More quilt projects from this past year and more to come =)

"Bear quilt" I made for my parents for Christmas this year. Small enough for two to cuddle. I hear bear took off with it and they haven't seen it since it arrived...


Frilly and girly and pink bear quilt for my friend in Cleveland area. LOVE how girly this one is!


Heart applique' quilt made for a girl that ended up being born with heart abnormalities and had to have open heart surgery at a week old. God has blessed and she is doing wonderful.

Baby Quilts

A few recent baby quilts of my personal handcrafted design.

Quilt restoration part 1.

Over the Christmas holliday I aquired a quilt that was affectionaly my grandmother's. This is my father's mother. This quilt has been there and back and is very dirty and torn in many places. Due to the delicate nature of this quilt it is for display only after completion. The fabric is to the point it is far too delicate for use and far too precious for that matter. Today I have seperated the front piece from the backing and batting and removed all the yarn that was subsituting actual quilting. It appears the edging was hand stitched and the piecing was done by machine. The worst of the damage is along where the quilt was previously folded and put into storage. I advise anyone who has a family quilt or stores one or looking to store one to save a plastic protective bag when you buy a comforter so that the quilt is protected from dust and dirt which breaks down the fibers of the fabric.

Step one, seperate front from back.

Step two, repair tears in quilt.

Some of the tears are not on the seams and I will therefore have to replace the fabric in some places. All repairs will be done by hand on this quilt. I plan to quilt and edge using the sewing machine.

Step three, wet wash (by hand) with the help of Clorox2. You can also mix your own soap with hydrogen peroxide and a few other things but I'm a simple girl and just spent the money for a very similar mix. Also be sure to test a section of the fabric before just dunking the whole thing in the tub. Less is more (you can always wash it again). For more sturdy quilts you can spin them out in a modern day washing machine. For mine I will opt to airdry in fear of further damage.

1 quart of buttermilk with less than 1% fat content and 1 tbs of lemon juice also makes for a gentle cleaner in step three for less severe stains. For darker stains such as old pencil marks use water, a tiny amount of rubbing alcohol and a few dollops of dish soap.

Another option just for fun is self-cleaning carpet cleaners. Spray on, vaccum off. No washing machine required. I've never tried this method but have heard many success stories.

Baby Quilts

One of the greatest joys of quilting is the construction and giving of baby quilts. Not only do you have one of the greatest blessing God can give (baby) but to make something special and one-of-a-kind for that growing family to cherish is a joy in itself. What got me started? Baby quilts! The picture above is one I hand stiched for the baby boy of a dear friend of mine. Name embroidered in the corner. I'd be willing to re-create a variation of this one (no two quilts are the same).

Quilting Project - Restoration

I imagine in the age old art of quilting there are many quilts that have been passed from one generation to the next. My first major project will be the restoration and salvaging of such a quilt that my grandmother assembled. This quilt is very old and has been residing in my parents basement for at least 10 year. The backing and batting will likely need to be replaced and I will need to research different techniques is cleaning the fabrics on the front. My initial plan is to photograph the quilt as it is (before), carefully disassemble it, clean it, reassemble it, and replace any damaged fabric as well as the batting and backing. It was my grandmother's hope to quilt this quilt however she only ever did some yarn ties to hold it together. Pictures soon to come.