What or Who inspired you to start Quilting?

"What or Who inspired you to start Quilting?"

That was the program at our Guild meeting this week.   Each person was to bring in their first quilt they made (or what inspired them to quilt) and share their story.

Ah, what great stories we heard and what fun we all had reminiscing on the past.  While some of us had no one in their family that quilted, but always admired them.  But with family, work, etc.  they waited till they retired to start.  While others grew up with grandmother's and mother's that quilted and quilted with them all their lives.

Here are some of the quilts they brought in:

Linda Arant brought in a piece of her grandmother's quilt.  She said there was not much left because of so much wear and tear.  So a piece of it was framed.   She also brought in a picture of her grandmother with her favorite poem. 

Then Nancy Bigg, (our Vice President) brought in a stool which she had made:

She also shared this quilt she had made with a "Block of the Month club"

I must share one more with you.  This past December we elected a new president.   So each of us made a block and gave it to the president leaving office.  She made this quilt out of all the blocks.  (Check out the magnificent quilting she did)

I hope that you enjoyed seeing all the different quilts and I did not bore you too much.  

Hay, a new hop coming up...

"Quilt Qwazy Queens"

Starts March, 18th.

You will not want to miss this one.

There are going to be some big giveaways....

EVERYDAY! 

SO....What or Who got you into quilting?

Another T-Shirt Quilt

I want to appoligize for not posting for so long.  A lot has been happening here at our house.   Including a  lot of distractions.  My husband is putting an addition onto the back of our house for my long arm quilter.  (I am so excited.)

It will also have a well needed second bathroom in it.

Unfortunately,  my husband had to have arthroscopic surgery on his shoulder.  They had to re-attach his Rotor Cuff, mend his muscle and attach it with some screws, and scrape arthritis off the bone.  So he will be out of commission for quite a while.   :(   I feel so bad or him.  He was never one to sit around.  I am just so glad he is doing better and will be free of pain when he heals.  I know he will finish when he is better.  He has all kind of ideas for me.

Meanwhile I have been making flannel quilts for Christmas presents.   (Will share them all come December for I don't want to spoil the suprise for anyone.)

I got a challenge though a few weeks back.   A woman that lives down the road from us called and wanted to know if I could make her granddaughter a T-Shirt quilt for her  graduation.  I said sure and she brought them to me.

Unfortunately,  she cut some of the shirts to just the logo.  I explained that the shirts she cut were of different sizes and one of them was cut too close to the logo and the seam will hide some of it. She understood and said to do what I could.   I studied this for a long time.  She did not want sashing.   So after quite a bit of thought, I cut the rest of the shirts and came up with this...

I made 3 rows that were 15 inches wide and one row 12 inches wide.  I squared her cut shirts and also used some of the smaller logo's on the front of the shirts as filler, smaller blocks.  Then I took the scraps (backing of shirts) and made a 3 inch boarder.

She wanted an all over stipple pattern and not sew over the logos on the shirts, except for the ones that were too large.  I put a little stitching in those so they would not puff up.

Here it is, finished:

I also  added a small logo that was on a pocket of one shirt, to the bottom corner boarder.

She had one T-Shirt that had hand prints on.  I did not have the heart to cut into any of the hands.  So I incorporated that shirt to the back.  It was put more to the one side than centered.  I learned her granddaughter wants some of her friends to sign it.  

The back:

This morning I put the label on and called her to tell her it was finished.

She was all excited and said she would be right over.

This is the time I get nervous.   I am always afraid that the person who I make a quilt for will not like it.  

AHH, but she did!  Now she said she has a problem and that was keeping it from her granddaughter until graduation.

(She said she can't wait)

So now, for me, I am on to my next project.....

HAPPY QUILTING EVERYONE!!!!

Mug Rug Anyone?

Did you ever need a quick gift?  

Tired of coasters and want something different?

Or is your coaster not quite big enough?

Why not a Mug Rug?

BUT

What is a Mug Rug Anyway?

You can make them any size you want. 

Square,  Round, 

Rectangle, Octagon, etc.

Mine...I usually make mime 12" X 6"

I like to make a simple 6 inch block (a place for your drink)

Then a 6 inch appliqué block.

Here are a few I made:

This one I colored and painted:

The old Holiday ones that I have left:

I give a lot of these away,

They are quick and easy to make

And don't cost much to make.

And there is nothing like a homemade gift.  (Even my mail lady got one)

Along with them I add:

HAPPY QUILTING EVERYONE! !

Christmas is Coming, How Joyful it will be!

I remember a song my mother used to play at Christmas when I was I young.

Christmas is coming, 

How joyful it will be.

The family will gather round the Christmas tree.

With silver tinsel shining bright,

The room is all a glow.

There's a kiss for you and me

Beneath the mistletoe!

I remembe one year in particulat,  see, there was a tree farm not far from where we lived and every year my dad and I would go pick a tree.  This year, (I was about 8 years old) after we got the tree home and in the living room, my mother found a large birds nest in it.  Not 2 minutes later we had a bird flying around the living room.  Ooooo, was she upset! Well, I had to keep it in as part of the decorations!  I even found a fake bird at Woolworth 's.

Aren't memories great?  I have so many growing up. And my husband and I  tried to make as many as we could, with our kids, as they were growing up

Speaking of trees, I Made one!  Now everyone knows I was never fond of paper piecing, but this was easy.

I purchased these cute little snowflakes at Hobby Lobby and put them randomly all over, including on the tree skirt.

Then I made 18 little blocks 

(aprox. 1 1/4 inch to 1 1/8 inch)

I used gold embroder thread to sew them on by one corner, so they would hang (just like balls hung on a tree)

And here is my tree,

Total size is:  

17 1/2" X 40 1/2"

I have also been busy making some Christmas gifts. I am sorry though, I can't show them until later.  I don't want to ruin any suprises.

I only have a few more to make.

Next, bake my cookies and pass them out.  Then I will ready for the big guy in the red suit  to come, lol.

Hope you're all making memories...

HAPPY QUILTING EVERYONE!!!