My Grandma's Quilt

A few years ago after my aunts had cleaned out my grandma's house I was gifted with a quilt top that was purple and brown.  It was a quilt my grandma had put together that I carefully put away for a day I'd have time to quilt it.  My aunt took this quilt top and had given it to me a few years ago asking me to do the same.  I procrastinated and forgot about it - but after seeing her at a shower a few months back I made a goal to make sure I had it done before I saw her again in July.

I put the quilt on the frames to get started and knew right away there were be issues with tucking as no squares are square and the fabric is polyester with so much stretch.  Still I could feel my grandma standing over my shoulder looking on as I began this journey.  The quilt smelled like her.

I wanted to do something fun and special for this quilt.  The big white squares were to big for an overall pattern.  I had wanted to do cross hatching through the chains, but felt with the tucks and the size of the squares that might not look the best, so I went with an overall stipple through the chain and a flower for the big white blocks.  How much fun was it that my Grandma sewed the top and I was making the back, quilting it and binding it.  A quilt we would both work on together.

In the borders I went with a flower in the inner border with a leaf vine on the outside borders.  I also decided I will never put three borders that are the same width on a quilt!

As I quilted I thought so much about my Grandma.  How she touched all of these squares with her hands.  How she cut each one out individually.  I can't even imagine how they must have loved to quilt back then to do such tedious work.

While working on this quilt (which may be the biggest quilt I've done to date) I wondered if my Grandma would love that I was into quilted.  She would love my stash of fabric, as she too stashed her fabric.  Much more of a stash then she actually sewed.  I wondered how she would have interacted with my kids and how much they would have loved her.  My Grandma was magical.  She told storied (often on repeat).  She was so kind and loving to all her grandkids, we were all certain we were her favorite.  We had sleepovers when I was younger and we would string beads for necklaces and bracelets while watching Falcon Crest.  After my grandpa died and I was a little older, I'd go over each November and we'd put her Christmas tree up.  I would usually stay the night and we would go get KFC chicken which she would put her chicken in a layer of a napkin to squeeze out the grease which would make it ok for her to eat. She was a funny little lady with a twinkle in her eye.

I felt so excited to complete the quilt.  Loved the memories I had while quilting it up.  An appreciation for quilters of old.  We went to a 24th of July party that we have every year my whole life growing up. My Grandpa's birthday was the 25th, so we always got together to celebrate the day before (because it is a holiday here and fireworks are a big deal).  This year my Grandpa would have been 100, so we were having a little celebration for him.  I thought it was a perfect time to present the quilt to my aunt.  Before she opened the bag, I started telling her how much fun this quilt was to quilt because I felt so close to Grandma.  She said "Grandma didn't make this... Aunt Lavien did"  ARE YOU KIDDING ME....this ruined my whole experience!  An aunt had made these for my grandma who had never hand quilted them.  So not the same thing I had imagine all this time in my head! I can't believe my whole experience with this quilt was a lie.  But it was fun to quilt, and fun to spend the day with thoughts of my grandma.  And coming from her house, it did smell just like her.  Needless to say, I won't be pulling out my brown and purple quilt anytime soon.

Linking up to WIP Wednesdays!

Christmas Presences in July

I always like to get a jump start on my Christmas projects, but don't always achieve my goal.  I've had this runner quilted and waiting to be bound for probably over a year now....so I jumped the Christmas in July idea and finished it up.

This runner was made out of the patchwork fabric squares from the Christmas Presences line by April Cornell for Moda.  I LOVE this line.  I have a bin full of it still.  I have a big quilt made waiting to be quilted of this patchwork fabric.  The only thing I didn't like about the patchwork fabric is the amazing black and green fabrics that MADE this line are not included in the patchwork.  Seems odd to leave out the most striking fabrics, but I still bought yards of it.

The red in in this line is the perfect red and I love the cream holly berry fabric and the textured fabrics from this line.  How there is plaids, prints and textures all together.

The binding fabric which is red with a darker red polka dot is one of my favorite fabrics from the line.

That was a simple project of quilting and binding that should have NEVER taken me a whole year to complete!  I'm glad its out of my way and ready for my table come December.

Menu Mondays

I was a little under the weather last week and we had a few events we went to, so many of my items we didn't get to.  You may see a few repeats this week.  We'll see how this week goes, my brother is in town so usually we end up out by the pool all night long.


Monday - Tacos
Tuesday - BBQ at Grandma's house
Wednesday - Chinese Cabbage Salad
Thursday - Creamy Lemon Pasta
Friday - Campfire meal

Today I love

WIP Wednesdays

I'm a sucker for Sweetwater fabrics.  I can't get enough of the Hometown collection and Reunion was just as good.  I tried to not buy any Lucy's Crab Shack, but caved and I'm currently working on a quilt. Then we have Mama said Sew or Sew Mama Sew?  I can't remember - but I have a charm pack of it already.  I mean, you can't really go wrong with Sweetwater fabrics.

This was a simple quilt - but I feel it fits the person who's home it will reside in.  I was going to go with pinwheels or something a little different - as we all know I'm into squares these days.  But I kept going back to this as I really felt it fit.

The navy in this collection is beautiful, and this jacks fabric was my favorite.  I think it screams boy in a cute old fashion kind of way.  I love how it is bold and pulls in all the colors in the line.  I knew I wanted this to be the border and focal point which also played into my simple square quilt.

I tried to jazz it up a big with some fun quilting.  X's in the middle border, a loopy big border and I have no idea what to call the big square quilting....I'll have to look that one up.

The backing may be me new thing.  I pieced it using leftovers from the border/binding along with some yellow polka dot.  I don't piece my backings very often and I wonder why.  I think it turned out cute and adds some character to the quilt.  The binding is a red fabric with years on it.  Again - I think numbers are perfect for the home this will live in.  Can't wait for the arrival of the sweet little boy.


I'm linking up this week to WIP Wednesdays.

I made a list of July quilts to finish -
Reunion - check
Wheels - check
Baseball quilt quilted/bound - check
Grandma's quilt - check
Carpenter Star quilted/bound - next on my list

Just 2 more client quilts to quilt and bind and I'm all caught up - I've got a few more days so hopefully I can get the next 3 done and stay on top of things!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

I grew up watching my brothers play baseball.  From a very young age I feel like my summer nights and Saturday mornings were spent at the Draper park watching my older brothers slide around the bases.

As I grew up my oldest brother James stayed with the sport.  I frequented his high school games.  It was one of my favorite things to do.  My mom would even take me out of school early if they had an away game that started before I'd be getting home.  His team even took state one year.  I remember that play off week as if it was me playing.  Needless to say I have always loved the sport.

Fast forward a few years to being married and pregnant and finding out I am having a boy of my own.  I have to say one of the very first things that popped into my head was "I'll have a baseball player of my own!"  Even though they are a little young to be playing, I will admit there is a big huge bat hanging in their room and baseball quilts on their beds.  I guess I'm hoping if they sleep in a baseball themed room they will dream it all in, and one day wake up wanting to play the sport.

So about 3 years ago I found this kit during Shop Hop.  A baseball themed turning twenty quilt?  Easy, fast, big, and baseballs... a dream quilt for a girl like me.  I have to say the backing fabric of baseballs is my favorite part....

Or maybe the binding - I have been hoarding this Minick and Simpson Prairie Paisley plaid since it came out.  The binding was actually made about a year ago and the fat quarters have been ironed for a year!  I finally got around to making the blocks in May, sewed it together in June at my little get away, got it quilted and bound on Saturday.  Just in time to use it Saturday night at Draper Days.  Crazy how I had to have it done in time to sit and watch fireworks from it.  Makes the perfect picnic, baseball watching, firework gazing quilt.

I'm so glad I finally got this 3 year in the making project completed!  And what could be better then one baseball quilt?  You guessed it - two!  I pulled another one together while I made these blocks.  Just need to get the backing made so I can quilt that one.  Its on my to finish list for July.  I have to say I am 3 quilts away from completing the whole list....that could be a first for me!  I had a productive week so stay tuned!

Menu Mondays

I feel like we've got a lot of chicken on this weeks menu - but Mike is still going no carb and I'm working to reduce my calories - and I have a lot of pinned recipes to try out! 

Monday - Pesto Chicken w/ fruit and salad
Tuesday - Chicken bites and homemade ceasar salad (24th of July BBQ)
Wednesday - Shredded Pork with Cilantro Coleslaw (Picnic at the park)
Thursday - Creamy Lemon Pasta
Friday - Chinese Cabbage Salad
Saturday - Ramen Stir Fry
Sunday - Chicken Broccoli Casserole