THE T-shirt Quilt

From Quilts I Make

Have you ever made a t-shirt quilt?  I had not, until now.  My niece is graduating from high school this week ( did you catch that, this week! ) and LAST year, well last fall, my SIL sent me all of my nieces shirts that she had been collecting - from when she was a baby till now.

I had not done a quilt like this so I asked for help from friends, browsed the net and decided that I would back each shirt with a light fusible interfacing.  This worked really well!  My nieces favorite colors are blue and purple and I had the border fabric already so I dug thru my stash to see what matches.  I wanted fabrics that read mostly as solids so that the shirts would stand out.  I didn't have what I wanted so I did have to buy a couple of solids.  But everything else was from my stash!  Awesome.

I put borders around each block, started sashing them, didn't like it, took it apart and stayed with what you see now.  It was an interesting challenge getting everything to line up.  My friend tirane93 quilted it for me, just a very loose meander, staying out of the middle of the shirts where the printing is ( I think it would mess up the needle and tension ).  I put the border on, hand sewed it, then I washed it.  With a color catcher, just in case.  That would be just awful if those colors ran at all!

There were a couple of badges that I wanted to add at the end, and couple of very small blocks/words that I cut out of a couple of t-shirts.  I put them on after the quilting,, and I really like it!  I especially like her high school letter, down at the bottom,, it's next to a shirt from the school.  I'm good!

The back had to be pieced ( had that fabric in my stash - yes! ) and there were a couple of things that my SIL sent that I just couldn't get on the front.  Placement of these two didn't work out right when the backing was put on the LA machine,  but they are there and that is all that matters! ...  I printed labels today and got them sewn on - the larger one has a saying that her Dad sent to me as well as her graduation picture, then the smaller one is my quilting label.

From Quilts I Make

Did ya'll catch that she sent me the box of shirts last year?  And my niece graduates this week?  And this quilt is laying on my living room floor?  Geez, talk about procrastination!  But it is ready to go, and I'll take it to the shipping place tomorrow ( I don't have the right size box ) and with luck the delivery man will hand it off later this week. 

It's done.
Thank goodness its done.
I'm happy with how it came out.

I hope they like it.

The Last Retreat

LOL, no not the LAST retreat, but the last retreat I went on...  anyway, it's been a bit ago but I haven't been able to post any of the pictures or show off all the cool things that my friends make.  I always find myself full of creativity and a desire to make beautiful quilts out of all the fabric I have.  Forget cooking, cleaning or even going to work --  just let me make quilts!!

Then I come home, and reality sets in :)...  gee, that kitchen looks like a hurricane hit it; don't you know how to make the bed; why are there all those fast food bags sitting on the table, etc, etc, etc.. You know the drill.  But I guess he was just as glad I was gone and he could be a batchlor again as I was being with my friends.  Short periods of being apart is a good thing!

   we are a pretty casual group and believe in COMFORT!  I would spend my whole weekend in jammas if I could ( well, I do get dressed to go to the quilt stores )  and usually I have my projects all cut and ready to sew.  If I try to cut, I mess stuff up cause my mouth is moving about as fast as my blade on my rotary.  I can not cut and talk at the same time.

BUT,, I was not organized so this time I had to cut fabric so I would have something to work on. My son saw a quilt in a book that he really liked, I got the fabric and here it is, all ready to start on. There must have been about 12 fabrics! well not 12 but it looks like 10! And you know what!!! I got them all cut, not one mistake, wrong size, or slipped ruler YAHOO!

Add this is Diane, she had shoulder replacement surgery about 2 weeks before this - do you think that would keep a good quilter down? NO! She was working on a raffle quilt and there wasn't much she couldn't do. You Rock Diane!

Check this out!  This was a fusible grid and Susan had all these 2-1/2 inch squares.  You fuse them on each square, then follow the sewing lines and VOILA!  You have a postage stamp quilt!  Now I know what I'm going to do with a lot of those scraps.   Put a couple of borders on and you have a really cool quilt -

Isn't this a beautiful quilt!  Nelda did a great job.  I think she said it was a Lewis and Clark Sampler Block that she did with a group.  While they sewed the blocks, they also learned about the journey.

LOL, not only is Miss Nelda a great quilter, she believes in recycling, repurposing and using stuff up.  She is wearing a hat made out of an old sweater ( like she said, if you don't have one you want to cut up, go visit Goodwill! )  What a great idea to keep your head warm ( gee you put tassles or beads or anything on this!  oops my "weird old lady" is coming out )





 Ok, another new technique we saw this weekend was Joan doing some strip sewing, then making this cool quilt.  I'm not sure I got the whole thing right on how to make it, but you take rectangles, sew them end to end, fold in half, sew that together, fold in half, --  see I'm not sure about this.  But it was really really easy and makes this cool quilt.  Think I'm going to call Joan and ask her.

 Maybe this shows it - Susan used jelly roll strips to make this kind of quilt. Sew strips end to end, fold in half well, you got the idea :)   Susan was making this for a new grandbaby that she was waiting, and I mean WAITING on!  In fact, I think she got the call that night - or she found out something cause she left us with a big grin on her face!


What did I say about being inspired?  Niki's gorgeous quilt

and YEAH Julie!!  You did it! You finished the Beach Quilt!  This was one that we started a block swap on a couple of years ago.  We had so much fun making the house blocks.  For some it is still a work in progress but a few of us have finished theirs.

More inspiration for me --  Donna beautiful black and white quilt.  Fabric placement is great, isn't it!  .

Well thanks for sharing some inspiration with me!  If I can figure out how to get off the couch, put up the laptop I might get some sewing done!

A broken heart and a missing shadow

This is Webster - he was my shadow.  He was a little guy, a mix of mostly Poodle and Schnauzer with the softest gray hair.  He followed me from room to room, sat in the easy chair with me or on the footstool at my feet all stretched out.  He eased my pains and listened to me talk.  Each quilt I was making had to be investigated and approved by him.   I know you have seen his picture throughout my writings - a quilt on the floor and a camera in my hand meant that he had a photo opportunity :).
   Web came to us when he was about 4 years old from a foster mom with a local rescue group.  When I first met him, 10 years ago, he climbed in my lap,gave me a lick and I was smitten.  I thought I went to choose a pet, but I think he actually chose me to be his people. 

After a long illness, my brave and noble guy is now, I'm sure, healthy and  running with all the other much loved four-legged companions, all waiting for their people.

We had 10 wonderful years together and I cherish each one.  It has been about three weeks since he has gone and the empty place in my heart is slowly healing. 
So long, my friend.  I miss you.