A Quilt From The Heart ~ Choose Joy

Jo suggested I link in with my quilt over at Quilt Story blog today, and I decided to do that. With the theme of a quilt having a story, I think it will be a good addition and fun. Thank you Jo for the suggestion.

I have finished my quilt from Jo's Crumb Along Quilt Along challenge. This post is the finished quilt and the story that goes along with this quilt. This post may be a little long, but the story is going to be told here more for myself than any other.
(all photos are click-able to enlarge)

I found Jo's blog about the quilt along and decided to try this "crumb" process of piecing. I had never done this type of piecing but I had lots of scraps that I could use up. So, I signed up and gathered up my scraps. Now, the scraps I used for this quilt are the scraps left over from my begging quilt project. What is wonderfully special about these scraps is the fact that they were sent to me by bloggers from all over the world. Bloggers are a special group of people, and the generosity from these wonderful people is always overwhelming. The story really started here....the fabric bits from friends connected by the internet sent to a fellow blogger for a project. Fabric bits and kind hearts united for a cause.

Once Jo posted the first instructions, I made those first blocks fairly simple. The next day, I got started and I finished in one morning and waited until the next week for further instructions. The very afternoon I finished these first blocks, word was sent via a new blog post that my sweet friend, Sara was indeed making her final journey home to heaven. Shock, Grief, Disbelief, Despair were emotions that flooded my heart and mind. Some of you may know Sara from her blog Gitzen Girl. We met in 2008 shortly after we both started blogging. We connected and became fast online friends. She has always been like a daughter to me, or maybe a younger sister, but most importantly we were heart friends from the start, the kind that knows no beginning or end. Sara has always been sick from the time I have known her, in fact house bound due to her health issues. This year has been hard on her, but even knowing all of that, one is never prepared to say goodbye or even wish to think about doing so.

The next few days were like a blur. I sat my sewing down and walked out the sewing room fixated on the computer and updates on Sara. Praying. Crying. In disbelief that this was happening and I was miles away from where I wanted to be....with my friend whom I had never met face to face but only heart to heart and her family. Time had run out.....we would never met this side of heaven.

The next week, things were still much the same, and the new instructions were posted on Jo's blog. So I did what I knew to do. Sit and sew, and sew and sew.....all the while praying with each stitch for my friend and her family and many friends. That was the running theme with this entire quilt. Prayers for my friend, and then for her family and friends grieving after she was gone. It became clear to me along the way that this quilt was not one I would be keeping for myself. I was led to finish this quilt  for my sweet friend, Sara's mom. So, I will be mailing this to her when I have it quilted.

One of the key elements in this quilt is the lettering. I had decided at the start I was not going to do letters as Jo had done on her quilt. I had never done them, and did not know how. Somewhere along the way, that went by the wayside, and I was able to create Sara's catch phrase for living...."choose joy"......and that became the focus for the borders. In choosing joy, which I really did not feel like doing, but out of my heart of hearts knew that is what Sara would want, the letters formed rather easily out of scraps. I also choose to border the words with all heart blocks instead of the stars Jo had chosen for hers, as for me the hearts represent all the hearts touched so fiercely by this special friend.

Another touch that I knew I needed to add was a block dedicated to her dog.....Riley. Sara loved Riley and he was always so much a part of her post on her blog. This block took me more hours than I care to admit, but I had to have him in this quilt......Riley is so special and he deserved a special place in this "Choose Joy" quilt because he did bring so much joy to Sara and all of us who shared that joy with her.

 This is the real Riley ~ The Riley lookalike Block

I am pleased with the results, mainly because I had no idea how I was going to do it in the first place, I just knew I needed to figure it out! All little pieces put together in hopes of looking like the real pup. I think Sara would have been so pleased.

The finished construction of this quilt represents for me, an idea of what bloggers mean to each other. Each different, but all have an impact just the same. Some play a big part, others a small piece in each of our lives, but they are all connected with a common thread. Friendship. From the fabrics sent, to the finished pieced quilt, it was a labor of love from start to finish.

I have mentioned before that quilts have a story. Sometimes, the story is what inspired the quilt in the first place. It is in the story that the idea came together and gave the quilt a direction when there was none. I had no idea how this quilt would come together or that the journey would have been such a bittersweet one, but I am so thankful to Jo for the opportunity of the quilt along. It happened just at the time it was meant to take place. It was therapy for a breaking heart and hopefully will be a light of joy for its new owner. I hope when Sara's mom gets this quilt she feels the love and prayers that come with it and it will be something she knows was made from the heart out of much love.

****Sara lived her life by making the decision to Choose Joy in everything and every day. No matter her circumstances she trusted in God and all he was for her. If you have not visited her blog, Gitzen Girl, take some time to do so. I know you will be inspired, encouraged, and enlightened to Choose Joy in all things too.....or at least aspire to do so. I was so blessed to have been able to share a small part of Sara's life and she will always be my forever heart friend.

Crumb Along Quilt Blocks - Nine Patch, Four Patch and Letters

Tuesday was the new step in the crumb along at Jo's Country Junction blog. If you have thought about trying this type of piecing...it is not too late to take a turn with this fun, no matching, no thinking...(well, almost no thinking) type of quilting. I have to tell you it has been nice not worrying about a seam allowance, or everything matching up and having to rip out and try again.....well, maybe there was a little ripping out but not much!

This week we were to take a look at the blocks we already had made, lay them out and get a visual of how they looked together, and see what changes in colors needed to be made.

I soon saw that most of my blocks were not only bright, but on the darker side. I showed them here last week. That really is not a bad thing, and I did seem to use LOTS of the focus fabric color which for my quilt was green and Jo said we needed to make sure we were doing that. Green in the blocks....check.

We were to make four patch and nine patch blocks. Below are my blocks I made this past week. I decided to try to keep the focus on more of the nine and four patches. (Photos click-able to make them larger to see detail better)

I choose a few lighter shades of fabrics to add to these blocks. They will be scattered throughout the quilt to hopefully ad some cohesiveness to the quilt as a whole.

I also said when I started this project that I was not interested in making any of the letter blocks. Had no clue how to do that, did not have the book to explain in, so I intended on skipping that part. Well....my lesson is never say never. This quilt evolved into something I never expected.....the story will be here to read at the end of this quilt along.

I have made all the letter blocks for my quilt. On my own. No book, no instructions, no clue where to begin but with a lot of prayer and determination. Thank you Jo for the push I needed to give it a try. Here are some of the letters. These will be on the lower right side of the border on the quilt and carry up the right lower side as well. I used whites and creams as the backing fabrics for the blocks. (thus wanting to add a little bit of the lighter fabrics to the body of the quilt as I described above)

These three will be on the top left corner, side and top. Hopefully will balance out the letters well when I have it all together. All the border of my quilt will be heart blocks. I hope it turns out the way I see it in my head!! :o)

Well, that is what I have done this past week. I hope to sew a bit more this weekend, I am hooked on this crumb sewing. I may need to give away all the quilt patterns I have saved as I may never touch them after this crumb along!!!

Crumb Quilt Along ~ Heart and Star Blocks

Tuesday is the new step in the crumb along at Jo's Country Junction blog. If you have thought about trying this type of piecing...it is not too late to take a turn with this fun, no matching, no thinking...(well, almost no thinking) type of quilting. I have to tell you it has been nice not worrying about a seam allowance, or everything matching up and having to rip out and try again.....well, maybe there was a little ripping out but not much! Be sure to take a look at the next step tomorrow.....I am looking forward to it.

This past week's instructions were to make heart and star blocks. I had a mental block on the star blocks because they always give me the most trouble. Mine are not exactly like Jo's or the other participants but they will have to do. (Click to enlarge Photo)

By the time I started the heart blocks, my heart was indeed needing some cheering as I watched, waited and prayed for a blogging friend who was on her journey home to heaven.

Little did I know when I started this crumb along that it would be just what I needed at the exact time I needed it.  I ran away making the hearts. I think these will be the border instead of using the star blocks, or maybe a mix of both.

I guess I need to get over my phobia of stars. Some are not too bad, but others are well.....lets just say they needed a bit of work.

This really is a good way to use up lots of small scraps you have possession of and don't want to throw away.....Thanks again Jo, for a great quilt along! It is really been so much more to me than just a quilt along, it has been a great project to work on during a very sad time....just what is quilt is supposed to be....comforting.

Crumb Along - Part One of Sewing

I told you yesterday about a crumb along Jo is hosting over at Jo's Country Junction. Every Tuesday is when new instructions on the block construction is posted and today was the first sewing part. I made three blocks.

Wouldn't you know it, the first thing right off the bat is flying geese blocks? The only flying geese blocks I have ever made were in my very first quilt and I have not attempted another since. Thing is....this time, they are not supposed to be straight! You'd think that would be no problem...but for the first 15 minutes...I kept thinking...this can not be right.

But....I remembered Jo saying there is no right or wrong so I just kept on sewing......but boy, do these geese look like they could use some help!

I trucked on and finally finished three. But would you get a look at those geese....ahem! There is a second part of this weeks instructions which is to make some more single geese blocks that I believe will be part of a star block next week....and would you believe the other block that is rather intimidating to me are STAR blocks!!! Nothing like starting off worried that I won't even finish parts one and two....but I plugged away.....hope they are right.....

Here is all three......I am using all scraps and crumbs, strings and pieces of left over blocks for this quilt....yes and I am sure it will be every bit as bright and bold as my last finish.......I think I am gonna like it!!!

Don't forget, it is not to late to join the fun......perfectionist personalities should be warned....it is a strain....but honestly, I may never go back to sewing a straight block or seam again!!

Jo has a link up HERE to take a peek at what other quilters have done with their first blocks.....be sure to take a look, should be fun!

I Save Crumbs And It Is A Good Thing!

As if I have nothing else in the world to do, this morning I found a great new quilt along that of course I have decided I need to join. What a fantastic way to use up crumb scraps that "I" seem to not be able to throw away.


Jo is hosting this wonderful quilt along and IT IS NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN in on the fun! Every Tuesday for 10 weeks will be a new post up on this adventure. Click here to see last weeks post, or click the button on my sidebar and you can get there.....Tomorrow the fun begins!! After finishing my "Begging Quilt" project, scroll down if you missed it over the weekend, I have decided I love, love, LOVE scrappy quilts and this new quilt along is perfect!!

So I am really hoping I can turn something like THIS.......and this is just a portion of what I have saved....into.......

Jo's quilt top she made for her daughter....it is exquisite!

............Something as fantastic as this!!!

So if you have been wanting to try this quilting technique....go by and visit Jo and grab her button!! This should be a lot of fun...I mean after all.....if you are like me, you have no other projects on the back burner.....right????