Block party

I have been playing with a few blocks over the past couple of weeks.  I want to do a signature block quilt for myself...so when I go home to Colorado in 3 weeks, I am going to take some blocks with me for my friends and family to sign...these are the two blocks and  fabrics I have done a test drive with, but I not sure this is bright enough for me.

I think that both settings are great, but think I am more partial to the upper setting.  Included in this quilt will be several blocks signed by friends from around the world.  I will be sending blocks to Australia, Scotland, England, Canada and several states here in the Us.  I truly want to include all of my friends and family in this quilt for me. 

At the same time, I have also tried an additional block called a bow tie block.  I really am not into piecing like this, but my friend Pat in Canada keeps trying to convince me I can do everything...she keeps talking (which is not unusual for her) and I keep listening...not doing some of it, but listening!  LOL  The blocks I have tried are below.

I think the yellow fabric was too light weight and I don't like how the seams show, but they were fun to make and I would seriously like to make a quilt using these blocks.

Until next time,

Anett

a Labor of Love - Fast Eddie's quilt

My mother nick named my nephew Fast Eddie when he first started walking, because that boy could move once he learned he could stand on his own two feet and walk.....I don't think he actually ever walked...I think he started from the get go running!

This is the t-shirt quilt I have been working for over three years now. It is made from t-shits that belonged to my nephew Eddie. Eddie passed away almost 4 years ago. I made a ton of mistakes on it, but undoubtedly it was the hardest quilt I ever had to make. When I first received the box of shirts...it took me well over 18 month's to even be able to open the box, I opened it looked at the shirts and closed the box right back up. I was overwhelmed with memories of Eddie and his growing up years and I just couldn't open the box again. It took me almost another year to open it again. The next time I did, I was able to take the shirts out and actually cut and stabilized several of them before I couldn't do it any more. The shirts still smelled like Eddie and it was just to hard to do anything with them. Finally, I realized that no matter how often I put it off, I had made a promise to his mother to get this quilt done and I was going to have to just suck it up and work on it. I finally got all the t-shirts cut and stabilized and sewn into rows and had to stop again. About a month ago, I was finally able to sew all the rows together and just this past weekend I was able to get the borders on it. This is going to a long arm quilter today to see if he can use Eddie's favorite blanket as the back of the quilt and then will be quilted with fancy hearts that my quilter can do. I still have not decided what the label will say and I have to get that done this next weekend. I have to say, out of all of the quilts that I have made, I will be truly glad when this one goes to its new home.

I miss you Eddie!

till next time,


Anett

It's a Signature Thing

Thanks to Melissa at http://cornbreadandbeansquilting.wordpress.com/ I learned how to make the above Signature blocks. She had a block swap on her blog done in these blocks using civil war fabrics...also something I would not have picked, but ending up really liking. These fabrics are way out of what I would normally pick, but I thought to try something new. I think that I am actually liking the ones on the left better than the ones on the right. I am making these blocks to take home with me in May when I visit my family and friends. I am going to have everyone sign one and then bring them home and make a quilt for me. I am also going to send one of them to several friends that live out of the country for their signatures also. I continue to try expand on the types of blocks I can do, but at the end of the day I am still just a simply quilter making simple quilts. My passion for quilting is what keeps me going and I will never be a master quilter and that's alright with me...it's about the creating...and giving and not about the skill level.

Off to cut more fabrics for these....Have a Happy Easter!

My best to all,


Anett

Love surrounds us....

"Like the stars swirling around this fabric, Eddie's love also surrounds us. His t-shirt reminds us of times shared and that he will always be in our hearts"

I made this pillow cover out of a t-shirt of my nephew's that passed away almost 4 years ago. His sister (my oldest niece) has had a terrible time with his passing. So I am going to send this to her this week as a reminder that although he is physically gone, he will always be with us. Eddie was very smart and loved his family more than anything. I am also working on a t-shirt (from Eddie's t-shirts) quilt for my sister-in-law that is just about finished. It has been very hard to do, not technically, but I am glad it's almost done.

I hope that every one is having a great start to their weekend.....Happy Easter to all.

till next time.....


Anett