July, 2006 marks an important time in my life. I was sitting in San Francisco’s premiere quilting shop, Black Cat Quilts, working on a doll quilt for my granddaughter when I met Jennifer, a woman who would later work with me in turning my quilting hobby into a business. As beginning quilters we both had many questions: how do you sew a straight line? Where can I find a good pair of scissors? What is applique?

On July 16th, 2004, Jennifer and I took our first of many sewing classes together at Black Cat Quilts and we had a ball! The class was called Bento Box, with Nancy Clock as the instructor and we learned to make the simple pattern seen below.

Since then Jennifer and I have spent many long hours quilting, cutting fabric, pinning fabric, trading Halloween fabrics, ripping out seams, re-sewing, and having a great time.  When Jennifer found out I needed a website, she suggested a blog, and pictures of my quilts, she was happy to help, so we teamed up to create the quilting “force.” I feel fortunate that I have wonderful family and friends who have helped make my hobby into a business that benefits many of them and our community.

When I found out our beloved Black Cat Quilts, was closing, I called Jennifer, “we have to take the last class at Black Cat,” I said. “After all, we started our quilting adventure with a Black Cat class with instructor Nancy Clock and it seemed so fitting to take the last class at Black Cat and with Nancy Clock as the instructor!  Besides, like so many others quilting acquaintances, without Black Cat, we wouldn’t even know each other.”

And so we took the last class together again. It was a lot more advanced than the simple bento box pattern we had started with, and involved paper piecing. (See Kimono picture on the right.)  We met more new quilting friends that day, created a beautiful block, learned a new technique, ate some chocolate, bought some more fabric and just had fun!  I have always said a quilting class is like a "happy hour with a sewing machine!"  One of the best ways to spend a day or weekend I know.

I’d like to personally thank Gretchen Nelson, the wonderful woman behind Black Cat Quilts, (pictured below) who owned and operated the store for all of it’s twelve years. Her guidance and friendship was always a warm presence in the shop and though we will miss her store, we are so glad she’s still in our quilting community.