Career choices and quilting

[Mary Beth]

Thank you Linda, and very well said. That is also my plan. Learn all I can from those who are the best. Then produce the finest quilting I can. Who knows maybe I too can inspire someone someday!!

[GERRY]

Great question Teresa: :cool:

I never finished high school, I quit at 16, married to my DH at 17, first baby at 18, second baby at 20. My DH was in the millitary for 24 years so getting a new job every three years became my main work focus, after my family that is. I've done so many differant jobs, from McDonald's to Real Estate agent.

Because I had such difficulties at school, (dyslexia) I thought I was dumb or at lest not smart, it took me many years to figure out that in fact, I am not only very smart but I have many talents, one of witch is with fabric. I have found that I get really, really good at somthing, then get bored & move on to somthing new. To many things to list, mostly hobbies, in fiber arts.

There are times I wish I could go & get a degree in art or maybe design, but I wanted & got more children, so at 39 & 43 I had 2 more babies, some times I wonder if I had more kids beacuse I was afraid to go out & find a career, but I love being a mom & now also a grandmother, plus I'm good at it.

So now I'm 48 & have found something else I'm good at, & I know that having a degree in anything would give me more confidence, but so will PPP & time. & that's the best way for me to go at this time.

Maybe when Evan (5) is in school full time I will look into more education (design) but for now, I love my life the way it is,even though there are things in it that are not to my likeing ( mostly money prob's), most of the time it works for me.

Next year who know's, it all may be differant

I do want to be a noted LAer in my area, & have people come to me because they want good quality work, & maybe something a little differant that they can't get anywhere else, but that to will take time & PPP, & when I see some of the wonderful quilts on this forum I know I have a long way to go, but they said the same thing about me haveing more babies & I have them, even after 13 years of trying, & everyone else giving up I didn't. So I know I can do this too. I'm not good at giving up, & I'm getting much better at patience.

Most of the quilters & LAer's that I have met are either nurses, teachers, or stay at home Mom's.

I was also thinking about some classes in design or maybe fiber arts.

[BethDurand]

Hi Theresa

I live in Oregon, where we say "On the 8th day, God made Oregon." It's supposed to be about 88 today, but we forgot to close the windows, so it's toasty up in my sewing room. Summers are pleasant, only a few days over 100, during which we all complain. Winter is pretty grey, but I love the rain. Gives me an excuse to stay in and sew and bake and read! Okay, so we have an active volcano in the neighboring state, but it doesn't go off that often!

I have surely enjoyed reading everyone's responses about careers. I have to laugh at myself when I consider the career path I took Started out with a plan to become a physical therapist, but flunked out of college. Took a year off and bummed around Europe. Came back to get my degree in Music Therapy (I play double bass as my principal instrument), and have worked in mental health for the past 13 years. This from the woman who swore throughout college that I would "NEVER" work in mental health. I only got my Millie in April, but am already contemplating working 1/2 time at the hospital, and the rest from home. I worked way to hard to get this degree to give it up completely. However, as our patients become increasingly ill, we'll have to see what God has in store for me.

Back to the original question, I don't see the need for a degree in a specific field for quilting. I would love to take some art classes, some business classes, anything that would expand my knowledge base. I believe that all of what we learn we are going to use in different aspects of our life. Soemtimes what we learn might be that we really can't stand something that we thought we'd love, or vice versa. I'm surely grateful for having found quilting, it's my stress reliever and joy. Thanks to all of you out there for the laughter, the support and the answers to questions. I would love to meet everyone in person, but maybe someday.

Beth

[Myrna Ficken]

It is so much fun getting to know all of you with these post. I think all of you are awesome !!!!

LOL> .....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?" LOL..

[Calicoquilter]

It has been very interesting reading about everyone. I have noticed that although we may be a diverse group, we have a lot in common. Not just the love of quilting but the perseverance to accomplish what we need to get the job done! I myself took 20 years to complete a 4 year bachelors degree in Criminal Justice. I worked full time, moved across the country several times and had two children during this time. After I finished, I ended up working in a library for the past 12 years because the hours were more "family friendly" than a police department. I will be taking my youngest child off to college in about 2 weeks and I am celebrating my empty nest by getting a new job...in a police department! I have decided it is time that I get to do what I want to do. It will be third shift, 11 PM to 7 AM,but maybe that will allow me to get some quilting in on my machine during daylight hours.

Colleen

[Mary Beth]

Okay, I will try this again....

Myrna, Just remember what I said about numbers when I finally sign up for one of your classes....

[QuiltsbyNini]

Loved reading all the posts in this one! The only degree I have is in being a mommy! My oldest is 29 and my youngest will be 5 next month! My husband and I met in Louisiana where he and my brother were in the same company at Ft Polk. My husband stayed in the military for a little over 20 years, where we averaged a move every 9-12 months! When he retired he became a deputy here in Walton County, Georgia. That has been 15 years ago, and we love it here!

I gave birth to three great children and we have 2 mixed race foster children who we will be adopting as soon as all the legal and medical issues are cleared up... that is another l-o-n-g story, but we are expecting that to be within 10 years.

My husband was raised by his grandmother in Missouri. That is where the quilting bug hit me. Seeing those beautiful quilts she made using only a treadle machine, made me know I could do it! My grandmother had been a professional seamstress, as I grew up I remember always having someone's wedding party dresses hanging around. I learned to sew starting by being her official seam ripper at age 5. I became quite good at it too!

I can't wait to get my machine and get started. Since we are refinancing our home with a cash out for the equity, I won't have to worry about actually making money the first year or so, so I will be able to enjoy it a bit more and complete some of my own tops...

[9patch]

Mary Beth,

I don't think there is anything that you can't learn about quilting just by being open to new ideas, taking classes at quilt shows (more and more with longarm classes being offered), picking the brains of all who write here. Think you can, girl!

Theresa and all,

I am a retired special education teacher. I taught (and loved it) for 29 years. Now I am a hobby quilter. I'm enjoying this a lot. I do quilt for others and do charity quilts, but I do not have a business at this time. It may sneak up on me, though.

Linda

[Wheezer]

Hi ladies, haven't posted in a while. However, this has been very interesting reading everyone's stories. I am a practicing pharmacist in the Finger Lakes region of NY which has a true pharmacist shortage. In fact I had the privilege of practicing 60 hours last week followed by 8 hours yesturday. My brain is a little fried. I quilt to destress. It's like meditation for me and I can and have been up all night because I am so wrapped up in it. I think the real key to quilting and doing it well is enjoying it and the willingness to never stop learning. I took some undergrad art courses, but butted heads with the professor - so that didn't work. We all have these ideas that were given to us in grade school about color. I started looking at art quilts and at nature. Nature has some really interesting color blends if one looks at what is presented. We just don't always look. Accountants and scientists are left brained persons (I think it is left brain anyway) and will like complex designs - number stuff, right brained persons are more verbal and open. My daughter took guitar lessons a long time ago and the teacher said he looked for kids who were good in math because music is mathmatic progression. I agree to a certain extent. However, musicians who are listening to music have a tendency to listen with both sides of the brain turned on full and maybe that's why so many of us use quilting to relax - because it engages both sides of the brain and allows us to be in touch with absolutely all we can be. And maybe some day I will have enough time away from the pharmacy bench to really play with my Millie and we can make beautiful music together. Oh, and I can't listen to music while I quilt because my brain wants to see the music. I have taken a number of classes at seminars (go to Houston to run away) and the ones I learned the most from were the ones that made me stretch way out of my comfort zone. They changed my perspective on not only quilting, but the way I look at life.

Martha Mosher

[thequiltqueen]

I was a stay at home mom until my kids went to school full time, then I worked in accounting while earning a degree in computer programming. My husband?s job moved us around a bit, so I had to repeat classes due to some schools not accepting transfer credits from previous ones. So, after about 10 years I finally earned my degree. I worked my first programming job for 16 months, hating every minute of it! Not the work, which I found to be interesting and fun, but the corporate environment of this particular company was just unbelievably horrible. They filed bankruptcy, I left, and I have never had another programming job. At first this was my choice, later when I was over the trauma of that job it was because I was ?stale? and not up on the newest technology.

By now my kids were grown and I didn?t know what to do with myself. I felt very stressed at the thought of working in accounting or programming. It just didn?t feel ?right? to me. I decided my left brain was full, and I needed to start using my right brain. So I went back to college for a degree in Graphic Design, which I just completed in June of this year.

I loved every minute of it!! It was interesting to observe that most of the younger students were there because they HAD to do something, and it showed in their attitudes. The older students were there because they WANTED to be and that showed as well.

I found that my classes have helped me in quilting. Anything that trains or stimulates your right brain is beneficial. The ?bad? part is that I am starting to fantasize that my Photoshop and Illustrator training can be converted for use with a CompuQuilter!!!

[bstucker]

I've enjoyed reading everyone's response to their career choices, so here's my story: I planned on being a nurse all through high school, but just before I graduated, I learned about a new program being offered at our local college in dental hygiene. The program was one year shorter (two instead of three years) than the nursing program and that sounded good to me. I wanted to be on my own as fast as possible. I met my husband as a patient in the office I worked in, and married him two years later. The receptionist in that office set up our first date, and her husband, a minister married us. My husband's job as a forester sent us from Virginia to Florida and except for a few years in Georgia that's where we have stayed and raised a son. I worked part-time for more than twenty years until carpal tunnel surgery interrupted all that tooth scaling. All along, I had sewed clothing until a friend showed me the quilt she was making.

I was hooked on both piecing and machine quilting; after our son left for college, I played tennis, and made quilts until my husband suggested I work part-time again selling real estate. I figured I would counter with, "how about I just buy one of those big machines and start a quilting business" and he'd leave me alone for a while....instead, he said "ok". It was a goofy way of getting into this business, but I don't regret my choice at all. I love what I'm doing, and am seldom bored. I think my attention to detail was honed by looking for cavities and calculus and it serves me well as a longarm quilter.

[countrystitcher]

This question has made very interesting reading. I have a degree in "life". Married my high school sweetheart at 19, went to 2-year business school, worked in banking, finance, teacher's aide, and now insurance. Sometimes life gives you degrees that you never imagined! Now I'm getting a great degree as a "Professional Quilter" -- I just love saying that!!!

[chickenscratch]

Norece, My best friends just moved to Southwestern Colorado 3 weeks ago. They got better jobs, better weather, and beautiful scenery. Maybe I should check it out. Besides, there are lots of LAers there to befriend.

[victoriasews]

I got a degree in Spanish and Recreation in the 70's and never got a job in that field because my husband got his degree in engineering and we all know who would make more money so we live where he found work. I have worked in everything but Spanish and recreation. I homeschooled 2 girls for 10 years and started working in a quilt store when they went to college. I learned the long-arm there. After 3 years, I started my own business this last month. I was very lucky that many of the customers from the store followed me so I am very busy right off the batt. I love quilting at home where I can take a break and enjoy the beauty of our 5 acre wooded home.

[SandraG]

Mary Beth,

I started college at age 31 -- went thru a 5 year degree program in 4 years -- graduated magna cumme laude -- degree is in Special Education -- got a job -- loved teaching -- got my master's in Educational Administration -- was team teaching in regular ed. classes, teaching special ed, coaching chearleaders, in charge of attendance for the entire high school, 504 co-ordinator (for kids with special needs that do not qualify for special ed) -- i had 54, 504 students, 31 special ed students to track and make sure their needs were being met and 1800 kids to keep up attendance --- however, i was still being paid as a teacher not administrator -- guess what -- I had a nervous breakdown and spent a week in the hospital -- i did not go back to teaching -- have my degrees helped me -- yes in that i am proud that i worked hard to get them -- now i own a quilt shop -- love it -- and no one ask me about a degree -- Oh, and in my classroom, i called counting on your fingers, "using manipulatives, so think of it as the manipulatives that God gave you!!

Sandra

[Mary Beth]

Do you know how incredibly coordinated you have to be to count using your fingers....and I can go forward and backward, (meaning when I get to 5:), I can start with 6 on my ring finger and go back, and then when I get to my thumb:), I turn around and go back the other way) as many times as I need to

[Judi]

Mary Beth - You are Oh-so-talented! And funny too! I wish we could all get

together for a weekend!

I have really enjoyed reading this thread and about everybody. As for me,

I now stay at home, have done various jobs in the past, Hardees, shipping,

accts. payable - boring! I could NOT stand being in that little cubicle or all

of the "office politics". I call things & people as I see them, and say what I

mean. I don't play mind games. All that said -

I love quilting! If I am ever stuck on a color, design or pattern to put on a

quilt - I go ask my husband! He has been a Tattoo Artist for over 25 years

and is THE Best in Southern Minnesota! We both make our money using needles and color. Just in very differnt ways! He is also my template maker.

School starts Sept. 7 - so then I will be able to get more done during the

day - thats in 20 days and I AM counting!

[Bonnie]

Me too, I can hardly wait for school to start.... we were an empty nest for years and then this past winter our daughter (only child) decided that she would rather have a husband than a divorce and sent us her first child...not her husbands daughter so now I'm a mom again...and its been hard to get anything done...only two more weeks, but whos counting....love the kid, shes great to have around, but Grandma is ready for a break and needs some quilting time...

[Bekah]

We sure are diverse bunch. I have been a daycare provider, a map maker for BLM, a bank accountant, a seamstress, legal assitant for a DA and a paralegal for over 20 years. I went back to school at age 54 and graduate with all A's with a degree in pastoral ministry. Now I am a professional quilter. I have to say that ministry and quilting are the things that keep me sane and the joy and laughter in my life.

I am so enjoying meeting all of you and being able to share in your talents and your advice.

MaryBeth, I get confused even with my fingers if someone interrupts me while I am trying to count:P

[Bekah]

oh yes and a mom who had a bunch of her sons' friends that I lovingly call my "couch kids" that pretty much lived on my couch and the floor of my living room for all of high school. Now they seem to all have friends that come for a visit and stay awhile. Pay back is wonderful:P

[ClaudiaPfeil]

I have had time tonight to read all your postings in this thread - and I have to tell you, that I really enjoyed it!

Sorry my funny english - but I can?t explain it different: While reading it seemed to me that we are all sisters and brothers ( do we have some?????:cool:)), the human side of each -behind our addiction for quilting - is shown off - what a wonderful family....thank you all soooo much!

Especially here in Europe far , far away- where Longarm-Quilting is really in the beginning ( sure, it?s increasing like a hurrican:D:cool:) I feel sometimes like on a island - with this chat: I?m connected!

If you want to read my personal story, go on - otherwise stop here;):cool:

I started LA-Quilting in March 2005 ,when I got my Millennium.

The years before I struggled with my domestic sewing machine, not really enjoying the shortarm but better than handquilting. Sometimes I quilted by hand - it was not my way.....toooooo slowly;) And toooo much patience were requested:cool:

I opened a quiltshop 10 years ago, my two sons were 6months and 4 years old. They grow up with a busy mom and are now well educated in every question of quilting;)

They accompanied me daily, so now I?m enjoying the hours they are at school.

My eldest son is mheanwhile a "technician"for the LA and he is preparing my internet shop at the moment!

I?ve studied design for textiles ( do you know something like this?) and my grade is "Diplom Engineer for Textile-Design"(translated from german, so maybe it is unknown in the US).

I worked several years in an atelier for drawing and made my own collections for fabrics. Then the kids were born and I had to stop it - till I decided to teach in patchwork.

My first lessons in patchwork 1993 were horrible...*lol* : I just started to teach myself a hour before the students arrived:cool:

Nothing was planned.....I believe in destiny.....one step after another....and now: I?m a happy quilter

Have a great day....

What a wonderful feeling to belong to this group....

Claudia from Germany

[Susanri]

what a great topic so many facinating people! I started out as a goldsmith but found out I was allergic to metal and had to quit, I went back to school in my thirties and graduated with a degree in communications and art. My goal was to graduate before my kids which I did, I now am a director of a non profit for seniors called RSVP. I love my job and everyday I go to work to do good,

but I love fiber arts more, when raising the little ones I sewed dolls clothes boy do I wish I knew about longarming then! what fun it would have been!

[Judi]

P.S. I just wanted to add to Teresa - you just CAN"T have TOO much snow!

[chickenscratch]

Oh Judi, I think that when people have to resort to snowmobiles becuase the roads are snowed under, then that's TOO much snow. I love the snow. I see it once a year when we go to Michigan. We play in it, sled down hills, ice fish, make snowmen; BUT I don't want to live in it 8 months out of the year like some of you yankees do.

[Phyllis]

O.K., I'm going to jump in here....I've so enjoyed all of your stories.

I got married at the ripe old age of 17.....just 10 days after I graduated high school. Had my first child at 21, second at 23 and third at 32. I worked off and on in several different jobs from office work to factory work. The factory work really took it's toll on my body and I finally gave it up in either 1998 or 1999. ( I honestly don't remember when!) I love staying at home...I'm never bored. Our children are grown and I have 4 grandchildren.

Before I quit work, a friend of mine kept trying to get me to quilt(piecing). I kept putting her off, telling her that I had too many other things that I did and I definitely didn't need to start another hobby. She just kept at me and finally in 2003 I said, "Fine! I'll make a quilt with you." Made a lovely fan quilt(Oriental.......I LOVE oriental fabrics:cool:) I still haven't quilted it......I'll get at it one of these days. My friend had a longarm. Once I jumped into the piecing I just had to have a longarm machine as I wanted to complete the whole quilt not just piece it. Bought my Jennie in September 2004 and have done a few customer quilts but there are lots of longarmers in this area. My husband is so suportive of my quilting. He says that he doesn't care whether I make any money at this or not but I do feel enough self pressure that I would like to pay for it on my own. So, I quilt for others when they ask and in between customer quilts I work on my own stuff and I LOVE IT!!