Project #1: “Animal Grows Up!”
Around 20 years ago, my niece Alissa joined our family. I sewed her a baby blanket. She named it “Animal.” Somehow, all these years later, I still had scraps left over and, at her request, made her a new, grown-up “Animal.” (She spotted those scraps one day (over 2 years ago), when I was cleaning a bit during homeschooling her, and remembered I had them.)
The patterned fabric, blue with stars, deep rose blender, green with little flowers, and yellow were the scraps. I kept with the theme of squares, as there were squares in the print, and just tried to match the colors in the print with fabric I had in my stash. My goal was to make a blanket that was grown-up enough that she could use it without feeling like she was carrying her baby blanket around with her, and large enough to wrap around her shoulders and use when she’s cold. Since she’s working at a Christian camp these days, I know she can use a blanket for her bed, as well, and this one will hopefully bring her lots of love since it will remind her of her childhood and many wonderful memories. I’m going to give it to her for Christmas. She knows about it, as I checked with her while I was making it to make sure it was what she had in mind after she asked me to make it.
Project #2: Lovana’s Garden
About a year after sweet Alissa came to live with her parents, Lovana and Ja’Ana came to live with us. Before they moved in, I started a quilt for Lovana. Yes. This quilt. I finished it this weekend. You could say it took a while for this garden to grow.
I’ve actually been working on this one for the last several months, since I’ve been home more because of Covid. I decided it was the perfect time to finish up some projects that have been around for far too long. I finally finished yesterday. She’s seen pieces of it over the years and has been told it was for her. I know she’s going to be very surprised when she sees it’s finally finished! This one will be a surprise, for sure, as I’m positive she’s long given up that she was going to ever get her quilt!
Since we are staying home as much as possible because of our Covid restrictions, I didn’t want to shop to finish these quilts. Even though Lovana’s was larger than I’ve ever done before, I machine quilted both of them, using one large piece of batting (cut in half) that was in storage in the loft above the shop. This close to Christmas, I’m sure the machine quilters are already booked up, and besides, I’m not going places right now, including quilt shops. I will admit, it was hard for me to keep things flat and smooth while I sewed simple lines across the quilt and there was ripping involved. I did prevail, and then hand-sewed the bindings down while watching more t.v. in one weekend than ever before:)
There was just enough fabric left over from 3 of the prints used in the quilt, and I sewed them together to make a back for Lovana’s. There was plenty of the green dot for her binding.
I had a large piece of muslin we had picked up from a yard sale and used it for the back and binding of Alissa’s.
I used up the batting from the shop loft, and even finished up a spool of thread and most of another one. One of these days, I will need to replace some of my sewing items, but for now, I’m rejoicing that I’ve been able to use up some things that have been taking up space for a long, long time.
Both quilts are showing up a little darker in these pictures than they are in real life. They are both a little brighter. Both turned out lovely. I am super happy that I got them both done, quilted, and finished in time for Christmas!
Two beautiful quilts for two beautiful young ladies! They are very lucky to have to have such a creative person like you in their lives.
Thank you. The upside is that I am great at starting, planning, designing, and buying supplies and not so great at finishing things up!!! I think each part of the process appeals to different ones on different levels, and machine quilting is something I struggle with. Happily, I didn’t have to rip out very much this time, so maybe I’m getting better with practice.
I am great at buying fabric! Standing in the store touching and dreaming of what I can make – I can do that for hours.
The quilts are beautiful. They will be appreciated more because the girls (young ladies) are older and more mature. You have given them heirlooms.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
Thank you! I’m really good at buying fabric, too! At least I used to be. I have reined myself in a bit these past few years because when I moved a few years ago……Well, I’ll say no more:)
Oh they are beautiful!!!
I know the girls will love them, and the memories and love will keep them warm.
Thank you. I hope so, too!
How beautiful! And such wonderful gifts, coming from your love , time and energy. I think it’s a wonderful idea to work on finishing projects right now, and hope to do some of that over the winter too.
I hope you can get some done, too! It felt great! There are plenty left to work on, though, and I’m hoping to keep busy this winter, too.
Wow!!! So beautiful! I know it must feel good to have finally finish some UFOs!!! I know those will be treasured by two very lucky girls!
Thank you. It is so great to finish them up, especially the one that has been in progress for almost 20 years:)
Beautiful finish on both quilts!
Thank you. I’m much better at starting, and making blocks than finishing quilts, so it was a stretch! Glad I got it done:)
Becky,
I don’t know if you have one or not, but a walking foot does wonders for quilting on a regular machine. It pulls the fabric along so smoothly! It might help the next time you have a quilting project! I enjoy your blog so much! Thank you for sharing with us!
My aunt just recently mentioned a walking foot. I don’t have one, but she is willing to loan me one if I want to try it. The truth is, Rob sent me to quilting classes years ago, when he wanted me to get a bit of a break from daily life. I have to admit I never got to a class on finishing! I do, however, have a lot of fabric and started projects:) Although I’ve finished a few very small blankets over the years, the one I just did for Lovana is the largest and I think I may have hit my limit on what I can man-handle through my machine. Sad, but true. So, I’m just winging it! Once Covid is over, it may be a good goal to get some more help with the machine quilting or make friends with a person who can do it on one of those long-arm machines:). I sure did love being able to finish at home this time. Thank you for the tip–I have never tried a walking foot and didn’t know what it was until my aunt mentioned it when she heard me bewailing the difficulty of machine quilting the last 2 quilts:)
Gorgeous!
Thank you:)
Those quilts are gorgeous! I love how you started Lovana’s quilt so long ago and just finished it, because I did something similar, myself, a few years ago! I started a baby quilt with appliqued hearts for my daughter when she was a baby and only finished it in time for her to take with her when she went to grad. school! LOL. I’ve 4 quilts in progress, currently! I seem to prefer the piecing part to actually finishing the quilts!
Oh, I hear you, Bless! I like the piecing part best, too. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one with long-unfinished projects:). I’ll bet a lot of us are finishing with all this staying at home we are doing. One good thing.