Returning After a LONG Hiatus........And a Quilt Story

Greetings,

First I want to apologize for dropping out of the blog world for the last 7 months.  I won't go into the boring details, but suffice it to say that due to many complications from my gallbladder surgery last year, I had to let a lot of things slide this year, blogging being one of those things.

Have you ever wondered where the quilts go that you've gifted, donated, or sold over the years? 

I have.  Just last week a very interesting thing happened that I'd like to share with you.  I had a message from someone I did not know on Facebook Messenger.  Of course, I am always cautious when getting messages from an unknown person, but this one seemed harmless enough.  It said something like:

"Have you ever heard of Little Quilts in the Valley in Meadville, PA?  Quilts and runners made in 2005......is that you?"

What an odd message!  So I decided to reply.  Yes, that was me.  Before I became "The Orphan Quilter" with the publication of my first book, Orphan Block Quilts in 2010, I often wrote "Little Quilts of the Valley" on my quilt labels.  As a side note, I must admit to not always adding labels to my quilts, but this experience will ensure that I always do add a label to each and every quilt that I make from this point forward.  Maybe it will convince you of the importance of labeling your quilts, too.

 Here's the cover of my book.  

Stop by my website if you're interested in getting your own copy.

The mystery messenger quickly replied to my message and we started a conversation.  It turns out that the messenger's daughter, Savannah, found one of my table runners in a thrift shop in Boone, North Carolina!  Savannah, being a quilter like her mom, rescued the runner and gave it a home.

Here is the table runner I made back in 2005!  I remember this one.  I think I made 2 of these runners, giving one as a gift and selling the other one, I think (or else donating it to charity).  I wonder which one this quilt is.

Here's a close up of the back, showing my label!  Notice the wiggly "straight" machine quilting lines -- I used the "quilt as you go" method for this one.  I know that I only made a few of those type of projects before I abandoned the method in favor of my usual free motion quilting.

I wonder what happened to the runner from 2005 when I made it until when it was adopted by Savannah.  Oh, if only quilts could talk........

Special thanks to LG and Savannah for reaching out on Facebook and sending me the photos.  Sew glad my humble runner found its way to you.

Anyone out there have a similar quilt story to share?

THE CEMETERY QUILT

A couple of posts ago I mentioned my Cemetery Quilt, so I am finally getting around to telling the story.

Several years ago, my family visited the cemetery when my grandparents and great-grandparents are buried.  We cleaned up around their graves and planted some flowers.  It was probably Memorial Day.

Anyway, over along the edge of the cemetery there was a refuse pile, mostly used for dead plants and grass clumps and the like.  After we finished planting flowers, we gathered up the plant garbage and headed over to dump it on the refuse pile.

Tossed on top of the pile was this quilt.  Say what?????? A quilt?  At the cemetery?  In the trash?

What a mystery.  If only this quilt could talk.  Of course I took it home.  And washed it.  You'd've done the same thing.

Isn't it tacky?  Any wonderful???  Love those double polyester knit squares!!!!

18 Years in the Making

This summer has certainly been a busy one -- I think I had a wedding reception, graduation party, family reunion,  or picnic nearly every week end!  Between that and making a bejillion quilts for magazines and editing my upcoming book, the summer is flying by so fast!

Anyway, this past week end, I went to a graduation/birthday party for my cousin's son, Ryan.  I knew just what to give him (or more accurately --  return to him) for part of  his gift -- HIS BABY QUILT!

As far as we can figure, Ryan gave me his baby quilt six years ago to repair it for him.  My cousin and I think it was six years ago because that's when I would have presented Ryan's new baby sister with her baby quilt (Loran is now six years old).

Anyway, when he gave me his quilt to repair, Ryan told me he wanted to pass this quilt down to his own children some day.  Isn't that sew sew sweet?????

I was really hoping that he'd forgotten that I had it since it had been in my keeping for so long.  I was right -- he did forget!

Anyway, here's Ryan much loved and very worn baby quilt:

 

Originally the strips around the Pooh squares were yellow and turquoise, but the yellow is more a cream color now from repeated washing.  There were lots and lots of split seams and the binding was shot.  So I stitched up the holes and replaced the binding.  I also added a label to the back so Ryan (and his future children) will never forget when it was made and who made it.

I just smile and get a case of the warm and fuzzies when I look at this quilt because this is what a baby quilt should look like.

Baby quilts are made to be used -- puked on, spit on, dragged around, chewed on, and washed over and over again.  Although this was one of my early beginner quilts -- 18 years ago -- it's still around and with a little repair work, it will be there for Ryan's children someday.  Of course, they'll probably each get their own quilts if I have any say in the matter. 

Here's Ryan showing his baby quilt at his graduation/birthday party:

A quilt.....and a young man 18 years in the making!