Saturday, September 22, 2012

Comfort Quilt #3 ~


What?!? September is passing and I haven't posted here since August 28? ...Oh, yeah, I'm back to school and time is marching on ....


This school year, the door opens to the sweetest bunch of kids than I've had for a long time. Good listeners, mostly getting along well. I'm glad for the calling of working in a place where your coworkers give daily hugs, and want to talk with you, even take the time to draw you art work and let you know that you are the best (teacher) they have ever had in their (short) life. Things like that keep me grinning most of the day, lol!


 

I was waiting for Larry to edit these pictures so I could share the cool pieces in it. This is a Comfort quilt for my friend Jeannette. It is made from her husband's shirts.


I found this quilt a challenge. Nothing I pictured was "jelling" to suit what I hoped for it to come!



 Last year the two girls quilts were completed in time for Christmas, as Jeannette had requested the comfort they could bring for them with Daddy gone that first Christmas.

 ~quilt label written on Daddy's collar~


Jesse was killed last September in a motorcycle accident on his way to his job as a Police Detective for Los Angeles, California. It was such a tragedy, and he left a big hole in our lives and our church family, not to mention his beloved family, with a wife, adult son, 18 year old daughter and a seven year old daughter.








For these 2 quilts, I worked with his shirts and other fabrics to pull the designs off, using colors the the girls liked. 


But, Jeannette expressed the desire for hers to be only shirts, "For me, it's about his shirts," was her statement.

 

 Jesse was an officer that dressed in suits for work and also at church. Most of the ones I was given are dress shirts, solid colors.

 

I tried 3 different ideas: 4 patches from 5 inch blocks, then hst's that became hourglass blocks, 5 1/2 inches...I had set aside the white shirts to use for the background, on the points of the stars...

 but those squares were 
so big (6 1/2 inches) 
that they looked -blah. 

*"The finish will have a couple of pockets from Daddy's shirts. Daddy's heart was right there under those pockets once, and it's a place she can put her hand to remember that his heart is still with her."


 

 

 My original plan was to make stars, but...I still was struggling, and not really happy with all these odd sized, cut up, solid blocks!




Also, the shirts were cut and there was no more! This is when my designer husband reminded me that as an artist, he is often called on to complete a client's desire, and that it does not always become what he wanted-- but it will be done well



 I think the nine patch blocks 
in the center of 3 stars finally 
gave me that patch feel 
I wanted. 






I started laying out the different elements, then worked out the patches to fit. Sewing it together finally brought the smiles and peace I was seeking ~









I was able to use all the various pieced blocks, plus added a few other patches here and there for the "filler' spots~




 



I hope to find time to quilt on this in the coming month. or so...
:-}








Other projects beside school that are going on:
  • baby quilt for "Harmony Grace" (don't you love that name?)
  • big time mending on 7 pairs of jeans~ most for clients, 2 for Larry
  • juicing pomegranates 
  • hoping to make pomegranate jelly!
  • cutting, sorting and mailing 224 charms for the low volume swap
 
  • also, cutting numerous 2 1/2" strips for organization

I am sure there has been more randomness, but that's all this brain is remembering for now. Hope you all will have a great week ahead~

 


"(Let us) hope in the LORD; For with the LORD there is mercy, and with Him is abundant redemption." Psalm 130:7

40 comments:

  1. I just loved the comfort quilt for Jeanette, even before I read about it. You really took the challenge and ran with it. It's wonderful.

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  2. I love the comfort quilt! Gorgeous! Have you given it to her?

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  3. The quilt is beautiful! You did a fabulous job on it!

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  4. Just beautiful as all your quilts are!

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  5. I love the way this comfort quilt turned out. It's so much more interesting than just blocks or just blocks and sashing.

    My blocks for the low volume exchange were mailed earlier in the week--although at this point I'm wishing I had done 224 instead of 112.

    I'm glad you have a great class. I had a great second grade class over 30 years ago and still remember them. (I remember some other classes fondly as well, but that 2nd grade class was equaled only one kgn class. Since switching to special ed, I have fondly remembered students, but classes? Not so much.)

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  6. Hi Pokey

    J's memory quilt is lovely. You let the fabric speak to you and the result shows you listened well! Gald to hear school is going well.
    Gail

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  7. Tears filled my eyes as I read this! What a beautiful thing to do Pokey! So beautiful!!!

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  8. As usual, my dear friend, you put your heart into this beautiful and comforting gift. I'm sitting here with the beautiful quilt you made for my parents on the wall over my shoulder, and remembering the love you showed them time and again. I know Jeannette will cherish this beautiful gift.

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  9. What a beautiful quilt, Pokey! I have no doubt it will be comforting to your friend! I love all the thought that went into it... made me tear up...

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  10. What a wonderful quilt for your friend, Pokey! You put so much love and thought into the things that you do and it shows! Bless your heart. Have a great weekend. Carol

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  11. Well, I think you did a wonderful job on this quilt for your friend! I know it was out of your element but looks to me like grace came through for you to do a wonderful design! It's lovely!!!

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  12. What a beautiful quilt. I'm sure Jeanette will love it, cherish it, and wear it out. Heck, it even comforted me!

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  13. It's really nice! Your friend is going to be overwhelmed and comforted all at the same time. What a lovely gesture. I imagine it's been a bit therapeutic in your grieving process too, yes? Thanks for sharing it! :)

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  14. This quilt made with shirts really has been a lot of work for you but you found a great solution to the problem. It does look wonderful. I am sure it will be treasured.
    Isn't the start of the school year a busy time? You get swept along and the time flies by!!

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  15. So very lovely. You did it beautifully.

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  16. Going everyday to a job you love is a blessing indeed.

    I do love the name Harmony Grace!

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  17. The quilt turned out wonderful. I'm sure it will bring your friend many hours of comfort because they were her husband's shirts and also because you made it with so much love.

    I made pomegranate jelly one year that was delicious....but I used pomegranate juice.

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  18. That is just so wonderful, Pokey! I'm sure Jesse's family will love the quilt--your inventiveness and the cohesive way you used the stars and hourglass blocks is amazing.

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  19. You did a BEAUTIFUL job, Pokey! It will surely a treasure and a true comfort for the family to remember him by.

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  20. I do hope Jeanette fines comfort in this beautiful quilt you have created for her.

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  21. How very sad that this man was taken from his family. The quilts you are making will be a great comfort to his family because you have put your love into them. They are beautiful. Nice to hear that school is going well for you this year. Bless you.

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  22. What a beautiful act of kindness and love! The quilt turned out to be beautiful, too. I know it will be cherished for a very long time!

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  23. How lovely a quilt! The memories that are there! I know it will be used and loved for years to come. And the blog is fabulous dahlink! Wherever did you come up for this|

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  24. That is a fantastic quilt! I love the balance of the stars and the colour balance too. What a great memory quilt!

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  25. What a special quilt you took on so your friend and her children can hang on to memories. Goodness! It's so kind of you to make these. I can understand how you were struggling to achieve just the right look with those shirts. A tough assignment! You've come through with flying colors! The quilt is lovely, and just plain special - unique. You did an excellent job, Pokey. You should be very proud of your efforts.

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  26. what a wonderful quilt so full of memories...and yes, once school starts, the quilting slows down :(

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  27. Your quilt is fabulous....and such creative thinking in this one.

    I know you enjoy teaching and am so sure the children are blessed by your.

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  28. What meaningful quilts, Pokey! I do love the resulted colors combinations.

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  29. That quilt is truly AMAZING! The solid colors, stars, everything about it. I love it!

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  30. Mom, your quilts bring so much comfort without it being made of loved ones clothes. The gift of a homemade quilt is a gift of a perpetual hug given. Then you add your creativity and artsmanship you have an amazing talent for color blending and each and everyone of you quilts have little pieces of your heart sewn right into the fabric. I love your work mom. Lydia

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  31. I love hearing about the process and I'm sure prayers that went into these quilts. They are beautiful! So is your heart!

    Hope this school year continues on in the same great way it has started. Thankful you have such pleasant and caring people to work with!

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  32. What beautiful gifts. Thanks for sharing your process. I think they turned out great!

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  33. What beautiful projects! I love how they turned out. Such a great idea to make them with shirts. And those pockets are so clever. Definitely gifts to be cherished for years to come.

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  34. from one pokey to another lol....i love the colors in the blue and red quilt....

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  35. The Comfort quilt is awesome! I know the family will appreciate your efforts and find much comfort in the quilt! My family and I made a prayer quilt for my dad before he passed in August of this year. The quilt was made with novelty fabrics of his life interest. Threads were stitched in the quilt and left untied so friends and family could say prayers/tie knots in the threads. Each knot represents a prayer. (I blogged about it.) Now that he's gone that quilt provides much comfort for my family. We plan to make a quilt with his shirts. I love what you said about the pockets and his heart being at the pocket area!! I'm visiting from the Janice Elaine Sews linky.

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  36. What a wonderful way to upcycle a heart warming Comfort Quilt! I found you through Janice Elaines Sews Linky. Nice to find new bloggers. I look forward to receiving future posts.

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  37. What a lovely comfort quilt! I'm getting frustrated with my quilting right now. I think I may have to take a class or two to build up confidence. I tried with "how-to" manuals and they just confuse me!
    Have a lovely day! Hugs

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  38. what a beautiful work of love...God bless you!!!

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  39. this quilt is so special
    I am so touched by it and I know it will bring her comfort, so nice of you to make it
    love the pockets in it...
    Kathie

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Hello! Thank you for taking time to peek in! If you say hi, I do my best to send back the love :-}pokey