These Quilts were made for Christmas, 1998 as gifts for my two cousins Heather (the left one) and Tammie (the right one). These are the only two quilts I personally pieced in 1998. I was lazy.
The two quilts are identical, except for colors and a slight adjustment of the fan geometry. The blocks are 16" and the quilts measure 80 something square.
I was not so lazy in 1998 that I couldn't even quilt. I quilted these two antique tops. I was lazy enough to use a machine. I did buy alot of fabric, in the hopes of piecing a top. I joined alot of swaps to get blocks to make into a top. <sigh>
I made this quilt for Christmas, 1997 and it seems like everybody I know wants to take it off my hands. I had alot of fun with it and despite being quick to go together, people seem to love it. The front is composed of: some old "Christmassy" blocks I got in a house block swap years ago, two Santas I appliqued from a Debbie Mumm pattern book, some Father Chrismas prints I cut out of pillow cheaters and appliqued onto backgrounds, some long border scenes I cut from some printed cloth and pieced in, and some proper cheating by piecing in full pillow prints of Father Christmas in the corners. I think the people really love the large expanses of red.
The back is pieced, with an entire cloth children's book of "The Night Before Christmas" sewn into the center. I tea dyed the book as it was screamin WHITE! That's my dorky husband poking his head out over the quilt.
I put this little close up of one of the blocks here just because I wanted to show off the quilting. I machine quilted it entirely of free-motion quilting (I told you it was a quick quilt) but I used these circle shapes I had seen at a quilt show. I think it gives the quilting a bit more class than regular machine stipple quilting.
I made this quilt for my Cousin Dottie (1996). Several years ago, Dottie's mom had given me Dottie's cotton childhood hankies for my kids to play with. When Dottie wanted a quilt, I remembered her hankies, and machine appliqued them onto muslin squares to make this quilt.
This red and white (90" x 90") was composed of swap blocks... My mother in law quilted, and after I got married in 1985 and watched her a bit, I said "I can do that!" so by 1986 or so, I WAS doing it (LOL, you wont see a pic of that quilt in here!). In 1995, I decided to make this one for Mother Muriel for a Christmas gift. (there are feathered wreaths quilted into the plain blocks). In July, however, she learned she had pancreatic cancer and cooked up a filet mignon dinner. Knowing things were grim, I worked very hard on the quilt to get it done, but Bitts didn't want it finished... superstition, you know? On September 5 she went into hospital, and I worked all night to get the quilt finished and sent it to the hospital. She died on September 8, and this quilt now graces my father in law's bed.
MY WEDDING QUILT
I didn't make this quilt for my wedding... I started it for my cousin's wedding, but did not complete it on time, and thus added borders and kept it for myself. It measures about 110" x 110." Modified from a pattern in "Scrap Happy" by Sally Schneider, I added the center medallion showing home and garden, wedding rings, church and hearts.
I made this crib quilt this when cousins Ralph & Hazel had baby Shaughna in 1994. Machine embroidered around the piper are all the words to Amazing Grace. I figured since I used to love singing it to my kids, Hazel would like having the words right there. You can lift up his kilt and see what a Scotsman wears under his kilt... figured it would be good for anatomy lessons when Shaughna is bigger. As you can see, my photos these days leave alot to be desired.
Shaughna has a little sister now, Muhran.
created 9/7/96 updated 1/30/99
