12 Days of Show & Share! Day 5!

In my life I’ve been blessed to have my path cross with others whose paths are as transient as mine ---Sometimes when two moving targets land in one spot long enough to become friends, our lives are never the same!

My friend Aby D is one such friend. SHE was the one who tossed me the baton of being the “Charity Quilt Chairperson” for our guild in Columbia, SC before she moved off to Germany. A couple years later she was back in the states living near DC ---and then she was in North Carolina, and then back off to Germany again! Yes, her hubby is military ---she is the queen of packing up and relocating the quilt stuff!

In Feb 2011 I spent time with her in Germany while I taught for the Black Forest Quilters ----SO FUN to spend so many days in a row with her, and enjoying sewing in her studio! I was sewing the string blocks for “Tulip Fields” that is found in String Fling while at her house in Germany. I included traditional German fabrics from Aby’s scraps in those blocks – I’ll always remember that trip.

And guess what?!

She’s back in NC again! A couple hours away from me in Fayetteville, but I have hopes that our paths will cross again for some quilty time!

Aby sent some pics of a darling string basket quilt I want to share with you:

Wooowhooooo! Bring on the strings!

She writes:

Hi Bonnie,

Thanks for the inspiration to use the strips and strings I've been collecting.

The 4 center baskets were a round robin of sorts with 3 friends in the Nuertingen guild. I gave them a basket block and asked them to border it with a black and white print, and then a border of a color opposite (the color of the block) on the color wheel. Judy Ehmer adapted the Roll, Roll Cotton Boll border for her basket! Bless her heart!

I didn't have a phone book for the outer border string piecing . . . so I used a monthly magazine from ADAC Motorwelt. I love this quilt!

And I still have bags of strips and strings, all color coordinated. I can't wait for your new book to be printed!

Love, Aby

She sent a close up too – Aby is a fabulous long-arm quilter, take a look!

Detail of Aby’s String Baskets!

I am so all over those black and white prints mixed with the brights. SO FUN!

Next up we have Sue Mc!

Sue’s Pineapple Blossom!

Sue writes:

Here is a photo of the Pineapple quilt you did at our guild, Peace by Piece. I have to quilt it but I think it came out great.

Sue Mc

Sue, it turned out SO pretty in those autumn tones! I love that you used fabric that had fruits and veggies on it…what a great way to use that fabric!

Sue’s Autumn Bounty!

What a great quilt!

And finally for today we have a very special story. I’ve held on to this one waiting for the right time to share it ----

I want to introduce you to Kelly C. I’ll let her tell you her story:

She writes:

Bonnie,
I had to share my latest quilts and the story behind them.
In January last year, my brother-in-law was killed in a car accident. He left behind a wife and three beautiful girls, ages 19, 14, and 8. Of course, everyone was devastated.

After a few months, I approached my sister-in-law and said I would like to make memory quilts for the girls. We rummaged thru his closet and found some t-shirts and other clothes that the girls would recognize. I had no idea what I was getting myself into!!!

Lacy’s Quilt-Front

Lacy’s Quilt-Back

I found three of your patterns that all used the same size strips. I began cutting shirts into strips and pieces, combining them with some other strips from my stash (and maybe a shopping trip or two!). The work was cathartic, both for me and my husband, who had to live with pieces and parts of three quilts spread around the house! The fronts of each quilt contain a combination of their father's shirts and a variety of other fabrics; the backs are more traditional "t-shirt quilt" style, using their father's shirts from the various teams each girl played with among fat quarters in their favorite colors. I also printed some photos of each girl with her dad and a family photo for the back.

Lauren’s Quilt –Front

Lauren’s Quilt –Back

I finished the quilts about two weeks before Christmas - nothing like a deadline! The girls all received their quilts on Christmas eve and were delighted! I tried to take a lot of pictures as the quilts were under construction. We are now working on a photo journal of how the quilts were made.

Lindsay’s Quilt –Front

Lindsay’s Quilt-Back

I've kept them 'under wraps' all these months to keep the surprise - now I'm ready to show them off and say THANK YOU for the wonderful patterns, advice and inspiration you've given me!!! You are a great mentor - I'm looking forward to a time when I'll be able to take one of your classes in person. Thanks for everything you do for quilters!

Kelly, your story touched me so much! It is so hard to lose someone we love, but especially hard for a child to lose a parent. I love what you’ve done with the images, the shirts, the memories!

Be sure to come back tomorrow for more 12 Days of Show and Share!