practice. Instead of Interior Design I should have gone into Artechiture. I never was very good at free hand stuff but, really love straight edge work. So, even after a year I can't seem to do much curvy stuff, freehand, on my machine. I love the pantographs and use my straight edges alot but, that just tells us that we each have our own technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjdanley Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 This is very interesting. I, too, am a retired teacher. Taught 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade for 36 years. I'd always wanted to learn to quilt but the job was too much and with summers off it was just to hot to quilt. When I retired 3 years ago I jumped into quilting with both feet. Instead of being a quilter I was told that I was a topper since none of my quilts were quilted. I purchased an HQ16 in Jan. of 2005 and graduated to my Millie this past April. I love it and am not only quilting my own stuff but also for the gals that I quilt with. The craft is wonderful and the people are great. Now I don't know how I ever found time to work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jakrnsewing Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Well for me I wish I could quilt for a living but it just has not worked out that way yet.....My quilting for me is a release or an escape from what I do..I work full time nights as an ER nurse which is a very stressful job so quilting is my release for sanity...I love it although I must say I have been stressed from time to time when piecing or quilting but it always seems to work out in the end....I believe I have some aritistic abilities but would not consider myself an artist I would like to expand my quilting to more elaborate competition type quilts and my goal in the coming months is to attempt a small wholecloth quilt...I have the Karen McTavish book with DVD it is great so that is my current goal with quilting......as for the ER I have been doing that for the past 6 years was a cardiac nurse for 3 years I have many, many years left before retirement but my current goal is to retire when I am 50 I am now 41......Jackie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizziesgirl Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 I have my license for cosmetology and worked on and off doing hair while having my 2 older children. Thought I was done having kids, took over the really nice attached garage and opened a hair and tanning salon. 3 years later got pregnant, my customers didn't like waiting 3 weeks to get there hair done by me but I was determined to take care of my baby myself and not work so much. They kept bugging I closed. Than later worked as human resources administrator, weight watchers leader and supervisor, bank accountant and my husband quit his factory job, started selling amish built cabins, sheds and log furniture. I quit working full time away 2 1/2 years ago to keep the business open full time and put a quilt shop in 4 months ago, bought a grace/janome set up, had a lot of customer quilts to do and not enough room to quilt, sold that and just got my Millie. Which sits where the salon was, which had turned to family room. I have always loved to sew and draw for comfort, now I get paid for it, what more can I ask for. Well maybe the lottory! Way to go Joann... Sheryl www.shedznbedz.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted August 13, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Sheryl, I love your little cabins and playhouses. Does your husband also sell full size houses? We are trying to figure out where to buy retirement property. We have family in MIchigan (in Sears), but it snows so much up there. We want somewhere not too hot and not too cold, with just the right amount of rain and snow, no tornadoes or earthquakes, and affordable property. I guess such a place doesn't really exist. LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lizziesgirl Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Teresa, We have customers that have bought our largest cabin 12 x 34 and they would put in their own plumbing, wiring, etc.. Then that would be their get away cottage. I live in the southern part of the state near Ohio and Indiana. We get snow but not like they do further north or by the great lakes. As far as the perfect weather spot isn't that inside with the LA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Char, It seems to me that there are a lot of machine quilters that were/are accountants, and they are so very good. I thought it was because they knew numbers so well....maybe there is a connection. I just know when I look at numbers my brain freezes, nothing happens. If they are easy numbers I am okay, but if I have to use my fingers - look out!! My daughter was trying to figure something out the other day and she shot some numbers out. Then she looked at me and could tell I had "that" look on my face, and said, "you are using your fingers aren't you?" Duh! How else would I come up with an answer. You teachers out there, be kind to those number challenged children. I wanted to learn math, I just can't do it, it is your typical mental block. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bonnie Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 I agree,!!!!! If I had known what I would be doing when I grew up I would have paid a WHOLE lot more attention in my high school Geometry class .... HOWEVER, I did marry a math genius so it does work out for me....I get stuck I call him and he drops WHATEVER he is doing...welding a propane tank...fixing a pipeline WHATEVER it is (Sometimes even out of country) and he figures it out for me and off I go again. Do you think the geometry calculator he got me for christmas year was a hint.....Nope me nether! But like Mary Beth, I don't only use my fingers...toes have been know to be mentally included in my calculations....its to embarrassing to actually take off my shoes or look down at my toes with flip flops on with customers in house so I just think of them when doing my figuring. And I too know about that mental block in class.... And why God choose me to be a quilter is funny at times is rather funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Beth Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 Bonnie, My problems with math started in 3rd grade with the multipication tables, then went to Junior High, where my math teacher came in 1 hour early just to tutor me in math. Then in 9th grade I failed Math I in high school, took Math IA and skinned by. After I had my kids I went to work for.....a bank:D Isn't that a hoot!! I worked in a bank for 15 years. That cracks my mom up!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted August 13, 2006 Report Share Posted August 13, 2006 It is so fun to read these stories and know that we all have the same passion, quilting. We are a diverse bunch, for sure. I am a computer geek. I have worked with computers for 38 years. And no, I did not start out with an abacus. I retired from the U.S. Navy in 1990 as a Master Chief and got a job in the corporate world but still with computers. My philosophy about degrees ( art or other) is that they are a promise on paper. Books, study, tests but there is little time for practical application of the degree you are pursuing until after you get that piece of paper called a degree. So the paper is a promise that you have potential; it is proof that you can see a job thru to completion. I do put a lot of stock in education and that comes in many forms. I want to be a great quilter, so I think I need to learn everything I can to get better at this thing. A class from an established quilt teacher, a lecture/demo at a quilt show, a tip or technique in a magazine or the sound advice provided here in this forum, it helps shape today's quilters. The degree is the quilting we produce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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