Quilting... In My Sleep

What do you do when you awaken in the middle of the night and can't really get back to sleep...

This happens to me not very often, for which I am grateful, but when it does happen my mind tends to go my sewing room and quilting projects and ideas.

Recently I learned that a friend of ours is expecting soon and I knew that I wanted to get a quilt made and sent to her for the shower.  The shower is Saturday, August 12th.

But when other projects took precedence over making her quilt, I resigned myself to the fact that I would simply have to mail it to at a later date... **sigh**  

It was to this particular quilt that my mind wandered to in its sleeplessness/sleepiness that night...

I had pulled some fabric with little bears and the Beatitudes on it a few weeks ago thinking I would make a fabric book for our grand-daughter who just celebrated her first birthday.... I didn't get to the book.  

This fabric suddenly became the perfect item for Tiffany's baby quilt and the idea started developing in my mind... as soon as I had the plan solid in my mind, I drifted off to a content sleep.  

It was the next morning and I was ready to head to my sewing room... except that I really needed to be packing and gathering everything I need for my weekend away.  Such problems!  I convinced myself that I had all morning and could pack and gather after lunch...

I swiftly gathered the various solid fabrics I wanted for the alternating four-patch blocks and started cutting and stitching...

Before I knew it I had the top together!  

Yeppers... before lunch!  I had basically talked myself into taking my machine to the girls weekend, but when I mentioned it to Dave during lunch he replied "No you are not - that machine is grounded."

**Sigh** I shouldn't have said anything... 

I could have easily had it sandwiched, quilted and bound by the end of Friday evening and still had the remainder of the weekend to focus completely on my friends and our time together.

None the less, I set it aside, scrambled to gather all my "stuff" for the weekend and took off up the one of the local canyons to "Retreat, Rest and Relax".

It was well worth the short time away...

I returned home and to my sewing room on Monday morning and finished the quilt... It went off in the mail and was delivered in time for the shower.

Here is the beautiful Momma-to-be...

So... when you find yourself sleepless and the middle of the night, do you "quilt" in your mind?

Tell me what helps you get back to sleep... I love to hear from my readers. 

Happy Sewing!

Melva

See what other quilters are talking about over at QuilterBlogs

Quilters Through the Generations - Yvonne Fuchs

Today I move beyond my personal family and bring in a new family of quilters... I "met" Yvonne last year when I participated in the 2016 New Quilt Bloggers group.  She was of great help and support to all of the newer bloggers trying to get started and growing our audience in the "cyber-world".  Be sure to stop by her blog and take a look at the amazing modern quilts that she makes.  You will not be disappointed.

Yvonne (nee Jones) Fuchs [Quilting Jetgirl]

Have you ever made a quilt? Yes, I have made well over 200 quilts.

I got started when I was a sophomore in high school, my paternal grandmother offered to hand quilt a twin size quilt for me to take to college for my dorm room if I would piece a quilt top. My mother and I went to a quilt store, purchased the Card Trick "Quilt in a Day" pattern by Eleanor Burns, picked out fabric, bought a cutting mat and rotary cutter. It took us many months to put the quilt top together (I did most of the work and mom helped me decipher the instructions and gave me sewing pointers along the way). My grandmother did indeed hand quilt it for me in plenty of time. It ended up being the last quilt she hand quilted before passing away 3 years later. 

Does your mother quilt? 


Yes, my mother, Lorna Jones, is also a quilter. My mother did a lot of garment sewing when I was younger and the quilting bug nabbed her at pretty much the same time I began my quilting journey.


Here are two quilt projects that my mom and I worked on together. We made the blue and yellow log cabin in 2010 (made for a new baby in the family) and the quilt with hearts in 2011 (made for a new baby in a friend's family). We continue to collaborate for family projects: she likes to piece the tops and have me quilt them. These just happen to show us together with the finished quilts.
 

How about a grand-mother? 

My paternal grandmother, Ocie Jones, was a prolific quilter. 

My maternal grandmother, Nerine Schwichtenberg, helped my mom create two twin size quilts in the 70s and they tied them together for the quilting / finishing.

Have I taught someone to quilt? 
I worked with two young children to make them comfort quilts after their father passed away. In the end my idea of making something for them turned into me teaching them about sewing and quilting and was a wonderful experience. They both loved the quilting process the best: I let them quilt their quilts on my long arm!

I also am a quilting instructor and teach classes locally.

Why do I quilt? I quilt as a creative outlet, but my quilting honestly took off when my friends started having children. Making and gifting a quilt is such a universally appreciated act of care and love, and I can't think of a better medium to put positive energy out into the world.

Yvonne recently shared on social media about her Paternal Grandmother - Ocie Jones...

Quick hand stitching for this morning: repairing my gym bag. This bag is one of two physical items given to me by my paternal grandmother (the other is my first quilt that I pieced; she hand quilted it for me). I might not pick out this bag in a store if left to my own devices, but it is precious to me and I took the handful of minutes it took me to hand stitch the seam closed this morning to think of my grandmother and be grateful for what sewing and quilting has meant to me in my life. Thank you, Grandma.









 Every one of us quilters and sewing enthusiasts have someone to thank for taking the time to teach us how to sew... Have you said thank you?  

Feel free to leave your "Thanks" in the comments... 
I'd love to hear your stories of how you learned.

Happy sewing!

Melva

Quilters Through The Generations

Today I am excited to reveal a "logo" for my Quilters Through the Generations" series...

I have an awesome Brother-in-law that is a graphic designer that helped me out.  So, a HUGE shout out to Chris.  Thank you, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

And without further delay....

I Love It!

I will be "leaving my family tree" for the next quilter, but rest assured, she has a great story and there are plenty of quilters in her tree.  

Be sure to come back on Saturday!

Melva

Is YOUR family full of quilters?  

I would love to share their stories... 

just leave a comment below stating so and I will sent you my "Interview Sheet" - be sure to leave an e-mail address so that I can contact you.

Through the Generations - Diane Ashton

Today I Introduce another of my cousins, Diane Ashton.  Our family trees converge at the branch of our Great-Grandmother Lala Teegarden.

And though Diane is not a quilter, she has plenty of history, story and talent to share...


 "Basically, I don’t quilt.  I have friends who do and took a class years ago from one of them!  And I haven’t taught anyone to quilt.

But I've done a lot of sewing - starting with doll clothes when I was 7, making most of my own clothes with Mom, including my wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses, baby clothes for my babies and fun little boy coveralls, shorts and jackets for my sons.

I remember Grandma (Luna) Weller teaching me to sew on her Singer treadle sewing machine.

After I was paid at my first job, Dad took me to a pawn shop on Larimer Street, LoDo in Denver, CO to buy my first sewing machine! I learned and shared Mom's joy about fabric, colors, prints, textures and the whole creative process. She'd often show me the fabric ideas she had for quilts, other craft projects, and of course, clothes!"

"My Mom- Maxine Ashton- both quilted and collected quilts; My Dad- Russell Ashton- assisted with collecting!" {Diane has 49 quilts}




Russell not only assisted with the collecting, but encouraged the quilting...


Double Wedding Ring Quilt made from a kit given to Mom from Dad. The Quilt was pieced by hand by Maxine on many Steamboat/Maui trips. The piecing, putting together, quilting and binding was finished by Mom's Brown Bag Quilting group, Central Christian Church, Denver, CO, 2010, after Mom died. An honor for them and our family.




Red Machine Quilt Flower Garden Variation- Mom (Maxine) made these machine applique blocks and set them into a top, late 1970's. Mom says: "When it became apparent that I would never get it hand quilted, I sent it to a lady in Kansas to have it machine quilted- I love it!" (All applique is in red- Mom LOVED Her colors!)

Navy Blue Four Patch-with a close up. This is a very large Quilt! Mom pieced the top together at various trips to Steamboat Springs, CO, during 1981. She planned the colors to go with the decor in a bedroom in the family home as a spread. She finished quilting it 2/1997, bound it in 2000. Mom stated "Every stitch is mine!" It was with her when she died 10/8/2007. Again- she worked magic with colors!

Pink Hearts and Flowers made by both my Mom and her mom, Luna T. Weller (pictured below). Fabrics were selected and matched by Luna Weller, 1930s, from her and Mom's dresses. Mom cutout the plain fabric and appliquéd the blocks, mostly in Hawaii. Luna had cut out all the print fabrics. Mom set it together with pink sashing "because all homes in 30's and 40's had a pink bedroom in them! And Mom would've set it together with pink." Quilted by a church friend and finished 1991.


(You may remember another quilt like this from Carol's story...)

  

As my cousins have been collecting photos and stories for me to include in this series, Mae made a visit to Joan (we haven't heard from her yet).  Joan had located a collection of butterflies ready to be appliqued onto muslin squares.  Joan was unsure of where the butterflies came from, but Mae happily offered to take them and do something with them.  







When I began receiving the photos and stories from Diane this photo was included...

Butterfly Quilt blocks were completed by Luna T. Weller in 1940's after she moved from Wray, CO to Denver, CO. It was then quilted by friends at First Christian Church in Wray. Grandma W. gave it to Mom in late 1970's and Mom bound it.








I was so excited to be able to share with Mae about this butterfly quilt... Mae then shared with me that she had already started on the butterflies she took home with her...

It would seem obvious that Luna was the originator of the collection of butterflies. How exciting that a piece of mystery has been solved.




Do you have a favorite quilt from your Mom's collection?






Yes, One of my favorite quilts is the Sunbonnet Baby Quilt Grandma T. gave to Mom for HS graduation. Sunbonnet Babies were Mom's favorites- she collected 4 others!


Another quilt favorite of mine, is one Mom designed with a Hawaiian quilter artist- it's a flower garden pattern with 12 Hawaiian flower Quilt blocks, hand quilted with Hawaiian-style quilting, representing the ocean waves.

When Mom designed this Quilt, she specified which Hawaiian flowers she wanted represented. She loved the floral beauty of the islands and the history of Hawaiian quilting. I've not been able to put my hands on her note that details the flowers, however, I know the jade green block (lower left corner) is pineapple and jade green block (upper right corner) is breadfruit (ulu). The Quilt was cut, appliquéd, put together and quilted by an Hawaiian artist in Hanalei, Kauai, HI 5/1984-1/1985.

Each flower is cut from one piece of fabric.

Note the amazing, narrow quilting around each flower! One of my favorites.

Did anyone from your Dad's side of the family quilt?




Yes, this Antique "Ohio Star" a part of Russell Ashton's family estate; top put together by my great-great- great grandmother. My great-great, Cora McClelland Ashton Hepperly, was born 9/9/1883 Butler, Indiana. The Quilt was put together and quilted by Mom's quilting group (Brown Bag Quilters), Central Christian Church, Denver, CO, 7/1988.



It's put together with small, brown gingham!

So, though Diane is not a quilter, she like my Grandma Teegarden, Tressie, picked up on other hand-work...

I've done a lot of embroidery-taught by Mom and Grandma - decorative, crewel projects and counted cross-stitch, currently. I've made counted cross-stitch birth samplers for all of my grandchildren, nieces, nephews, over the years.

I remember both Mom and Grandma Weller often had a bag where they kept their "hand work"- Quilt blocks, crocheting, you name it! Mom carried hers with her wherever she went- she was always stitching!

Grandma Weller was a tatter. I have a collection of felt Christmas ornaments that are decorated with tatting. She spent time with me showing me how to tat using a spool and needles.

Fabric - shopping for it, saving it, reusing it, matching it, choosing colors and patterns and planning its use, were all huge parts of my growing up and learning!


Many, many thanks to Diane for sharing her story... and many thanks to you taking the time to read this story.

Remember, you don't have to be a expert quilter. You just have to have a passion for quilts - much like Diane's dad, Russell Ashton, be an encourager and perhaps a collector.

Do you have a favorite quilt that you have made or received?

I'd love to hear from you...

Melva

Quilters Through the Generations - Lala Teegarden

Welcome back to Melva Loves Scraps and Quilters Through the Generations...

This week I feature Lala Teegarden - in my family tree she is my Great-Grandma - the mother of my Grandpa Teegarden, Forrest, and the Mother-in-law of my Grandma Teegarden, Tressie.  

From a memory book of my Grandpa's, he shares...

My mama's name was Atchafalya Davis.  She was known as Lala.  She was born on October 14, 1876 in Ray County, Missouri.  Lala bore the lovely Indian name that her family shortened to "Lala".  Mama was a seamstress in town (Trinidad, CO).  She also cooked meals at the Christian Church once a week.  They served complete dinners there for 35￠.  I would help serve the ice cream.

“Lala” Teegarden (on the left) was a member of the Trinidad Christian Church.  There was a group of ladies (pictured above) that quilted at the Teegarden’s.  My mom, Carol recalls, "there was always a quilt set up in the east end of the dining room. The ladies quilted every Tuesday.  Of course, whenever she had some time on her own she would be sitting there quilting.  Lala would piece blocks and when she got the tops put together, place them on the quilting frame ready for the women to quilt.  Any one in town that wanted a quilt could order a quilt from them. The money raised from the sale of the quilts went to the church.  Lala’s daughters (Luna and Viola) quilted from time to time.  Tressie Teegarden quilted some with the ladies.  Everyone was welcome to sit and quilt with them.

This appliqued quilt floral wreath was made by Lala in the 1950’s.  It was found in her cedar chest after she had passed away.  Carol had a group of quilters in La Junta (CO) hand quilt it in the 80's.

Lala made many quilts... These are just a few...
                       The Acorn Quilt

Irish Chain

Ocean Waves

We know that she taught many how to sew and quilt... her daughters (Luna and Viola) and her grand-daughter (Carol) are just a few that we know of personally...

Carol shares... As a young girl I would sometimes spend the night with Grandma and Grandpa.  Grandma would curl my hair, forming ringlets on her finger.  One time Grandma had accidentally sewn her finger on the machine - and that was the finger she would use to form the curls in my hair.  Every time she pulled her finger out of the ringlet the loose, injured skin would catch... OH, it gives me the shudders to this day when I think about it!

And let's not forget the story from my original post...

Everyone was welcome and encouraged to join in on the quilting. She had been encouraged by her Grandma and the other ladies though she knew that her stitches were uneven.  After leaving the house and returning shortly afterward because she had left something behind, she walked in to see her Grandma picking out her stitches.  Ooops!

Now guess who the lucky gal is that has two of her thimbles as well as an assortment of threads?  ME!  Just imagine the number of hours these thimbles were used, and the countless number of stitches and quilts they graced...

OH, the stories they could tell! Just imagine the number of friendships strengthened as the quilters sat quilting... and counseling... and comforting... and mourning... and celebrating... and maybe even a little gossiping...  Celebrating birthdays and marriages and babies...  

Are you part of a quilting group or guild?  

What sort of projects do you work on as a group?

Does your family have quilters throughout the generations? 

What stories and memories do you have of quilters or quilts from your childhood?  

I'd be more than happy to help you document those stories... just let me know by leaving a comment and I will be in touch ~ you can include your e-mail address in the comment.

Melva