In colder climates, a woman’s quilting circle is still an opportunity for us to come together, to work on projects together, to talk over the major matters of the day and times, and to provide invaluable support for each other within a community.

This week, GoodByeCityLife is researching and reporting on the history of quilt making worldwide. Our first installment begins with the start of this craft - in the United Kingdom.

Before the age of the machine, the tradition of make do reined for centuries as all fabric was valuable and not to be wasted. We look back to a time long before any mechanical fabric production, when every piece of cloth was made entirely by hand or with the use of a simple weaving frame.

Long before the first settlers arrived in North America, British women and men were involved in patchwork and quilting. Not just for home use but for commercial income.

As far back as the fourteenth century, quilted fabrics were used for both bedcovers and clothing. We first observe the art of patchwork and quilting in the records of padded clothing made for soldiers - worn underneath armor to protect them from the metal but also to provide warmth.

There are examples of eighteenth century pieces of clothing in UK museums from royal families. One fine example is an underskirt for a Scottish wedding - now part of the Heritage Collection of the Quilters Guild, circa 1764.

Although in the households run by nobles and royals, there were fine examples of luxurious and exquisite quilts, these were the minority. The very wealthy would import cloth from lands far away and use it to display their wealth and social status.

This is why you’ll find silks, satins, velvets, and print fabrics used in complex antique quilting patterns. These pieces would be made by professional craftsmen. Back then, women would not have been employed commercially until much later in the history of quilting.

In homes of the less well off, quilting and patchwork had a much more utilitarian approach. Some of those earlier quilts display their own beauty and craftsmanship, but the main concern during creation was to provide ultimate warmth without too much expense.

The cottage industry was very much part of the northern England and Welsh tradition, and as such, there would be quilters undertaking work on commission - either selling directly to wealthier households or through an agent. Furthermore, in Wales and other parts of England there is reference to traveling workers. These craftsmen would trade board and lodging for new quilts and bedding.

In Victorian times, fashion would dictate the use of lots of bright colors with contrasting black design and fabrics. During this time, fabrics became more inexpensive, more available, and increased disposable income became available to the middle class. Drapery and bed coverings that had previously been seen only in the houses of the nobility were now emulated by the masses.

Most girls of middle class homes would be brought up to be competent with a needle and thread. The crafts of embroidery, patchwork, quilting, and appliqué became more popular and commonplace.

By the twentieth century and our outbreaks of war, lifestyles would change. Women had to work to assist the war effort. This meant little time for hobbies and more effort for necessity. Rationing became commonplace again, everyone concentrated on obtaining enough food to feed the family and thought less of finery.

By the end of the 1940’s the country was more reliant on manufactured clothes and bedding. The industrial age was upon us, factories sprung up across the UK, imports became less expensive, and handicrafts became a luxury of idle time once again.

However a resurgence of quilting (from the United States) helped Britain resurrect its own quilt making traditions - thanks in part to the Quilters Guild in the UK. British quilting, however, has never managed to equal the art of the American quilters, who take credit and are responsible for spreading the word and work of quilting worldwide.

The tragedy wasn’t so much about the loss of ’stuff’ but the effect of uproar on our family. Material possessions, after all, can be replaced, but the effect of watching your home, your safety zone, go up in smoke at 2:30 am will never leave a person.

Our small country community jumped right into action. People came with clothes, money, hugs and prayers. Offers of a place to stay, for as long as we needed and until we decided what to do next rolled in.

After living in many towns and cities around the world, I’ve never felt so safe and so loved, within a small community of people. My dreams of one day leaving northern Ontario vanished almost as quickly as the old house and I realized that ‘home’ just isn’t your four walls, it is really all about the place you build memories - and memories are built of people and not just places.

Back on track here…a few of the gifts from women in our community were home made quilts. Patchwork and log cabin and tied and crazy quilts. Quilts that had been created with care, with love, with time, sewn into every stitch.

How nice it is to curl up under a blanket on a wintery evening. Nicer still to wrap a hand made quilt around yourself that was crafted by women who have their own stories of love, sadness, loss, and joys to tell.

I’d never thought much on quilts before, so I decided to do a little research into the subject, learn a few techniques from the local quilting club and women, and start my own quilt making project. I’ll be posting articles about quilting next so be sure to visit again soon or use the search box at right to find all my info on this wonderful country craft.

On the night of February 14th - both Valentine’s Day and our 5th Wedding Anniversay - our basement caught fire at around 2:30 am.

We all made it out - and this is not without it’s own very long story - except for my awesome orange tabby boy. He’d come to me as a kitten in a way that made me think he was a gift from God himself, that he was destined to grow old with me, so I’ve had a very hard time ’settling’ the matter in my mind - that he is gone. Forever. I miss him more than I miss my childhood photos, more than I miss the jewelry handed down to me from my grandmother. More than anything.

But let’s get back on track…

In our corner of the country side we don’t have a fire department. When a house fire starts you either put it out yourself or you stand there and watch it burn. By the time we knew of the fire it was too late. We had about 6 minutes to get whatever we could out - and after the first 3 minutes you’re not thinking clearly anyway.

The smoke that gets in you doesn’t just fill your lungs, it screws with your head. In retrospect I never would have run back in for “just one more thing” after my daughter and dogs were out. With that said of course - where was my orange friend?

Popular online right now is a video about a fireman reviving a house cat after a fire. I can’t even bear to watch it, my own pain too great to be joyous for another’s triumph over a fire.

Our house burned for 4 days. Mostly because of the oil tank. There’s nothing like having a full tank of oil in your basement (especially at these prices) just to have it burn so slowly and waste.

Today we’re at ‘The Lake House‘ - a friend’s rental home just 40 miles from our own house. We’re trying to regroup as a family. Trying to discover our next plan of action. Trying to heal over our loss.

I’ll write more another day, but for now I just wanted you to know where I’ve been and why I haven’t written in so long.

Laura Childs

It began with freelancing, then consultation only for a select group of clients (most of them a spillover from my freelancing assignments), then business registration and creating my own mini-empire on the farm.

Yes, there was a spell in there (and secretly it always drove me a little nuts) when I’d work one-on-one with friends helping them to create hobby websites that they had no motivation to turn into a little income generator for themselves.

It’s sad really to see the knowledge inside of them that could have been put online to benefit others or to give them a second income - only to be lost to lack of motivation and discipline. Available time has nothing to do with it either since I know full well how many hours they spent in front of the idiot box every night or fretting about being late for their scrapbook meetings while their husbands slaved in the bush all day!

The relationships I didn’t mind developing website for were the ones built for friends who ‘got it’. They understood what an online presence could do for their offline business, that it was practically free advertising, that, if done correctly, could bring multiple repeat buyers into their stores every week.

I love those who have drive and determination to make a success out of themselves. It’s not that I loathe the non-driven person - in fact it is more that I grieve for them. They hate (or at best, tolerate) their jobs, their personal and meaningless ruts (like the ranting mother-in-law fretting over missing the most important appointment of her week - the scrapbook meeting!).

They hate or loathe the commute, leaving their children with baby sitters, and so on - but they can’t see that there’s a better way. Their way works for their friends, worked for their parents, works for their neighbors - but does it really? Does it really work if every one is simply tolerating or loathing their 40 hour a week existance?

Having my own online business for the past 9 years I’m well aware of the opportunities and growth potential, and the freedom that an online, semi-automated, business represents. I’m also well aware of the sacrifices in getting it going, keeping it going and sticking with it.

But lately, I’ve had an itch for a new type of business. One that’s not so secluded, one that involves a team where the entire lot doesn’t all fall on my shoulders anymore. Perhaps I’m getting tired but I think I’m just learning to work smarter as the years pass.

Oh, this business will still be internet related. And it will still focus on helping the business-minded (they’re my passion) and the ones who may not have the experience but definately have the drive. I’ve just got to find the time to get it off the ground.

I’ll also have to consider, before I begin, a smart exit plan that still supports the team even though I won’t physically be here - since one of my goals is to move 3 provinces away in the next year.

• Not because they don’t have the skills.
• Not because they don’t have the contacts.
• Not because they don’t know enough about home business.

None of those reasons actually.

The reasons most often cited by people who simply can’t work at home are highly personal issues. Here are a few I’m used to hearing from friends who say they’d love to work at home, except for…

• the seclusion
• the distractions
• their lack of motivation
• and, for work at home women, the ‘classification’ of being thought of as a ‘housewife’

It’s my opinion that if you want something bad enough, any of these excuses can be challenged and overcome.

Apparently they are being overcome by thousands of women every year! Running a home based business is now one of the fastest growing employment trends in the US and Canada. People just like you and I start out by freelancing and over time turn those freelance assignments into a home-based business with all the benefits (tax deductions, freedom to work from anywhere in the world, etc.)

The biggest obstacle for most to overcome is deciding what field to freelance in. Not all existing careers can be re-purposed into freelance assignments, but most can. Of course you may feel burnt out from your existing career, so this might not even be a consideration…

Any sales positions, administrative positions, or consulting careers all transfer to the freelance field easily. Careers with a leg in creativity also far well (think interior design, graphic design and writing).

Work at Home Moms and Money

Although most of us consider the money we’ll make (and save) by freelancing, there are added costs to working from home that aren’t always factored in from the start.

New mothers often get caught here. They start a home based business to save on childcare, but find that they still need to hire babysitters to perform some of their business activities anyway. Health insurance (for those living in the US) is another major consideration. Where once this was covered or partially covered by an employer, it now has to come out of your pocket and factored in as a necessary expense.

Working at home with children is not always as easy as it seems and it doesn’t matter if you have one child or more, although it does help if your children get along well or if one is older and responsible enough to understand and help look after their younger siblings.

If you do have a young child that isn’t in school yet, it may be difficult to work when they are awake. This can mean lots of busy naptimes and late nights to get your projects done when they are sleeping. This was my personal experience anyway. As a single mom of a bright and energetic baby I had to stay up and work nights to keep the money coming in. In the first five years of her life I think I shaved 10 off my own - but it was what I had to do and the benefits today speak for themselves.

If you have a supportive family (I didn’t) they might be willing to help out from time to time by day trips, sleepovers, or by simply running your errands for you. As your child grows and learns to amuse themselves for longer periods of time the trouble of time diminishes - just be sure to never prop them up in front of the television all day or you’ll end up feeling guilty and a child who can’t ever amuse themselves without outside stimulus.

Conclusion of Home Based Business for Women

Is a home based business (beginning with freelance assignments) right for you? I can’t say and perhaps neither can you until you try it. It was hard, and exhausting, and there were days when I thought I couldn’t go on one more day this way - but in the end it was all worth it, every single aspect.

She thinks she might like to freelance from home - with repeat clients (that’s how I did it and it makes working so much nicer), but doesn’t know what steps to take to get started.

I suppose there are many people who have similar thoughts so I’ve decided to write more about freelancing for a few days. It sure takes my mind off the garage anyway!

First off, apart from shelling out a whopping $7 for a great ebook on the subject (see: Freelancing Online, which will take you to the knowledge and inside information that gets you making money quicker, I’ll write a few tips about my own journey.

Freelancing is a lot like any other legitimate home based business. Right through to tax season where you are able to write off a portion of your rent or mortgage, a portion of your internet connection fee, a portion of your travel (when it’s business related, etc.) and much more.

I won’t go into all the tax savings and why doing business from home is just sound economic sense because I don’t want to make myself liable for other people’s lack of knowledge on taxes - please consult an accountant or grab a great book on saving on taxes with a home based business.

Let’s get back on track…

One of the first things you want to do once you’ve decided what freelance jobs to take is to create a resume. I know, I know, we all hate doing them and when you’re in business for yourself you shouldn’t have to create a resume, but it is the quickest route to landing the freelance job you’ve set your sights on. It’s your introduction, so to speak, to the client.

Clients who Hire Freelancers Want A Resume

Your freelancing resume might include samples of your work, past experience, and any special training you’ve had - relevant to the job. And never forget testimonials or letters of reference if you have them! Nothing beats that form of ’social proof’.

Again, there are pages in the ebook on crafting the best freelance job resume - a resume created to impress your potential online clients. Without the book though, I’m sure you can put yourself in the client’s shoes and create a resume that you’d want to read if you were in their situation.

A Few Tips for a Professional Online Resume

Keep your resume looking nice, easy to read, and your introductions personable. Especially so if you’re hoping to keep that client as a repeat customer of your services.

You should appear trustworthy, efficienct and dedicated to your work. You should always submit your query or resume well before the deadline. Deadlines online are of the utmost importance! If you can’t apply on time, chances are good you won’t have their assignment done on time.

That’s all for today, stop back in again tomorrow and we’ll talk about how to land that freelance job you saw online.

But when I was surfing online for ideas and inspiration there were a few ‘extras’ I’d hoped to pick up to make that garage even better. It’s probably no surprise to you then that I enjoy shopping in the country store - for the cheapest deals.

Sally - my expert on garage renos and excellent friend - asked me how I was paying for it all, since she’s never seen me actually work. Which brought me to an hour long discussion on what I actually do for a living - since there’s little chance farming is bringing in the extra money!

Making Money from Home

I started, hmmm, over 10 years ago now, freelancing online. Back when the internet was still a relative infant and before a person could pick up a lot of jobs here and there, just by surfing for them. By the way there’s an excellent guide to freelancing selling for just $7 here.

The truth is I seldom freelance anymore. Mostly I manage my websites and collect residuals from a business opportunity I’m involved in. I’ll tell you all about that some other day, but for the person who is interested in freelancing online for cash, I’ll continue the lesson…

Freelancing, at the time, allowed me the freedom to raise my daughter. As a single mom in a strange town I knew that finding a job, finding a babysitter and driving the wintry country roads here were not an option to a joyful life. I wanted to be my own boss, but I didn’t know what kind of business to start. I needed my own hours, but I didn’t know what to fill those hours with - that would pay.

For years I loved freelancing. I worked in my sweats and pyjamas, I could stop working and attend to my daughter when necessary, and after a few months at it, I started to set my own rates.

Is Freelancing from Home right for You?

Let’s be clear about one trap of freelancing that most people fall into. Being able to make your own hours does not mean loafing in front of the television all day - then trying to cram a few hours in at night when you’re too tired to think straight. It takes a lot of motivation and discipline to ensure you get hours of work done each day, or at least meet your deadline. Can you be your own boss? You bet you can, but you have to be tough on yourself. Don’t work, don’t get paid.

It all started when I decided I didn’t want to live and raise my daughter in downtown Toronto. Freelancing gave me the freedom to take off with her and live wherever. We came to rural Ontario, but in reality we could have gone anywhere. All that was needed was a phone, a computer, and an internet connection.

If you think this lifestyle might work for you, if you think you’d like to freelance from home, and if you think you can motivate yourself to complete the tasks assigned on time, at your own rate, you should consider it. However, do not quit your day job immediately and hope to make $10,000 next month. Better yet to start slow, work your way through to replacing your current salary and then make the decision to freelance full time. If you work hard for a few weeks at this it all happens rather quickly, so don’t be discouraged. Jobs online abound. The potential for great money is real. (Just please don’t get sucked into those envelope stuffing, survey-answering, jewelry-making, scams while you research this! Better if you just invest the $7 in yourself and pick up that freelancing ebook.)

The market for freelancers is growing in leaps and bounds.

Paying for the Renovations with Freelance Income

Do I need a little extra cash to buy the extras I want for my garage? Yes I do and I’ll earn it with a freelance assignment and have the money in hand next week. It’s freedom beyond imagination. It is, in my opinion, the only ‘fun’ way to ‘work’.

There are so many add-on features that can be picked up quite cheap that will make your renovation extra special. For example if you’re short on wall space (because you’re using every available inch for storage) you can buy a mounting device for your opener that attaches to the ceiling.

Another nice, and cheap extra, is the stop light for your interior. This helps with backing-in, and parking within the garage - especially at night. Easy to install and helps with parking cars and trucks - comes one when motion sensors are triggered.

Although we had originally planned on storiing our bicycles on the peg boards, hooks specifically made for bicycles are much nicer and easier on your bikes.

Finally, I found a number of ‘overhead’ options for storage. Which - even though we ended throwing out/donating a lot of our seldom used items - we might be looking into as an option to reduce clutter.

If you’ve been here before you know that we’re remodeling the inside of our garage (after a short tantrum about not being able to get the bikes out on our one day off this summer!)

And we’d managed to stay within a reasonable budget, until…

I started looking at our nearly, neatly, organized garage space with pride. Then I saw the doors and realized there was no sense putting all that work into the inside when the outside was so frightful! Did we have the money? Well we could, if we re-allocated next month’s budget ‘creatively’.

The garage doors on this old farmhouse aren’t exactly matching the rest of the house exterior - which is why they’re bothering me so much. Almost an eyesore, the entire thing looks like it was an afterthought - or a “make-do until” jobs.

Considering that garage doors are full frontal view of the rest of the house, they really do make a difference in the entire appearance. What’s the use in working so hard on the rest of the frontage but having cheap and generic garage doors?

Personally I think those carriage-style doors would fit the look of our house. Carriage doors look as though they open like the antique doors in carriage houses of days gone by, but the new ones actually open just like a normal, or 20th century, garage door. Since we’ve got horses it fits right in with the old horse and buggy era. Plus they come in wood and wood grain.

I was back online before I knew it. Researching how to build these doors ourselves, trim to fit, or how much for custom made carriage-style garage doors. Google served up a link to Home Depot again - Find Do-it-Yourself design, décor, and home improvements at HomeDepot
.

I found all sorts to choose from and we certainly could afford these!

Garage Door Features

Garage doors are ordered by the type of the chain system they use. You can order screw-drive, chain drive, or computer controlled.

• The screw drive door has a mechanism that moves the door along the length of a steel rod mounted in your garage ceiling.
• The chain drive garage door has a chain that moves the door along a pair of tracks. This is probably the most common one and one that you’ve definitely seen before. It’s also very noisy, but if you’re only opening and closing the garage a few times per week, who cares?
• The computer drive system is the most expensive and most advanced. It doesn’t require screws or chains to operate and the entire system body is mounted above the garage door.

Apparently there are other considerations. Such as speed and power required to operate the doors. A faster open is more expensive, but it still closes slowly (for safety reasons). Safety is a key consideration when selecting garage doors and they all have them. Computerized systems prevent the door from closing on people by reversing it’s direction if it bumps into a solid object. This feature is triggered by an electronic beam.

The power and size of the motor is another ordering decision to make. Large motors might last longer.

Finally we’d have to choose which security features we required - especially so for computer run garage doors. In these doors a random code is sent to the computer via remote control. This changes every time it’s used. Security codes prevent your system from opening someone else’s door. (Not something we need to worry about here in the country!)

These computerized systems come with a fixed keypad controller, mounted on the garage’s inside wall (or out if you prefer) so you can open the door even without your remote control unit.

Not wanting to make a decision today, I added the doors I liked most to my favorites on HomeDepot and decided to sleep on it for a few days.

I thought rubber flooring or large rubber mats might be nice to have in the garage since it will be partially used as a workspace and could even be converted into an exercise room in the future if done right.

You start by measuring the floor space and order mats from there. Keep in mind that all garage floors have some amount of slope from the back wall to the front wall (this allows water runoff).

Note to those who might be converting their garage to a living space: You’ll need to change the grade in your new living area to be level by adjusting joists. I wouldn’t even consider tackling this myself, but if you’re handy you might like to go ahead. I read that you need to adjust the joists perpendicular to the slope, by either ripping down or shimming up.

After surfing around however I see that even though this is an inexpensive option, it’s not great if you plan to park a car or truck in your garage at a later date. Better still to seal the existing garage floor and use mats for standing or work areas.

Sealing A Garage Floor First

By sealing you’ll be protecting the concrete from damage and stains, reducing the repeated dust from a concrete floor, and make regular cleaning much easier. This adds a day onto your renovation, but most of the time is drying time.

We’re using a clear acrylic sealer which can also be used on walks, patio stones, and driveways. The sealer we picked was for previously untreated floors. If your floor has ever been painted or coated, check with your paint specialist before you buy and apply any coating.

Tools required for this job include gloves, goggles and a vapor mask. You’ll want a paintbrush and roller plus 1/2 gallon of sealer per 100 square feet of floor space.

1. Clean the floor of dirt, grease and oil using your stiff brush and a degreaser. Rinse thoroughly.
2. Put on your protective gear, keep all available doors and windows open for ventilation and apply the sealer. Start in a back corner so that you have easy access to the door when finished.

About Rubber Matting

Recycled rubber matting has very little resistance to petroleum products (oil leaks could seriously damage the flooring) and the melting point of rubber flooring is low (heat from car tires might cause the tires to melt the mat).

I thought I’d post that here. If you’re planning to remodel your garage and you are also considering changing the floor, please understand that rubber flooring or mats are great for insulating a dog’s living quarters (should your dog sleep in the garage), insulating the impact for a workout space, or as mats below your workshop counter area.

Here’s the one I was looking at - there are a few here (on the Home Depot site of course since that’s where we’re ordering our other garage supplies) at cheap prices ($10-$36).

One last tidbit, many people are now using rubber mats and flooring in their home theater rooms as it reduces noise
transmission. Can anyone say ‘great for a teenager’s room’ with me?