Friday, September 2, 2011

A Great Finish for a New Beginning

The quilt for my daughter is finally finished! I got it back from the machine quilter the other day and have been feverishly trying to get the binding sewn on before she leaves. In between all of the gazillion other things we have to do. Yay, I can't believe I did it!


What do you think?? I am so darn proud of this quilt. Partly because I mostly make small quilts and for me a large one is quite an accomplishment. The pattern is a version of the Soldier's Cot Quilt (same block but smaller) and the colors I used in the Little Shoo-Fly Doll Quilt, both featured in my latest book, The Civil War Sewing Circle.


Also, while my daughter did not actually help me make it, she was definitely involved and I liked that. The next  best thing to making it together. This was probably the first time I can say that she showed this much interest in quilting. Now, granted, the quilt was for her so, of course, naturally, she showed interest. She seemed to grasp just how much work I was putting into it, which pleased me no end as you can imagine. Yes, it was a labor of love at times because there were just some days that I could not get very excited about working on it. Too many other things to do and, some days, just too tired to get going on it. But I plodded along, sewing in short spurts throughout the summer, even when I didn't feel like it. Seemed to take me forever.

The quilting totally made the quilt, and I owe a debt of gratitude to my friend Dawn Larsen for the time she spent and her excellent quilting. Thank you so much, Dawn. We love it!


While she did not actually do any sewing, Caitlin was involved in every aspect of planning the quilt - including the quilting design. She fell in love with the swirls on one quilt she saw and requested the same pattern for hers. Dawn told me the design was called "Enchanted" by Anne Bright.


This was extremely funny to me. All summer long I've been giving my daughter random motherly advice in preparation for heading off to her new life at college. In addition to many practical tips, at one point I jokingly told her to remember her upbringing, mind her manners and to make sure that she was polite to everyone she met. What's wrong with that?  Sounds like good advice to me. She laughed and called me old-fashioned and said of course she would be polite - why, every time she met someone new she would smile and give them her hand and say "Enchanted."

For a truly modern girl, she's also a little bit old-fashioned as well. I can see her wearing her sun hat (not mine, it's hers. To keep the sun off that delicate skin, you know. . . ) sitting on the quilt having a picnic. Or sketching, LOL.


So her quilt is done and that's the last big thing I'll do for her for awhile. The next time I write about  her it will surely be with a twinge of wistfulness. "Mom, you'd better not cry when you take me to school" she told me the other day. Okay, I promise I won't. Until I get back in the car at least. And then I'll probably spend some time wiping away the tears as I remember the tiny little hand tightly clenched in mine as we walked across the church parking lot on the first day of pre-school. The very first letting go. Just yesterday, wasn't it?


29 comments:

  1. Absolutely loverly!! What a treasure that both of you can share!!

    Blessings!

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  2. I would be proud too, it is gorgeous and you did a beautiful job on the piecing. Great design and fabrics.

    Debbie

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  3. Stunning quilt, I love the pattern and colours.
    I'm sure you will be sad to see her head off on her new journey, but you'll be happy for her too!
    Yes I feel like I'm 'nagging' sometimes to my kids, but it is our job to set them off in the world with the skills to survive.Manners and all!!!!

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  4. That is a beautiful quilt, I love everything about it, the pattern, the colors, the wonderful quilting. I'm sure she will treasure it, always. They do grow up way too fast and as parents we have to do a lot of letting go but it is so rewarding to watch each milestone. Best of luck to her at college!

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  5. Good luck saying goodbye to your college girl. How can we not have tears at such a time. The quilt is beautiful and and you will be leaving part of you with her in those pinks and browns.

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  6. The quilt is just beautiful! Love the colors. The two of you did a great job. ;)
    My baby moved to LA last week with a friend. No job. No place to live. Doesn't know the city. They drove across the country. Got there safely. They found an apartment and are oving in tomorrow. Next up the job hunt.
    Hard to let go.

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  7. Lovely quilt... and how appropriate the quilting pattern is called "Enchanted!"

    When I took my kids off to college, I was able to make it back to the car before the tears started.

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  8. It turned out so nice! I've been a fan of pink paired with brown for several years.

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  9. You should be proud Kathy, you did a great job with this quilt!! It turned out beautifully, I'm sure there will be a few tears her end too (just quietly!) as she snuggles into that quilt each night!!!!

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  10. Oh... It is beautiful Kathy!!! Just fabulous!!! Julia

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  11. What a beautifull quilt and it is lovely that your daughter loves it too.
    I wish you strength when you have to let go of your girl.
    Yes cry when you are away, beside the road after a couple of miles.
    She will be sad too you know and she does not want you to see this.
    Greetings from a Dutch mother. Who knows.

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  12. What a lovely quilt! I love the colours you uses. Your daughter must be very happy to have a mother who make such beautful quilts! Greetings from Margreet

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  13. Beautiful quilt! She will carry a piece of you with her to school and I am sure her fine upbringing will serve her well!

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  14. The quilt came out goregous. It is something for both of you to be so proud of. The colors of course are awesome.

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  15. Oh, Kathy, it is beautiful! It will provide more than warmth, but will also be a source of solace and comfort for your daughter. Thanks so much for sharing. (P.S. I bought the rug in the smallest size, so pretty, and it will coordinate perfectly with the quilt -- as soon as I get it finished!)

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  16. The quilt is lovely! Maybe the quilting bug is starting to bite her. She might not get infected with the first bite, though. It may take a few more.... I'm sure your advice will be remembered, even though it may seem old fashioned. We all do it! We're moms! We can't help it, can we?

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  17. Beautiful quilt! How special you worked together on her quilt. She will cherish that too.

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  18. Beautiful quilt! The machine quilting might have helped, but don't run yourself down, the quilt is all yours! Lovely design, beautiful colour combination and lost of labour of love:)

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  19. The quilt for your daughter is beautiful! I love the colors, pattern, fabrics and quilting. She will be wrapped in love.

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  20. I love the quilt! The fabrics are just beautiful. I have your book, so may have to give this a try. Your daughter must be thrilled to have such a treasure to take with her to college.

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  21. First of all, your finished quilt is just lovely! Second, yes, it was just a moment ago...when our children were tiny...now they are soaring out on their own! Great job, Mom!!

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  22. Your quilt is really wonderful!I understand that you're proud of it. And I like the lovely pictures of the quilt. Your daughter will think of you every day with her quilt on her bed.Congratulations Kathleen!

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  23. I've already cried for you! The quilt is beautiful and already full of memories. I went through it with 3 daughters, college and weddings. Then they made me a Grandma! This really is the best time in life.

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  24. Hi! Greetings from Finland!!! Fantastic works, Love them!!! :) I also like small quilts. I really hope I'll see your books one day! Thank you very much for your Blog.

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  25. Kathy, It turned out beautiful!!! You went through a lot while making this quilt and now it holds all those memmories in every stitch. Expecially the ones you spent together picking out just the right fabrics and she did a great job on picking the boarder and the quilting design too. I can just see her snuggled up in it with a cup of hot cocoa doing her home work. GREAT JOB!!! Karen in IL.

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  26. What a beautiful quilt! When my dd took her quilt to school she said it was quite an ice breaker. Everyone going by wanted to stop in to see it, ask how it was made etc.

    My kids both couldn't wait to get "rid" of us ASAP because they knew I would burst out crying if I stayed there too long. The tears didn't start until I got in the car and by the first red light I was woohooing the fact that we were back to being a couple again. Only this time we know what were doing! :-)

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  27. Your daughter's quilt is beautiful - love the pattern and the colors.

    Darlis

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  28. Such a cute quilt. I love the simplicity and colors of it.

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  29. oh Kathy what an echanting quilt, lucky Caitlin!! i'm sure she will cherish it forever.
    It brings back memories of a scrappy quilt i made for Jade's 21st, which included scrolly candlewick heart embroideries..i can't believe that was ten years ago! You know it's her favourite blankie..so heartwarming to know that she has a part of me comforting her way over there in London, UK.

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