Dan and Anne Marie's Wedding Quilt - September 2016

Wedding Quilt for cousins Dan and Anne Marie Rovere

I worked with Dan and Anne Marie on creating a wedding quilt they wanted! We started with my usual process of looking at quilt images online.  They wanted blue and purple, they liked a lighter center, and when we found a quilt image, they liked everything about it. Luckily, its available online as a tutorial video from 3 Dudes Quilting, so I watched that a few times, then dug in.

I purchased some beautiful batiks while on a sewing trip to Annapolis, MD with some pals,

then I learned this interesting technique for making this quilt, which includes, creating strata, cutting squares, layering those squares right sides together and sewing all around the block,  cutting on both diagonals and opening up to these fun blocks. 

I started laying out the blocks on my "design floor"

Once the quilt top was all put together, I created the back this the leftovers and some other fabric from my "collection":  

Then I did something I had been wanting to learn, I went with pal Kimberly to a quilt shop in Burlington NJ to learn how to use their big Long Arm quilting machines.  After a long lesson, we made reservations on the machines for our own projects, and I was able to get this big quilt ALL quilted in one afternoon!

 I added a hand made label on the back

This quilt is full of love for these wonderful cousins,

Best wishes for a long and happy marriage

Peace

Micah's Bar Mitzvah Quilt - August 2016

"Cousin" Micah Frank, wrapped in his Bar Mitzvah gift,  August 2016

64"x80"

Micah is the son of Abbie and Mark Frank, St. Louis, MO.  Although not 'actually' related, we have always considered Abbie one of the cousins, and when she married Mark, he was a lovely addition to the family.  Of course, Micah's birth and inclusion as a cousin was a given. 

The year before Micah's Bar Mitzvah, I started working with him via FB Messenger to discover what he might like as a quilt.  He was pretty clear:  The colors should be orange and blue of his favorite soccer team:   The Netherlands                        

In terms of design, Micah wanted  "something modernish with orange"  to which Abbie added "...whatever the heck that means!!"   but I understood him, and started hunting down some possibilities.

I gave him some options, then got more details from a young man who understands design!  In messages from his mother:   "He said he likes something, "modern...not a white background but if all the squares were together that would be amazing!" He said no random shapes placed here and there...he wants something that goes together. So he says his style is modern, orange, squares and rectangles without a white background. Make much sense?!"  

In fact, yes, it made perfect sense.   After posting many possible quilt images, he decided he liked this one:  (not the colors, just the pattern - I LOVED that he could separate color from pattern)  

 

Those are pretty basic square shapes, so I drafted up the 4 basic blocks  and decided on a size, then off to the fabric store.  Based on his soccer team images, these are start of my fabric collection for this quilt:   I added some lighter blue, and lighter and darker orange, then got to stitching.

Here is the finished top and back:

I sent it off to my friend Janet Mease at SLO Creative Studio for all over quilting with a soccer ball theme, and then hand stitched a label 

I think he likes it!

By the way, his Bar Mitzvah service was beautiful and meaningful.  I remember the Rabbi from his parent's wedding; she is inspirational.

Micah:  may your life be a blessing always.

Peace.

Sam and Kelly's Wedding

My son Sam proposed to the fabulous Kelly in a London park the summer of 2015 (and got some unsuspecting strangers to snap photos and video of the moment!)  Lucky for us we have these great photos.  My daughter Anna did some photo color manipulation, and so I had the image on the right as a starting point.  I sent that off to be printed on fabric at Spoonflower.

I added some pieced fabric inserts, and the pop of red (on the advice of my friend Kim) which then became a heart:

I started some all over embroidery, and after a couple of false starts decided this would be covered all over with sunflowers, because Kelly loves sunflowers!

I did this bit of detail on Kelly's bag and then outlined the heart :

My daughter convinced me to frame this, rather than create a soft art quilt, and I think she's right. 

Mazel Tov Sam and Kelly !  To many many many years of happiness for my darling son and his wonderful wife.

Peace.

Aaron Michael, Adva's grandson

Fused Applique fox,  paper pieced Hebrew letters.  Completed June 2016.  Approx 50" x 50"

Kimberly and I made this sweet baby quilt for our friend Adva, after the birth of her grandson Aaron Michael.  The Hebrew letters say Aaron Michael.  

Quilting on the fox face adds 'fur' 

 

Label on the back says 'love' in Hebrew handwriting 

Megan's Octopus

My online community of quilters gathered (virtually) in 2014 to make a quilt for Megan D, who was really struggling with a big loss.  We asked for 12.5" blocks in her favorite colors, purple and orange, with a gray background.  Since Megan loves octopi,  I used this bit of clip art:

        I decided to make this massive octopus embracing all the blocks. 

The resulting quilt is BIG - about 90"x100"

Once this was put together, it was sent off to a long arm quilter.  We thought it was lost for 2 years (a very long and frustrating story.)  Finally it was recovered and quilted by Janet, then bound and delivered to Megan, who loves it.

Blocks were made by: Paula, Janet, Sam, Kimberly, Adva, Linda, Melissa, Melissa, Maddie, Flaun, Jean, Megan, Kim, Trish, Alice, Chelley, Barbara, Deborah and Tama.

We are so glad this quilt is home with Megan D.

Peace