A Legacy – part two

After I made the small quilt for my granddaughter, I knew I had to take the leap and make a bed size quilt.  I had seen pictures of “I Spy” quilts for children and they looked like fun quilts to make.  These quilts contain a collection of colorful pictures of items that children might like.  Also, you could play a variety of “I Spy” games with these quilts.  I made two of these quilts, one for Gavin, my grandson and one for Annika, my granddaughter.  On each quilt I put two of each picture in random places so they could play match games in addition to the “I Spy” games.  While these were much larger quilts they were not quite as large as one made for an adult would be.  I was able to learn, when making these, that I could handle a larger quilt on my sewing machine!

Annika's I Spy Quilt

Gavin's I Spy Quilt

One of the next quilts I made was for my brother, Jerry.  He had been diagnosed with Mantle Cell Lymphoma (a type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma).  He had been going through many different types of chemo and even a stem cell transplant.  It was important to me to make him a quilt.  He was able to use and enjoy his quilt for three years before he died.  I have always hoped he felt the love that I put into it.

Charlie's Quilt

Jerry's Quilt

   

I also made a quilt for my other brother, Charlie.  He has retired in Costa Rica now but luckily, I was able to take it to him while he still lived in Nashville.

The next quilts I made were for my son, Sean and for my other son and his wife, Chris and Kristi.

Chris and Kristi's Quilt

Sean's Quilt

                                                         

Most recently I decided to make more grown up quilts for my grandchildren Annika and Gavin.  (they are now 23 and 17)

Gavin's Quilt

Annika's Quilt

                                                                    

In between all of these I made a few wall hangings, runners and a variety of other items.

Chris and Kristi's Home Wall Hanging

Sean's Guitar Wall Hanging

With the exception of a couple of small cat quilts (yes, made for my cats!) all the
quilts I’ve made have been for loved ones.  After all, that was always my original goal.  I have not yet made one for my husband and myself.  Hopefully that will change this year as I hope to make one for us.

If you have stayed with me through both of these quilt posts - thank you!  I do realize not everyone is interested in things like this but it is part of who I am and I wanted to share that with my friends in blog land because you are all important to me! 

Oh, I also wanted to show you that I always have special helpers when I sew!

Echo, a special cat helper

Willow, another special cat helper

                                                    

         

A Legacy

My family has always been the most important part of my life.  After I had grandchildren, I began to understand a little more about the continuation of life.  I started to think about the fact that I would not always be here.  Children grow up and have children of their own.  Life goes on.

I wanted to leave a part of me and my love for them.  I wanted to put my arms around them and hold them even when I couldn't be there, even when I would no longer be here.  They all knew they had my love and respect.  They knew how proud I was of each one of them.  But I wanted to leave them something they could hold as a symbol of my feelings.

It was funny how it came to me.  I woke up one morning and I knew what I would do.  Quilts!  I would make a quilt for each one of my loved ones.  A gift that would be a part of me, for as I sewed, I would fill it with my love.  They could wrap up in my love as well as the warmth of the quilt.

There was one small problem.  Although I have been sewing since childhood, I had never made a quilt.  Determined, I bought a book on making quilts and began watching a TV show on quilting.  I started small and made a doll quilt for my granddaughter.  The size was not overwhelming and I was able to learn the basic techniques of quilting. 

My granddaughter, Annika, loved it.  Although it was small, it was large enough to be a child size lap quilt in addition to a doll quilt and of course the beginnings of many tea parties and other childhood adventures.

This was the beginning of an adventure for me.  Would I be able to make larger, bed sized quilts for all of my closest family members?  There is a big difference in making a small quilt and making a large one that would have to be wrangled around a traditional sized sewing machine.  I'll tell you about that tomorrow.