My Mom's Last Tree

   

    If you know me well you know that I have not had a close relationship with my biological mother due to events of my early childhood.  I have not physically seen get since I was 17, but we have kept in touch from afar for most of the last 17 years (Seems odd about the year thing).   On January 15th I received a call from a hospital in Greenville that was almost 4 hours away.   I went to be with my mother as she made some decisions about her care and how she would spend the last days of her life.  She entered into a hospice within 3 days and passed away in 2 weeks.  I spent most of that time with her and will never regret those moments.   As she was passing away I turned this doily into a small quilt.  It came from her house and all the material in it did too. I made this for a Project  Quilt challenge. The challenge was to upcycle.  To use three materials that I would otherwise not use in a quilt to put it together.  I used a silk scarf,  a felt jar openers,  a shirt, 2 pair of pants to make the tree.  I used a lace collar to make the grass. I used another silk scarf for the backing and a container of buttons I found at her house.  I did all of this in one morning.  The last day I received communion with her.  

   One of the odd things is that one of the buttons said est. 1947.  The year she was born.  I originally pulled it out because it was blue, like a blue bird in a tree.  I remember when we were younger she always wore blue. 

     I had a calling to make a tree.  Not sure of the reason, but maybe because she saw her family tree as complete.  In her last 2 weeks, she met all of her grand kids and saw 3 of her children.  We went threw pictures and she told me stories.  My aunts and God, I believe gave me the time with her.  It was a time for healing for us both.  A time to lay the past at rest.  In my heart I believe God gave us some of the most special time.  I wish I had more, but I am thankful for each moment I had. 

     I did a lot of hand sewing during that time.  And know that the comfort of sewing also gave me peace.  I think I will frame this and place it somewhere to always remind me of that time with her! 

     Here she is with me my brother.  One of the last photos she took:(

Lots Of Strings For The First Project Quilt Challenge

    

      This is the second year that I have participated in the Project Quilt Challenge.  I enjoyed it soooo much last year.  It encouraged me to meet a goal every other week.  I was overwhelmed with Christmas sewing and had not done much for the last 2 weeks.  But on Sunday afternoon when I woke up I was excited to learn what the weeks challenge would be.

     The challenge this week was make a quilt entirely of strings.  Strings are anything under 2 1/2 inches.  I had pinned this photo on Pinterest from Flossy Blossy's blog.  

     My original thought of what I was going to do was a quilt like this,  but since I work a full time nursing job and a part time one, time was not on my side.  

     The 2 other goals I have with Project Quilt are that I try to make at least a throw size quilt each week and that I use only fabric I have on hand.   So off I went to trying to replicate my inspiration quilt. With my work home schedule I only had some of Friday and Saturday to work on it.  

     I decided to cut 8 inch muslin squares out and sew scrap strips to them. I decided to use muslin this time since I hated pulling the paper off the back.  And it does add weight to the quilt which I love.  I did not cut the scrap strips into straight lines. If they were angled they stayed that way. The strips were anywhere from just over 1/2 inch up to 2 inches.  These were cut pieces of fabric left over from my sewing from the last few years. I made 16 of these blocks and they ended up as the centers of my stars. I then cut out 16, nine inch squares of muslin and did the same thing.  

     When I was done with these string blocks I decided that I did not think I had enough time to do the light colored strings.  So I had to make a detour.  I held up my precut squares to my solid color shelf and couldn't decide what color to choose.  So in walks my 13 year old son Waylon and he choose an olive like green.  So green it is as my  background fabric instead of the white strips. 

  

     I tried something else new this challenge.  I have not sewed triangles in a while.  I have actually only done it a few times.  So I tried the trick where you draw a line down the middle and sew a 1/4 inch on each side.  Then you cut down the middle.  It worked!!! I will definately do it this way again!!!!  So I made all the 9 inch scrap squares into triangles and then squared them up into 8 inch squares!  

     

     I then laid out the stars and began to sew them together.   It ended up being 60in x 60 in.  I lined this quilt with fleece as the batting.  I then sewed together half a a piece of flowered yardage as the backing to make it long enough.  

    For quilting, I straight stiches a line on either side of my block sewing and then did the middle of the triangles.  I only had a brown variegated thread on hand that matched the top and used a cream on the back.  I bound the quilt in. Scrap bi l that I had.  And yes I machine sewed the binding on.  And this quilt I am calling String Stars!!  While your looking at it see if you can find hidden objects!!

     Out of my squaring off scraps I made a hot pad.  There are over 100 little pieces of fabric in it.  It may not be the prettiest thing, but I have gotten huge on recycling fabric.  So since all these pieces of fabric are under an inch and strips of strips, I see this as a qualifying project if you don't think the quilt is!!  Just thought it looked cool too and I am trying to make something out of each projects scraps!

Hope you enjoyed and read up here on Project Quilt so you can join in next Sunday!!!  Here is their link!!

http://www.persimondreams.com/project-quilting/season-5

January Finishes

       So January is coming to a close.  It's been a very busy month with lots of personal stuff.  Every other week I have been working five 12 hour night shifts.  It wears me out:(.  But work is work.  But then life with my dying mother came in.  This month I started the Project Quilt Challenge.    

1- Scrappy Quilt around the world

2- string quilt- DONE

3- crab quilt

4- Rainbow quilt

5- Jean scrap quilt

6- Cindy's moms quilt

7- I spy quilt boy

8- I spy quilt girl

9- Christmas I spy quilt

10- Christmas Tree quilt

11- Cival War Quilt

12- Batik Quilt

13- 2 inch strip quilt

14- breast cancer quilt

15- Bonnie Hunter mystery quilt

16- feed sack quilt

17- rainboot quilt

18- design a block for Persimon Dreams Blog

19- Floor Pillow

20- 37 sunflower blocks almost done

21- Autism quilt for Michael

22- Crown royal Quilt

23- Herbie pocket quilt

24- Karen quilt

25- Herbie Scrap quilt

26- Project Quilt all weeks

27- Bejeweled Quilt

28- Project Quilt bonus challenge. 

29- Project Quilt Monthly Challanges

30- Finish 20 more Ahhhh's- finished 2

    It has been a busy month with my new adjusted work schedule and my mother dying.  My schedule at one hospital is not set, but the other I have now set myself to work every other Sunday night.  I now work at least 4 twelve hour days every other week.  But in the end a nice house will pay off.  A new house.  That should have been goal #1 for 2014!!!

    As I will write in another blog, reuniting with mom before her death took up most of my month.  This month was both a rewarding and sad month when it comes to my life.  More later.

     So back in the crafting world, I finished Quilt #1 of Project Quilt and an extra tease.  A hot pad! One of my other new goals of the year is to make gifts all year.  I decided I would make 1 scrap project for every quilt I finished to use up scraps.  I am hoping that this will do 2 things.  One, cut down on my scrap bin and two, help me be more prepared for Christmas.  The only bad thing is I love to give presents all year so I will have to work harder on keeping extra handmade things!!!

  

     On to goal number 2 of the month,  making 37 sunflower blocks for a block swap I committed to last year.  That is a lot of blocks.  I was almost done when I got the call about my mom so that will be a new Febuary goal.     

     My third goal of the month was part of Project Quilt.  It was a wall hanging that will be part of that other blog.  

    

 If you want to participate, come look here  http://fiberofallsorts.blogspot.com/p/2014-lovely-year-of-finishes.

If you want to participate in project quilt take a look at this link html?m=1http://www.persimondreams.com/project-quilting/what-is-project-quilting

Happy New Year!!!

     I guess this year will be a year of working, sleeping and eating!!!  I worked all of last night, right into the morning, slept all day and I am now going back to work tonight. But I enjoy my job now so I have to do it with a smile!!!

     I am so thankful for all of 2013.  The best part was going back to work at St Francis part time.  But if you ask my son it was the fact that I am now driving a truck, lol.  

    Every year when I worked at St Francis, Julie Johnson brought sparklers for us to light off at midnight.  This year was no different!  The only difference is this may be Julie's last year with us. We all walk outside the ambulance bay and smiles appear!! This year Emily brought party hats to add to the festivities!!!   The antisocial Dr Chag even joined in the fun!!!

     Back to a night at Kings tree tonight!!!

 

New Family member!

     

     My son brought home a new dog.  A  black lab.  He got it from a lady at work.  It was only 3 1/2 weeks old when he brought her home.  She had quit nursing off her mother and he volunteered our family to take on the challenge.   I was at work and he asked his dad.  I was so shocked when I heard his dad said yes.  And when I woke up, a puppy was here.  So a trip to the hardware store to get shots, food and goats milk was in order.   I don't always think that kids know how much they put on their parents at time!

     So far on my nights off she has not been sleeping all night and wakes up whining.  And I mean a loud whine.  Loud  enough to wake everyone but Wade up.  The person the dog belongs to!!  So up we go to tend to her.  I can say even Waylon gets up to help. And when Wade is at work and school, she is dear old Moma and Daddies dog.  Left up to us to train.   

     Wade has been good though, he takes her with him everywhere she can go.  He has even taken her to all our family functions.  I think she has taken more rides then any other do.  Well maybe. Not caught up to Maggie yet!

     Frankie keeps saying she is an outside dog, but Wade says she will not be.  Let's see what happens. We have had her for 3 weeks now and she has grown so much and learned so quickly.  She is a very smart dog.  Knows what's in the fridge.  Is like a spider and will climb onto furniture.  Remember she is like tiny still.  

     The boys struggled on names for her for a few.  The 2 that came in first were Daisy Duke, to match Maggie Flash from Dukes of Hazard and Santee,  for the Santee Swamp they hunt in.  Wade decided on Santee. Perfect for her Black coat to match a black swamp.

     

     She reminds me of Maggie in ways.  When Maggie was a puppy, we always found her cuddled up to the remote.  Don't know why, but we have photos of both of them like that. And they both perch themselves on the end of the couch.  We call it Maggie's thrown, but now Santee has adopted the same spot. And for now Maggie is sharing.  

     Maggie has been mothering the puppy so. She follows her and cleans her.  When Maggie wakes she goes hunting for her, as when she comes in from outside.  Learning for them to eat out of the same dish and share chew toys has been a challenge, but I think Maggie will adapt well. 

     So I guess you will be hearing stories of a new dog in the Truesdale world from time to time!  This will be a busy work week so I don't think much sewing will be done.  Cleaning I hope,  that's what I need the real motivation to do!

The End of A Very Busy Holidays

     This has been a very busy year.  I have learned many lessons.  This year I took on more then I could chew in the crafting business.  I feel like I sewed so much for others that I could not do for myself.  From outfits to items and quilts.   I made the 3 memory quilts from the previous post and another for a friend in high schools mother.  These are very time consuming but give me such joy!  I have learned a new method of quilting and used material that I have never used before.  I have sewn up new objects as gifts.  I have decided that next year I will work on Christmas all year.  I will not have to wait to the last minute to do for myself. 

     Here is the quilt I made for my friend Melissa's mom.  It has a Rayon Scarf, flannel baby blanket and 2 t-shirts in it. I boardered it out in a paisley brown fabric.   I used a cream Damask fabric to bind it and a red flowered backing.  The fabrics I used blended with the colors in the shirts.  I was really surprised how the Rayon scarf held to the stabilizer.  I just wonder how it will hold up in future. 

     

    I have really learned this holiday, that even though making for other makes me happy that I must take care of my own first.  A change for next year.  A way for me to remember the reason for the season.  Her is to a difference in 2014!!

Cherished Memories Carry On After Death

     A seven years ago my husbands cousin died.   He has a very close family and my kids actually called him their uncle.  His mother kept my boys when they were babies.  My sons still stop by just to eat with her.  Herbie, was the towns dentist and my dentist even before marriage.  He was also the same age as my mother in law and they grew up like best friends. And Karen his wife taught both of my boys in 1st grade.  He loved High school sports and that's the memory that I think thousands have of him.  He use to sit on the edge of the stage in the gym at Macedonia High School and cheer the foxes on.  His love was for all sports.  He could be seen cheering the Volleyball, Softball, basketball, baseball and football team on.  He had 3 kids who were all bright and well rounded  in sports.   I worked at the High School for a period and Katie (his daughter) was one of the students there. Katie had her daddy so involved in school projects at times that I don't think he had time for himself. And during ball season he was the dad who was always there.  His family was his life.  He was the kind of man that I believe any woman would love to marry.  He loved Karen in an amazing way.  He ate lunch each weekday with his mother and family.   Our community and family lost a great man when he passed.  

   Last year, Karen asked me to make quilts for her kids.  At that time I did not feel comfortable enough to do this.  Earlier this year, she asked again.  I knew that I needed to do this for her.   Her family has done so much for mine that I needed to give back.  I spent hours and days cutting apart his cloths.  Then planning and cutting.  I learned that T-shirts were not the best material for quilts, but I could make them work, holes and all!!!   The shirts were anywhere from his high school jerseys to some from when I was in high school to those of his kids high school years.  Shirts that spanned at least 30 years.  I seperated them by sports and then size.  I then placed iron on stabilizer on each.  One of my favorites is his coaching jersey that I sewed shut and left the buttons on.  I used his jeans and khaki's to make the boarders and some collared shirts as the corner squares. Every part of the top was out of his clothes.  I backed it with University of South Carolina fabric and binded it with the same.  I quilted it with a thread that went from red to burgundy.  The colors of his high school and college teams.  Katie's was quilted with a swirl and the boys with curves. On the back,  I placed a pocket with a saying from Karen on it.  The pocket was actually a part of his khaki pants and can be buttoned,  I left the pocket open where you can put your hand inside of it. This was my favorite part.  They are not perfect but I tried my best. 

     I enjoyed every moment of making these.  I loved to quilt and most of all, love the comfort that each quilt gives a person.  I am excited to know that these quilts will bring Happiness to Tyler, Katie and Jared for years.  

     I took these photos in the area that Herbie parked at his dentist office.  I don't know why I chose there, but I know he has seen them and his spirit is in them.