Editor’s Letter

“When you give a homemade gift, you are giving a part of yourself to the recipient. You can't do that with a mass-produced item.” —Mark Frauenfelder

I love to share my love of quilting with others through gifting my quilts. By doing this I can make lots and lots of gorgeous quilts, table runners and wall hangings, and still know that someone will enjoy the fruits of my labor. At some point in a quilter’s life, after all the beds have quilts on them, when every table has been covered with quilted projects, when all possible holidays have that special quilted project to set out, it’s time to figure out why you continue to quilt. For me, it’s like breathing or eating. I need to be creative. I need to design from my ideas and inspiration. Quilting is what completes me as a person. Oh, don’t get me wrong—I love my family, my children and my grandchildren, but at some point, everyone finds a passion that feeds the soul and makes them who they are. My passion is quilting. So, to keep my passion going I have to find places for the quilts I make. Gift giving is the perfect solution for me. It’s also very rewarding.

This issue is chock-full of great patterns you can make for yourself or to give away. When you allow yourself to plan and to quilt for others, you can make those projects that you wouldn’t have made otherwise just because you felt they wouldn’t fit into your decor. You can use the colors you’ve been wanting to use but wouldn’t because they wouldn’t match your home. Just think of all the different colors and designs you can choose when you make the decision to quilt for others. Go ahead and look—and I mean really look—through this issue with new eyes and enjoy!

PS. Don’t forget to check out Annie’s Creative Studio today for great classes with some of the best designers.

Did you know that Quilter's World is published by Annie's, a family-owned company that dates back to 1925? We share your passion for creative expression and your love of home and family.

Annie's publishes seven different magazines, and we're a leading source of craft patterns, supplies and kits! If you'd like to see the full range of creative products from Annie's, just visit our website at Annies-Publishing.com.