Merry Christmas One and ALL!
~Deb
Monday, December 25, 2017
Monday, December 18, 2017
Clue #4 is already HERE...!
Can you believe it? Every year it seems like it just sneaks up on me - especially when I usually get a cold/flu right smack in the very beginning of our annual Bonnie Hunter Mystery, which in turn causes me to fall behind just a bit. Guess that makes it even more FUN when catching up!
At least I stopped sneezing/coughing long enough to get Clue #4 finished up:
These fabrics have been such FUN to stitch up, even IF there have been more than just a few:
For now - got some stitchin' to do and a very special Quilt of Valor needs a label prior to getting awarded...
Later,
~Deb
On Ringo Lake - Clue #1
Clue #2
Clue #3
Clue #4
At least I stopped sneezing/coughing long enough to get Clue #4 finished up:
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| Clue #4 of our Mystery - don't you just love the antler kitty peaking out/over ;-) |
These fabrics have been such FUN to stitch up, even IF there have been more than just a few:
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| Getting started... |
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| ...halfway through... |
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| Finished - with just a few leftovers...YES! |
Even managed to finish up Clue #2 prior to beginning this Clue:
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| Clue #2 |
But - need to go back and finish up Clue #3 - at least it's ALL cut out and ready to sew!
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| Clue #3 ALL cut and ready to start stitchin! I see a few more Antler kitties, don't you? |
To see what ALL the other fellow On Ringo Lake Mystery sewers are up to, just follow this direct web link:
http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2017/12/mystery-monday-link-up-part-4.htmlFor now - got some stitchin' to do and a very special Quilt of Valor needs a label prior to getting awarded...
Later,
~Deb
On Ringo Lake - Clue #1
Clue #2
Clue #3
Clue #4
Saturday, December 2, 2017
Mardi Gras Pathways - a Very Special Wedding Quilt...
Mardi Gras Pathways is a very special/NON-Traditional Wedding quilt for an even more special/colorful/dynamic wedding couple. Patterned after the 'traditional' Boston Commons quilt for a 'Boston Couple', this unique quilt was designed and created using Kaffe Fassett fabrics in 'pathways' for my oldest daughter, Jessica and her NEW hubster, Greg.
Each pathway of color was chosen for its distinctive colorway and fabric design:
...and quilted w/Superior's Rainbows Mardi Gras quilting thread using the Cheerful digital design by Christy Dillon (while watching/listening to Star Trek episodes...Greg. The ONLY exception in Kaffe Fassett fabric is the black/gray Star Trek digital fabric):
ALL happy couples will traverse a multitude of 'Pathways' throughout their married lives - some of those pathways will be brightly lit w/joyful people and life experiences...others, maybe not so much. Through it ALL, couples can make it through just about anything, IF they can face every pathway together with love, honor, courage, and respect, and always, ALWAYS with JOY in their hearts ;-)
This exclusive quilt represents those powerful Life Pathways:
Honorable Mention - The Happy Couple w/Wedding Party:
Time to bind & label...
Later,
~Deb
Each pathway of color was chosen for its distinctive colorway and fabric design:
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| "Mardi Gras Pathways" wedding quilt |
...and quilted w/Superior's Rainbows Mardi Gras quilting thread using the Cheerful digital design by Christy Dillon (while watching/listening to Star Trek episodes...Greg. The ONLY exception in Kaffe Fassett fabric is the black/gray Star Trek digital fabric):
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| Cheerful quilt design |
ALL happy couples will traverse a multitude of 'Pathways' throughout their married lives - some of those pathways will be brightly lit w/joyful people and life experiences...others, maybe not so much. Through it ALL, couples can make it through just about anything, IF they can face every pathway together with love, honor, courage, and respect, and always, ALWAYS with JOY in their hearts ;-)
This exclusive quilt represents those powerful Life Pathways:
We hope and pray this Newlywed couple NEVER forgets to enjoy their Pathways together!
Congratulations Jessie & Greg on your recent wedding!
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| The Happy Couple? |
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| Let the Celebrations begin! |
Time to bind & label...
Later,
~Deb
Monday, November 27, 2017
The Annual Bonnie Hunter Mystery Begins!
Once again, the annual Bonnie Hunter Mystery - this year On Ringo Lake, has officially begun! This is one Mystery I treat myself to each and every year, in between the tree trimming, the Holiday festivities and ALL the Christmas shopping and wrapping, I find my solace and a bit of serenity amongst the Holiday chaos within the confines of this Annual Mystery.
Our first Clue includes our turquoise and brown fabrics, combined into 9-patches, aren't these cute?
Bonnie suggested we 'strip piece' to create our 9-patches, my favorite way to sew these in bulk. Here's my brown/neutral strips, ready for cutting.
Once the brown/neutral and the turquoise/neutral strips were completed, time to cut/sew/press!
Course, had a little help from our Hershey friends ;-)
Later,
Our first Clue includes our turquoise and brown fabrics, combined into 9-patches, aren't these cute?
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| Clue #1 - 9 patches ALL finished! |
Bonnie suggested we 'strip piece' to create our 9-patches, my favorite way to sew these in bulk. Here's my brown/neutral strips, ready for cutting.
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| Brown & neutral strip sets complete |
Once the brown/neutral and the turquoise/neutral strips were completed, time to cut/sew/press!
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| Strip units cut to size and ready to assemble into 9-patches |
Course, had a little help from our Hershey friends ;-)
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| Hershey's Pot of Gold - Caramels in Dark & Milk Chocolate...YUMMY! |
ALL ready for Clue #2!
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| Clue #1 tucked away |
To see what all the other Mystery participants are up to
Please follow this direct weblink:
Hope you ALL had a very Happy Thanksgiving - Enjoy your Holiday Season w/Family & Friends!
Got our Family Christmas Tree up just in time to start this Holiday Mystery - w/help from two of my favorite Tree Trimmers, Jaclyn & Jade ;-)
Got our Family Christmas Tree up just in time to start this Holiday Mystery - w/help from two of my favorite Tree Trimmers, Jaclyn & Jade ;-)
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| Family Christmas Tree up and ready for presents! |
Later,
~Deb
Thursday, November 9, 2017
Quilting for Our Vets
Miss Betty & I have been proudly quilting for our Service Members and Veterans since 2010, right after building the very first Betty Boop RED wooden quilting frame and feeling confident enough in our quilting to apply those skills to a Quilt of Valor. More than 100+ QOVs later, and we couldn't be more committed - quilting for our Vets is a true privilege and honor.
This week, we finished several quilts - including this very special Quilt of Valor for an even more special Veteran, soon to be awarded his much-deserved QOV to honor his sacrifice and service for our country.
This very special QOV was started over a year ago and languished while this quilter stayed busy quilting 'other' QOVs, trying to decide just 'how' to quilt it. Finally realizing that finished is good, especially since the intended Quilt of Valor recipient is not getting any younger, it was time to quilt!
A close-up of a couple of the embroidered blocks:
This wonderful Quilt of Valor created by one of our East Central IL QOV Volunteers, Doris and finished up by Miss Betty and me:
Quilted in Gold thread to bring some 'Bling' to an already wonderful QOV and original quilt design created by Doris:
This unique Quilt of Valor was hand-sewn by the creator and wife of a Veteran, bordered out/quilted/bound/labeled by Miss Betty and me, to be awarded on Veteran's Day:
A very dedicated fellow East Central IL QOV Group Leader confided they had fallen behind with their Quilts of Valor awarding, since both their volunteer longarmers were temporarily unavailable due to illness/surgery. We offered to help get them caught up.
One of their first quilt tops this group submitted was created by a NEW topper, and we think she did an amazing job in creating this patriotic quilt top:
Aren't these patriotic fabrics great:
The second is a stunner!
Nothing says it better than Red/White/Blue and pieced to perfection - a joy to quilt:
One of two QOV Mysteries recently completed, gets quilted to soon be awarded to a very deserving Veteran:
And we've been binding and binding and binding in between quilting but...we STILL have more to bind and label...time to get back to it!
Later,
~Deb
This week, we finished several quilts - including this very special Quilt of Valor for an even more special Veteran, soon to be awarded his much-deserved QOV to honor his sacrifice and service for our country.
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| Quilt of Valor coming off the frame |
This very special QOV was started over a year ago and languished while this quilter stayed busy quilting 'other' QOVs, trying to decide just 'how' to quilt it. Finally realizing that finished is good, especially since the intended Quilt of Valor recipient is not getting any younger, it was time to quilt!
A close-up of a couple of the embroidered blocks:
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| Liberty Bell |
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| Striped Star |
This wonderful Quilt of Valor created by one of our East Central IL QOV Volunteers, Doris and finished up by Miss Betty and me:
Quilted in Gold thread to bring some 'Bling' to an already wonderful QOV and original quilt design created by Doris:
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| Border quilting in Gold Fantastico #5087 thread |
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| Star quilting back |
This unique Quilt of Valor was hand-sewn by the creator and wife of a Veteran, bordered out/quilted/bound/labeled by Miss Betty and me, to be awarded on Veteran's Day:
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| Hand-sewn QOV coming off the quilt frame - ready to be bound/labeled |
A very dedicated fellow East Central IL QOV Group Leader confided they had fallen behind with their Quilts of Valor awarding, since both their volunteer longarmers were temporarily unavailable due to illness/surgery. We offered to help get them caught up.
One of their first quilt tops this group submitted was created by a NEW topper, and we think she did an amazing job in creating this patriotic quilt top:
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| Colorful QOV coming off the frame |
Aren't these patriotic fabrics great:
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| Patriotic fabrics create a neat quilt |
The second is a stunner!
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| Patriotic Mystery - coming off the frame...WOWza |
Nothing says it better than Red/White/Blue and pieced to perfection - a joy to quilt:
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| Star Spangled Banner quilting design - quilted out beautifully |
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| Thank YOU, Donna G! |
One of two QOV Mysteries recently completed, gets quilted to soon be awarded to a very deserving Veteran:
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| Quilt of Valor Mystery quilt coming off the frame |
And we've been binding and binding and binding in between quilting but...we STILL have more to bind and label...time to get back to it!
Later,
~Deb
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
The Eagle has Finally Landed!
After more than ten (10) days of Fall Cleaning/organizing and mods on the Boop Studio, finally got a path cleared back to the quilting frame to finish quilting eagles on this Eagle Quilt of Valor Doris & I created ;-)
Doris created the 9-patch interior and I got to add complimentary borders to bring it up to required QOV size, and it turned out fairly well, we think!
Here are a few close-ups of the actual 'eagle' quilting:
This patriotic quilt was quilted with Honey Gold Premo-Soft from the Essentials Thread kit by Kimmie Brunner - one of my favorite 'Gold' threads to quilt with, that creates a wonderful gold accent that compliments any quilt without being intrusive. Premo-Soft also has a wonderful 'soft' hand, as the name reflects. If you haven't tried this exceptional thread yet, why not give it a try on one of your next quilts?
For now...time to bind!
Gotten a tad bit behind on my binding w/Fall cleaning & organizing...will need to start catching up soon...
Later,
~Deb
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| Eagle Quilt of Valor coming off the frame |
Doris created the 9-patch interior and I got to add complimentary borders to bring it up to required QOV size, and it turned out fairly well, we think!
Here are a few close-ups of the actual 'eagle' quilting:
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| Dave Hudson's "Eagles On High" quilting design |
This patriotic quilt was quilted with Honey Gold Premo-Soft from the Essentials Thread kit by Kimmie Brunner - one of my favorite 'Gold' threads to quilt with, that creates a wonderful gold accent that compliments any quilt without being intrusive. Premo-Soft also has a wonderful 'soft' hand, as the name reflects. If you haven't tried this exceptional thread yet, why not give it a try on one of your next quilts?
For now...time to bind!
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| More than a few quilts ALL ready for binding... |
Later,
~Deb
Wednesday, October 11, 2017
Boop Studio getting Updated & Organized for Fall
Fall organization and studio updates have been ongoing for the better part of September and now October, and continue! Original conclusion target date was October 1, 2017 but...delay after delay - we ALL know about those...right?
At least the shower curtain is FINALLY hung correctly, rather than just dangling precariously!
And the rest of the studio bath enjoyed a few updates and mods:
There's still a couple of storage cabinets left to assemble - in the meantime, plenty of fabric organization is underway:
...and plenty more to go!
Time to get back to it...
Later,
~Deb
At least the shower curtain is FINALLY hung correctly, rather than just dangling precariously!
And the rest of the studio bath enjoyed a few updates and mods:
There's still a couple of storage cabinets left to assemble - in the meantime, plenty of fabric organization is underway:
...and plenty more to go!
Time to get back to it...
Later,
~Deb
Monday, September 11, 2017
9/11 Tribute...
In Memory of those who Fell on that Fateful Day...
...in Honor of those Who Remain.
We will NEVER forget.
~Deb
Tuesday, August 29, 2017
Postage Stamp/Picnic Quilt w/nod to those fab 30s ...;-)
A quilt for Me! It occurred to me last week, after delivering the DGD Jade's Memory T-shirt quilt on 'Move-IN' day at college, and while wondering 'what' I was going to work on next...I hadn't made ME a quilt in almost ten (10) years! Perhaps it was time ;-)
And I knew just the one I wanted to create - one I'd seen recently in the BIG Book of Strip Quilts:
Like many, I've ALWAYS wanted my very own Postage Stamp quilt. And I always saw a Postage Stamp as the perfect family Picnic quilt.
Typically, Postage Stamp quilts are comprised of 1" squares of a variety of fabrics and prints. Novelty prints, and especially vintage fabrics, are some of the favorites routinely used to create these colorful wonders. This particular postage stamp quilt - aptly named 'Basic Postage', was a little different with a neat twist:
Can you see the 'twist' in this colorful Postage Stamp quilt? Not only are the one-inch blocks amped up to 2" size, they are also blended with 4" blocks for a neat twist - which adds a nice balance, especially when used with a 'blender/background' fabric, but also gobbles up ALOT of space! In NO time at all, I knew I could quickly create this colorful wonder, utilizing some 1930's Reproduction fabrics I'd been saving for just such a FUN quilting feat!
I immediately launched on a fabric hunt, scouring through fabric bins and storage tubs of stash until I found exactly what I was looking for and started pressing, cutting, seaming and pressing once again my fabric choices:
Strips are cut and sewn into 4-patches, center seams are 'twisted' to ensure they lay nice & flat:
Once pressed and twisted, sewn to the 4" blocks:
While strip sewing, pressing and cutting, I couldn't help but smile while daydreaming about the day this special FUN quilt would be ALL finished up and ready for its first of many Fall picnics with my family, and especially my DGD, Jade. When I mentioned it to her on one of our first visits seeing her at school in the middle of her first week at school, she smiled one of her BIG beautiful grins and said, "I'd love to go on a picnic w/you, Grammy!"
Alrighty then, time to get busy sewing! And sew I did! In eight (8) days, this is what I came up with:
Time to check-out some border options:
I knew I wanted to incorporate the piano keys - they were included in the original Basic Postage pattern design and I LOVE piano key borders! I even like quilting them!! But I also knew, I wanted this quilt to be BIG - to accommodate our family and any/ALL picnics we would enjoy having. Plus, it could double as a table covering in the Betty Boop quilting studio during the winter months...
This will do nicely:
It was one busy week! In between sewing, cutting, pressing and more cutting & pressing...life went on - including being the first week of the DGD going off to college, one of the largest Power Balls in history (yep, I bought a couple of Power Ball tickets. Nope I didn't win NOTHIN'), got to eat supper with the DGD after, sewed furiously as Hurricane Harvey hit with a vengeance - Oh how I pray for those affected in any way by that horrific hurricane/tropical storm, and decided I would probably make at least one quilt for a Hurricane Harvey survivor, and I 'think' I know just the pattern I'll use...I'll share that with you in an upcoming post, once I make those final fabric/pattern decisions.
In the meantime...time to quilt!
Later,
~Deb
And I knew just the one I wanted to create - one I'd seen recently in the BIG Book of Strip Quilts:
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| Finally - a BIG Book for Strippers! |
Like many, I've ALWAYS wanted my very own Postage Stamp quilt. And I always saw a Postage Stamp as the perfect family Picnic quilt.
Typically, Postage Stamp quilts are comprised of 1" squares of a variety of fabrics and prints. Novelty prints, and especially vintage fabrics, are some of the favorites routinely used to create these colorful wonders. This particular postage stamp quilt - aptly named 'Basic Postage', was a little different with a neat twist:
 |
| 'Basic Postage' from the BIG Book of Strip Quilts |
Can you see the 'twist' in this colorful Postage Stamp quilt? Not only are the one-inch blocks amped up to 2" size, they are also blended with 4" blocks for a neat twist - which adds a nice balance, especially when used with a 'blender/background' fabric, but also gobbles up ALOT of space! In NO time at all, I knew I could quickly create this colorful wonder, utilizing some 1930's Reproduction fabrics I'd been saving for just such a FUN quilting feat!
I immediately launched on a fabric hunt, scouring through fabric bins and storage tubs of stash until I found exactly what I was looking for and started pressing, cutting, seaming and pressing once again my fabric choices:
 |
| Fabric choices seamed and pressed - ready to be cut into units |
Strips are cut and sewn into 4-patches, center seams are 'twisted' to ensure they lay nice & flat:
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| 4-patch seams do the 'twist' |
Once pressed and twisted, sewn to the 4" blocks:
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| Ready to be sewn into blocks! |
While strip sewing, pressing and cutting, I couldn't help but smile while daydreaming about the day this special FUN quilt would be ALL finished up and ready for its first of many Fall picnics with my family, and especially my DGD, Jade. When I mentioned it to her on one of our first visits seeing her at school in the middle of her first week at school, she smiled one of her BIG beautiful grins and said, "I'd love to go on a picnic w/you, Grammy!"
Alrighty then, time to get busy sewing! And sew I did! In eight (8) days, this is what I came up with:
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| Interior of the Postage Stamp/Picnic quilt - ready for borders |
Time to check-out some border options:
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| Border possibilities - including piano keys |
I knew I wanted to incorporate the piano keys - they were included in the original Basic Postage pattern design and I LOVE piano key borders! I even like quilting them!! But I also knew, I wanted this quilt to be BIG - to accommodate our family and any/ALL picnics we would enjoy having. Plus, it could double as a table covering in the Betty Boop quilting studio during the winter months...
This will do nicely:
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| 8-Day Postage Stamp/Picnic quilt top - ready for quilting! |
It was one busy week! In between sewing, cutting, pressing and more cutting & pressing...life went on - including being the first week of the DGD going off to college, one of the largest Power Balls in history (yep, I bought a couple of Power Ball tickets. Nope I didn't win NOTHIN'), got to eat supper with the DGD after, sewed furiously as Hurricane Harvey hit with a vengeance - Oh how I pray for those affected in any way by that horrific hurricane/tropical storm, and decided I would probably make at least one quilt for a Hurricane Harvey survivor, and I 'think' I know just the pattern I'll use...I'll share that with you in an upcoming post, once I make those final fabric/pattern decisions.
In the meantime...time to quilt!
Later,
~Deb
Monday, August 21, 2017
THE Memory T-Shirt Quilt...
Several months in the making, this is NOT the standard Memory T-Shirt quilt for MANY reasons - one being it is NOT for the standard recipient, since the intended just happens to be my DGD, Jade ;-)
'Miss Betty' & I have made several Memory T-shirt quilts in the past, AND they have ALL been very special but, understandably, this one would hold a very special place in this Grammy's heart. (Many of you may not know I'm even a 'Grammy', since I am VERY protective of my family, and especially my one and Only DGD, Jade!) Now that she's fully grown and college-bound, guess I can loosen those Grammy reins a tad...but NOT too much!!
It started out with T-shirts submitted in secret by the intended recipient's Mom. And because the intended is not only a cat-lover and avid book reader BUT a lefty, fabrics were chosen carefully from the TAG Collection at ConnectingThreads.com, including this 'Left-Handed' Dot fabric. (The intended requested a black & white theme be incorporated...WE happily complied, since it's one of our favs, too!)
Along w/texting fabrics and two of our favorites - the Abcedery and Famous Last Words fabrics, shown here in one of the pillowcases, created solely from Memory T-shirt quilt 'leftovers'.
I use Jenny of Missouri Star Quilt Company's method for creating pillowcases...Fast!
A few notable facts regarding this unforgettable Monster quilt:
Additional Memory T-Shirt photos:
And now - it's residing on the bed in the college dorm room of the intended. We hope it keeps her ALL safe & warm as she embarks on the next journey of her life...
For now - even though I should be binding the HUGE pile of quilted quilts I have ready to be bound, this Grammy is getting back to sewing a personal postage stamp picnic quilt out of 1930s reproduction fabrics w/a few patriotics thrown in for good measure, while watching the August 21, 2017 Solar eclipse happenings going on at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale, IL:
Later,
~Deb
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| Jade's Memory T-Shirt quilt |
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| Quilt label complete w/personal kitty sigs |
'Miss Betty' & I have made several Memory T-shirt quilts in the past, AND they have ALL been very special but, understandably, this one would hold a very special place in this Grammy's heart. (Many of you may not know I'm even a 'Grammy', since I am VERY protective of my family, and especially my one and Only DGD, Jade!) Now that she's fully grown and college-bound, guess I can loosen those Grammy reins a tad...but NOT too much!!
It started out with T-shirts submitted in secret by the intended recipient's Mom. And because the intended is not only a cat-lover and avid book reader BUT a lefty, fabrics were chosen carefully from the TAG Collection at ConnectingThreads.com, including this 'Left-Handed' Dot fabric. (The intended requested a black & white theme be incorporated...WE happily complied, since it's one of our favs, too!)
 |
| Left Handed Dot fabric |
Along w/texting fabrics and two of our favorites - the Abcedery and Famous Last Words fabrics, shown here in one of the pillowcases, created solely from Memory T-shirt quilt 'leftovers'.
 |
| Reversible pillowcase created w/leftovers |
I use Jenny of Missouri Star Quilt Company's method for creating pillowcases...Fast!
A few notable facts regarding this unforgettable Monster quilt:
- All T-shirts were cut/stabilized in one (1) day
- The ENTIRE Memory T-Shirt Quilt was sewn together in one (1) day through tears of sadness and JOY - although it took (1) one week to lay out in various design layouts prior to the oldest daughter and her fiance showing up and contributing layout design ideas...which were worked into the final Memory T-Shirt Quilt (Thanks Jessie & Greg!)
- Took two (2) FULL hours to load this Memory T-Shirt quilt onto the quilting frame, due to the directional design of the front of the quilt AND the backing, plus the sheer size!
- Quilted in one (1) Day - and it's King Size, quilted w/walking cat digital quilting design
- Bound/laundered/labeled in one (1) day
Additional Memory T-Shirt photos:
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| Vintage corduroy Peace Sign fabrics from the 70s - from this Grammy's stash! |
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| Tie-dyed T-shirts w/signatures of friends/family from the intended's childhood |
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| Memory T-Shirt Quilt coming off the frame |
And now - it's residing on the bed in the college dorm room of the intended. We hope it keeps her ALL safe & warm as she embarks on the next journey of her life...
For now - even though I should be binding the HUGE pile of quilted quilts I have ready to be bound, this Grammy is getting back to sewing a personal postage stamp picnic quilt out of 1930s reproduction fabrics w/a few patriotics thrown in for good measure, while watching the August 21, 2017 Solar eclipse happenings going on at Southern Illinois University @ Carbondale, IL:
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| 1930s Reproduction Postage Stamp fabrics for personal picnic quilt |
Later,
~Deb
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