Category Archives: Family History

Flashback Tuesday: Nine Patch Nirvana from BlockCentral.com

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In 2006, I was pretty new to block of the month quilt process but decided to do two quilts out of a lovely pattern at BlockCentral.com named “Nine Patch Nirvana”.  I could make a nine patch.  I could sew on borders.  I even followed the pattern, which is funny as I change patterns all the time (mine and others’ patterns).  I was sure I had the skills needed to make that quilt.  Then, I visited with a dear friend and she wanted the same quilt design but with her chosen ‘beach’ colors.  So, instead of making one block a month, I made two.  And I must say, I am extremely pleased with the results.  My “Nine Patch Nirvana” is on the back of the sofa and is a beloved quilt for anyone who feels cold or sleeps on the sofa.

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And here is my friend’s quilt, which turned out exactly as she wanted it to look:

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That one quilt pattern and process began a passionate fire in me and the very next year, I designed my first block of the month quilt on my BOMquilts.com website!  It was a HUGE success with my website audience and made a good amount of money for the shop that sponsored it.

Do YOU enjoy block of the month quilts?

Quilting for Memories

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I have written about this quilt a few times before…here and here.  And will have one more post about it once I finish whip-stitching the binding to the back of the quilt.  But, this whole quilt-making process deserves attention.  Each part of the process is enjoyable to me and as I hand-stitch the binding to the back of the quilt, I pray for the recipient.  Bingo!  Multitasking at it’s best!

Meloney gave me the completed quilt last week and I have been savoring the near-final completion to get the binding done.  But, I cannot pass up the beautiful cabbage roses that Meloney quilted on the quilt:

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And here is a bit more of the top of the quilt, with the quilting completed:

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One very special quilt for a very special local lady.  The memory quilt is embodies LOVE.  I know my friend will love and cherish it for many years to come.

Join Us for the March Quilt Dash!

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I always have so much fun designing the patterns that are offered for free, once a Quilt Dash member completes the Quilt Dash!  This month’s quilt is called “Memories of Mike” and it is a super-special quilt to me.  Mike was my older brother.  When I was 19, I was a pretty lost soul.  I had lived in four different foster homes and had no true sense of myself.  Then, I was offered a job by a cousin, and a chance to live where my brothers had grown up (they were raised by an aunt and uncle after our folks died), I jumped at it.  As we created new sibling relationships as adults, Mike and I became best friends.  I truly ‘found’ myself with that relationship.  Unfortunately, I got a phone call that will forever be etched in my memory – Mike died at the age of 34 – of a brain aneurysm (our dad died of a brain aneurysm at the age of 36 in 1976…Mike’s death was in 1997).

This quilt design has two of the elements that are actually carved on Mike’s headstone – four log cabin blocks and a number of mountain blocks.  Mike’s biggest dream was to move to Colorado and live in a log house on or near mountains.  He never got the chance to do it.  But, now I will always have this special quilt pattern to remind me to dream big!

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Please join us at Quilt Dash this month!  If you are not a member, just create an account and start Dashing!  Once you complete the Quilt Dash, you will be emailed an email (within 24 hours) with the link to this free pattern in the body of the email.

Help me keep the Memories of Mike alive!

Flashback Tuesday: Quilted Card Wallet

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We have four children.  I was either nursing a baby or pregnant for eight straight years.  My diaper bag, at times, was a backpack, other times a large tote bag.  At one point, my husband and I were changing the diapers of three kids. When our youngest child was finally potty-trained, my husband and I calculated we had been changing diapers for 10 years straight!  I can assure you, we called our usual date-night dinner companions and went out to celebrate over that milestone!

Once the kids were in school, I swore I would NEVER carry a purse bigger than absolutely necessary.  My shoulders thanked me.  My back thanked me.

My purse is big enough to hold the bare essentials…and if the kids want to bring along anything in the auto, I make them carry it themselves – either in a purse or in a backpack.  I am *done* being their pack-horse.

Fast forward a few years to 2007 when I made this Quilted Card Wallet for my very small purse and am still using it, to this day, seven years later.  The fabric is an old line of civil war reproduction fabrics…and the plastic is from a huge fabric store in Oregon during our family’s camping adventures in the summer of 2006.  I’m pretty sure I still have some of that plastic left in my stash :-).

Quilted Card Wallet
Free Pattern from BOMquilts.com

Friday Funday: Homemade Valentines!

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A week ago was Valentine’s day.  We are a family who tells each other we love them daily.  We don’t need a holiday to show how much we care about each other.  We are also a family of four whose calendar is full to the gills – and last week was no exception.  Overflowing.  Never much time to just sit and chill.  But, after seeing this post from our eldest daughter (who is away at college but came home last weekend), I had to make a Valentine’s Day candy & gift run:

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No Hallmark in this house – we have always made our own Valentine’s messages.  This year, I found some fun jokes to put on all of the kids’ and hubby’s Valentine’s cards:

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And here is a special Valentine from our youngest Valentine – complete with a brownie inside of the bag (YUMMY! – and that cow is pretty special to me, too):

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Dear daughter #1 started the ball rolling and she’s correct…we have had the same type of Valentine’s Day goodies and gifts for her whole life…and I hope to keep that special tradition alive as long as I can!