Poppa's Tree Farm: A Christmas Quilt

I've had the same double hourglass quilt sitting on my couch for years and decided it would be fun to switch quilts out for seasons and holidays.  I guess you can say I've made myself another goal.

I already have one for July that I made years ago when I first started quilting.  I also have one for the fall; Happy Harvest Quilt.  So right before December I decided I needed a Christmas quilt.  I didn't leave myself much time to get started.  I'm like that. It's a week before I need to use it so I start making it.  I'm crazy.

I pinned a bunch of Christmas quilts and then showed them to my mom.  She loved the Poppa's Tree Farm pattern so we decide to both make one.  (She finished the top, but will wait till next year to get it all put together.) 

A lot of the time I'll create my own pattern, but I was in a time crunch and bought the original pattern.  To say the least, it was not my favorite pattern to follow and wasn't very well written.  However, it was good enough that my quilt turned out. :)

I quilted the tree with back and forth squiggles.  I love it!  I really wanted to quilt the pinwheels, but I'm not sure what design, so they stay un-quilted for now.

The week before Christmas everything was done except for turning the binding.  But we had to use the quilt so the binding didn't get done till after Christmas.  (It worked though. :)

 Stats:
57" x 80"
Started: November 2014
Finished: December 2014
Machine quilted by me
For: My couch

Dear to My Heart

This summer I was asked by my sister-in-law, Angie, to create some very special gifts.  My brother-in-law, Casey, passed away last last January from brain cancer leaving behind two young children.  I had approached her and suggested that when she was ready, I would love to create quilts from his clothes.

It was an emotional and wonderful journey for me making these quilts.   Casey's spirit was so strong around me as I created these quilts.  He had a hand in them for sure. Love you Casey!

For their little girl, we used Casey's dress shirts; the tops of the butterflies and the butterfly bodies.  I added the colorful fabric to make it a bit more girly.

All of the quilts were quilted by the sweet and wonderful Barbie Mills.  The quilting on this quilt is exceptionally beautiful with the quilted butterflies and the flower boarder.

For their boy, Angie wanted to use Casey's t-shirts.  This was the most emotional quilt to make because I remember him wearing each one of these shirts.  It was hard to cut them up, but I knew the end result would be wonderful.  I love the layout of this quilt.  I even included a couple of the shirts size tags.

Angie was blessed to meet a wonderful man, Shane, and combine their families.  He also lost his wife in January to cancer leaving behind 4 children.  I had to privilege to create quilts for them from their mom's scrubs.

She had a wonderful assortment of patterns, so it was easy to create girly quilts for her two girls.

All of the fabric on the front except for the white came from their mom's scrubs.

For her boys, the colored squares are from her scrubs and the light fabric was added for contrast.

I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to create these quilts for my nieces and nephews.  It was a wonderful labor of love.  Many times while making these I could strongly feel the spirits of Casey and Spring.  I know they are watching over their babies. And every time their kids wrap up in these quilts, I hope they can feel like they are getting a hug from their mom or dad. 

Stats:
About 54" x 70"
Started: August 2014
Finished: January 2015
For: Angie and Shane's kids

Goal for 2015

This year my focus will be stash busting. (I know I said that about last year, but this year I mean it. :)

I have some lovely (and not so lovely) fabrics that I've horded over the years.  Some are coordinating fabrics just looking for the right pattern. Others are fabrics that need fabric matching.  And still others need to find a new home because they are just not worth the effort.

So, with each finished quilt this year, I will include an explanation of where the fabrics came from. Example: the fabrics have been horded for 10 years.  Or, I caved and all the fabrics are new because I just had to have them.  Hopefully we see very few of the latter statement. :)

Wish me luck.

Looking Back at 2014's Goal

At the start of each new year I like to make goals.  I often don't follow through with them, or they may change.  But I enjoy making them and am not too disappoint if they aren't accomplished.  Maybe I'm too easy on myself, but at least I'm happy.

I like making quilting goals.  I feel like at the first of the year I have a fresh start and a whole year to accomplish things!

Last year my goal was to make a queen sized quilt for my bed.  Did it happen...almost.  I proud to say that it is started, but then life happened. :)  In my defence it did take almost half a year to find a pattern that my husband and I both agreed on.  (Personally, husbands shouldn't be so opinionated when it comes to decorating, but mine is....sigh.  Still love him to the moon and back though!) 

Fortunately finding the fabric was a breeze; Happy-Go-Lucky.  I love that fabric and oddly enough so did the hubby.

The pattern that I am making is Tone It Down.  Love the pattern, but it takes a while.  For me, each block is taking about 1 hour to finish (and that doesn't count the cutting time).  I am making it queen sized so I need 25 blocks.  25 hours!  Wow.  And that is just the blocks, not the stashing, quilting and binding.  But you know what,  I am loving the process! Making the blocks is very enjoyable.  Each step has enough variation it keeps my mind from getting board.

Currently I have 9 blocks done.  And every one is my favorite.  I can't wait to see them all put together.

So my 2014 goal will move on to be a 2015 goal.  But this year it will get done.  (I hope ;)