You can enter the Quilt Forever Contest from APQS for your chance to win a Millie longarm quilting machine on a deluxe table valued at $19,700! The Millie Longarm features a stitch regulator, multi-position handles, directional locks and much more. You’ll also have a chance to win a monthly APQS Quilting Gift Basket full of thread, patterns and other great APQS goodies. Entry ends December 14, 2020.
If you were never given a homemade quilt from your elders you unfortunately missed out on a time honored family and American tradition. But do not fret, with this giveaway from APQS, you could start the tradition for generations to come.
I still remember the quilt I was given as a child from my grandmother. It was quite patriotic, red, white, and blue in color- although I believe that was purely coincidence. I can still recall forgoing my usual “baby blanket” on cold nights to cling tightly to it’s comforting warmth. The quilt had the typical feel and qualities of many others like it, but what I remember the most might seem odd – it’s smell. I’m not sure if it was from the time it spent in my grandparents old farmhouse while being constructed, or perhaps it had been used some prior to being gifted, but it’s the musty and yet oddly satisfying smell of that old quilt that I fondly remember and believe it or not, it still has to this day, even in it’s modern environment. The aroma still reminds me of my childhood, my grandparents, and a time when life just felt simpler.
Quilting actually has a history that long pre-dates America, and the tradition was likely brought over by Puritan settlers. These early quilts were less decorative as they were simply a necessity for surviving the harsh winters, and as such were often patched together from older worn out quilts. Although it’s common to believe the Amish brought quilting to the New World, the truth is that they too adopted the tradition after landing in America.
The tradition was quickly established as mother’s taught their young daughters the skill at an early age, and it gradually became a social event of sorts, with women gathering together at a home to create the gorgeous heirlooms together. After the advent of sewing machines in the mid 1800’s, quilting took off and even played a role in important historical events like WWII, when women were encouraged to create quilts to send to the men on the front lines.
Whether you were taught how to quilt as part of your own families traditions, or you are looking to get started today, you should enter this contest from APQS for what is arguably the finest quilting machine available. This is your chance to leave an indelible mark on your own grandchildren with an heirloom that they will cherish for years to come.