if i could wrap all of those i love in a quilt :: my mom

I have been working on a quilt the past couple of months and I recently realized that I forgot to do a blog post after I gave my mom a quilt this past Christmas. Oops! This is a little late.

I had planned on making my mom a quilt for quite some time. She is after all, the person I credit with any sewing ability I possess. As a child, she taught me how to sew. I will always remember is that she took the time to be patient with me in learning this skill, which is not an easy thing to do with a child. This has impacted my life in major ways as it has been a necessary creative outlet for me. She also is the person that I credit with giving me my first quilt, and even if it was one that she picked out for herself and purchased at Walmart, somehow it made it into the pile of bedding that I took to college, and the more I washed and dried it, the more it became my favorite blanket.

Last fall I realized that I didn't have any quilts already in process and the timing was right for making her one to give as a Christmas gift. The pattern I used is Red & Cream Stars #107 by Fig Tree Quilts, and is a lap sized quilt measuring 58"x70". I really like the traditional look of this pattern; my favorite part being how the star points extend into the corners of the quilt border. I picked the mint green fabric because I know it has always been a favorite color of hers (no coincidence that her Prius matches). I liked the contrast of the mint green with the salmony-orange and as always I love to use Kona white to lighten. The back of the quilt is a plain gray flat sheet, and is quilted with simple and straight grid lines. I love how the binding appears invisible as it coordinates with the border on the front, however provides a sharp contrast with the gray backing on the reverse side.

Here she is using her quilt and she asked me to add a comment:
"This quilt is one of my life blessings.
So blessed by Amy's talent and creativity.
I pray for her and her family each time I lay under this
beautiful quilt Amy created especially for me."

On to the next quilt! You may not believe this but after 20 years (oh God can that be right?!) mine is pretty torn and worn. So, it's for...me!

::
amy

if this works

...I may never buy laundry detergent again! 

I wanted to record this recipe and thought I'd go ahead and write a blog in case anybody else was also curious about the process and results.

I'm always looking for ways to make my life easier. I know what you are thinking...making laundry detergent...how is that easier than just buying it? Well, if this works, I think this little canister should last me 5- 6 months. Plus, sensitive skin runs in this family and I kinda like knowing what's in it. You know those "soap people" have me wondering. Why do the containers have to be so large and heavy? What is in it? Why is the cap/scoop so much larger than the amount you really need? Hmmm....you know what I think, I think it's because they lye. :) Quite possibly my worst Mom joke ever. Let's be real here, I just can't afford the space/weight in my Prime Pantry box during winter hibernation!

I altered the recipe slightly that I found on this site. I am making a half batch this first time around. I was not able to find OxiClean Baby at Walmart or Target, so I went with the regular Oxi Clean. It doesn't rate as high on the environmental scale but decided since it is the first time making it to use what I normally have on hand. I also used a different brand of castile soap - Dr. Bronner's Unscented Baby-Mild, which I found at Whole Foods. If you want your detergent to be scented they have a large variety of scents there. I got the washing soda and baking soda at Walmart, check the laundry aisle where you normally buy your detergent...it should be there.

Ingredients:

Arm & Hammer Laundry Booster Super Washing Soda 3 lb. 7oz. box - use 1/2 box
Arm & Hammer Pure Baking Soda 4 lb. box - use 1/2 box
5 scoops Oxo Clean Versatile Stain Remover (which is half the container)
2 - 5 oz. bars Dr. Bronner's Pure-Castille Soap Unscented Baby Mild

Makes approx 11-12 cups detergent

*Here is how I mixed it. I hand grated the baby soap just like a block of cheese. Then I mixed about a cup or so of the grated soap with a cup or so of the baking soda into my mini-Ninja processor. I pulsed it for just 20-30 seconds or so until it was very fine powder (resembling the baking soda), then dumped it into a large pot. (*I have no idea what grating soap will do to your kitchen tools so if you are concerned you should do some research first. I think it made mine cleaner?). Continue that process with the remaining grated soap and baking soda. The rest of the ingredients you just dump into the pot and stir together. It took about 30 minutes to make because AJ was helping. :)

Then you just get yourself a container and 1 Tbsp scoop. Use 1 Tbsp per load, maybe 2 at most if you have a super dirty load. I know what you are thinking "ONE Tablespoon?" How can that possibly be enough when I normally use about 1/2 cup of liquid detergent. I'm also curious! I'm hoping it's as much success as switching from dryer sheets to dryer balls was!

Wish me luck! (& stay tuned for an update!)

amy


PS. While on the topic of laundry, I recently finished painting my laundry closet. The third time it's been painted in 10 years and I landed on (drumroll please) .....WHITE! Hee hee got to love the irony in that. And yes I painted two coats (again, er I mean for the third time) behind the washing machine and dryer. I think I may have had some sort of breakthrough this time though because I actually wast wondering while crouched under there paintbrush in one hand, flashlight in the other, where my mind has gone. I mean I still had to do that second coat though. But I love it! So fresh and so clean clean. Let me just enjoy this moment without thinking about how many loads of laundry are stacked up...

if i could wrap all of those i love in a quilt :: a birthday quilt for james!

I knew after I gave Jenny her quilt last Christmas that I was in trouble. Jenny knew this as well the second she picked up her gift from me. I had done a good job keeping it a secret but there wasn't much surprise left when she picked up the large gift bag and realized the quilt-like weight of it. I even recall hearing her mutter "uh-oh" and looking nervously at me and James as she began to take the tissue out of the bag. You see, James has been asking me for a quilt for quite some time now!

With every quilt I make, I have some time to clear my head and think. I can't help but consider who it is for and why I am making it. Each time it teaches me something. This time around I couldn't help but think about the fact that James is actually the first person to ask me for a quilt. There is something special about giving something [artistic and time consuming] to someone when you know that they will appreciate it. As it is with any gift giving, I'm probably not alone here, I do a little questioning about whether a person will like or use the gift I want to give them. Part of me that wonders: Will it be used? Is a homemade quilt the right thing or would the recipient rather have a quilt from Target or Potterybarn (that would have cost probably at least half as much and taken no time at all)?  I am sure all of the quilts I have made for others are well loved, I don't doubt that. In the end it is always worth it for me, but this time it was nice to know ahead of time that he really wanted it, and not just to look pretty on the couch but so he could use it!

And so the lesson here is - don't be afraid to ask for what you want...thanks to James for reminding me of this throughout the process of making your quilt! I also would like use this opportunity to document that I outsmarted James. Lets just say he is the worst person to give a gift because he guesses so easily (sparing no one or no gift) what is inside the package. I wasn't sure if he thought I was making him a quilt for his birthday, but if he did, and I handed him a quilt sized box he would have for sure guessed what it was, totally ruining it. So it took me some time to figure out the appropriate way to give it to him without spoiling the surprise. Upon arrival to the cabin on his birthday, as we were unpacking the car I simply threw it at him unwrapped and ask him to take it inside. I totally got him. Yeeessss.

And as with any quilt gift I like to include some personal shots.

i'm asleep

no really i'm sleeping

Pattern: I winged it using half square triangles in a herringbone pattern. Inspiration credit given to this post at newlywoodwards.com. Inspiration also taken from his Moomba wakeboard boat colors.

moby one

Fabric used: All solids, Kona brand. Backing is a plain black Queen sized flat sheet from Walmart.
*Also* This tutorial for making half square triangles was a huge timesaver!!
Quilting was done on my very basic sewing machine. I used basting spray instead of quilting pins because I read that it not only saves time but works better when quilting straight lines. I debated a lot over what color of thread to use but decided on black because I thought it might not contrast as much since there is already so much pattern going on. The quilted lines are 1/4"away from the edges of each square, giving a simple pinstripe pattern on the reverse side.

On to the next one!

::
amy

if i could wrap all of those i love in a quilt :: bev and jenny

It all started years ago when we realized Dan had a button down shirt problem, or rather an elbow problem which after time wore a hole in each sleeve. They were no longer suitable for donation but seemed crazy to just throw away those comfy worn beautifully plaided shirts....wait a minute...quilts! Naturally, I decided to make the process for making a quilt take longer. Simple patchwork has typically been a favorite style for me but for this round of quilts I decided to change it up a bit.

If you have ever said goodbye to someone you love, you know how difficult it is to see their belongings after they have passed. Belongings are one thing. Clothing is another. If you haven't had to sort through a loved one's clothing after they have passed don't pretend to understand how difficult it is. In the case of my dad and his sudden passing this was especially difficult. To see his boots worn to the shape of his foot. To smell his strong cologne burned into the fibers. To see what he was wearing the last time I saw him. And oh the piles of whitey-tighties (gotta smile at that). When it came to the button down shirts, I knew I needed to save those. I offered to make my step mom Bev and my sisters a quilt of dad's shirts if they wanted one. I didn't want to do the work if it was going to be something that would only cause sadness or uncomfortable feelings. Would you think it was weird to cover up with a quilt made of a (cringe) dead man's shirts?  Bev and Jenny were an immediate "yes" and Holly decided that she did want a quilt, but his t-shirts meant more to her so she decided to have someone make her a t-shirt quilt instead (I'm not skilled in the t-shirt quilt department).

It may have taken me four years to fulfill my promise but here they are. I gave them both as Christmas gifts this year. They are used entirely of dad's shirts - except - the back of both of them are a solid sheet & on Jenny's quilt the white and the edge are both purchased fabrics.

Bev's Quilt

Pattern :: Oh my Stars! by Make it Do I picked this pattern for Bev because I really wanted to include stars on her quilt. She loves blue and white and then I added the other colors to accent.

Types of shirts used :: flannel (plaid), corduroy (light brown), chambray (purple, white, gray), heavy weight (navy)

I love to try to include pictures of someone either with their quilt or showing pics of them in their home - here it is in Bev's house!

Jenny's Quilt

Pattern ::  Diverging Diamonds in Fabulously Fast Quilts by Amy Smart
This quilt is strip pieced which is quilt a bit faster (like if you say, start on it the week before Christmas). I chose the oranges and browns for her because it reminds me of the colors in the cabin and would also coordinate nicely in her home.
Types of shirts used :: chambray, white is Kona brand

snow picnic anyone?

quilt back...ah those lovely crinkles

i think she likes it!

Working on these I often thought about the transformation of these shirts. Taking something that once hurt to look at and turning it into something beautiful that now comforts us and makes us smile; how we must choose to do that over and over again as we grieve. What a privilege it has been to make these quilts. I think Dad would think they turned out really great too.

::

amy


2 Corinthians 5:17
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life has gone, a new life has begun.

christmas in july :: grandpa art

We thought we would start a big landscaping/patio project for the backyard this summer...turns out so far we have been busy enough finishing up stuff in the basement and keeping up with regular home maintenance. In between those things it has been nice to take a little time to finish up some projects that have been sitting for awhile and taking up studio space (I'm happy to report that by the end of summer it should have freshly painted tables and be all ready for hibernation). Here is a peek at one of those projects. I really wanted to blog about it because it was so much fun.

Understanding this project requires a little background information about my Grandpa Art. He was quite a guy. Devoted husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and life-long farmer. He lived his faith in so many ways, with a heart as gold as an October field. Not to mention he was the one that helped me discover my ear wiggling talent. I can still feel his hands squeezing the sides of the back of my neck causing my shoulders to lock around my ears and a squirmish smile to appear on my face. When I was a kid we would always go to my grandparent's farm and my nine cousins and two sisters and I would be playing games or eating at the table Grandpa Art would say with a smile "That Amy, she's quiet, but she doesn't miss a thing" which in those awkward adolescent years was such a comforting thing for me to hear. The way I understood it; I love you just the way you are.

I could go on and on, but for many of you, this picture really sums things up nicely.

Grandpa Art & Grandma Ninon Netley

Yep that's him back in the 80's wearing a sweater with a large deer on it accented by his red Christmas tree suspenders. LOVE!

He also loved doing puzzles. You don't see that much these days do ya? When we went through my dad's things, we found a box of puzzles that he acquired after Grandpa passed away. I assume that the ones Dad got from Grandpa would have been the ones he gave him. I don't know this for sure, but I like to think of it that way. I decided it might be fun to have one, so I picked just one of my favorites out of the stack.

puzzle box

1,000 pieces and a vintage style jolly Santa Claus, perfect for one of those times of year that we can't help but miss him a little more, December being a celebration of the birth of Christ, and also Grandpa Art. I say this as serious as can be; Dan and I loved putting this puzzle together. It was super fun! True statement: initially we calculated that Hannah could put together a 100 piece puzzle like nobody's business so we thought we could put a 1,000 piece puzzle together in one night. HA! I know he chuckled about that. It took weeks; many many nights looking and looking and looking at the pieces. Their shapes and colors seem so similar at first glance but a closer look over time shows subtle variations and shading that take time to notice. Initally, we had a large pile of red pieces. In time there were probably about 10 piles of different shades of red. I could almost hear Grandpa whisper look a little closer, that is how your father knows you. I think he would have also appreciated that - no joke - we got to 999 and couldn't find the last piece anywhere. Finally Dan just declared he would lay under the dining room table until he found it (and he did)! 

After finishing, it seemed too special to crumble back into pieces and store in a box. So we bought puzzle glue and Dan made a frame according to my specific canvas-like instructions. We glued the puzzle together first on the top, then used spray adhesive on the back to attach to the front of the box. Dan finished it up with a coat of spray clear coat for cars that he had in the garage (who doesn't?). Now it's all ready for Christmas decorating! I can't wait to swap it out with a different picture and reminisce about Grandpa Art.

::

After someone you love dies, it is so hard to know what to do with their things. You don't want to just let it go like it didn't mean anything to you, but you also don't want to keep everything because it will smother you. In the end what you want is them back, not their things. Easy to say now, but it is so far from easy to let go. I'm proud of us for doing this project because at the heart is remembering who Grandpa was, and keeping his memory alive.

Merry Christmas in July!
amy

There he hangs in all his Christmas glory and what not

canvas-style box frame

look a little closer

a barn and a stable for christmas

We took a break from basement work in December and worked on a little handmade toy project for the kids.  A barn for AJ, a stable for Hannah.  When we came up with the idea to make a gift for each of them we knew right away that AJ needed a barn.  It was a little more difficult to decide what to do for Hannah; originally we thought maybe dollhouse but the idea didn't seem to fit.  Then totally out of the blue she told me that she would like "some horses and fences and stuff to play with."  The stable idea was born!  It was fun to work together to design coordinating pieces and also use up some of that scrap wood in the garage.  So happy with the result and the kids were thrilled!