Rene Altena

I started sewing in middle school.  As a lot of people did in my age group, I started with Home Economics.  I liked the sewing part better than the cooking part.  My Mom, who also sewed, encouraged me to continue on into high school so I took 2 years of “Fashion”.  Learned a lot of correct sewing techniques from our very strict teacher.  I inherited my Mom’s old sewing machine when she got a new one and I kept sewing.  Back then I did all garment sewing.  Over the years I made just about everything a person would wear, from swimsuits to snowsuits.  Made a lot of my children’s clothes and all my work uniforms.  Fabric stores were my happy place.

As time passed, I sewed less and less for myself and family.  I never really wanted to start quilting because I knew it would become an obsession.  I was right.  Still I needed to make things for people to use and I worked with lots of women having babies. So what do babies need?  Quilts!  I made a very simple 9 patch quilt for a young woman I worked with and I was hooked.  That was about 20 years ago and I have never looked back.  My garment stash was fairly quickly replaced with a quilting stash.  Quilt stores then became my happy place.

I started with baby quilts and have lost track of how many I’ve made. They are still my favourite thing to make.  They’re fast, they’re cute, they’re fun to make and they’re given away.  I also make change pads and burp cloths that are given with each baby quilt.  I have continued my quilting journey by expanding into making bigger and more complicated quilts.  I really like applique and have recently been doing some precision piecing.  Did a whole quilt with paper piecing, haven’t decided yet if that’s my thing or not.  I’ve also expanded into bag making and sewing with rope (bowls, etc).  I don’t feel I’m either a traditional or a modern quilter, some of both. If I’m going to make a quilt for someone, I think of what they would like or what suits their style.  I want the quilts I make to be used. 

I consider myself to be an everyday quilter.  I just enjoy making quilts that people will like and that they’ll use.  Don’t want to hear my quilts are just in a closet, don’t want my quilts to be hung on a wall.  Want my quilts to be snuggled under, dragged around, slept on or under, laid out on the ground for a baby, taken camping, want them worn out.  If they do get worn out, I get to make a new one.

Upon joining the Central Alberta Quilter’s Guild in 2013, I discovered a whole group of kindred spirits.  At last, people with the same passion as myself!  I’ve learned so much and have challenged myself to become a better quilter through classes and group sewing.  Without some of the groups, I would never have started or completed some really big quilts.  Now the Guild has asked me to be a featured quilter, I am very honoured.  I just want everyone to know that they can make a quilt if they try.  It doesn’t have to be big, or complicated, or a work of art, or even perfect.  It just needs to be fun!

Linda Carver

I started sewing as a young girl, but sewed mainly clothing. My mom was an excellent seamstress and taught me a lot. I took Home Economics in Junior High in Calgary. Then my family moved to a farm by Three Hills. My mom started a Sewing 4H club. I belonged for 3 years. Following that I went to the University of Alberta to become a Home Economics teacher. I always enjoyed learning more. Once I started teaching and living in Strathmore, I was always taking courses on sewing and cooking. Everything from lingerie, swimming suits, ultra suede, etc. I made all my own clothing and when I married and had a family I made their clothes as well.

Until it mattered what label was on your jeans.

After the Calgary Olympics, my husband and I bought a store in Calgary. The store had originally been connected to White Ram which produced the Olympic sweaters. Eventually we expanded our inventory to include knitting machines, sewing machines, yarn, and some fabric. I taught school half time and then taught in the store. During this time, we brought in instructors from around the world and I learned many interesting techniques.

I was one of those people who could never understand why people would cut fabric into little squares and sew it back into a flat piece of fabric. But as time went on and the kids left home there was less sewing for me to do. My sister, Cheryl, had started quilting and I really liked what she was making. There was a quilting store in a neighbouring town, Linden. I decided to take a beginner’s class and never looked back. I belonged to the quilt guild in Strathmore for a number of years.

When I retired from teaching, we moved to Red Deer to be closer to our children. I joined the quilt guild here and have worked with the program committee and quilt show committee for a number of years. I started out quilting my own quilts on my domestic machine using a walking foot. Then I took a couple of classes on free motion and moved onto quilting my quilts using free motion in my domestic machines. I still use this technique for my wall hangings. I did also purchase a longarm to quilt my quilts.

I love quilting and it is my way to relax. I love to learn new things so usually take most classes offered. I always learn some little trick.