In My Sewing Room

I've had a little time in my sewing room.

First things first is the sweet basket block from Wendy at Legends and Lace.

I've had a difficult time getting back to the shirt blocks. (feel free to photo browse and not read!) About a month before my dad died a friend's dad died. We've known their family for years. I asked her if she had any shirts from her dad and would she think her mom would like a quilt made from them. (overlook my terrible sentence structure) They had not wasted any time cleaning out the closets, so we went to the local thrift store and she BOUGHT back several shirts that had been her dads. The other place they donated them too handed them all to me when I went in. (the were happy to give them back for the cause but I neglected to check the labels for 100% cotton)
I was starting my project on THIS POST.

The next time I was working on the quilt was 4 days later and was also the day my dad died. I haven't been able to get my heart back into it. Until this week. The widow got a call back from a yearly mammogram. She has had breast cancer before and although I am hoping and praying all is well, I do feel she needs the quilt.  So, the photos are showing little piles of blocks in different stages.

Because I have melted several of the shirts that were not 100% cotton, I've dug into my homespuns and shirtings hoping to sprinkle them throughout to get a lap size quilt.  Yep. A labor of love!!

On another note, I got a photo of this beautiful shirt quilt from Rose Cane. This is what I was attempting but the shirts and my sashing were not working for me. This quilt is in Bonnie Hunter's book.

I am hoping to find time and stay focused. I am working a lot as well and although I am enjoying it, it is cutting into my sewing time!!

Happy Wednesday!

Signs of Spring

 There are signs of spring inside and outside of my house! Woo-Hoo! It sure took it's time arriving.

 Here's a fun wool and cotton applique quilt from Sue Spargo that I completed a few years ago. It's the first thing you see upon entering my house.

 

And here is a fun vintage project I completed in 2010. You can read about it HERE on this post.

 

I didn't like the first shirt blocks I was making, so I am changing it up. The purpose of the first blocks was a secondary pattern within the sashing and I was not feeling the love! I will add them to this quilt but plan on making more of these and setting them on point. I've had a difficult time getting my groove back and haven't stepped into my sewing room this week. I'm hoping this weekend to at least get the blocks cut out.

Have a wonderful weekend.
xxoo

Quiltworks First Friday

Friday I was able to get away with my girlfriend for the First Friday event at Quiltworks. The exhibit was quilts based on The Dog Stars, which I have not read, but after seeing the quilts I am intrigued.
What I really loved about this month's exhibit was the variety of techniques used. Most are what I would consider art quilts or pictorial quilts, but each has utilized a wonderful technique that makes their quilt very unique!
Take you time  looking at them and tell me if there is something that really pops out to you or inspires you in some way.

I adore this!

The quilting really creates movement in this one.

Classic, sweet, traditional.

I love the silhouettes of these two. I really like  the spotted bird.

Another one that I love for the quilting.

I hope you enjoyed the quilts!
Have a fantastic day!

Doll Swap minus 14 days...

 My quilt is done.......... We spent 9 hours on Saturday in the truck traveling  to and from my dad's memorial and I was able to get it all quilted.

 I'm calling it "Off the Beaten Path" to commemorate all the backroads and hikes we used to take with my dad while growing up.  My label is a bit messy, but the info is what is important not my handwriting.

 I washed and dried it. I am having issues with it though. I worked on this little quilt while at my dad's bedside and it made 3 trips with me to Moses Lake. I thought I could part with it, but as I prepared it for shipping, I decided I couldn't part with it. I know I have 2 weeks to make another one but I can't find it in me to make another one quickly. I hope my swap partner will understand.

 

I even found the inspiration for my doll quilt on a trip to my dads! 

So, I will send my version of the quiltalong "Faithful" to my partner and I hope she will understand and accept the "already made" quilt and love it just as much as my newer creation.

Some housekeeping issues:

• Hand or machine quilting is fine. Quilted with a few ties is fine. Ties only is not.
• Please attach a label and add a note so the recipient knows who to thank.
• Thank the person who sent you a quilt.
• If the workmanship is very poor and it looks like it was done very unthoughtfully I want to know and I'd like to see photos. 
• We will have a linky party so we will be able to see all the little quilts!

That's all I can think of. Anything else?

BOM's ready!

These are not my blocks, I only have them downloaded so far.

But I wanted to let you know they are READY! The cute basket comes from
Wendy @ Legends and Lace.

And block 4 of Benjamin Biggs this month comes from Gay @ Sentimentel Stitches.

Thanks Wendy and Gay for your generosity.
I hope to be back to my regular sewing and blogging next week.

Little Quilt Swap

My quilting is not supposed to look like  the big stitch!

Thank you all so much for your outpouring of love and support after the loss of my dad. Words cannot express my gratitude. Xoxoxo

Rest in Peace Dad

My dad passed away peacefully this afternoon. He had been moved from the nursing home to an Elder Care home on Wednesday. He got up, didn't feel like eating and said he wanted to go back to bed. And he did.
To honor him here is my montage. 

Born 1925 in Buffalo, WY.

WW2 in the Philippines 1944-1946

Worked for Boeing in Washington state and raised a family.

Matching Members Only jackets!

April 2012

January 2014

It was after this visit I let my kids and brothers know that I didn't think dad's health would hold up much longer.

 

I was so happy when my kids made the trip to see him.

My brother, who teaches in China made the trip to see him as well.

I was sick for my dad's 89th birthday so was a little late celebrating. This was taken 10 days ago. 

All 4 of his kids got to see him since the first of the year and he had been saying he was ready to leave this world for heaven. 

It wasn't an easy life and he would be the first to say he made mistakes but I learned a lot from him too. See ya on the other side!

Nels Mikkelson

March 14, 1925- March 30, 2014

Rude Rejection Email

In 2013 I was asked to design a quilt for Primitive Quilts & Projects magazine.  I was thrilled! (That reminds me that I need to get busy and finish my instructions.) I made another reproduction quilt last fall that I thought some magazine would like to publish. I went to my go-to magazine and they,  very politely in a nice email said no. My friend Jill Reid and Susan McDermott have designed and published many quilts so they gave me the name of a few others to email.

BTW, the quilt I made last fall  is complete and sent off to Quilt It Today magazine.

Today, 3 1/2 months AFTER submitting it online to a different  magazine they sent a rude, short, impersonal rejection email. I'm sure they get a lot of submissions, but gee, how about a little class on the form letter?
Compared to my other personal responses, I was really surprised at the editor's abruptness.

How hard would it be to write "We really love your quilt but it isn't what we are looking for right now.  Thank you for your submission. "

Had to get that off my chest......

Pile O' Shirts

I'm working on a new project....

 My plan is to turn this pile of shirts...

Into blocks  

My first attempt was a complete failure! 

I think it will be slow going. It will be a labor of love for sure.