Tannie's quilt

I didn't think I'd be posting a quilt story so soon, but I gave one away this week, so it's time for the whole story.

Tannie is my nephew's grandma from his mom's side.  (The nephew's dad is my hubby's brother.)

Tannie has been diagnosed with breast cancer.  She's had surgery and the level of disease was assessed and she'll be going through chemotherapy and radiation soon.  So Tannie needed a quilt.

I had this one finished, waiting for a home, so off it went.  I sent it home with my nephew, as his grandma is watching him this summer while his mom works.  I haven't heard if she's gotten it yet, but I really hope she likes it.

The story behind the quilt (because it started before this blog, even if some of you remember the finished product from March 2010):

I went on a shop hop in the summer of 2009 and bought a load of goodies:

If you look closely on the left-hand side, you'll see the fabrics and pattern.  The daughter of the shop owner designed a few quilts that could be made with a set of fat quarters and a bit of yardage.  The shop name is Hearts to Holly, so the fabric bundles were named Holly Bunches, so previous entries about this quilt call it the Holly Bunches quilt.  I chose these and thought I'd love them till the end, but, well...the more I looked at them and the quilt, the less I liked them.

(I'd credit the pattern better, but I can't find it - that makes two patterns my sewing room has eaten lately - the first I hadn't even made yet!)

So I worked on it on and off for a while, but you all should know by now that if you don't give me a deadline, I won't get it done...  But I kind of did have a deadline because one of the gals I went on the shop hop with rolled her eyes at my purchases and said I'd never have them done by the time the shop hop rolled around the next year.  Challenge anyone?  (I totally nailed this one too, by the way!)  Machine quilted it on my little machine (please forgive the puckers!) and bound it and everything.

And then it went into a closet.  I had hoped I'd love it and want to use it on the couch (it's throw-sized, though I didn't actually measure it...duh), but I didn't love it that much.  And I didn't have anyone I wanted to give it to (I need to have at least a small reason) and I didn't want it to get half-used by sitting around because then I wouldn't feel right giving it away.

When I heard Tannie's diagnosis, I knew where the quilt was meant to go.  Sometimes they take a while to figure it out, but quilts seem to know where they're meant to end up. 

And here's a closer photo of some of the fabrics.  It's In the Pink II by Buggy Barn for Henry Glass.  I don't often do a quilt in just one line, but this pattern worked out nicely that way.

In other news, the internship is 2/3 over.  I have 13 little exams to take during my internship and I've taken 11 already.  I'm feeling more comfortable in the lab.  Better able to recognize the bacteria that I need to recognize.  Remembering which tests to do to what to identify the bacteria.  Just about in time for me to be done!  But right now I've got a 3-day weekend and am looking forward to getting another stack of books at the sale on the 4th!  (And hoping to have time to read them and quilt soon!)

Have a great weekend and happy quilting!

Katie

what a day...wait, it was just a day, right?

There's so much to tell.  Grab a snack and settle in.  I'll try to use pictures more than words...

First, I made Christine's soup.  It was delish!  I used these noodles and though they weren't as good as grandma's, I didn't plan ahead enough to make my own.

Yesterday I worked on the red, white and black quilt I bought fabrics for this summer on a shop hop.  Remember the panel?  I sent my brother and sis-in-law on a hunt for coordinating fabric for the back.  When I get the back pieced, I'll show that too.

Then, after the hubby decided he didn't want to go visit his parents after all, I got busy on my SCRAP QUILT!

First I pulled fabrics:

Then I used a trick I learned from you fantastic quilters and photographed it in black and white.  Wanted to make sure I didn't have any sore thumbs...

Okay, that looks good.  Then I cut some strips and threw them in a bin.  Easier to keep them under control this way.  Suprized Skitter didn't hop in - she does that a lot.

Can't believe I had an empty bin...  I got the blocks about half done last night, then continued this afternoon.  I started just 9 because I wanted to make sure the left brain didn't have a fit.

Emma was a supervisor throughout varying parts of the process.  Here she is waiting for me to eat dinner because she already ate hers, but hadn't begged my empty plate to lick clean yet.

Right brain was doubting itself, but left brain kept pretty quiet.  I like the result.  So does left brain.  But I assure you any funky strips are the result of my inability to cut straight, not a planned thing. 

Though I planned to set them with dark blue, the off-white carpet (with stains - thank you previous owners) is making me think twice.

I have to do some calculating to see how many more blocks I'll want.  First I have to decide how wide to make the setting and borders.  The blocks will finish 12 inches.

My scraps aren't diminishing as fast as I  hoped, but as the blocks get bigger, they use more fabric, so there's still hope!

Before I could start on this, I had a few errands to do.  I picked up some more off-white for pinwheels, but no pic.  Imagine it for yourself!  :)  That is washed and ironed, waiting for me.

When we got home, I had two packages waiting for me.  Yay!

First, from Kathleen were these fantastic blocks:

And included in the package were these beauties:

Absolutely goergous strips, every one.  And that second green from the left?  I've bought it TWICE for quilts I've made.  Great minds think alike!  My only regret is that none of these will work in my current scrap quilt.  But I will find a fantastic use for all of them.

Thank you Kathleen!  (big hug!)

And then there was this ginormous package from Mary.  Seems overdoing it runs in the family...  First the beautiful blocks:

And if this wasnt' enough, this crazy, amazing woman also sent ALL of this:

Maybe she's misunderstood that I'm challenging you all to make a scrap quilt from your stash and thinks I'm challenging myself to make a quilt from her stash?  :)  No...she explained that these were donations for my doll and quilt project.  I adore every single one of them (and have bought that light blue for a baby quilt and the same print in about 4 other colors for various other projects) and will make the best use of them possible.  They're some big chunks, which will come in handy for backs, too.

Thank you, Mary.  (big big hug!)

So I issued a challenge yesterday for scrap quilts and I got some takers.  Alice and Mary asked if they could count ones they already have started.  Sure...seems I've got a leg up on mine today, and if this keeps you motivated, I see no problem.  Beth, Christine, Cheryl and Theri also are in, so let the games begin!  (Maybe I should make a button...hmmm...how to do that?...if I get bored enough this week, I'll give it a go...  Maybe I should send out some of my scraps to the "winner"?)  Forgive me if I've missed anyone...

Now, if I've worn you all out, you understand why I can't remember if today was just one day or two.  I love that I've gotten so much done.  I feel so good about myself (and my stash). 

The hubby is taking a nap.  He works wierd hours.  So I have to be quiet.  I'm going to watch The Nanny Diaries (thank you Netflix) and snuggle my much-deprived kitties.

One final picture to leave you with...another finish.  This one has been done for a few weeks, but I finally talked the hubby into holding it up.  Too bad you can't see his face because it's a mix of disgust and disbelief that he's doing this.  The colors aren't great - I'm going to have to re-take this for the scrapbook, but you get the idea.

This is a kit (sort of) I bought on the same shop hop as the red, white and black quilt.  You bought a bunch of 12 coorindated fat quarters and an $8 pattern (designed by someone at the shop - there were a few options and I can't find mine so I can't give proper credit here - sorry!) and had all you needed for the top.  I bought borders too.  I don't love it, but I like it more now that it's quilted than I did when I was basting it.

Whew!

Happy quilting,

Katie

PS  Should I have had an intermission for snack refills?  :)