THE WEDDING QUILT

I needed a wedding gift in a hurry.  My sister's daughter decided she wanted to be married.   I knew I didn't physically have time to plan and piece a quilt.  Especially one that would be memorable to them. It was to the fabric closet to see what I had to work with.  There was the box with my birthday swaps in it.  The blocks were made and they already had memories attached.  Yes, not the couples memories, but memories I could use to make the quilt meaningful.

 

THE QUILT

62"X76"
If you click on the picture above, it will enlarge it, then if you click on the enlargement it will show detail.  You can even see the different white fabrics.

 I participated in a Birthday block swap.  The people joining me were Internet friends I had known for at least ten years.  We had never physically met.  

There was a central hostess who received fabrics from each participant.  Each person sent (12) 1/4 yard pieces of her fabric and a SASE with the postage it had cost her to mail the fabrics.  The hostess swapped them into each participant's envelope.

We had a database in our yahoo group where we placed the guidelines we wanted used for our fabrics.  Things like; did you want a specific background. 

My guidelines were: 

No Red, there was a red flower in the fabric and I am not a red lover.  I didn't want to put emphasis that color.  You will notice someone used red in their block.  See how a minuscule amount made the red flowers show up.  The reds in the squares were nescessary to tie the red in the one block in.  When I audtioned fabrics and didn't use any red in the squares.  The red in the block stuck out like a sore thumb.

No iron on applique, I got an iron-on block.  You can't see it because I took the block apart adding white on white squares in the appliques place.  It was a nice block except for the iron on hearts.  It was a four patch block.  It's the second block from the left on the second row. 

I mentioned they could use all the purple they wanted.  

What would I change if I had a do over?  I wish I had stated a color for the back ground.  Though I do love the varieties of backgrounds.  I wish I had put names on the blocks.  So much time elapsed before I started assembling them, I could not remember who did what.  It has been least seven years, maybe longer.

Swapping focus fabric added continuity to the quilt you wouldn't normally have in a block swap.  I had no idea when I received them what they would look like.  When I did get them I had no idea what to do with them.  It's seems pressure is the mother of invention.  I needed a wedding quilt quick.  I have a question,  does this quilt constitute re-gifting? LOL.

In constructing this quilt I decided  to use White on White background.  It would make the blocks with similar background to melt into it.  I planned to use the solid background blocks on the corners.  Sashing, the only thing I wish I had done was sashed with 4 inch sash not 3.  I used the colored squares to tie in the colors in the blocks.  Hoping to give the appearance of a quilt planned from its beginning. The dark purple border has several of the purples contained in the blocks.  If I had had more fabric I would have put a wider border, every inch was used.  I didn't have the luxury of buying fabric because of the time constraints.  It forced me to shop the fabric closet which is a very good thing. 

This quilt was a true Stash buster.  The original swap fabric was from stash (one of the rules of the swap).  any of the fabrics I used to complete the quilt were from my stash;  the batting, the backing, and binding included.

A big suggestion for when you do a swap.  When you have asked for fabrics to be pre-washed, don't trust they were.  I have found a product on the market I love.  It is "Shout Color Catchers".  If you have a suspect quilt, use at 4 in the wash.  Even if they come out white do not reuse them in another wash.  I used four on this one and wish I had used 5. I had one block that ran onto the white.  It isn't real obvious and didn't show till the quilt was dried. 

CARD ACCOMPANYING THE QUILT

I make all my own cards.  I never can find a card which says what I want it too. The time I spent picking it out I could have made several, not to mention the gas wasted getting to the store.

I usually make a 6" X9" card.   Years ago I traced this out of a book/mag, which one, I don't remember.  It was maybe 30 years ago.  I used colored pencils to color this card. The roses I made yellow with orange tips.  I've used water colors and markers before.   Under the roses I put the couple's  names in fancy script.

Inside, the card reads:

You are starting on an incredible journey though life.  There will be bumps and bruises, rewards and dreams fulfilled. You will accomplish much together you wouldn’t have done alone.

Listen to each other, hearing the unspoken words.  Support each other’s endeavors.  Remember this is your best friend.

May this quilt cover you with warmth and love.  It is a union of twelve Internet quilter’s blocks.  They were made for me for my birthday using fabric I sent to them.  They chose the accompanying fabrics and the block designs, designing a block for me.

These blocks were joined together with you in mind.  I thought they represented you joining your lives, bringing the love surrounding you together.

I hope I have inspired you to use your stash and participate in swaps. 

Good things arrive in small packages

Other wedding quilts/presents
http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2011/08/let-it-snow.html

http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2011/09/wedding-gift-completed.html
http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2011/08/wedding-gift-season.html

For more blogs by me visit at:

http://pitbulladog.blogspot.com/
Chronicling our adventures with a dumped Pit Bull Pup,
who has become a hidden treasure.

http://www.organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

This is a garden blog, but it occasionally has recipes on it.

I have placed 4 new blogs this last week on it.  They are not about my garden.  They are about the yard surrounding my garden (which is mostly woods).  Also about our new baby pullets, which will be our fertilizer producers and will feed us.

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Not a garden blog.  There are articles which have nothing to do with creating or gardening. 

There are blogs on the new born baby kittens we found and are mothering.  It is a blog where I will sometimes voice my opinions which will always be environmentally friendly.

CREATIONS

A SUN LIT DANDELION

I haven't done much creating lately.  I am letting mother nature do it.  Our topsy turvy spring is producing some gorgeous wild flowers on our farm.  When I do chores I carry my camera with me. 

 I have posted the pictures of these in my Garden Blog:

http://www.organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

The first four entries on the opening page are pictures and a blog about our spring.  There is even a blog about the new baby chickens we got Sunday.

The two dandelion pictures were taken April 12 at 6 PM.

Hoping your day is filled with sunshine,

If not may the rain clear by supper time,

Leaving the air fresh and clean,

So you will have pleasant dreams.

WARM WISHES AGAIN

Warm wishes quilt pattern has come to my rescue again.  I needed a quilt in a hurry.

http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/details.html?idx=5185

(See blog titled "Three Wishes")

36"X36"

Monday, I learned I was going to be attending a funeral at the end of the week.  My Uncle on my father's side passed away.  In this age of jobs taking us all over the world our family has been dispersed world wide too.  We moved away from the family home area when I was 6 years old and moved several times after that.  My parents ended up living over 1200 miles from their birth place.  Love and caring was there but the physical being wasn't.  I am the oldest of 6 siblings.  Only three of us were able to get to know the aunts and uncles on a personal basis.  My other siblings only met them a couple of times in the last 40 years. 

I will be driving down early Friday morning and returning in the evening (I am the only sibling with in shouting distance who won't have to hop a plane.)  It has been at least 7 years since I have made the trip to my birth place.  The last time was because my father's oldest brother had passed.  This fact saddens me.  I have kept in touch with the family and see one of my cousins about once a year.  Getting together with the whole family though has been difficult.  I have dozens of excuses and they all seem pitiful at this time.  What amazes me is how when we do get together as a family it is as if no time has passed at all.  The biggest obstacle is the exchanging of all the family doings and accomplishments we have missed out on. Everyone is talking at once.

I was thinking about what I could take which would be a remembrance to his children and grandchildren.  Something to jog their memories later of the people who will be there celebrating the life of their Dad.  Years ago I made a harvest quilt and gave it to my parents with an indelible pen .  The sashings were white.  I told mom to use it each Thanksgiving and have the people sign their name and date.  Even if they had attended the year before and had signed.  (The backing is muslin, when the front fills up, then the back can be signed.) This is that quilt, you can see some of the siggies all ready there.  This is a full size bed quilt.  The blocks are 12 1/2 inches unfinished, the sashing is 2 1/2 inches unfinished.:

I didn't have time to do an involved quilt like this and thought the warm wishes came together so quickly I'll try it.  First I had to wash the muslin, while it was drying I started to plan the quilt. I wondered if the pattern would work as a table topper.  The pattern worked at 5 blocks wide and 5 blocks high. 

Choosing fabric for the table topper/wall hanging was difficult.  I have no idea what my Uncle's favorite color was.  Except for his being an electrician I did not know much about him.  I know he loved to play cards.  What was his favorite card game, I have no idea.   My stash  doesn't contain card playing fabrics, nor of the electrical venue.  Remember I need to raid the stash, not having the time to shop.

I decided to use fabrics which represent the moment.  Right in front of me is my stack of star fabrics.  When I began quilting I was bitten by the fabric hoarding bug, I bought a 1/4 yd of every star based fabric I could find.  A light bulb went on.  He was the star in his children's lives.  His soul was now among the stars in heaven.  I started pulling star fabrics in the browns, golds and blacks, choosing ones that had no obvious stark white. I chose the colors because they were neutral colors on the masculine side.  I chose muslin for background because it holds the ink better than other fabrics (at least that is what I have found).  When I put fabrics with stark white in them next to the muslin it seemed to clash.

When I finished the top it was time to figure should border or not.  I decided to use a dark border strip to frame it.  The 2 inch measurement of the sashing strip worked great.   I auditioned the top for 6 inch wide outer border or 3 inch wide outer border.  The 3 inch measurement, which is the larger sashing measurement, worked best. 

I loaded the quilt top on my short arm Gamill and picked a stippling design pantograph.  This topper was not just a stash breaker, I was able to use a batting scrap, rather than cut into my roll.  I didn't have enough muslin washed for the backing.  I found a pastel blue on blue mini plaid in the stash.  It was perfect.  After quilting I trimmed the quilt and used a black binding with blue stars.  I applied the binding by machine and finished it with blind stitching by hand on the back. (Yes, I did remembered to place a label on the back, attached under the binding.)

I hope this "warm wishes" quilt will bring many warm memories in the years to come,

softening the tears of the moment. 

I wish everyone could have a warm quilt of their own.

Thanks for stopping by.

TIME

Taking time to spend time,
Sharing time, all the time,
Quality time beats quantity time,
No time is insignificant time.

It's time for real time,

It can be play time,

You should not ignore time,

Make the most of all time.

Is it listening time,

Is it ask for help time,

Can you donate time,

Are you needed this time?

Is it time for me time,

Or time to do for thee time,

Or time to plan for others time,

Or maybe stop this rhyme time?

Have a wonderful time this week,

with lots of happiness time.
Thank you for sharing your time with me.

THREE WISHES

I made 3 wishes which turned into four,
By using this pattern.

Quiltmaker Magazine introduced the Warm Wishes pattern in 2000

as the quilt for Project Linus Make-a-Blanket Day.

http://www.quiltmaker.com/patterns/details.html?idx=5185_

 I have made this pattern on numerous occasions for gifts for my grand kids and other relatives.  It is very simple to make.  BTW it is a great stashbuster.  It looks different every time it is made up.  I was cleaning the sewing room and came across a stack of 6 inch squares (72 of them).  They are in a color I do not care for and usually don't have an occasion to use.  I don't remember cutting them up but I do remember the fabric.  Normally when I pre-cut something I put a copy of the pattern with it in a plastic bag. I thought to myself what am I going to do with all of these.  I immediately thought of the Warm Wishes pattern it require 6 inch squares. I had enough squares to make two of the crib size tops.

Went to search the stash for something to use with them and found a scrap of flowered fabric that had flowers in the dusty rose and dusty pink in the squares.  Then I picked out the fabric for the narrower rails.  I found a blue and a green that would work (there is blue flowers in the flowered fabric.)  I figured I'd make one in each color of the rail strips.  I prefer having the two inch fabrics in the same colors.  It makes the piecing faster because I don't have to worry which rail is on which side.

This is the first quilt from the squares.  I used only the green 2 inch strips  and the 3 inch strips are the flowered fabric.
size 49" X 62"

I set about constructing the strip sets and joining the blocks on the first one (the green strips.)  When I cut the flowered fabric for the 3 inch strips for the two quilts I discovered I still had some fabric left.
I decided to use it for borders. 

When I completed the first one I  thought I would use two colors of strips like the pattern calls for.  (It took me twice as long to construct the quilt because I had to make sure the blocks were
facing the correct direction to get the framed box effect.)

The second quilt:
size 52" X 62"

When I completed the second quilt I realized I had 11 left over rail squares.  I also had the left over 11 squares from the first quilt.  I thought I don't want 22 orphaned blocks that are similar in nature.  If I make another quilt I will have 33 blocks and that is enough to make another quilt.  I would have four similar tops not orphaned blocks.    I checked the flowered fabric to see if I had enough for the wide rail.  Yes I did, but I also had enough to cut 6 inch blocks for the third quilt if I didn't use it for rails.  If I did that I would have to scrounge the stash for something for the wide rail in the block.  (I had enough  dark blue for the two narrow rails).  I would also have to find alterantives for borders.  The stash relinquished all of these fabrics.

The stash coughed up this 1950's blue mini patterned cloth and there was enough to do the wide rails and to have a 6 inch border when the top was completed (I had enough of the dark blue to do an inner border before attaching the 6 inch border.

This is the third quilt:
size 49" X 60"


The remains of all the other quilts produced this fourth quilt:
size 49" X 58"

This quilt was literally already made.  I had left over 6 inch squares from the strips I cut from each quilt, and I had left over rail blocks from each of the three quilts. 

I was left with only 1 orphaned 6 inch square and 2 orphaned blocks.

I didn't keep track of the amounts of fabric used to make the blocks and borders.  But when I went looking for backing fabric I did measure it.  I used 17 yards of fabric for the backs and bindings.  That is approximately 34 yards of fabric.  The following pictures are the backings I chose for each quilt.

Quilt # 1 backing

Quit #2 Backing

Quilt # 3 Backing

Quilt # 4 Backing

Putting the Binding on:

This last picture is of the binding construction.  I used the machine to apply all the bindings.  I needed to get these done quickly and they are utilitarian quilts for little girls to play house with and drag around.

I was very pleased with the look.  The binding is top stitched on the front of the quilt with the machine and you have an extra row of visible stitching on the back.

Making three wishes was a breeze ,

getting the fourth one free...was the best wish of all.

Is there four wishes in your future? 

Thanks for stopping by.

48 VALENTINES AND COUNTING

It is said, it’s the thought that counts,

Counting the times we sat and watched TV,

Counting the trips to the grocery store,

Counting the days you took out the trash,

Doing things for the woman you adore.

So many mundane things you did,

Repeating them each and every day,

Counting the times you said I love you,

And showed me in every way.

The years rolled by, the moments filled,

With big and little things,

This woman, you constantly thrilled.

With the surprises life brings.

We’ve grown old together,

Our waistlines they grew too,

I have someone I can count on,

To share my life, I love you.

Everyday you make Valentines day for me.
It's the little things that count.

 New Article on my blog: 

 http://gloriouscreations.blogspot.com/2013/07/a-mystery-in-making.html

"A MYSTERY IN THE MAKING"

A mystery quilt designed with the novice in mind

First Clue to be presented October 16.

 

Other blog sites by me:

 

http://glosgarden.blogspot.com/

Where I have stories of my cats and other pets

a blog about my courtship with my husband,

and a blog about my most embarrassing moment.

A "Soap box" blog where I do air my opinions.

 

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/

blogs about the wildflowers on our farm

Organic methods we use, some cooking and some poetry,

blogs about Seed sprouting, insects, and garden pictures

Blog about an endangered beneficial beetle

New Blog:

http://organicinstlouis.blogspot.com/2013/08/blackberries-kitchen-aid.html

 

All recipes, pictures, and writings are my own.

I give credit for items which belong to other people in my blogs .

Please do not copy without permission

HONEY IN THE SNOW

About seven years ago we had a small dog dumped at our gate.  She only weighed about 15 pounds and wasn't more than 15 inches high.  We put out a "found" sign even though we did not think she was lost.  We live a mile from the interstate and that night it had poured down rain.  The little dog was clean and smelled like perfume. 

When my husband found her he said he thought she was tied to the gate.  She was so frightened she was plastered to the gate and didn't move.  He brought her up to the house and we had a problem.  We had four dogs already.  We didn't want to introduce her to the family if she was going to be leaving right away.  We decided to keep her in the master bedroom.  That night she inherited the name Honey.  She was so sweet.  She immediately decided our bed was her bed.  Being she was small this wasn't a hindrance to our sleeping. 

Small is another thing.  We had never had a small dog.  All of our dogs have been 60 lbs plus.  This was a whole new experience.  A dog that actually fit on the bed with you.  Our other dogs all wanted to be in the bed but it was like having a hog in the bed.  Honey literally fit right in.  Each day ended with Honey still here.  Our other dogs were scratching at the door to be allowed in. 

After 5 days and no inquiries to our signs we decided that Honey was probably in her new home.  We introduced her to the other "pups".  Hoping they wouldn't eat her.  It took less than 30 minutes to find out there was a new alpha dog in the house.

Honey was at least 3 years old when she adopted us.  She has been with us seven years.  What have we learned about little dogs?  They aren't any different than big dogs except they have little widdlers and have to be let out more often.  What kind of dog is she?  I usually describe her as "Honey, who shrunk the border collie".   She is very smart (when she wants to be).  She doesn't like little kids (she snapped at the grandkids when they were little, a couple of times).  She adores my son and daughter(they are adults..lol). 

Honey has been a very sweet addition to our lives.