At the age of 75, Trudy Schwader can only estimate her lifetime total of quilts. Somewhere around number 50 she began counting and taking pictures before giving them away. By now, her best guess - counting the baby quilts and the wedding quilts and the ones that were an experiment with color or style or pattern - her best guess is that she's made more than 130 quilts.

With that many to her credit, Trudy's quilting experience holds something useful to share with everyone from beginning quilters to lifetime veterans. So I decided to talk with Trudy and make a record of her quilting career. The result is a series of articles representing our conversations. The interviews piece together a little of the rich history that quilting holds, through one woman's story and memories - sharing some tips, insights, and favorite patterns