I have the memory quilts finished! Wednesday was a really fun day here at Pieceful Thoughts. For the first time ever, I had a friend come over and sew with me in my quilt room. Vicki of Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting lives about an hour from me, and I’ve gone to her house a few times for a sew day with her, so it was my turn to invite her here. It was delightful to have her visit, and I am surprised I actually got any sewing done because I was so busy catching up with Vicki!
While we chattered away and did a little sewing, I was able to get the memory quilts finished and bound. I won’t show the full quilts, since there are personal photos printed on fabric and I don’t have permission to share those, but I will give you some peeks. Both quilts are about 40 inches square and were constructed from the clothing of a friend’s husband. She will give them to her grandchildren.
The blocks were simple bordered squares, and the squares finished at 12 inches. We added a narrow inner border and then a wider outer border.
You can see a little bit of the quilting in that photo, but here’s a few more peeks. I kept the quilting simple, stitching in the ditch around each square and along the borders. I added two rows of serpentine stitching in the outer border. We decided on low loft poly batting, and the binding was finished by machine.
Vicki was busy working on some table runners. She can really whiz through those blocks, although we talked so much I’m pretty sure I slowed her down a bit. Wilbs helped, too, busy checking out her machine, noshing on her thread, jumping into her neat stacks of cut pieces. He was kindly escorted from the room at that point, and loudly protested from the other side of the door. For all that, no photos were taken, sorry! We were too busy catching up and sewing. Thanks, Vicki, for the fun day!
With the memory quilts finished, and since my machine was still set up for more quilting, I got another quilt basted and I’m in the process of quilting it. Here’s a little peek. I should have it done this weekend, and I can’t wait to show it to you.
You can barely see some diagonal quilting in that photo, the thread is such a good match for that background. I had to show you the cute backing fabric, a soft and cuddly flannel. I’m trying something new (to me) for the quilting, and I hope it will look okay.
If I get that quilt done, I’ll get back to the scrappy FPP project, which you can see in this post, if you’ve forgotten.
We have a quiet weekend ahead, so I’m hoping it will include plenty of sewing. Wilbs has been allowed back into the sewing room, and we’re both ready to spend the weekend together sewing (me) and snacking (Wilbs).
Happy Friday, my friends! What is your weekend looking like?
Wendy
Sewing with friends with the best, and it sounds like you had a great day!
I can’t imagine the fun in your house that day! Vicki is such a prolific runner-maker – her finishes are all so neat and pretty. The peeks of the memory quilt and the quilting look beautiful. I’m surprised Wilbs is still associating with you. How dare you escort him out of “his” room – lol! Don’t they love to show off and act out? 😉
That definitely sounds like a fun day, sewing with Vicki and actually getting those memory quilts done, too! It looks like your quilting turned out great! And cute backing for the next project. Have a great weekend, Wendy! We’re going up to Nebraska to visit our oldest son – no sewing involved, but I am looking forward to that!
What a treasured gift for your friend’s grandchildren. How many photos did you use, and were they printed on a home printer?
It sounds like such a fun day! (Can’t wait for those! Soon, right?) I know your friend will be so happy with the quilts, as will the grandchildren. Great job and what a great friend you are helping her out!
I think your new quilting project is going to turn out fantastic! We had such a great day, thanks again!
It sounds like a fun day quilting with a friend and visiting. I can’t wait to see the new finish. Poor Wilbs. Such a curious cat and getting exiled for it!!
Oh, that sounds like a wonderful way to spend a day; I’m so glad Vicki was able to have a sew day with you! Congratulations on finishing the memory quilts and I look forward to seeing more of the next quilt; the backing is super adorable. We are also planning a low key weekend here. I’m hoping to have some sewing time myself.
that is nice that you and Vicki know each other and sew together I read her blog too.
Well done on finishing your friend’s memory quilts. Glad you had another friend to chat to while you were doing the quilting and binding, otherwise it might have seemed endless. (I always find doing the binding a bind.)
Looking forward to seeing your new blue piece with the lovely backing fabric.
I can imagine that the two of you would be great friends! I think memory quilts are very difficult to make but they mean so much for the recipients. They are worth the angst!
I was wondering if your quilting bud was an internet friend we would know and so glad it was Vicki! How great that you did get some quilting done in between all the catching up!
How wonderful to having a blogging buddy sew day!
Dear Wilbs, dont be too angry that you could not be part of the party of these two ladies! They have so many things to talk to and so lovely things to sew. May be you miss the blue fabric at the border … I love that fabric. And you could not check the memory quilt, but I think you got a lot of treats later that day.
So lovely Wendy had a wonderfull day!
Love the hanging diagonal quilting design!!!
I have made only one memory quilt and I did feel nervous about the printed photos I was given to incorporate into the quilt. I have not heard whether she had any problems with laundering, but I hope not. It is both an honor for someone to let you cut up the clothes and make the quilt but also a tad bit nerve-racking.