Ocean Waves Quilts

ssshhhhhhhhhhhh.......................................

I guess I am still a doll-loving little girl at heart! I saw a similar tote bag on "Geta's quilting studio" blog. I didn't have a pattern, so I just made an easy tote bag, and boxed off the bottom. I made a bed for the inside and stuffed it. I had the quilt printed fabric, just enough to make 2 doll quilts. I found the perfect sized baby dolls. They are for Christmas.....I am not saying for who, lol. I just love them, I haven't wrapped them, because I keep looking at them and saying, oh so cute, lol. I told you I never outgrew dolls...........

Time to put up some Christmas Quilts........................

This is one of my best quilts, I think. I have always loved the look of "old time" Santas. I think because it reminds me of my childhood. Every Christmas, my uncle would dress up as santa and visit everyone's house in the family. I mentioned this to my cousin once, about how much I enjoyed having him visit us. I really believed he was real. She said maybe you thought it was great, but  "by the time he got home, he was CROCKED", as everyone gave him drinks, at each house,  lol.

    I designed this quilt after seeing an old time Christmas card. I sketched it  till I  got the design right, then I hand appliqued it, and hand quilted it as well. Then the fun started.....I just couldn't get the "snowy" look that I wanted. My friends from "ladies of the evening" have never forgotten this one....after 6 months of hand work................I dipped a hairbrush in fabric paint, and tapped it all over the surface. Voila!!! Snow!

Thankful....................

I try to think about what I am thankful for every day, but Thanksgiving is the time to reflect. I am so thankful most of all, for my health, and the health of my family and loved ones. Because without good health, nothing else matters.

    I am so thankful for the life that I have, and Bill, that I share it with. How lucky I am to have three wonderful grandchildren,a son and daughter-in-law. My family...as always....I share with them with the good....and the bad. They are definitely a blessing in my life.

 I am always thankful for my friends . The old friends, that I have always been able to count on, no matter what. And, the new friends...some of whom I have met by doing this blog. 

     I hope you all have many things to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

These are a great idea.................

I was over at "Christy's Creations" blog. She has a great tutorial on making these tea wallets. I thought it was a great little gift for a friend of mine, that is always carrying tea bags, and sweet and low. Once you make one, they are very quick. You could cut and pin a bunch of them, and sew them up very quickly. Great to toss in your purse. I intend to put it in a pretty tea cup with some tea bags. Stay tuned...........................

Do you have this pattern?

I saw this quilt over at Red geranium Cottage (link below). I was then directed to CalamityJanes cottage.com   where Bonnie has these quilt kits for sale . I can't seem to find the pattern. If you have this pattern, and are no longer using it, I will buy it from you, or trade for one of my original patterns. Thanks...

The Wall hanging that grew...........................

When Bills dad went into a nursing home, he couldn't speak very much. I decided to make a wall hanging with all pictures of the family. I thought when people came in and out to visit, it would give them something to talk about. Well, before I could complete this quilt, Bill's dad passed away.     

    Sometime later, I mentioned the photo quilt to Bill's mom.When I said the word "Quilt" she meant "bed quilt".Since I knew this would be a quilt that wouldnt get washed often, I made  it into a bed quilt. It has photos of all of Bills family, and picture of his parents when they were young. On the back, friends and family wrote memories and signed their names. It took quite a while to do, but Flo treasures it, as I knew she would. Stay tuned..........................

The Fishing Trip.......

All the men in my boyfriend's family have been going on a camping/fishing weekend for almost 50 years. The trip was started by Bill's dad. It is a family tradition. The boys have to be 7 or 8 before they are allowed to go.

This is REAL camping,cooking outdoors, sleeping in tents and the woods for a bathroom.(eeew) It doesn't appeal to me at all...lol. Well, I thought this was a wonderful tradition, and should have a photo quilt to honor it.

One year, I went through many pictures from years past trips, and the current ones, and made this keepsake. It's hard to tell from the picture, but I fussy cut bass from fabric, they are appliqued here and there around the pictures. One of the borders had fabric with sillouhettes of trees in the forest. It is quite big. I get started on these quilts, and find it hard to leave pictures out, so they grow!

    Bill loved his quilt, and will have it always. I hang it when it is almost time for his trip. Stay tuned for the next quilt. It started to be a wall hanging...see what happened........

The Divorce Quilt.......

 I have always loved hand applique and  quilting. When I was first going through a divorce, I looked for a project to keep my hands busy. I saw this HUGE wallhanging, which is hand appliqued hawaiian style, and then hand quilted 1/4 inches apart! I couldn't afford to be buying a lot of fabrics and projects, so this quilt would certainly take some time! 

    I worked on this quilt for  almost two years. I dragged it everywhere I went. The "Ladies of the Evening" said I would surely be bringing it to the nursing home when I went!

When my days were unbelievably stressful, and sad,  I would sit quietly and sew.  Somehow, the monotony, and tedious tiny applique, and hand quilting stitches, focused my mind somehow. I think I quilted a world of sorrow, pain and loss into that quilt.

The funny thing is...I can't stand to look at it! It is folded neatly in a trunk.Someday I may sell it...or keep it to remind me...that no matter how gloomy and depressing your life may seem at some times......."This too shall pass". "Sometimes you get  lost on the way to finding a dream, and find a new one"............................Stay tuned................... 

Little brother's quilt.......

Kelly was kind of a shock to our family....born when I was a senior in high school! I was certain my parents had him specifically to EMBARRASS me! Well, he turned out to be such a great guy.....Everyone who meets him, just has to like him. Here is his special family quilt. His quilt is made with sections of water fabric in between the photos, and lighthouse fabric for the border. I thought it was appropriate because he is an islander (Nantucket) through and through! Stay tuned......Barb 

The story of our family...............

  I wanted to make my sister and brother a special gift for Christmas a couple of years ago. I decided to make a photo quilt depicting our family, from when we were little kids, till the present. I have pictures of everyone's kids when they were small, our family home, and things that are special to our family. I tried choose pictures that had a story behind them.

     It is great to  have family pictures out, and not in some book somewhere! My parents and my two brothers have passed away,so it is wonderful to see old pictures of them.This quilt pictured is my sister's .I bordered it with pink hydrangea fabric, her favorite color!

 On the back is a label that tells the story of when my sister was born, and how much it meant to me to have a sister. I also wrote on the label all the crazy sayings go around in your family when you are growing up. This way, we can't forget them. I hope they enjoy these quilts as much as I enjoyed making them. I have to say, after making two of them, I was so sick of looking at my family, I haven't made mine yet, lol. Stay tuned....my brother Kelly's "Family Quilt" is next.