Guest Blogger at Stash Manicure

GUEST BLOGGER TODAY AT STASH MANICURE

I'm so excited to be Madamm's guest blogger over at one of my favorite blogs....Stash Manicure.

http://stashmanicure@blogspot.com/

Please check it out!!

Welcome to any of my Quilty friends from Stash Manicure.  Look around, you'll find that I don't have many bells & whistles because I'm not as computer savvy as some of you!  

Hey, I babysit my youngest Grandson, Scott, age TWO!!  Nuff said....

 Today's Treasure!!

 I shared this over at Stash Manicure.  No it's not a Hippy Coat as my children thought when they unearthed it back in 1987!!  This is a housecoat made by my Big Grandma (Great Grandmother) around 

1956!!!

Big Grandma made EVERY child a present and she wrapped it in white tissue paper.  I always got to open her presents on Christmas Eve.  I'm ashamed to say, I didn't recognize their value until I became an adult and got interested in quilting.  I can't tell you how excited I was when my son found my little "Coat of Many Colors"... just like the Dolly Parton song.

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Today I want to share a quilt I have in progress.  This quilt is a gift for my 9 yr. old Grandson, Ryan.  Ryan LOVES LOVES LOVES the outdoors, animals of all kinds especially frogs.

I like to choose a theme or Inspiration fabric when making a quilt.  If it's for a gift, I try to find fabric that reflects the personality of the recipient.  That's difficult sometimes because I may not have the same likes/dislikes and working on a quilt that doesn't suit your own personal taste can be very tedious.  I make an effort to find something I can live with as well.  I thought this fabric suited my grandson Ryan to a "T" and I loved the primary colors!  The coordinating blocks were so fun to put together.  I found a block pattern and designed my own color scheme.  I've shown a few of my creations. 

I'm not a photographer so the pictures don't do the fabric.blocks justice.  My daughter, the photographer, cringes when she looks at my blog photos.  Oh well, Mama does the best she can with what she has which could be said to be my life motto.  

I choose contentment

 Each block has a center square that was fussy cut from the theme fabric

 Here are some more examples.  Another little "trick" I like to use is to make what I call a "wonky" block.  A wonky block could be seen as a mistake but I like to think it is my ACCENT or POP factor.  A block may have ONE piece turned a different way or I may substitute another fabric selection for one of the block pieces.

Ex:  You'll notice the "RED" triangle is positioned the "wrong" way but when you see the whole quilt it is almost discernible.  I like to think it makes my quilts fun especially for children and family members who know to look for the wonky block

 Can you find the "wonky pieces"???????????

Here is the very first quilt block I ever made!  I had never taken a class and simply picked up some fabric and started piecing it.  I think this is a Monkey Wrench pattern and the fabric has some UGLY polyester fabric.  UGH!!!

I bought this DICK & JANE whole cloth in a Fabric shop in Franklin Tennessee called Stitchers Garden!  I promise I believe the owner has every bolt of fabric she has ever owned.  The store used to be in downtown Franklin but is now close to I-65.  Franklin is the quaintest old Tenn. town and home to Nicole Kidman & Keith Urban...Just FYI

BTW, this is my only project without a designated receiver!!  I may do a Give-Away at some point if I thought anyone would be interested.  

What do you HONESTLY think???

Growing up in the 50's, I learned to read from Dick & Jane, Puff, Sally & Spot!!!  In First Grade, I actually thought the book authors had chosen the name Jane because of ME!!!  

MY mother dressed me just like the Character Jane and made me think I was special enough to have a book character named after me.  

Hey, Mama waited 13 yrs. to have me at age 37 after Doctors told her she would never have children of her own.  

THEN, she had my sister at age 42!!  We both knew we were LOVED FIERCELY!! 

Time flies when you're having fun but it's time to begin my Monday Cleaning & Wash.  Hopefully I will have some time this afternoon to work on some quilty projects !!

Blessings

GMAMA

Jane