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Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Love Always



















"Would you like me to make you a quilt?" I tentatively asked Jess who was newly engaged to our eldest son. 
"Sure, if you'd like to that would be great," she replied.

This was mid December and we created a shared Pinterest board for Jess to pin quilt images which  captured something of what she might like. I tried to figure out some common designs and colour themes from Jess's pins. On her next visit in January we briefly discussed ideas and I gathered an armful of fabrics from my collection/stash which I thought she might like - mostly organic and with a nature theme. Jess loved nearly all the fabrics so that night she spread them out on our dining table, arranging them from most liked to less likely. I snapped a quick phone photo to refer back to.

We both agreed that this queen size quilt wouldn't be complete by their wedding day in early February but hopefully by our mid-year winter. Jess is a maker/crafter/sewer/knitter and knew time would be needed.

After much thought, and auditioning of fabrics and ideas, the design elements began to slowly come together. By early April I was sewing completed sections together. The completed top was ready for basting by 7th of April. Jess and Jose were due to visit us over the Easter weekend, a week later, and I was desperately hoping to have it quilted, bound and ready to gift them. I had begun the machine quilting when on April 10th I dislocated my right shoulder. :( At the time I had no idea of the very long, slow road to recovery ahead, but I did know that this quilt was not going to finished in a matter of days as hoped.

Six weeks later I was finally up to gingerly recommencing the machine quilting. With my initial deadline well gone, and Jess and Jose unlikely to visit again immediately, I took my time to enjoy adding more and varied quilting, both by machine and by hand. I had really wanted to add some hand quilting love and the time delay had meant this was now possible.

At last it was complete and a quilt label stitched and attached. The next morning it was gently wrapped in leftover solid fabric and tied with selvedges, ready to gift later that day, July 2nd. I wrote a quick note on the back of a favourite photo I had taken at their wedding (which I discovered is also one of Jess's favourite wedding photos too). I believe the quilt is well loved and keeping Jess and Jose warm in their much colder tablelands hometown. Love Always!

Update - Jess has just let me know they 'Absolutely love it, staying cosy every night.' Now that's a wonderful reward. :)


Sharing at the Blogger's Quilt Festival: Fall 2017 Edition at Amy's Creative Side.

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30 comments:

  1. Cores e tecidos bem escolhidos a cada pedacinho! LINDO trabalho! Parabéns! bjs, chica

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  2. Очень красивое одеяло! и такое приятное сочетание цвета!

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  3. What a labor of love! It will be much enjoyed and loved for years to come. It is lovely.

    I do hope your shoulder is all better now.

    Love & hugs ~ FlowerLady

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  4. I do love all the different types of quilting in this! Fantastic results!

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  5. A beautiful quilt with a beautiful story! :)

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  6. How lovely to read the story to go with your quilt. It looks wonderful and is such a special gift.

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  7. Beautiful quilt! It looks so great on the bed!

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  8. Such a wonderful quilt made with great love. I am sure it will be treasured.

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  9. It is truly wonderful, and such a first for you! The collaboration with Jess must have been a fun way to "get acquainted", sewing/fabric wise. All the love in all the details will surely make this a life treasure for your son and his wife!

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  10. Beautiful quilt. Love the love story behind the making of it.

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  11. What a beautiful quilt that will be treasures for years to come.

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  12. Karen, so thrilled you posted with beautiful and detailed photos of this quilt you made for your son and daughter-in-law.

    It just so happened that I was in a quilt store today while Charlotte was in Algebra class. I am getting closer to beginning a quilt...I feel it in my bones! Question, do you use already cut quilt squares/pieces or cut your own? (Perhaps it changes from quilt to quilt.) The owner of the quilt store was of course wanting to sell the already cut pieces, but I have so much fabric I have been storing for my future quilt.

    Your quilts are all eye- pleasing and inspiring.

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  13. Thank you Cathy - you are a great encourager!

    I have only ever made one quilt with precut fabric and you can read about that here - http://piecesofcontentment.blogspot.com.au/2011/02/fresh-flowers-quilt.html
    It has proved to be quite popular and someone has even written a tutorial to make an almost identical quilt (she idid ask permission first - it’s free, a regular blog post).

    All of my other quilts I have cut myself from fabrics I have collected using the rule of buying fabric I love. I also prewash my fabrics to allow for shrinkage, check for colour fastens and remove excess chemicals (especially for non organic fabric). I have only ever followed a quilt pattern twice so I’m often working things out as I go and using fabric I have on hand or perhaps purchased with that particular quilt in mind. I love matching fabrics and design and enjoying the process along the way. I usually don’t even know how large I will make a quilt when I begin. I just keep going until I’ve had enough and then decide what size would be useful - often continuing until I then have enough pieces/blocks. I hope this makes sense… Some people are more comfortable following a pattern. Choose a quilt project/idea not too ambitious to begin with and enjoy the journey.

    Karen

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  14. What a wonderfully beautiful happy quilt. I know if it were mine, I would walk by it with a smile on my face every time.

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  15. So beautiful Karen, I am sure this will be much loved and cherished. I love all the fabrics and your quilting is of course beautiful. What a beautiful gift to receive.

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  16. This is an absolutely beautiful quilt, Karen! I love the colours that Jess chose and how well you put them together! The grey and white are such a wonderful contrast to the blues and greens!

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  17. Love the quilt and the story behind it! Hope you are fully mended now x

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  18. Thank you Joanne! My shoulder is mostly restored but the full extent of movement is not yet possible.

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  19. It’s absolutely stunning, my favourite for sure!
    A perfect bonding exercise... ;-)
    Good luck with healing your shoulder.

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  20. Beautiful, absolutely beautiful, made with such love. It will be an heirloom. I know I treasure the two I have from you xxx

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  21. Gorgeous! I love the quilt and the tory!

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  22. Not only is this a beautiful work of art, Karen, but what a treasure for Jess and Jose!!
    Thank you so much for sharing the story behind it.
    You can see all of the love that went into making it.

    Have a wonderful weekend!

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  23. It's a lovely, lovely quilt. So glad you were able to make this {and finish it} for your son and daughter-in-law! I find it very difficult to make especially for people, but you did a fantastic job!

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  24. I love this quilt so much, it's definitely a design that is after my own heart. Jess and you did an absolutely wonderful job putting this quilt together and she and your son are so lucky to receive such a gift of love. The fabrics are wonderful. This is definitely a quilt I'm going to remember from the Festival.

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  25. I am so glad you shared this quilt for the festival. It is such a work of love and is beautiful.

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  26. A beautiful quilt! I love the colours, the setting, and your wonderful quilting! Oh, and wonderful quilt pics too!

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  27. That is truly a quilt of love with all the love and time you put into it, with her choices to make it special, and doing it despite your injury. I love seeing other row Quilts, because they are all unique.

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  28. What a beautiful devotion, this quilt will surely be loved to bits

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