My Quilt Top - Quilted by Wanda

Can you see me doing a happy dance?  These photos are of a quilt top I finished a number of years ago in a quilting class.  I  became discouraged with the finished top and put it away in the cedar wardrobe.  I found it during my spring cleaning this year and decided it wasn't so bad after all.  I sent it to my blogging friend, Wanda and look at it now.  Beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wanda sent me these photos today.  I am so excited.  I love the quilting pattern she designed for the quilt.  She is such a talented lady.  I'm so pleased with the way the quilt looks.  Now all I have do is add the binding when I receive it in the mail from Wanda.  You can see Wanda's blog here.  Thank you Wanda.

A Quilt for Baby Boy

I recently finished this quilt for Baby Boy Bruce.  The will be my Aunt Arlene's first great grandbaby.  I had this quilt kit for some time and had been waiting for just the right baby boy to make it for.  When I found out that Kacy and Kristen were expecting a baby boy, I got out the quilt kit and went to work.  It is now quilted and ready to mail.  The kit was based on this wonderful novelty print.  It features big trucks with big tires and the colors are perfect for a baby boy.  The kit was purchased at the Cutting Edge Quilt Chop in Tempe a number of years ago. 

Vintage Umbrella Brooch and Civil War Chronicles Quilt Square

Linda at A Swap for All Seasons is featuring vintage umbrella brooches on her blog today.  I remembered an umbrella brooch that was in my jewelry box.  It has been there since my high school years so I know it is vintage (not quite antique!!!).  In the background is  my  April block from the Civil War Chronicles Quilt block of the month.  Below is the entire square.

This month's block is a little more colorful that the past three with the purple fabric.  This block also featured more half-square triangles.  Yesterday I visited Three Dudes Quilting with my friend from California to show her the completed quilt.  It is a lovely quilt but has been a challenge thus far.  If you are ever in the Phoenix area you might consider a visit to Three Dudes Quilting.  It's a great quilt shop with friendly staff.

While there I signed up for their current Block of the Month "Chestnut and Vine".   I'm not an applique person but he assured me it is very simple applique.

Mother's Day Vintage Brooch Swap

I have joined the  Mother's Day Vintage Brooch Swap at A Swap for All Seasons.  For more info click the link on the left.  Linda recently posted a picture of her vintage jewelry box filled with vintage brooches and pins.  I liked the idea and collected some of my vintage brooches and pins and have displayed this in one of my vintage jewelry boxes.  This is a photo of the filled jewelry box.  She asked us to share one of our favorite brooches.  Here is one of mine.

This lovely gold-tone brooch belonged to my Mama (grandma on my dad's side).  She loved jewelry and never left the house without at least one piece of jewelry.  When she passed away, I was able to get a few things from her jewelry box for my sister's and I.  This is the brooch that I selected.  Throughout this swap, I will share some of the brooches from my collection.  Some belonged to me, some to my mom, and others I purchased at thrift stores and garage sales.  My partner for this swap is Sarah in Oregon.

Marcia's quilt

This is another memory quilt that I completed in the past few weeks.  It has been a work in progress for some time.  I had finished the center square last fall.  I had sketched two different designs and ended up combining the two to make this wall hanging for my cousin Marcia.  Marcia's mother was my first cousin and she was killed in a traffic accident when Marcia was a toddler.  The fabrics in the quilt are some of the clothing that had been saved all these years.  The plaids were skirts, the green print was a blouse, and the yellow fabric and lace where from a yellow dress.  Buttons are from one of the skirts. 

Since I was working with small pieces of fabric cut from the garments, I had to spend lots of time in the design process.  I mailed the quilt to Marcia in Kentucky and she is very pleased with the quilt.  When I visit Ky later this year we will embellish the quilt with some of her mother's jewelry and possible some photographs printed on fabric. 

Memory Quilt

I just finished the binding yesterday on this very special quilt.  It is a memory quilt made for young man named James.  James is almost 8 and the quilt is made from shirts that belonged to his father. 

James' grandmother contacted me some time ago to see if I would make the quilt for James.  His dad died from cancer when James was just a baby.  It seems that James decided he needed something that belonged to his daddy and his grandmother thought of a quilt.  I met with James and his mom.  James selected the shirts and I constructed the quilt top.  James and his mom went shopping and bought a black fabric for the back of the quilt. 

I will be delivering the quilt this week and hope James finds comfort when he cuddles in this "Special Quilt".

Embroidery Flower Quilt Finished

I have been away for quite some time.  My computer crashed and I'm learning how to use the new one.  DH continues to have medical issues and family visited from CA.  Lots happening but I was able to finish this little quilted table runner/wall hanging in time for my sister's birthday.  The instructions were for a table runner but she thinks she may hang it in her newly decorated craft room. 

 In addition to the little quilt, I made her the tote shown above.  It is the Amy Butler Swing Bag and the fabric is Michael Miller.  I decided to use the fancy monogram letter for the bag.  She will use it to carry papers to meetings.  We had a fun lunch on Saturday and I gave her her presents.