Category Archives: Family History

Christmas Continues!

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As many of you know, my (third) foster mother (FM) has come to winter with us for a couple of months to escape some of the winter in Iowa.  Before Christmas, I told her we were having a homemade Christmas just for her when she arrived – beats sending huge packages through the mail plus, we all wanted to see her reaction to our homemade gifts.

In turn, she did some “closet shopping” – she went through her closet to find things that each of us would like and brought them.  What a great way to give gifts that have special meanings to both the giver and the receiver!

I was so busy watching and listening to the gifts our family received that I didn’t get photos of each one of the kids.  Our youngest daughter received a book about a girl that was published in 1909.  I’m sure my FM didn’t realize the significance of that year but both my maternal grandfather and my husband’s paternal grandmother were born in ‘naught nine’.

The son-man received my FM’s Boundary Waters tackle box.  The Boundary Waters are in northern Minnesota.  When I lived with these foster parents, we took three trips to canoe in the waters (over the course of two years) and then went again with our church youth group.  This is a very special gift, beyond the fact that my son loves to fish – it’s a gift that I know means a lot to my FM.

Middle daughter received a music-themed charm bracelet since she LOVES music!

Eldest daughter received a stone bracelet since she has to pick up a rock everywhere she goes.

I received this beautiful cedar box.  As my FM told the story, back ‘in the day’, if you purchased a hope chest from a certain shop, you received a mini-hope chest as a special gift.  I never had a hope chest so now I finally do!

My husband received two more lectionaries for his lay minister work.  My FM had bought him his first one last year and now he has all three versions, which are rotated during the church years – perfect gift for him!

And then it was our turn to give back to one who has given us so much.  We decided to go (mostly) handmade because my FM has always been a crafts & sewing person. 

Our youngest gave Grandma a set of loom potholders.  She and Grandma made cookies when we went to Iowa last summer.

Son-man gave Grandma a bag of pecans she needs to crack open – just what she asked for!  (this was the only non-homemade gift but she specifically wanted this one).

Middle daughter gave Grandma a really cool friendship bracelet she wove from embroidery floss in Grandma’s favorite color of blue!

Our oldest daughter gave Grandma a scarf she crocheted all by herself.  Grandma taught her to crochet a couple of years ago so she wanted to show Grandma that she remembered how to do it.  The scarf is skinny because you don’t need much more than that in Texas.

The final gift was from me – I gave her my beautiful 2012 block of the month quilt “Bittersweet Churning” (free pattern at BOMquilts.com) – she had happy tears and a great big smile when she saw the quilt.  She also put it right on her bed and has looked at the workmanship every day since she got it!

Here’s my FM with all four of our children.  What a great late Christmas for one and all!

Let’s Have a UFO Quilt Party!

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My foster mother is here in Texas to spend a couple of months with us – Iowa is a bit cold right now.  LOL

We were talking about quilt-related projects for her to do.  I helped the quilting bug invade her psyche a couple of years ago and she’s definitely hooked!

First, I gave her a verbal list of what blocks I’d started on and needed to finish.  Then, I gave her a list of quilts she could help me do with quilts that are completed except for their binding.

She also loves to hand-quilt, so I gave her a couple of (really late) prayer shawls to hand-quilt.

On top of that, I gave her a precut quilt for a charity and told her to have at it – the fabric is pre-cut and all she has to do is to follow the directions to put the baby quilt together.

I am nearly ashamed to admit that I have way more UFOs than I thought I did!!!  Here’s hoping she has fun wintering with us and helping me catch up on my quilting projects!!!   OH, and we hope she has a chance to have a little fun with us along the way!

“Bittersweet Churning” 2012 BOMquilts.com Completed Quilt

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I have put up numerous photographs of the 2012 block of the month quilt “Bittersweet Churning”, one of my original designs at BOMquilts.com.   But, never have I put up the FINISHED quilt photos!  Oh yes, I finally got the binding done on it…because I wanted to gift it to a very special person and she’s going to be here today!

I am in awe of the quilting, done by Kathryn Rister of Quilt Kits & Quarters:

And then a friend offered to create the quilt label with her embroidery machine:

I think the quilt turned out even better than I anticipated – and I hope my recipient agrees!

Final finishing instructions will be posted at BOMquilts.com soon!

The Necessity of Quilt Labels

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I am fastidious about putting labels on my quilts.  Partly because most of my quilts are original designs, and I want folks to know the name I gave them.  I also know that a written record of the offering of a precious quilt is a great memory for the recipient.

Some of my past labels have been designed by myself or a friend and are found at QuiltTags.com.   I have been known, while in a rush to get a quilt out to the post office, to just use a fabric marker on the back of a quilt.  More recently, I have found a couple of friends with embroidery machines and they make my labels for me – especially those that the recipients are so very special to me.

Quilt experts say it’s essential to label a quilt.  Here are a couple of articles that deal with such:

Unfortunately, a quilt label doesn’t always tell the whole story behind a quilt.  For instance, I made and gave my sista/cousin’s first daughter a quilt based around a heart.  For her subsequent two more children, both quilts retained the heart theme.  And now, she has a fourth child – and I have designed a heart-based quilt for her, too (just waiting on color choices).  My choice of hearts was purely sentimental – her family had taken me in when I was a 15-year-old foster child with no home and the love I have for them is because of their selfless act.

Another instance of making a quilt and having a story behind it was this quilt, made for a friend’s son:

This young man not only graduated from high school, he also received his Eagle Boy Scout award.  Hence, the raw edge appliqued words and date are made from official Boy Scouts of America fabric.  HE knows the story of the quilt because I shared it with him and his family, but those types of things aren’t written on a tag – they’re great memories to share, but not written down anywhere for future reference or future generations.

I try very hard to explain a quilt in my correspondence with people I gift the quilt to….because behind every one of those loving stitches is a story – a reason for the pattern and fabrics chosen.  Hopefully, the thought and subsequent design is remembered and passed down to others, even without them being written on the quilt label.  The point is, each and every quilt I make is designed and pieced for a reason, for the intended recipient.  Make your quilt legacy count – both with a quilt tag/label and with written documentation of why or how the quilt came about.  The new quilt owner will be thankful and future generations will enjoy the lore of the love of a quilt.

Lovely Way to Celebrate Two People

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Earlier this year, a well-known lady in our community was moving to be with a long-lost love in Michigan and her church had arranged a get-together to wish them well and send them on their way.  We were sad to see her go, but so very happy she had found love and companionship in a partner that truly adores her (and visa versa).

Normally, if I were in charge of such a reception, I would have made a quilt that folks could sign.  But alas, a quilt was already made for them – with each of our names machine embroidered on strips of fabric:

Instead, a novel idea was born and this beautiful piece of wood contained the signatures, well-wishes and love for our friend to take to her new home:

A beautiful and special tribute to a great lady.  May she continue to find love and happiness in her life.