Thursday, July 1, 2010

Ashley's Quilt

I really believe that each quilt I make is special, but every once in a while I am involved in the creation of a quilt that is incredibly so.  Such is the case with Ashley's Quilt. 
When my brother lost his wife in 1999 he gave me all of her sewing things.  Among them was an embroidered quilt top.  You know the kind -- big flowers splashed across a very thin white top with little blue dots for quilting lines.
I didn't know it at the time, but not only had my sister-in-law Debbie worked on this embroidered top, my brother Ronnie had, too, along with their children, Jason and Cathy.   Cathy was no longer living at the time Ashley was born in 1983, so two of the four people who worked on this project were already gone.
  
I decided to somehow figure out a way to cut up this top and make two quilts from it -- one for Ashley since she was getting married soon, and one for her older brother, Jason.  (You know I love a challenge.)


Even though I only had a very rough plan in mind, I went to work cutting up the original top into pieces I thought I could work with.  Then I got input from a lot of quilty friends.  (Always a good idea!)

























This project had its obstacles.  The fabric in the original top was so thin I could actually read through it, so it had to be lined.  Then I faced design issues because I wanted to have enough of the original left for a second quilt.  And last, you cannot just cut through embroidery.  The thread has to be picked out, threaded through a needle and knotted.  Ahhh, but it was worth it.















Ashley was married a few months ago, so I went by her house last week to present her with her gift. 























I think 
she likes it.


















So now all I have left of the original quilt top is a stack of 9" squares from which I hope to create a second quilt that is every bit as special.  










Nothing like committing myself to another big project, is there?

3 comments:

Mimi said...

I think the first one of the two turned out beautiful. At least with the second quilt, you don't have to redo any of the embroidery. I am sure you will come up with something just as beautiful for this second quilt. Can't wait to see what your ideas will be.

Sandy Panagos said...

Thanks, Mimi. You are right that I don't HAVE to re-work any embroidery. However, I did save what was left of those scalloped edges, and you know me...........

barbar50074@att.net said...

Great job on both quilts. Sure they will be treasured by several generations.