Honoring my dad Christmas 2 of 5

For years I've been picking up nautical/ US Navy prints with the intention Of using them in a quilt in memory of my dad to be given to his two grandsons, my son and my nephew.  I chose a mariners compass for the center piece.  On the back with Navy fabric I picked up years ago at the Rosemont Quilt Show I added a fabric label with a dedication to the recipients, and a picture of my dad, and his ship during the bombing of Pearl Harbor.  I have also included the battles he was in, and metals received. The quilts measure 63" by 63"

How it all started Christmas 1 of 5

Downsizing a bit, and going through all my quilting books and magazines I decided to photocopy pages I wanted to keep and donate the books to the goodwill.  I came across a pattern for a quilted cat.  thinking a head to a birthday present for a friend who loves both cats and blue batiks I planned out the execution using nine patches.  I can't do anything without my computer and the electric Quilt program.  My computer had crashed, so I mapped it out in my head planning to make several.  after completing all seven I had some 80 some extra squares.  No joke.  With a new computer I then decided to plug them in and make two  62" X 74"  quilts for my 2 nieces. The colors are much prettier then the pictures allow.

You know what they say about sausage making and democracy, watching it in progress is not pretty.  Well neither is quilting.  Here was my sewing room last December.  I had  inherited a huge stash of bright batiks from a downsizing quilter friend of mine so when I saw this pattern for an Irish Chain I had to make it, and me being me I had to make two. Yippee on to my next project…….

The Tradition Continues.

When my niece Maggie was little, I made American Girl Clothes for her Samantha doll.  Now her own daughter has a Biddy Baby and I’m back at it. As always I make two of each outfit, one to send and one to save in case the Red Seas part again and I am blessed with a granddaughter someday 

Christmas Tree Skirt

My sons Christmas list to Santa this year included one tree skirt.  They wanted it big, with a middle circumference of which would be large enough to fit over their stand for easy watering.  The middle opening was some 40 “, and the entire skirt measured 80” in diameter.  I made a pattern out of 5- 80+ inch sheets of freezer paper taped together. I moved all the furniture out of my living room and using a string marked at the correct radius marked the two circles, then cut it larger than needed, folded the paper to make the scallops for the edges, drew a cardboard template to better trace the edges evenly,   Divided the circle into the largest equilateral triangle possible, then center the three “Merry Christmas” to be stem stitched by hand.  Stippled quilted the entire thing, I used over 2,000 yards of thread.  On the paper pattern, I arranged trial holy leaves out of newspaper until I had the correct size and number to be appliqued after the quilting was complete.   After many headaches, I actually finished it.  Not bad if I do say so myself.  This is how it looked in my son’

s front room.

I must be related to Henry Ford

I can never just make one of anything....so now that I'm back to sewing after my brain tumor recovery I wanted to find a way to thank my other friends and family who really got me through some very hard times...Hence the seven quilts, ironically my machine broke as I was just finishing the last one so I'm off to Linda Z's to take it in for repairs.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!  I know I feel blessed.

Shortly after my June 2013 post I was diagnosed with a stage 4 GBM.  I had brain surgery one year ago yesterday and the only sewing I was able to do was finish two Christmas presents,an apron and this Hammy New Year is a pillow I made for my sister.  They always have ham on New Year’s and she drives her kids nuts by always wishing them a “Hammy New Year” After that I really have just spent a year coping with chemo every month  and radiation.  I’m finally strong enough to sew.  My friends have been incredible, I made this pastel quilt for a dear friend who planted and planned my garden last year and this year, and organized meals for us through the darkest days of  my recovery for her August Birthday.  I’m currently working on scrap lap quilts for all the other angels who were on my recovery team.  I hope I stay well enough to finish them by Christmas.  I am so happy to be back.