Yes! I’ve been a quilter for more than thirty years. When I was engaged to be married, I longed for a beautiful heirloom wedding quilt to commemorate the occasion. Unfortunately, none of my friends or relatives quilted, and we couldn’t afford to buy a genuine, handmade quilt. Eventually I realized that if I wanted a beautiful heirloom wedding quilt, I’d have to make it myself. Our town didn’t have a quilt shop where I could take lessons, so I found an instruction book titled “Teach Yourself How to Quilt,” bought some fabric from a discount store, and taught myself to piece and appliqué by following the step-by-step instructions. My first project was a simple nine-block sampler rather than the elaborate king-sized bed quilt I had envisioned, but I was pleased with it, and I was eager to try more challenging projects. I bought more pattern books, browsed through quilting magazines, sought advice from more experienced quilters on the internet—and learned a lot through trial and error. As for that beautiful heirloom wedding quilt I had wanted so badly as a bride… I’m a little embarrassed to admit that while I made many quilts through the years, I somehow didn’t get around to that particular project. Then, not long after I wrote The Wedding Quilt, I decided to make a version of Caroline’s Double Wedding Ring quilt for a new pattern book. My husband and I liked it so much that he suggested we choose it to be our wedding quilt. If I had waited two more years, I could have called it our twentieth anniversary quilt—but I suppose we’d already waited long enough!