Grandma's Memory Quilt

Meet Sara, one of Megan's BFF's she met last year. They instantly bonded because they love crafting more than most people love their children. (I think they would have let me in their BFF club if I lived by them...?) Anyhow, Sara writes the blog SEW SARA, super cute blog, tons of tutorials and projects, go check her out...here is the amazingly special quilt she made in memory of her grandmother...

When my grandma passed away in 2008, I asked for her old bed sheets. I loved the bright flowers and just knew I had to do something with them. I have sweet memories of caring for Grandma in the last few months when she was sick in bed. And these sheets were part of those memories.

My kids visiting Great Grandma shortly before she passed. Notice the sheet.

I used one of the sheets to make a quilt kit for my niece. She and her mom finished this darling quilt.

And I used the other sheet for my own quilt. I did "wonky" log cabin squares (got the idea here) and it took me FOREVER. But I love it and I love that it's finished. It took me about a year, start to finish. Each block probably took an hour, not counting all the cutting and ironing in between.

I honestly cannot name all the fabrics in the quilt, but they were all from my stash, except for the sashing. And that's the only thing I sort of wish I could change.

I ran out of the dark green fabric and had to improvise (hence the lighter strip at the top). But can you blame me for improvising? I couldn't just unpick the whole thing.

I've never been one to calculate or plan, so I basically just made it up as I went along. I do love it just the way it is, mistakes and all -- especially the funky bright flowered sheet on the back. Because it reminds me of my sweet Grandma.

This is a quilt that I'll definitely keep. I have a problem with making things and giving them away. But not this one!

Make sure to check out her blog as well as her Etsy shop where Sara makes darling baby items including birthday shirts, blankets and hair clips.  Thanks Sara!

A Scrappy Quilt from Jodi...

We've loved looking at Jodi from Pleasant Home's blog and we came across her Scrappy 2008 quilt. We think it's pure genius. Great idea and look at this beautiful quilt!

I decided in early 2009 to start making a quilt each year with the previous years scraps.

Many of my projects get sold or go to friends and family. But every time I make, sew, or quilt something I always pick fabrics I like. And a lot of love goes into those projects as well. Sometimes it's really hard to part with some of them!


So I decided I would make a Scrappy Quilt with all those scraps and be able to have a part of each project with me. This is my 2008 Scrappy Quilt. I made it in January of 2009 with scraps of fabric from my 2008 projects. There is no pattern.

I was inspired by all the wonky log cabinish blocks I saw in blog land and went from there. I started with a square or rectangle and just kept adding strips, trimming, adding, trimming, until I achieved the right size block. Then I found a great piece from one of Mark Lipinski's line's and used it for part of the border and backing. I think it goes so well with the quilt. I also used more left over scraps to piece the outside border. It was much fun experimenting with colors. I put colors together I never though I would. And it just got better.

I have decided to make one each year. I am in the process of gathering my scraps from 2009 to make my Scrappy 2009 quilt. (running a little behind this year). (although I haven't decided if I'll make the same pattern, or do something different) ???

This 2008 Scrappy Quilt is one of my top 10 favorites! I love how bright and fun it is. And I recognize each piece of fabric in it and they all bring back some really good memories.

Thank you so much Jodi for sharing how you created that amazing quilt! Hop on over to Pleasant Home to find more inspirational ideas.

Frugal Heritage quilt...

Wow, this is a heritage/memory quilt if I have ever seen one! Becky used fabrics and batting from old family quilts and fabrics. Be sure to visit her site for more fun stuff...

My name is Becky Hogue. I am 30 years old, and I am a fairly new quilter. I have made 3 “human” quilts and 2 doll quilts.  Here is the story of my favorite quilt so far, mostly because there is such a story and so much history in it. I posted about it in two separate entries on my blog http://www.beckyanndesigns.blogspot.com/ too. I love the idea of your new blog. I have several quilts that I have inherited (robbed from my mama’s cedar chest) that nobody knows any history on. It is so sad that we know they came from somewhere in our family but know absolutely nothing beyond that point.

My youngest daughter Abby really helped me with bringing me the next blocks that I needed to sew together so I didn’t have to keep hopping up and down from my sewing machine.


All of the fabrics except the red are from my Great Aunt Bertha. The white one was an old feed or flour sack. I literally cut it apart myself so I could use the fabric. How awesome is that! The solid teal and the white with the blue and teal flowers were pieces of fabric that she (or someone) had purchased and used part of already.

The size right now is 42" x 56". I really like to have plenty of quilt to wrap around me when I watch TV so I am going to try to find some fabric that will coordinate well to use as a border to make it a little larger. But, here it is for now.

Here is the pattern I used by Quilting Treasures.

They have a lot of free quilting patterns on their site.

This was a very frugal quilt. I only spent less than $15 total, including the thread. Now I wouldn't pay even that for a plain throw to use for myself on the couch, but to be able to produce a piece of living history to use and then maybe pass on to another family member one day, I think that is pretty thrifty.


I started with a quilt that came from somewhere on my Daddy's side of the family. With it's solid fabric top and 4 random pieced fabrics on the back, this was definitely a quilt made out of necessity not one to be used for display somewhere. Jay and I used it on our bed in the winter until last year when it was too badly torn to use anymore. I couldn't very well just throw it away, I had to re-use it for something. So, I took pictures, then carefully disassembled it. I used the blanket that was in the middle for my batting, and also one of the large pieces of white from the back for the border of my quilt. After cleaning this piece really well, I could make out the shape of an eagle with it's wings spread and the words Corn Starch, but only vaguely.

I also had some gorgeous fabrics from my Great Aunt Bertha, my Mama's aunt. The solid dark teal, the white print, and the teal flowers (my favorite of all) are all from her fabric stash. So is the lighter teal binding. Apparently she had used the solid dark teal, teal flowers and lighter teal to make something out of and these were the scraps because you could tell there were clothing shaped cutouts. The white one with the print was an actual feedsack, still sewn up. How cool is that!

So like any good quilt maker or sewer, I decided to use all of these family pieces along with a few of my own to make a new quilt. I purchased the red fabric at Heirlooms and Comforts quilt shop in Central, SC, and Donna at Mudpies and Memories with a little help from Angel helped me choose the green paisley backing at Hobby Lobby. Donna really had to convince me to buy it and even promise to buy it from me if I hated it the next day. It ended up being the perfect fit for the quilt. Except for the fact that I should have bought 3 yards but miscalculated and thought I only needed 2 yards. Oops! So, along came the stripe running down one side of the back, which I also turned out to absolutely love. Reminds me of a railroad track.

Almost forgot, this is the first quilt I have ever actually machine quilted. I string tied both of the quilts I made for the girls. I love the look of actual quilting and how they get all crinkly after washing them.


Whew, I finally have all of this documented so that when I am old and senile or laying somewhere with daisies growing on top of me, whoever ends up with this quilt will know the history of it. I have also completed another one of my goals for the new year to finish at least one quilt this year.

Are YOU the winner winner?

See these lovely patterns? Well we have a winner of 5 of them!

And that winner is

BellGirl!

Thank you so much for your kind comments!  Please contact us and we'll get these out to you!

And winner of this stack of fat quarters

is Mama Mel Loves!

Get in touch and these FQ are yours!!

Thank you so much for everyones lovely comments and for all our new followers.  We are so giddy over this new blog, we hope you are checking back often for inspiration.

Please check out Nicole and Brooke's quilts from this week.  They've created some great pieces and offered excellent advice!

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