2016 Trunk Show

For the last few months, I have been attempting to blog about each quilt I complete. I've also started adding this website name to my quilt labels so recipients can read a bit more about their quilts. And I'm finally on Instagram, so new friends who follow me there can come learn more about the projects they see me posting there. In other words, I like to remember my quilts. Especially because I've given all but 4 of them away!

Today I saw that Soma, over at Whims and Fancies, had the brilliant idea of hosting an online trunk show so bloggers can virtually display their quilts and other sewn items So here's a look at what I've made this year. I haven't shared some of these before so if they are new to the blog, I'll write a little more. I still have hope that I'll go back and write up the older quilts, but just in case...

Quilt #56: Branch's Carpenter Star

This baby quilt went to my friend Kim's little guy, Branch. While she was pregnant, I knew I wanted to make a quilt using some of the same fabrics as the quilt I made for baby's sister, a maple leaf quilt that was quilt #21 for me back in 2014.

With the scraps from Branch and Piper's quilts, I made a few new goodies for big sister.

The ironic part of this quilt is that when I selected the design, I was looking for something quick because we needed to make an unplanned trip to Kim's town for a funeral. I only had a few days to make the quilt so I picked  a carpenter's star. The irony? Carpenter - wood - Branch. I love it when that happens.

Quilt #57: Grayson's Around the World

My next quilt of the year was also a baby quilt. This one went to my cousin's son, my aunt Lori's first grandchild. The baby's nursery had a world theme, so I chose an Around the World pattern. The prints  are meant to be colors in nature.

This quilt has one of my favorite labels.

Because the quilt would be given to baby and mama at the shower, I made a few extras, too.

As part of this care package, I also learned how to make microwave cozies, and my auntie was kind enough to be my guinea pig!

Quilt #58: Hello Kitty Expanding Spiral

Another quilt I haven't yet shared! I originally found this pattern, Expanding Scrappy Spiral by Sharon of Mystery Bay Quilt Design on Pinterest. Our quilt group was needing quilts for girls so I whipped this up.

Quilt #59: Mrs. Adkin's Easter Cross

This past year, our son has had the sweetest little old lady for his Sunday School teacher. On the Sunday of Holy Week, she was not at church. I not always as observant as I should be about these things, but that day I happened to ask where she was. Her beloved husband had passed away unexpectedly. I knew I had to make her a quilt.

The cross is my take on the talented Judit Hajdu's Carpenter's Star Cross. The tulip tops came from Apple Avenue Quilts and the stems are modified from Pam Kimmorning.

Quilt #60: O-H-I-Love the Kauffmans

This was my fourth quilt inspired by the Ohio State football helmets. This one went to some good friends who are some of the most diehard Buckeye fans I know!

Quilt #61: Timur's Russian Heart

Finally! A quilt I have posted about previously. Timur's Russian Heart was made for a little boy in Minnesota to comfort him as he recovered from a heart transplant.

Quilt #62: Imogen's Bakery Banner

I made this quilt for a very special baby. You can all about her and her quilt here.

Quilt #63: Charlie's Choo Choo

It has been the year of the baby quilt, I think. I had so much fun making this original design for our son's preschool teacher. (He's now in 2nd grade!). She is a pretty amazing person and we are so happy she added "Mommy" to her resume this year.

Quilt #64: 49 Hearts

Like so many, I was heartbroken to learn of the attack on Orlando's Pulse night club. When I learned that the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild was collecting quilts, I went right to work on my original pattern, 49 Hearts.

Quilt #65: Gioia's French Roses

What do you know? Another baby quilt! This one went to another mama friend. She mentioned loving these Shabby Chic fabrics. When I found the French Roses quilt pattern, I know it was just right. Read all about it here.

The best part of making this quilt is that Davinder Skyped me so I could watch her open the quilt, as well as the goodies she didn't know were included in her care package. Then she sent me this most adorable photo of Gioia with all her goodies.

Quilt #66: Ang & Sergio's Trinity Celtic Knot

This Trinity Celtic Knot quilt was the opposite of all the quick baby quilts I've made this year. I affectionately called this wedding quilt, "the beast" as I was working on it. I wrote about the quilt and my dear friend Ang who received it as she married her Sergio here.

Quilt #67: Ruff Patch

My second charity quilt of the year used a good amount of my scraps. I wrote about it here.

Quilt #68: Orla Take 2

Last year I made a baby quilt for a friend based on her awesome Orla Kiely wallpaper. This year I made another version for her sister.

Quilt #69: It Is Well

As of today, this original design is my last quilt finish of the year.  It was good for my soul to be able to delivery it in person.

It's only mid-November as of this posting, so I'm hoping to have two...maybe three finishes before I ring in 2017.

Updated November 23, 2016:
Quilt # #70: Tool Tattoo

Updated December 7, 2016:
One more!
Quilt #71: Colton's Minion

Updated December 19, 2016:
Whew! I managed to finished one more quilt before giving my machine a break for the holidays. Quilt #72: Falling for Alex.

Updated December 31, 2016:
And finally, I went back and finished a UFO I started in 2013 (this actualy quilt #15!). I call this one the "Not a Tree Skirt Quilt."

Quilting is my first love, but I also sew some other things to make money to buy more fabric. You can check out my Facebook page to see items I have for sale including more microwave cozies and my popular marble maze fidget bracelets.

Thanks for checking out my trunk show! I hope you head over to Whims and Fancies to visit more trunk shows. I'm on my way there now!

Also linked to: 

Creativity Unleashed @ Practically Functional

Design Wall @ Patchwork Times

Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric Studio

Link Tuesday @ Free Motion by the River

MCM @ Cooking Up Quilts

Monday Making @ Love Laugh Quilt

Moving it Forward @ Em's Scrapbag

Needle & Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Off the Wall Friday @ Creations by Nina-Marie

Whoop Whoop Friday @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Quilt #69: It Is Well

A million years ago when I was single and before I broke my brain, I lived in Michigan and worked at Family Christian Stores. It was my favorite job. I interviewed authors and artists, went to lots of free concerts, traveled to Nashville often, and wrote lots and lots of copy. I had great co-workers, too, which made my job a place I liked to be each day. During this season of my life, I was writing my first book, the late great Generation Ex. One of my colleagues was especially supportive as I wrote about the long-term effects of parental divorce.

Photo Credit: Chris Clark

Steve Johnson became my Michigan dad. I started calling him Papa Steve, and others who shared my admiration of his integrity, compassion, solid work ethic, and terrible puns also started using his new moniker. He provided endless wise counsel as I  needed help with my car, bought my first house, and untangled the branches of my complicated family bush. Steve loves cars, coffee, gospel music (especially hymns), serving, and his family. How he loves his family! He and his wife, Bev, are such a model of enduring marriage, and you can only know Steve a few minutes before his love for his wife becomes apparent.

In 2007, I moved to Ohio to begin my married life, and as frequently happens, our every day friends become friends we think of fondly as their name scrolls across our Facebook feed. Like many of his generation, Steve doesn't post a lot on Facebook. In fact, it was a mutual friend who posted about a sort of pre-funeral that was held for Steve. A what?! Friends and family gathered to tell Steve what he means to them. They just couldn't wait for him to die. And what instigated this celebration of Steve's life?

In June of 2015, Steve was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma. He has cancer in his right lung. And his brain. And his liver. And his bones. It's been sixteen months since he was diagnosed, but Steve is still here. He hardly posts about himself on Facebook. But almost every day he posts lyrics from his favorite hymns.

I'm glad Steve is kicking cancer's backside for many reasons, but selfishly, I am grateful because it means I was able to make him a quilt.

The original inspiration for Steve's quilt is this one by Melissa of All Buttoned Up. It's called The Proverbial Quilt, which is just the kind of pun that makes me think of Steve.

When I thought of what words I would put on a quilt for Steve, I knew it had to be a hymn. The first one I thought of was "It Is Well With My Soul" by Horatio Spafford. If you don't know the story behind the song, take a moment to read it. Mr. Spafford and his wife endured unspeakable tragedy, first losing a son and most of his material wealth in the Great Chicago Fire. Then, two years later, he lost all four of his daughters when the ship they were sailing with their mother sank. When he sailed by the spot himself en route to his grieving wife, he was inspired to write this hymn.

Source

I went through a lot of iterations from there. From mostly words to words on water. Then adding a cross, then a sunset, before landing on the (mostly) final design. So really, it's not at all like the quilt that inspired me. Go figure.

I started with the paper-pieced words because that was the part I was most afraid of messing up. I bought the Wonky Alphabet  pattern from Kelby Sews. I love the fun font she created.

Link

It always takes me a little bit to get back into the swing of paper-piecing. I'm guaranteed to mess up at least a few things as I will sew wrong sides together.  When I finished the first three "well," I felt like the quilt was being a little snarky and that made me giggle. 

I modified a few of the letters so they were all capitalized. I also made a last minute fabric change for the water blocks and I am glad I did.

Once the letters were done, the bottom half of the quilt came together quickly. I swapped a couple colors to make the reflection of the cross. 

I started the sunset half with the cross and made blocks moving out from it.

Once I got to the purples, it took a few tries to settle on the right purples.

I wasn't completely sold on the last purple, but couldn't resist a purple batik with crosses.

I'm stepping out of my comfort zone with my quilting. I stuck with straight line quilting on the sunset, with beams coming out of cross. Instead of using invisible thread, as I might have before, I used a rainbow variegated thread.

I stepped way out of my comfort zone for the bottom half of the quilt. I picked up my first free motion ruler at a quilt show. I was a little nervous about using it on a real quilt, especially with minky on the back, but it was going well so I kept with it.

Overall, I'm pretty happy with the effort. I don't often use minky on quilts except for baby quilts, but with winter coming, I'm hoping that it keeps Steve warm, body and soul.

Between Steve's health and the distances between our homes, it's quite possible that this is the last time I'll see Steve this side of heaven. I let the label speak for me.

We drove up to Michigan this week to deliver the quilt in person. It was an unbelievable 70 degrees...in November!  I couldn't resist taking a few photos on Lake Michigan with my favorite model.

That night, I was able to give Steve his quilt in person. Such a wonderful night!

Epilogue:
Papa Steve well-lived earthly life ended on February 5, 2018.

To see more pictures of this quilt in progress, look for #itiswellquilt on Instagram. If you'd like to see what I'm currently working on, follow me at de Jong Dream House.

Linked to:
Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
Linky Tuesday @ Free Motion by the River
Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric
Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story
Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication
Monday Making @ Love Laugh Quilt
Needle & Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation
Show Off Saturday @ Sew Can She
Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Quilt #68: Orla Take 2

One of my all-time favorite quilts is quilt #51, a baby quilt I made for a friend, inspired by her amazing Orla Kiely stems wallpaper.

There's not much better for a quilter than to know that something you made brings joy to the recipient. Not only did Aletha love her surprise, but she has been posting adorable photos of her little guy on his quilt.

I probably could have sold this quilt a few times over based on the comments on her photos, but I've decided that making quilts on commission is just not for me. 

However, that didn't stop me from agreeing to make another version of the quilt in the other color scheme for Aletha's sister, who also has Orla Kiely stem wallpaper.

Photo Credit: Aletha VanderMaas

I'm very glad I took good notes when I made the first quilt because it made this one so much easier. I even still had the Silhouette file for the leaves. The hardest part by far was finding the right prints. The mustardy yellows and yellow-browns are not the easiest colors to match these days. It's a good thing I love fabric shopping because I only found 3 prints in my stash. I found the other eight in six different quilt shops!

I've gotten much better at using my Silhouette Cameo so I was able to cut all 96 leaves in about 30  minutes!

Something new I figured out with this quilt is how to finally avoid sewing wrong sides together when working with white tonals. I'm going to blame this one my brain injury!

The other thing I did with this quilt that I've never done before is make a fabric cheat sheet. The browns are easy to get mixed up, so I numbered everything and attached a small square of each print at the bottom of the paper so make extra sure I used the right leaves at the right time. 

Because I had my notes from the first quilt, placement went by quilting. I used my two 6.5"x 24" rulers so I could place multiple rows at the same time.

Even with all my double checking, I still managed to make a few mistakes, but they were caught before I did the applique.

It didn't take as long to applique the leaves this time. My muscle memory is improving! 

Once again I used Sulky invisible thread to quilt straight vertical lines 1.5" apart. 

I used the same font and design for the label. I've started to add my website to my labels so recipients can learn more about how their quilt was made. I'm hoping that when Victoria gets this quilt, either she or her sister will take a picture of it in front of her awesome wallpaper!

Speaking of how quilts are made...I'm on Instagram! I've been playing around with it for the last couple of quilts, and now I'm ready to tell the world! To see more pictures of this quilt in progress, look for #orlatake2. If you'd like to see what I'm currently working on, follow me at de Jong Dream House.

Update: My friend has delivered the quilt and sent me this awesome picture!

Linked to:
Design Wall @ Patchwork Times
Fabric Frenzy Friday @ Fort Worth Fabric
Fabric Tuesday @ Quilt Story
Let's Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
Linky Tuesday @ Free Motion by the River
Made By You Mondays @ Skip to My Lou
Main Crush Monday @ Cooking Up Cooks
Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication
Monday Making @ Love Laugh Quilt
Moving it Forward Monday @ Em's Scrapbag
Oh Scrap @ Quilting is More Fun than Housework
Show Off Saturday @ Sew Can She
Whoop Whoop Fridays @ Confessions of a Fabric Addict