Shopping, and parties, and weddings...Oh my!

I drove to Utah with my return Missionary daughter in her new car. She got a job via a tip from an old BYUI FHE brother. Applied online, did a phone interview, then a Skype interview, and got the job in Provo. So we packed her up and I drove out there with her.

Cassi & me somewhere in Kansas.

The colors throughout Colorado were fabulous.

My little sister Shannon and her husband, Rick, were also getting sealed in the Manti Temple as well.

Ah yes, an eternal family formed on 03 Oct, 2014

Ricky Lon & Shannon Cove

Shannon & Rick's big day.

 

While I was there we went and Lindsay picked

this country fabric so we could tie a quilt.

There is Mamma bear helping tack that quilt on.

We used every square inch of that yardage. The bride

and her groom are TALL.

This was my youngest niece's first experience

tying a quilt. Brinley did a great job!

Of course, General Conference was a great

back ground for our project. That is my daughter,

Cassi, & Lindsay tying the last part.

Putting away the quilt frames.

Now it was time for me to attach the binding I made.

I know, some will cringe, but I finish the binding by hand.

 

Before going home I snuck back over to the fabric store to buy any left-over pieces of Lindsay's fabric. I had a couple of ideas up my sleeve.

 

Alas, I couldn't just stay, I was needed back home. So I hopped on a plane and came back to Texas for a couple of weeks. To see my boys, and play catch-up on work.

The weather in Texas was gorgeous and I was pleased

that my lovely flowers were still happily blooming.

Thanks to Jered, for watering them while I was gone.

Not bad for October, eh?

 

But soon it was time to get back on a plane bound for Utah and my niece's wedding. Here is a couple of pictures of this wonderful couple. Yes, this is Shannon's oldest daughter Lindsay, and her fiancé (then) David Stevens.

David & Lindsay got engaged at Sundance

where Lindsay works...yes...for Bob.

So darling.

Lindsay's bachlorette party was fun.

Cassi, Shannon and me.

Cousins and best friends. Lindsay and her

Maid of Honor, Cassi.

I made them pillow cases to match their quilt.

I also made a couple of waffle weave

kitchen towels to match as well.

I added some prairie points.

They turned out great.

Then it was a beautiful day in the House of the Lord

watching two beautiful young people form an eternal

family. This pic was of everyone doing the famous

Lindsay-open-mouth smile. A wonderful day.

 

My heart was so full when I was sitting there, in the Salt Lake City Temple watching my niece get married for eternity, and in attendance was people whom I love so dearly. My Mom's youngest sister, aunt Linda and uncle Larry came down from Canada, my Mom's oldest sister, Della, came with her eldest daughter, my cousin, Linda, whom I had not seen in years, and years. My mom's brother Dennis and his wife Marie, and of course my Dad, Moe, and my step-mother Marilyn, and so many others. I didn't want the day to end and just basked in being in their presence. Mom's absence was felt, and discussed in hushed tones, since no-one wanted to make the bride or her mother cry and ruin their make-up. Mom passed in Sept 2007 of breast cancer. No she wasn't there physically, but she was certainly there in spirit. The support of my Mom's brother's and sisters has been never ending, and is a great lesson to the rest of us about the importance of being there to support each other. I'm so thankful. No wonder people cry at weddings. Now, I'm not saying I did....but...Okay...I did. LOL. It was wonderful that so many were there to surround this beginning family with so much love on their first day as husband and wife.

 

Love, it's what it is ALL about.

 

Love,

Aunt Sandi

 

 





 



 



 

Leanne's House

There needs to be more time in the day. That is what I have decided.

For a quilter there is never enough time to do all the things you want to do. If you don't agree, your not a true quilter.

Our Quilt group started up again in June. I know, that is an unusual time for a group to re-convene, but we have never been accused of being 'normal'. Most groups and guilds recess for the summer but I think summer is a perfectly wonderful time to meet. In fact, any time our group can meet...I LIKE IT! If you can be there, great, and if not...you will have to catch up. Another reason I love our quilting group is that if you are behind, you have friends to help you do the catching up part. :)

This year my friends have chosen a beautiful 'Block-Of-The-Month' (or BOM) quilt that has 9 squares. Each square has several different elements of hand-work, piecing, applique, and embroidery. LOTS of embroidery on this one. Of course, with summer vacations, plane rides, long car rides, and sitting by the beach, I find it a perfectly wonderful time of year to take my block with me and work in those moments. I love keeping my hands busy.

This BOM is called 'Leanne's House' by- Leanne Beasley.

Here as HER quilt finished.

 

Yes- I know, insane right? Tricky, laborious, time consuming, and YUMMY! I had a major hand in selecting the scripture quilt that we did a couple of years ago. So when selecting this years project, I was unusually, and blissfully silent. I believe our dear friend Margo selected this as her 'dream' quilt for our group. It is not one that I will be making 'several' of...but I LOVE this. It will be an heirloom quilt if I ever saw one. I am posting Leanne's block photo's. Then my own. 

Block ONE- Leanne's

This is my block. I wanted mine to look like a spring day.

 

 

In Block ONE you will notice that the large heart on the top left is hand appliqued. I have done a LOT of machine applique work in the past, so this was a refresher in 'needle-turn' and how crazy curves are, and the point of the heart. Yes, I drew blood. Hahaha.

 

You will also notice that the little flower bunches top center begin the embroidery work. As well as the 'Sunny Days' square and floral multi-panel squares as well (2of3). See, I told you it was a 'bring-it-with-you' project. Unfortunately the embroidery work that the girls get behind on...I won't be helping with. Piecing, yes, embroidery...no. LOL. The patchwork 'postage-stamp' block in the lower left are 1" squares finished. Fun times. Oh I so LOVE piecing tricks. :)

 

Block TWO- Leanne's

Both blocks side-by-side on my design wall.

Just after piecing Block TWO.

 

You can still see that

I am working on the embroidery at the bottom.

But my 'bee' is finished, yay.

 

Ahhh yes, again you can analyze the work involved in one simple square. Now you will notice in the bottom left-hand corner the third panel of Block ONEs now 3of3. It finally shows you that all those movement lines ended in panel 3 with a darling little 'bee'.

 

Also notice that in the top-left block we have not one applique heart, but THREE, and...they are smaller. Oy! This quilt is not for the faint of heart. LOL. jk

 

Some people would be horrified that I am posting pictures an unfinished block. But, this is a 'process' blog post. A sneak peak into what's going on in my studio. Well, not the ONLY thing. LOL

 

I love the journey of quilting, with the fabric choices, exactness, puzzle, and creativity of it all. In fact when this quilt is finished some will not be able to look at it and figure out how it went together. I love that! I so enjoy taking varied selections of fabric and piecing together a masterpiece for my family, to be loved for generations. If I were needing to make a blanket...I would go to Walmart, but, to make something I created thrills me, and makes me excited for the process. Good pick Margo! This year will be a blast.

 

Sew Sandi

 

 

 

 

 



An Important Wedding Quilt

My little sister was getting married. This was exciting news for our whole family, beyond exciting actually since she had been through so much in her 10 plus years as a single Mother of four. So when she finally found her 'Ricky' we knew he must be special.

Yup- Rick and Shannon are SPECIAL all right. :)

Once the wedding plans began she was like a kid in a candy store and had so many fun ideas. One idea was that she make a 'Wedding Quilt' for her guests to sign at the reception. The picture she sent to me was horrid, and plain, and boring. I knew after looking at it that a challenge was before me.

I so wanted her to be happy but I needed to tell my little sister that the quilt she chose was ugly. We have always been super close so I just plunged ahead and spoke my mind. I told her she could pick a good quality fabric line (because cheappo fabric is a whippin to work with) but I would choose the pattern. Since this would be my first wedding quilt, I had to admit (to myself) that I was a little afraid of choosing a pattern that was too expert for me to tackle in a few months. As it was, I only had a few months. I had NEVER done a quilt like the one in my head in only a few months. But... we are talking about my baby sister here. Hahaha.

Challenge accepted. It was April 2013 the wedding was scheduled for 03 Aug, 2014.

One of the 'idea' pictures she sent to me. Oy.

 

Shannon picked this  fabric originally.

 

 I ordered it via the internet, and when it arrived I knew it would not work as the main fabric for her quilt.  The scale was way too large. As you can see, the flowers were as big as my hand. I knew that by cutting it into small pieces it would lose it's floral charm and look like more of a hack-job than anything. So sadly, I called her and sent this fabric back.

 

We are blessed to live in the age of technology where we can live 1500 miles apart and sit on our computers and look at fabric choices together. I LOVED her final choice. It is a beautiful designer line of fabric called, 'Paris Flea Market' designed by '3 Sisters' by Moda.

 



I loved this pick. It is so Shannon.

Plus, it has all the beautiful colors of an August wedding.

 

I started buying fabric.

 

Then I saw this picture on the internet and I LOVED it.

I could totally envision this quilt done in Paris Flea Market.

 

Cutting with precision.







Hundreds of pieces. It was getting exciting.

 

I was having so much fun playing with this beautiful fabric. I normally would have shared process pics with her on what-ever I am working on. But on this project it was to be a surprise. She did not know what quilt pattern I had chosen and so I was not showing her anything. But that didn't stop me from teasing her though. Don't forget, I am her big sister and that is my j-o-b. LOL. So I would oooh and ahhhh in text messages to her...knowing the first time she saw it I would be in her living room in Utah. :) There were times when I would be listening to my country music station and the song 'Just To See You Smile' would come on and I could picture her face. This quilt has some happy tears woven within these threads.  

 

Laying out bases for stars. Hmmmm.

Sewing points on the stars.

The beginnings of our first star. Yay.

I was so thankful for my mini ironing station

beside me for pressing seams. I'm a little OCD

when it comes to seams matching up.

I have a ways to go.  

 

Looking at this square I have an idea.

 

This was my favorite square. I looked at it over and over and finally the thought came to me that I should ask my friend (Melanie Leonard) who does beautiful machine embroidery work if she would take it and put Rick and Shannon's names and wedding date on it for the center square.

 

Funny story. Melanie called me the next day and said, "I botched your square!" I was like...No...you are kidding right? Because you would have to know Melanie, she is VERY funny and has a wonderful wit, and humor. She was like...nope...the needle must have had a burr in the tip and it chewed up your square something awful. I was so thankful that I had purchased plenty of extra fabric for emergency's like this one. No big deal. But this time I took over some cream fabric to embroidery, and then cut it to fit a new square.  Melanie does beautiful embroidery work, and I would never hesitate taking ALL my future projects to her, but I added this to the story because one never knows. It is always better to have a little too much fabric, than not enough.

 

It's beautiful. Thank you Melanie!

 

 

Perfect!

 

It was about this time in the process that I started to realize that if someone put a sharpie, or permanent marker to this quilt I may hurt them. Hahaha. I talked to my sister about it. I knew that originally this was intended to be a signature quilt. I knew I would do what-ever she wanted to do. The gift was hers, and she could do with it what she wanted. I may have to bite down on a stick...hahaha....but if she wanted it to be signed by all...then sign we would. :)

 







Now to get my squares up on my design wall.

I decided to use a cream sashing, with the dark peach as posts.

I LOVE it. Now I need to choose and cut the

sashing for the edges. I love the choosing part.

Cream sashing to encase the stars,

then a yellow to frame the stars,

Than a neutral blue to finish the outside.

I made the binding to match the quilt.

Double bound, for durability.

I finished it the NIGHT BEFORE I left for the wedding.

Isn't it lovely.

 

Yes, there were some tears shed. Thanks to my DH for his encouragement. On days I cried, "I can't!" (finish on time) He would smile his handsome smile and say, "You will." Hahaha. He knows me so well. LOL.

Rick and Shannon Cove, 03 Aug, 2013.

Shannon standing in front of her quilt.

The day was magnificent. The wedding was beautiful. And my sister and her Rick were so very happy. Nothing could have been better. They love their wedding quilt. And I LOVED making it for them. I felt my Mother smiling down from heaven along with my Grandmothers. It was a great day.



In the sunlight.

 

P.S. -No signatures allowed. :)