Even if you don't know me, the title of my blog should tell you how I feel about quilts.
I truly do believe that
Everyone Deserves a Quilt!
I love to make quilts and I love to give them away. My goal is that the recipient of the quilts I make can feel the love and comfort that I try to sew into each and every quilt.
I often quilt "secret" messages into my quilts when I'm free motion quilting. Actually, there's really nothing secret about it. Sometimes I just "write" the words LOVE, COMFORT, HUGS, or whatever is appropriate for that particular quilt. Even when I quilt following a pattern or panto, I often FMQ a message close to the edge, near the binding. If the quilt is to commemorate a special event, I quilt names, dates, etc.
Sure, sometimes it's challenging and I know I'll never win any awards for my "quiltmanship" (that's quilt speak for penmanship), but I like doing it. It's especially fun for me when the recipients finds the message - sometimes a year or more later. :-)
No matter when the message is found (if ever), I love doing it. It's just my way to saying, "You matter!" and I hope it brings a smile or laugh.
I participated in this year's Hands2Help Challenge
that Sarah over at Confessions of a Fabric Addict organized and was even honored to be a guest blogger. I made four quilts this year and they are on their way to the charities. And yes, they all include a special message!
Here are pictures of three of the quilts. It was raining when I was packing the quilts and packed the fourth one without taking a picture. Darn it! It's green, pink and white and I used the Stretched Star pattern. It was a pretty old UFO and I'm very happy that it's finally done and going to a new home where I hope it will be used and loved.
The message on that one says "Reach for the Stars!"
Here's a Yellow Brick Road quilt that I made while teaching a class. These blocks were my "work in progress" so students could see each step more easily. When they put their quilt together, I put mine together - with a different border and I used a flange binding. :-)
The message included here is "Live, Laugh and Love!
This is the pattern I posted a tutorial for when I was the guest blogger back in April. I call it All Boxed In and it's a simple and quick pattern to use.
The message here is "Sparkle Like a Firecracker!"
And finally, this is a Disappearing Nine Patch quilt, set on point. (I love this layout for a D9P because it is a great way to showcase special fabrics, especially from charm pack.)
The message here is "You Bring Color to Life!"
Thanks for sharing your day with me and remember,
Everyone Deserves a Quilt!
9 comments:
Lovely quilts Joanne and I like the idea of quilting a message into the quilt for inspiration.
Lovely to see what everyone has made!
I love the secret messages. I've never seen a DP9 on point or at all. Do you have a post or a tutorial? Thanks for an interesting post.
What great quilts and what a wonderful idea to have messages in your quilts. I might take your idea and run with it (if you don't mind). I love it!
I love your sentiment about sewing love into each and every quilt, and putting a hidden message into each. What a great inspiration! I know for me, that with the several hours I will spend on a quilt, I spend a lot of time thinking about all those around me that I love and have loved. I like to think that some of that "love" energy gets sewn into each of my quilts :)
Nice quilts, and what a nice person you are! (I love giving them away, too.)
Joanne, your quilts are wonderful! I particularly like the D9P on point - I don't think I've ever seen one laid out quite that way before! Which charity or charities are you sending these to?
Thanks for participating (*and guest blogging") in the Challenge this year!!
Love all your quilts they are so wonderful. I really like the idea of quilting a message in the quilts. I will definitely try that going forward. I've done that on two special quilts and why not do it on them all. Everyone deserves a quilt and everyone deserves a special message!!
Messages in your quilting. What a wonderful idea. I just might have to start doing that too if you don't mind. Your quilts are amazing. They will be loved and cherished.
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