My newest Project

This is a pic of my newly finished little project I did while my sister was visiting.  With her help, I made a little quilt for a dear friend who is ready to have her first baby.  This will be my gift to her.  I sure hope she likes it!  It is made from a quite ratty old quilt top that her mother gave me some time back.  Not knowing what I would ever do with it, it ended up in my "will do something some other time" pile.  While preparing for my sisiter's visit and cleaning up my sewing room so we could sew, I came accross it and thought "hmmmmmm", so with Kris's help we came up with this idea.  I like it!  Little Peter Rabbit is perfect with the 1930's prints.  The little quilt represents some feelings for me that I dont know if I can put into words.  It is a combonation of old and new, perhaps thats me being a generation older than my friend.  Aged fabric, mixed with the fresh newness of the backgroud fabrics, our friendship that combines hip "today" and wise "yesterday".  The blocks came from her family and the background from mine, maybe this is the melding of our families, and a piece to represent both friends and family...ok Im getting sappy and Im done!

Quilting tip of the day!

Normally it is advised to NOT combine old fabrics with new fabrics when making or reconstructing a quilt.  Why?  Im not sure, something about chemicals and dyes I think.  I will research that, because it doesnt make sense to me.  Anyway, with this project, I am hoping the quilt will be used and no amount of care or consideration will keep it from turning to rags ie: a favorite blankie!    Lots of love to my sweet friend, Jessica!  (if you read this, the surprise is spoiled, but I had to share!)

Can't Believe how Small this World is!

This is Jeff with four of his best friends in Atsugi, Japan. They really are having fun. See the guy on the far right in the right shirt? That's Colin. He isn't attached to the G-dub. He is a corpsman and works on the base at Atsugi. He and Jeff and Nick met up thru the wearing of hardcore Straight edge band shirts (Jeff, let me know if I'm wrong about that, this is how I remember it). Anyway, you all know I am a member of the Navyformoms website. Yesterday I made a comment about Jeff being Straight edge...a nice mom answered and thought that Jeff and her son might be friends, as she knew her son was hanging with a Sailor from Nebraska...it is Jeff! I have been using her son's address on base to send all my mail to Jeff since he met Colin. Small world.

This might seem really really silly to some, but this connection somehow makes me feel closer to Jeff. Somehow his being so many miles away, and so far...becomes real, but because I found another mom the reality seems manageable. I know this doesn't make sense to anyone, except maybe another mother that has a son half way across the world. Carol, I am so glad you are my new friend! I love your smile!

Quilting Tip of the Day!

Last time we talked about Fiber Facts, as promised today we will talk about factors that damage quilts. This info from Beverly Blessing in an article in Am Patchwork & Quilting 10/95

"Ultraviolet radiation, present in both daylight and fluorescent lamps, threatens quilts, causing dyes to fade and fibers to become brittle. Seasonal rotation of quilts and protection from strong daylights can reduce the chance of damage.

High temps, high humidity, and lack of ventilation encourage growth of mold or mildew, causing irreparable damage if undetected. Storing your quilts in a cool dry place is the best protection against fungi.

Wood and silk fibers are prone to insect damage. However, do not use chemicals to rid the quilt of insects. Instead, first vacuum the quilt, then isolate it until all insect activity has stopped.

Antique quilts frequently are affected by the iron content of their black and brown dyes, causing rotting of those colors. Some old dyes are unstable and if they get even slightly damp, they would bleed, making washing unacceptable for many old quilts. "Weighted silks" often used in Victorian crazy quilts, become brittle and will crack pr powder in time, a process accelerated by light." Happy Quilting.....

Next time we continue this article and talk about proper cleaning methods!