Sun Bonnet Sues Quilted!

So part of my Winter Sewing over my break from teaching was to quilt these darn Sun Bonnet Sues for our friend.

Why'd it take me so long??? Good question!

Quite honestly I was scared! (I was!)

I mean these were made in 1940 and someone else's heirlooms were in my hands!

Seriously!!! 

I'm a hobby quilter...in "real" life I'm a second grade teacher.

But I DID IT!!

The smaller one I stitched-in-the-ditch the Sues and cross-hatched the background. 

 The next quilt was QUEEN size.

After a LOT of thinking...I finally decided to pantograph this one!

Why?

Well.....the seams were thin and some even needed resewing as there were holes.

Next, the fabric was old. I wondered how much quilting it could withhold?

I remet with my friend  and asked her what her purpose of the quilt was?

Her answered that they wanted to use it....eventually passing it down to their grand-daughters.

I also had to keep their budget in mind.

So I chose a light, loopy flower pantograph that mimicked many of the flowers in the Sue's dresses.

Here's the clincher! Geuss which quilt was their favorite! Yep! the one I pantographed!! OMG!!  Have you ever sat on a project for months...contemplating???  When in the end, the project was much easier than you made it. (I mean they didn't know you are "not suppose" to quilt over applique.) 

Lesson learned.

Click here to see more Antique Quilts at this week's Tuesday Archives.

Tuesday Archives #96: Antique Quilts

Hello! Hello! and Happy Tuesday Archives! 

The linky party that let's you rejuvinate OLD blogging posts.

. If you are new to our linky, click over the here to read the details about this fun, weekly linky party.

(You can also check out all our past Tuesday Archives themes by clicking right here.)

This week's theme is: ANTIQUE QUILTS

Like these Sun Bonnet Sue Tops I've been commissioned to quilt, what antique/heirloom quilts do you have? These were made in the 1940's. The backing was of a flour sack texture and all the Sues were hand sewn. Their thin dresses carefully detailed.  

These quilt tops have been well stored as they have no smell and minimal stains. The repairs were minimal, with only a few seams needing to be restitched before I starting to quilt them.

As sometimes happens when I'm preparing for our weekly linky, I get lost in the internet "researching" our theme. This week, as I tried to "define" antique, I found some interesting articles: 

A Brief Essay of Dating Quilts

18th & 19th Century Quilts

The is no legacy of quilts in my family, yet as I quilted these Sue's I found myself curious of the woman who hand-stitched these so very long ago. Her precise stitches. Her attention to detail. Who was she? How Long did it take her to make these? The great-granddaughters these will be gifted to.

Jan. OMG: My FABULOUS Word Quilt

I find affirmation in using a word to "define" my year of growth and self exploration ahead. Last year I found myself  content to just BE....to let things evolve around me and just kinda watch to see what my role would become as our family found ourselves maneuvering though a huge change in our dynamics. It's been that kind of change that seems to come along every now and then, shakes things up, tests your resilience, your Faith. I can tell ya, it's not always easy watching our young adult children work to find their way in the world. My husband and I certainly hold tight to one another as we learn to balance love with boundaries. Support vs. enable.  I'm especially grateful for his patience as I processed  the many emotions these changing dynamics brought forth over the past 18 months. I'm so rejuvinated to have finally reached a level of acceptance that has truly lead me to my 2016 word/motto:  

With all that life and learning shared, quilting/blogging certainly help keep me sane. I have been contemplating a few different words to define my year...searching for a word that would empower me through situations I can not control. A word that will remind me not to loose myself in emotions and circumstances that are not mine.  I received this mug for Christmas as a gift and just smiled. I started to let the word FABULOUS set in... 

 Then, only a few days later as I turned the page on the calendar,  

I knew immediately I had found my motto for the year:

Not the kind of Fabulous that exclaims, yet the kind of fabulous that finds you just working to be the best you can be. To be happy, creative and content in your own shoes. To notice all the things in  your daily life that make it good. But, first, let's not put the cart before the horse. My One Monthly Goal for January will be to create my FABULOUS word quilt: 

I'm going to miss ALYofF and will be joining

 everyone at OMG to set/share goals this year.

 and 

Well, my days of lounging in my pajamas while the weather sits between -3 and 18 degrees have ended and I have to do that thing called: Go To Work today. 

I end this post kinda curious if you use a word to create a focus in the New Year too?

My Quilted Planner Cover

Any of you who got the Quilter's Planner, were also emailed a pattern to create a fabric cover for the planners. I had a lot of fun creating mine and am glad I made it as this little guy will be carried often between work and home. Just think, now I can doodle during staff meeting and look like I'm taking "real" notes! 

Here's the cover:

I enjoyed creating my little wonky butterfly and embellishing it with some creative stitching over the New Year's holiday.  I seriously can not remember the last time I put in a zipper, let alone a pocket!

I was beginning to feel like I was back in high school Home Ec class.

But I did it! Wahooo!!

Here's the inside flaps with pockets: 

This pocket will hold all my sticky notes and a few pencils.

Notice the large ric-rak I used to embellish the top of the pocket. Cute!

I really enjoyed all the Winter Sewing I got in during my break from school/teaching this past two weeks. Thanks for stopping by and keeping me motivated with your visits and comments.  The rest of the day will find me wrapping things up around here. You can bet that means scheduling some January projects that I can't wait to share with you...and of course, finishing up the laundry and getting the bills paid. Know i'm truly looking forward to a FABULOUS 2016 together!  

January Snowlady Wool Banner

Welcome 2016!

It's going to be FABULOUS!