Multi-generational quilting!

As you know, my Mom has also gotten into quilting, and after going to the big quilt show near me she bought a bunch of fabric to make (another) queen sized quilt.  I keep trying to explain to her that beginners don't necessarily have to start with quilts that are 90x90, but no... if she's going to make it, it's going to go on the top of a bed.

Anyway, she slogged her way through 160 something small blocks using a really cool jelly roll of batiks and a shimmery fabric we found.  At the show she got a queen backer fabric of batik flannel in hot pinks and greens.


I offered to help her layout and sew together the top.  Wow, it took a long time - I am REALLY not a fan of this step -  it looks SPECTACULAR.  This quilt is destined to go in my old room at their house where we (J and I) stay when I visit.   It has since gotten a thin border in the background fabric, and a thick one in a dark pink batik.  I did convince her to send it out to be quilted, so we'll see the finished project in a few months :)





We also had lots of Grammy/Isabella time. :)


I do believe that quilting is definitely something best enjoyed multi-generationally.

The cutest backpack ever

When we last were chatting I was working my way through the Oliver+S book...

Next stop on the Oliver+S book, a tiny small backpack!  I was originally going to make her the sweet little messenger bag, but she took a shining a backpack in the house.  It's way too big for her, but she enjoys to put it on, wave at me and say "bye bye, I'm going to school"  then about 30 seconds later comes running back.  She's such a sweetie.

The backpack is made from some pre-washed dark denim, the flowers were cut out and appliqued from this jazzy upholstery fabric that i bought at Ikea, it was originally going to be the messenger bag, but the print is just too big for the little bag, so I had a blast cutting out the colorful flowers for her little backpack.  The lining is some red fabric from ikea, it's heavier than quilting cotton but not quite upholstery weight.  I top stitched the entire thing with red thread, it looks so nice.

The silver clips were ordered from Etsy, I of course selected the retailer from Hong Kong so they took a month to get here, but they were perfect!

I am really proud how this came out, and can't believe how big my little girl is getting!

First Quilt EVER!

Yep.

My first quilt with my first baby on the steps to my first house with my first cat.  Amazing.

This is it!  It was started in 1996-1997, it was over a Christmas break, during college when there isn't much to do (at least for me as an undergraduate).  I wanted a project, and bought this little pattern on a laminated pamphlet and some very pretty and (much too expensive for my budget) batik fabric.

I did not own a rotary cutter, quilting foot, walking foot, basting pins, spray glue etc... This was done with a wing and a prayer.  The border was completely improvised by me using the leftover scraps.


It was about done during that one month break, but I had NO idea how to bind it.  So after I got into quilting, 16 years later, my Mom reminded me about the almost done quilt in my closet.  I bought some forest green kona that matched the green batik and bound it up!!  It looks beautiful, and is ridiculously soft, it's insane how cuddly this is.

As I was hand sewing the binding on, I became nostalgic about what had happened in the 16 years since I had gotten the idea to learn to quilt.  I went to college, graduate school, got a job, bought a condo, got married, bought a house, had a baby, quit my job,  sold a condo and now am having another baby.  My life IS the one I was dreaming about during the nights at home during my Christmas break from college.  I'm so lucky and happy and thankful.

This quilt is so full of good karma I decided to pass it on to the folks at LAWS - Loudoun Abused Women Shelter - It's a great organization and I already had two baby quilts for them.  They are lovely, but this quilt is so special and full of good things I hope it can all rub off on the person who snuggles it's very soft fabric.