A Quilted Love Story, Part I

This love story begins with a quilt.

Actually, this story started way back several generations with women in our family who love to make quilts.  That "quilting gene" is in my blood, and my triplet daughters are of the same stock.  The girls made their first quilts at age 12.  In the 16 years since, they have each made over a dozen quilts - bed size, lap quilts, wall-hangings, table toppers, charity quilts and more.

Early last Spring (2017), my daughter Cissy saw a quilt on Pinterest called "Book Nerd".  It struck a chord because she is such an avid reader, and had been wanting to make a book quilt of some type.  We immediately downloaded the pattern online, and she selected scraps from my stash to begin making it. Then we found some fabric that resembled words to use for the paper-pieced pages - so cute!  She was excited to make it and the blocks came together so quickly, it took no time to finish.

Cissy quilted it on my Statler quilting machine, using different computerized motifs for each book cover.  She free-motion quilted the sashing and borders--the first quilt she had ever machine-quilted by herself!

She finished it just in time to hang in the local library for a guild quilt show.

As it happened, our mailman, Ben, who also delivers mail to the library on his route, spied this quilt on display.  He recognized her name, and at a church Single's activity, told her he liked quilts and wondered if she could help him to make one!  (Brilliant move, I say!)  She and her sister both agreed to help him make his quilt.

They started with a tied fleece blanket and taught him to use the rotary cutter.  Next, they helped him choose a good beginner quilt pattern, A Carpenter's Star, and went with him to the fabric store to select fabrics.

Ben began to come over every Wednesday night, and the girls would help him cut the pieces and sew the blocks together.  Cissy would sit right next to him at the machine to "help" him keep the seams straight.  (Wish I had pictures of that!)

After sewing for an hour or two, they'd all make dinner together and finish the night with a fun movie.  By the end of the summer, the quilt was finished and Ben and Cissy were holding hands!

When it came time for the county fair, Cissy entered her book quilt, Ben entered the Carpenter's Star, and they both won blue ribbons!

Meanwhile, Ben was on his way to winning Cissy's heart!

Stay tuned for Part II...

Buckaroo Stars Quilt Pattern

Buckaroo Stars Quilt made by Deonn Stott, 50" x 62"
Featuring Boots & Stars fabric by Samantha Walker for Riley Blake Designs

Yep.  It's a Horse Blanket.  Or a blanket with a horse on it, that is.  Or ahem, 'scuze me, a quilt.  And now it also is a pattern, available on Quiltscapes' Etsy and Craftsy stores.  Big, simple blocks, quick to make, easy to personalize with your own brand or initials.

Remember this little cutie?  (See the original story HERE).

Sweet Lil' Cowgirl just loves her Hobby Horse.  But now she will be able to snuggle up with her pony in comfort.  

Of course, neither the quilt nor the stick pony is a substitute for the real thing.... just when she can't be riding her very own little pony! 

Such a cute Lil' Buckaroo!

Monday, Monday!

I've been playing with some fun fabric lately - the cutest little "laundry day" fabric designed by Jill Finley (Jillily Studio) for Penny Rose/Riley Blake Designs - Monday, Monday.  Love these colors and the little clothes hanging on the line.  Reminds me of when I was a little kid in the days before we had a dryer.

Birds on the clothesline and other adorable details in the fabric make me smile.

Typically, Monday is laundry day.  At least that's what was stitched on Grandma's dishtowel sets when I was a kid.  And this was the ideal fabric to use for remaking an old pattern that my daughter made for a 4-H competition 10 years back.

We called it "Lolly's Stars".  It's the perfect bedroom ensemble for a teenager or college-age kid, complete with a matching pillow and coordinating laundry bag.  

Here is my cute girl with her quilt in 2008.  (Oh, and her matching skirt...)  She still uses her laundry bag!

Side note:  Lauren (aka Lolly) won 2nd place at the 2009 4-H Nationals in Denver with her quilting demo, "Quick & Easy QSTs".  The little pattern brochure is available on my Craftsy store HERE.

Monday, Monday fabric is now available in quilt shops.  Locally, it's at Pine Needles and other shops in the area.

Also, I've been singing "Monday, Monday" along with the Mamas and the Papas all the while I was stitching! the #1 song in 1966. VIDEO

Check out more Monday, Monday cuteness: Julia @ Riley Blake Designs - Giant Sawtooth Stars Bonnie @ Hem Me In  - Baking in Style Apron More inspiration:  Jill Finley on Instagram @jillilystudio

These Quilts Can Be Yours!!

Spring is in the air!  Well, actually Spring is still battling it out with Winter, who showed up with a little snow yesterday, but anyway. Springtime means it's also time for Utah's Quilting & Sewing Marketplace (UQSM for short) and once again it's time to party!

I always love to participate in the show's Design Challenges. Participants follow certain rules to make a quilt with the fabric provided, maybe even win a prize in the competition.  The quilts will be on display during the show then sold at a live auction at the end of the show to benefit charity, which is the best part!

This year, I entered three Design Challenges.  First, the Moda challenge.  In the past, I've usually been able to rope one or two guild friends into collaborating with me.  This time, my friend Debbie and I each made one. The line of fabric is Thrive, designed by Natalia and Kathleen.  I had to sign up!  These gals are a mother-daughter team from right here in Heber City!

Cool, modern colors and prints -  it was fun to test out a pattern I've been wanting to try for several years.  The line also comes with panels, which fit my design scheme perfectly.  I went with white minky on the back because I wanted a warm, snuggly casual cuddle quilt.  So this is not a quilt to display my mad longarm skills, just a fun, furry, functional, wrap-up-in-a-big-hug kind of a quilt.  "Live, Laugh, Love":

And I have to show a picture of the quilt that Debbie made for this challenge, too; "Modern Geese".   Another friend, Kayedawn, quilted it for her.  This one is a gem - I'm sure it's a prize-winner!  

UPDATE:  Debbie's quilt won 2nd place in the contest!  YEAH!  

Last year's Design Challenge raised $10,000 to benefit the charity Sew Much Hope! With over two dozen quilts in the Moda challenge, we hope they do as well.  Come and bid on these quilts at the auction and take one home!

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The second Design Challenge is sponsored by ADORNit.  These kits used their Burnished fabrics and a fun newsprint background, Text Chatter.  Finished quilts measure approx. 24" x 24".  I used my AccuQuilt die cutter to cut the parts: fantasy flowers, hexagons to make a little hexagami flower center, and even a ribbon swirl which turned into a little birdie.  My little "Wall Flowers":

UPDATE:  This quilt won 3rd place in the ADORNit contest! 

And here is Debbie's.  She used my Bloomin' Blossoms pattern.

These small "Wall Bouquet" ADORNit challenge quilts will be sold at silent auction so one would need to attend the show to bid on these little sweeties.  

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For the third design challenge, I haven't actually made the quilt yet - that is the challenge!  It's the UQSM's first-ever "Stitching Showdown"!

I signed up to participate in this sew-off, then I told Debbie what we were doing! She has been a great sport to go along with my "Quiltscapades", especially during this past year since she lost her husband to cancer.  I have to say that quilting has the power to heal souls.  I hope it has been a good thing for her.  Quilting has certainly kept her busy, at the very least.

So, about this showdown:  Each of the four teams will receive a bag of precut fabrics, then we'll have four hours to design and make a quilt with whatever's in the bag.  Debbie and I are calling ourselves the D & D Quilting Divas, haha!  Her daughter made us some T-shirts and even a little banner.  Hilarious - I love it!

The competition will be broadcast live on Facebook this coming Friday, May 4th starting at 10:30 am.  If you can't attend the show, you will be able to check the UQSM Facebook site on and off during the day for the livestream.  At the end of the competition, the tops will be quilted and bound, then also sold at auction to benefit Sew Much Hope.  Can we do it?  I'm kinda excited. Wish us luck!

Having served on the board for this show for the past 10 years (formerly HMQS), it has been my privilege to witness the passion and amazing, jaw-dropping creativity and originality of the quiltmakers from around the world as displayed in their quilts submitted to this show.  Just when you think you've seen everything... well.  I know there's something special when a quilt catches my breath, makes my heart race, and even brings tears to my eyes.

If you are in the area, I hope you come and see those quilts.  Details are here:  UQSM.  Classes began yesterday, and the show officially opens on Thursday, May 3rd at 10:00 am. and runs through Saturday, May 5th at 4:00 pm.

Mountain America Expo Center

9575 South State Street, Sandy, Utah