Rebirth of Creativity

Two quilts completed but I was not sure where I wanted to go next.  I had been saving a lot of quilt ideas but needed inspiration.  Then, early in the spring of 2010, I found out that one of the girls in my old Girl Scout troop (now all adults) was expecting her first child.  “Ah ha! I can make Kelly a baby quilt!”   

A quick trip to my LQS was needed, of course! While getting a very nice dose of fabric therapy, I found a charm pack of Moda’s Animal Alphabet.  I loved all the bright crayon colors and the cool prints in the line and felt they would make a very cheerful baby quilt.  House Dragon had posted about a disappearing nine patch, which sounded easy to do.  While working on the the quilt top, I learned that sewing speed and accurate ¼" seams don't go together. 

During the time I working on the baby quilt, I found out that a dear friend had discovered a lump while doing her monthly breast exam and was going in for a biopsy.  Leabelle’s mother had had breast cancer at the same age and it was a scary time for Leabelle, her family and all who love her.  Of course, Leabelle needed a quilt!   And this meant another trip to my LQS!  I selected the "5 and Dime" pattern by All Washed Up and Blush fabrics by Basic Grey.  The top went together very easily and I was very pleased NOT to have to trim the pieced columns AT ALL to make them the same length because....  *drum roll*   ...my ¼" seams were
accurate!

 Added at smellslikesalad's request/demand :)

 

One unexpected thing came out of this quilt project.  While looking at fabrics for Leabelle's quilt, I found I couldn’t bring myself to make an all-pink quilt but made a quilt with pink in it.  You see, I have a thing about disorders/diseases/disabilities… probably because  I have multiple sclerosis.  

Please note the wording of “I have multiple sclerosis.”  MS is part of who I am but it is not all of who I am… not even the major part of me.  I don’t say, “MS has me” because MS doesn’t HAVE me… I have MS.  Semantics, I know… but sometimes semantics are important.   Leabelle might have cancer but the cancer was NOT going to have her!

When I gave Leabelle the quilt, I pointed out this wording to her and explained why the quilt wasn’t all pink.  Not 100% sure she completely understood the point I was trying to make… I know it’s weird… but it didn’t really matter, I suppose.  Thankfully, the biopsy showed the lump to be benign.

I had now made four quilts of various sizes and had a bit more practice with them pesky ¼” seams.  I was on a roll!  Patterns and fabrics were accumulating and I was ready to tackle The Grandbaby Quilt Project!