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The following is the memory of an anonymous writer of their grandmother's amazing quilt.  Published in the Montreal Star (Montreal, Quebec, Canada) on July 23, 1932 it describes an amazing gigantic bed-quilt full of family memories - for better or worse.

 

My January blog post on developing video skills for workshop teaching and YouTube outreach is in need of updating already! 

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I splurged (lucked into a sale!) on a great ring-light designed specifically for filming top-down demos.  I'm glad I waited until I'd done some filming without much investment past my DIY equipment.  That way, I knew what my situation and video goals needed. 

The light is super well engineered, and does away with duct tape set-up and take-down, and the difficulties of reaching around a precariously balanced camera tripod to sew.  It’s more for ease of ...

Here is why people treasure quilts.  This quilt holds so many loving memories, symbolizes such a great story, and inspired this beautiful essay.  (Notes and photos on the repair process follow the story.)

My paternal grandmother made this quilt in the mid-1990s.  It was born from love that went back one long lifetime, and love that she wanted to carry forward several more lifetimes.

Grandma was a proud, tough “Okie.”  Born in 1919, she came of age in the worst hard times:  on a homestead farm between Hough and Guymon, Oklahoma, during the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression.  She ...

At Christmas I gifted several memory creations to a family. There was a lot of shirting left that they did not want back. It is my son’s girlfriend’s family, and he asked if I would please take the leftovers and make a quilt. Did I say “no” to my son? Of course not! I got on it very soon after!

There were a lot of pockets that I wanted to use. There was also a nice variety of shirt fabrics. Without a full plan, I appliqued the pockets onto gray and dappled gray non-shirt fabrics. I then set ...

In between my work on the McHenry Landmark Quilt, I've been stitching on another quilt which I call my Crazy Trinket Quilt.  These are 6 inch block featuring little do-dads that I've been saving and collecting my entire life.  Some are things from my childhood, some are little things that beloved to family and loved ones no longer with me and some are collected from the flea markets and antique shops that my former husband and I used to go to when we were still together.

This block just showcases some button covers from an Autumn sweater:

The ...

Signature quilts – or friendship quilts – first became popular in the 1840s. Sometimes they were used as sentimental wedding gifts. Sometimes they honored a beloved teacher or minister. And sometimes, they were carried across the plains by pioneer women as a reminder of dear friends left behind. 

These quilts were so cherished, many have survived the generations and can be found in hope chests and museums even today.

This week, Jenny is making her own family signature quilt. It’s adorned with hand-written names of all the Doan kids and grandkids, and I have a feeling this pretty quilt will become ...

Nothing says holidays like handmade. Instead of spending all of your time this year trying to figure out what to buy for that special someone in your life, harness all of that creative energy into a unique crafty gift! Handcrafted gifts come from the heart, each stitch placed carefully with love.

Remember that when it comes to handmade gifts, Jenny always says “finished is better than perfect.” Wrap up any fears you have about creating a homemade gift and show off your craftsmanship with an easy gift idea that will be adored this holiday season!

Fabric Checkerboard

It’s never ...

Quilters are some of the most resourceful, green people we know! We are always saving up scraps and asking other quilters for ways we can reduce, reuse, and recycle quilting and sewing materials. We never want to throw anything away if we don’t have to!

In recognition of Earth Day and being green, here are a few ways that we choose to reduce, reuse, and recycle to demonstrate our support for the environment!

Found Fabrics

Found fabric is fabric that you can find . . . anywhere! Make a trip into your closet, into a loved ones closet, to the closest thrift ...

Sometimes after the hustle and bustle of holiday clean up and moving directly into Valentine’s Day, we forget to take the time to appreciate ourselves. Quilters are a giving community, we often will move mountains in order to complete a gift for a friend or a donation for a stranger before we take the time to make something for ourselves. No more however! Take a peek at these five great ideas and create something for yourself! Each project is designed to be filled with love to make a special and super comfy addition to your home!

Chunky Knit Cuddle ...

Hello dear reader,

How is the new decade treating you?!? Well, I hope.

I am so thankful to have made it through 2019. As you may have noticed, I haven’t blogged in quite a while. Well, I have a very good reason for that: Life!

It all began near the end of 2018 when I resigned from my job. I spent the latter part of 2018 sending out job applications. That carried me in to early 2019, which I spent traveling for job interviews. To make a long story very short, I got a job offer in Michigan that ...

Today I have a sad podcast about my Mother-in-law, Ellen, who passed away on Thanksgiving day. I’m sharing stories about Ellen as I begin making a memory quilt from her clothes.

Listen to the podcast or download it to your computer using this player:

Working With Grief with a Memory Quilt

I don’t think grief is a straight road. It’s a twisty, windy path through the woods. Some days are great. Some days are very sad. Making this memory quilt for my Father-in-law, Chet, is helping me walk this path and process my sadness.

Here are the ...

Chances are, someone you love has been affected by Alzheimer’s disease. With 6 million patients and 16 million caregivers worldwide, it’s a heartache that is much too common.

November is Alzheimer’s Awareness Month. Jenny created the beautiful Forget Me Not quilt in memory of her dear mother-in-law who was lost to Alzheimer’s 19 years ago. This appliqué project is made easy with our brand new Missouri Star Petal template. Click HERE to watch the tutorial.

Months ago I started to make a memory quilt for my friend Susie. Her husband passed away in September of 2018 and some months later she gave me a stack of his shirts to make a quilt with. I first posted here about this project if you want to see earlier pictures.

Yesterday I had lunch with Susie and (finally) gave her the quilt. She is really happy to have it and I am hoping she enjoys snuggling up with her quilt and ...

Last Fall, my good friend Jan lost her husband Chris. She came to visit from Southern California, bringing along a bag containing some of Chris’s clothing. She asked if I would sew them into a small quilt that she could put on the family room sofa and use on evenings when it was chilly. It …

A Memory Quilt for Chris Read More »

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