Tree quilt

Some time ago I made a blue-and-brown-and-cream-quilt, when posting about that quilt I mentioned my problem with counting and that I had made a panel more than I needed, in fact I made two too many.

I originally gave them and the left over squares to that quilts recipient as she was interested in quilting herself.  However, a move meant she parted with her sewing machine and so she gave me the pieces back.

They became a sew a bit and see what happens project if I had a bit of extra time when working on another project.  On occasion I played around with the layout at the quilting group and would be asked who was it for.  The reply, I don't know yet.

I have a collage of various quilts as my "wall" image on Facebook, the blue and brown and cream quilt is amongst them.  A lady from Church asked me if I had any quilts I was willing to sell and mentioned she liked that quilt.  Of course I no longer had that one and told her so.  She offered to buy the materials to make a quilt and pay for my time, something big enough for lying on the couch and snuggling in.

I told her I would think about it, which was sort of true.  I already had in mind that I would make her a quilt but had not thought quite what to do. I was waiting for her recent move to be over and a hint of her new decor.  This preference for a previous quilts colours, given a top was part constructed was a light bulb moment.

Blue and Brown and Cream quilt

I added just one more set around the central design then a wide boarder of dark blue and I was all set to quilt.  As the pattern had not started out with the recipient in mind I wanted the quilting to be a more personal reflection of her.

A mother,foster mother, grandmother  and foster grandmother she has spent her life working with children and  strengthening the family.

 So a hand quilted tree in the middle with the word family machine quilted under it. This is it from the back as it does not take a good picture from the front. 

Stick people

Stick people

Four hand quilted leaves in the corners to represent her four children then little stick people machine quilted on the edges, male and female again representative both in figure and style of the children in her life.(I did not have the energy to do one for each grand or great grand child and after all that number is quite likely to increase, it is up to twenty seven already!)

Sun

For those of you familiar with my religious affiliation the three little apliques of Sun, Moon and Star (using pieces from the quilt material) alongside side tree and family will be a symbolism you are familiar with.  My friend certainly was, as I gave her the quilt she exclaimed with delight "oh you did it, you made a quilt, it is exactly what I wanted" and  again offered to pay me for it.

moon

Star

I smiled, hugged her told her not to be daft that it was thanks for years of friendship and that her obvious appreciation and open joy in it was the best of payments.

And I meant it!