Blogger's Quilt Festival

Have you heard? It's time for the Blogger's Quilt Festival! I'm entering a very special (to me) quilt, a memory quilt using my Dad's work shirts. He passed away in August of 2012. I made two other memory quilts before this one, one for my Grandma and another for my brother. This one went to my Mom.

I spent a year trying to decide what to do with the blue shirts. I remember my Dad wearing them. I decided to go with a white and blue scheme. A star pattern seemed most appropriate. Most memory quilts are scrappy, but I don't believe they have to be. I wanted this memory quilt to bring out the light and love that my Dad emanated throughout his life.

When I saw the Star Surround pattern by Melissa Correy at Happy Quilting, I had an "aha!" moment. This was a perfect pattern for the memory quilt. I used four polyester shirts in various shades of blue, and Kona Cotton in navy and white. When finished, the quilt measured 60x60. I free motion quilted the lap quilt in an allover meander with Isacord thread in white, simple to keep the focus on the stars. The quilt backing is in Kona white, and the binding is in Kona navy. This is my third quilt that I made, and I'm really pleased with it. I will be entering this quilt in the Blogger's Quilt Festival :: Two Color Quilts category.

I was helping my daughter, Ginger #1, with a Kindergarten project for Dia de Los Muertos. She chose to celebrate Grandpa, and I couldn't have been more pleased. Last night we were writing about Grandpa's favorite things. I love how the mexicans, and other cultures too, literally CELEBRATE the dead this time of year. I really like to think of this memory quilt as a celebration of his life on Earth. He was the best! We were so blessed to have him. 


June 1980. Me and Dad.

ca. 1984

Happy Stitching,