A Mother's Memories

I wouldn't have thought that my friend Beth was the sentimental type, so when she approached me and told me that she had saved each little outfit that she had brought her boys home from the hospital in and their first blankets and several other things including the nightgown and robe she wore to the hospital and wanted me to make them into a blanket, I was surprised.

But of course I told her yes.

I'm pleased with how it turned out and I know she is too.

You can't really see it in this picture, but I had the machine quilter add her boys names and birth dates on the big yellow square near the bottom left hand corner.

When I asked her what she wanted on the label she said she wanted it to say something about where the pieces came from, but she didn't know how to say it so I wrote a little poem.

As parents watch their little boys grow,
delighting in laughter that flows,
and antics that follow a twinkling eye,
that speaks of mischief and sometimes strife,
this quilt is meant to remind them of each little lad,
just brought home and snuggled warm
under softest cotton blankets.
Of chubby cheeks, and dimpled hands
and ten tiny toes that wiggled and squirmed in outfits worn,
keeping them warm on that cold winters morn.
-Sydney Larson

I'm linking up today with Amy for her semi-annual Bloggers Quilt Festival, hope you enjoy the show.

Oh, and one more thing, I posted about my friend Krista and the quilt I made for her during last years festival, her cancer has returned (metastatic Stage 4) so please would you say a prayer for her and her family.  She is on her last chemo treatment and will start taking Herceptin indefinately.  I hope her quilt is a reminder that she beat this thing once and she can do it again.

Cheers.

Progress

I am linking up with Amy today for her One Thing, One Week Challenge.  I have several projects percolating and it seems as though I just can't get any one of them completed, so my goal this past week was to get at least one of the quilt tops I have been working on finished.

I am happy to report that not only did I finish two, I also prepared the backs and they are now ready to be quilted and I finished a small wall hanging.

This quilt was made using a Mary Engelbreit layer cake that I've had in my stash for several years and the Twister ruler and pattern by CS Designs.  I am pleased with how it turned out.

This quilt is last years block of the month club at one of our local quilt shops.  The setting and layout are my own choice.

To be fair I only had to add the final border to both quilts.  The wall hanging was a little more work, I hand quilted it very simply added a hanging sleeve and binding and now its ready for next christmas.

What have you been working on lately?

Tissue Holder Tutorial

I was going to link up this post with Sew and Tell Friday over at Amy's, but it's not friday, so you can decide if I'm really early for next friday or late for last friday.

Anyhoo. . .

Some of you may have noticed that I haven't written much of anything lately.  I've kinda been in a fog.  My house is a mess, we've eaten lots of junk food and I sometimes find myself wishing for the day to end.

Usually I find solace when I can be creative.  But even that has been hampered due to my limitations since the surgery.  I did however make these.

They were super simple and I have made more than a dozen and have sold some and given some away.  I wrote a pattern and made up over 60 kits to sell at one of our local quilt shops and was very pleased that all of the kits sold in less then a week.  They did so well in fact that they sold my samples too.

For all you fabric aficionados I used Hometown by Sweetwater for Moda, the denim weight cotton for the exterior and regular for the lining.

And for all you who would like to make one . . .

cut 1  6" x 7 1/2" denim weight cotton for exterior
cut 1  6" x 7 1/2" for lining
cut 2  6" pieces of decorative trim

1.  Lay fabric pieces right sides together and using 1/4" seam allowance stitch together short sides, remembering to back stitch at beginning and ending point.

2.  Turn right sides out, then press.

3.  Using matching thread, add decorative trim along sewn pressed edge.

4.  Mark the center of long sides.

5.  With lining face down, fold sewn edges toward center point, meeting in the middle.

6.  With a 1/4" seam allowance stitch in place, remembering to backstitch and beginning and ending point.

7.  Zig zag raw edges to finish.

8.  Turn right side out, insert tissues.

This makes a great little gift for a mom, a grandmother, an aunt, a sister, a friend or anyone else you can think of who might like one.

If you don't sew and would like to have one e-mail me and we can work something out.

Have a God blessed day!

Krista's Quilt

It's time once again for the Blogger's Quilt Festival, a bi-annual event that takes place over at Amy's every spring and fall.

I made this quilt for my dear friend Krista.  We have only known each other about 4 years but in that short time I consider her a kindred spirit.  In that four years she has seen her share of struggles.  One of which has been a bout with breast cancer.  She has now been in remission for a year and is on the road to a full recovery.

With the exception of the sashing and the border the top was pieced using the scarves and bandana's that she wore during her treatment.  Not long into her treatment she discovered that a fat quarter was a perfect fit.

This for her is a reminder of where she has come from and how much more she has to look forward to and is thankful for and she is glad to use the scarves to cuddle under instead of a covering for her bare head.

I enjoyed designing the top but had a few challenges.  First, because all the material had been washed and washed often, I needed to find something from my stash that had been washed and was more than a couple of years old.  Then I washed all the fabrics again, and set out drafting the design.

Second, the biggest challenge in designing this quilt was figuring the yardage requirements for the sashing.  I had intended this to be a lap quilt, but as I sewed it grew, therefore I did not have enough of the white material to put a border sash around all of the pieced blocks before adding the final border.

Finally, finding a border fabric that would tie all the different fabrics together.  I picked the batik, because of the color and the paisley design.  I am happy with finished product and I know that Krista is too.

The machine quilting was done by Stephanie McGee over at Quilt Etc. and she did a fabulous job.

Now hop on over to Amy's and check out everyone's quilts.

Eye Spy Quilt

I had been collecting juvenile prints to make an Eye Spy quilt for HT ever since he got his big boy bed, but couldn't find a pattern that I really liked so I made up my own and this is what I came up with.  What do you think?

I had hoped to finish it before Christmas but didn't get it sent off to be quilted until the last week in December.  I got it back earlier this month and once I finished the binding it was on his bed by Valentines.

I used a polka dot flannel for the back for extra warmth and cuddliness.

My new favorite thing is using a striped fabric for the binding.  I just love the look and the way if gives the edge of the quilt movement and personality.

I'm thinking I should do a smaller version for his brother for his crib, hopefully I can get it done before he out grows it!

And how could I not include this picture of my two helpers?  EM was so glad to get outside today and play despite it being cold and breezy.

I'm linked up today for Sew and Tell Friday over at Amy's.  If you are feeling crafty click here for more fun and games.

Almost Finished

Last week I decided to participate in Amy's One Thing, One Week Challenge.  I am taking an applique class at one of my favorite quilt shops and we are doing Aunt Millie's Garden a pattern from Piece O' Cake Designs.  I have not done any needle turn hand applique before, but have done several machine applique projects.  I have taken several classes over the years on the technique, but have not taken those lessons home with any specific project in mind, so I don't have any real experience or practice at doing it.

Finally Jeannette over at Piper's Quilts and Comforts has de-mystified needle turn hand applique for me and I am doing it and enjoying the process rather than being intimidated by it.

So for the one thing, one week challenge I said that I wanted to finish the first block, well even though I didn't quite get it done I did finished enough of it to share and am confident that I can and will finish it before our next class.

You can see what everyone else has been up to by clicking on the link here.

Hanging Earrings

Since Christmas is finally over and all the gifts have been given and received I can share what I made for my sister and sister-in-law for Christmas. Actually I should say we, because hubby helped. We painted and decoupaged a simple wooden frame, added some screen material, paper flowers, some ribbon (so it could be hung on the wall) and voila . . . a place to hang your earrings.

This is the one we made for my sister. I forgot to take a picture of the other one before we sent it off to my sister-in-law.

And in other news I am going to participate next monday in Amy's One Thing, One Week Challenge. I figure this will motivate me to finish my project if I am held accountable to do so. If you are crafty and would like to join in, go over to her blog and leave a comment saying what you are hoping to finish and then do and post about it next week, showing your completed project.

Come on you can do it, you know you want too.

Advent Calendar

As I'm sure many of you already know, Sunday was the first day of Advent.  From now until Christmas we celebrate the coming birth of Jesus.

So I was inspired by this website to make an advent calendar.  It was very easy to do using a mini muffin tin some card stock and a sheet of scrapbook paper that had all the numbers printed on it and a few magnets.  I filled each hole with a piece of candy and a scripture verse to be read each day, telling the story of the first coming of Christ.  

Mine was done very simply because I didn't have time to do any thing else, since I only put it together yesterday,  I may or may not add a few little embellishments to a few numbers or add December at the top or I may just leave it alone.  I didn't paint the tin as recommended, that way I can put it back in the drawer after Christmas.

Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign; the virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.  Isaiah 7:14

(P.S. Happy Birthday Phil!)

Out of my Box

So today is the last day of the BQF hosted by Amy at Amy's Creative Side and I almost didn't make it.  I have wasted enjoyed many hours browsing through everyone's entries.   Even though the quilt I am showing off today is not the one I originally intended too, it is still one of my favorites.

One of my favorite local quilt shops does a first Saturday block class (basically a block of the month thing) and the year we did this quilt the theme was "Get Out of Your Box" and all the block patterns given to us were of differing sizes, either 6" 9" or 12" with just enough material to make a different combination of each, one month you might do a 12" block and the next you might do one or two 9" blocks and the next three or four 6" blocks, you get the idea.

I enjoyed making my block(s) each month but as the year drew to a close I started to get nervous about how I would set it together to make a complete quilt top and I must confess that my finished blocks sat in their box for more than a year before I settled on a plan.  I really love the way it turned out, but am not anxious to make another one.

After putting a white sashing with cornerstones around each block I filled in the rest using 3" squares and used up a lot of my scrap stash.  If I felt like there were too many 3" squares in one spot I did a 6" block with an appliqued flower in the middle.  I am really pleased with how it all turned out.  It was my intention to give it to one of my nieces or nephews as a wedding present but since they are approaching their thirties and not one of them has any prospects, well, except for one who is now engaged, but he has chosen a different quilt, I decided to use this one and it has graced my bed all summer.  Beside I'll be making more quilts, of that I am sure.

If you would like to see some more fabulous quilts go visit Amy's Creative Side.