Remembering Mom...

Two favorite kwilts I designed 

came from deep inside me 

and were part of a healing journey.

My Mom passed away, December, 2006 

as a result of Alzheimer's complications.

Cora Clayton, was 92 years old and the one, well only hobby,

she enjoyed was hand piecing scrappy quilts.
We are talking scrappy, before scrappy was cool. 
No design, just one uneven piece sewn to the next, a 
thrift store blanket for  batting, a sheet for the back.

From the hills of Venia, Virginia, down the holler on 
Grissom Creek...Mom only made utilitarian quilts...
quilts that would keep  you warm while snuggled
in a real feather bed. 

As I sorted thru her belongings...I found the perfect

things to help me through a very difficult time.
Her aprons and house dresses! 

Scissors, needle and thread helped me 
mend my broken heart. 

The APRONS 

 "Sunday Dinner at Mom's"

I made the apron appliques in likeness of Mom's aprons, 

 Then, FMQ-ed her name "Cora Clayton" in the top border. 
You can't see it...but it is there. 

Sunday, was the day of the week Mom lived for.

Her family came home to enjoy her wonderful Sunday dinner

"FRIED CHICKEN" yep "FRIED CHICKEN"

 The HOUSE DRESSES 

I found a box of Mom's house dresses.  

I remember her wearing many these when I was a little girl.

No way would I leave all those memories in a box.
Sew I began to cut and sew and designed this kwilt.

"House Dressings"

I entered "House Dressings" into a local guild show. 

 My BFF, Shirley, who also grow up living next door to Mom

hand kwilted it - and it won
FIRST PLACE, Hand Quilting

I made a small kwilt one for one sister
"Dresses for Cora"
and sent fabrics to my kwilter sister, 
sew she could make one.

The final pieces went into a small kwilt for my niece, 
who Mom raised.
"Remembering Grandma"

Mom would be so proud that I had made these kwilts,
but she would be mad as hell 
that I cut her clothes up to make them!

I miss her sew very much, but
 I know she's hanging out in my sewing room, 
my fabric angel, guarding my stash!

Love and miss you Mom!

Cora (Hess) Clayton
1914 - 2006

Sunday Snippet - The Moral of my UFO Story

We call those unfinished sewing projects, many things.

Some of which I cannot print here!  (wink)

I call them UFO's (unfinished objects)

Some call them WIPs (works in progress)  

I have even heard them referred to as 

PIGS (Projects in grocery sacks).

Well I "might" hold a record here for the time 
(5 years)

it took to finish a UFO.  

This quilt was made from 
Louisa Smith's "Strips and Curves" book
and templates.

The first delay was my fear to 

 "sew" the curves.  We were shown "how to"

in the class but by the time I got to it..well...

you know how that goes.

But I finally said more "unprintable words" 
jumped in and made the blocks in Fall of 2011
then finished the top in Jan 2012.

Then came the dilemma...how to machine quilt it? 

I don't want any traditional quilting design

and I want to quilt it myself.

So, I drug my feet for another year. 

Then I was introduced to MODERN quilting designs

and I found my way across the top of the quilt 

Concentric Circles took a lot of time

but were oh so worth it!

Free motion design between the circles

A view of the backing

The soft inner border gives the eyes a place to rest.

I sewed one straight line vertically down that border.

A keyboard border is made form all the strata scraps.

I quilted one vertical line down that border.

The outside border was a sold batik and 

I quilted organic vertical lines using the edge of 

my walking foot as the guide.

and views of the finished quilt.

The moral of my UFO story is...

don't fret over your UFOs.  
When you are ready to finish your project 
you will know it.  
 Don't worry about it...
just wait til you feel the creativity.  
Sometimes that can take years. 

I can't come up with a name for this one,

any suggestions?

"Once in a Blue Moon" 
winning title

Decking My Halls with another fun bird!

Day 8

"Decking My Halls"

A "partridge" landed in my Dining room a couple years ago and I found him on fabric that I had to make into a quilt.

Look closely.  The border fabric makes up 

all the kaleidoscope patterns.

My One Block Wonder - A Partridge in a Pear Tree

The quilt becomes the dining room table cover
for the winter season.

I decorate this room in early November 
and leave it up til February.

The centerpiece is made from thrift store finds

and I re purposed flowers my December wedding bouquet. 

Additional candle sticks set it off.

 White lights and greenery on the china cabinet 
serve as a wonderful night light. 
Brown peacock feather soften the look, glittered pears

and silk ribbon provide even more sparkle. 

A side board provides a place for more greenery and birds!

How do you decorate your dining room?

Decking my Halls and seeing RED!

Day 7

"Decking My Halls"

 Cardinals aka Red Birds, are my favorite bird.
They just brighten up a snowy winter day in Ohio.  
They flock to my feeders in the winter and
each holiday season, they find their way into my home. 

Let's take a peek at the beaks that make their way into my kitchen!

This tree is in my home from November - February.

My cake plate collection finds a way to the top

of the kitchen cupboards.  Swags of frosty evergreens

 and red birds helps to bring the eyes up.

 A baker's rack is full of red bird beauties.

And the red bird tree....sit's nicely in the corner with a swag

over the door and wreath on the wall.

Seeing red yet?

Daytime view...it was a snowy day!

and at night...

Use your houseplants when decorating.
A bird cage serves as a holiday home for this one. 

The guest bathroom has red bird themed items.
 A cute tree serves as a nightlight.

Reds and browns for a winter
bathroom is just unexpected yet lovely!
Leave it up all winter...it's a seasonal inspiration.

A large wall hanging I made for this theme...

"Red Bird Holiday"

Are you a bird watcher...and if so, what is your favorite bird!

Decking my Halls with more Vintage

 Day 6
"Decking My Halls"

...and the vintage delights continue.  
I was little girl in the 50s and have wonderful memories
of Christmas on the farm.  We were lucky to 
have one present for each of us under the tree.
BUT I thought I was spoiled!
I am lucky and still have some original
vintage ornaments from days gone by. 

A kitchen corner was a fun spot for this vintage tree with
all of the antique bubble lights, ornaments, 
garlands and really OLD tinsel. 
The window covering is a vintage Christmas tablecloth.

Here are some of my all time FAVORITE ornaments.
Some date back to WW2 where Mom Murphy
served in the Navy. 
These are tucked away in a safe place for my son to place
on his family tree when the time is right.

The Vintage Tree is gone but I still have most of the ornaments.  
I hot glued them to make this wonderful wreath. 
I just squeezed a round wreath into the oblong shape I needed.

And some close ups of the ornaments.
Each year a couple break during as they are very old.
I find replacements at antique stores. 

All the memories remain and displaying them...is quick and easy. 

The following quilt has a unique story.
For 10 years I had a Cookie Exchange Party 
for my girlfriends so we could share the the
"gift of time with each other". 
  Each year there was a "theme" for the party.

I asked each friend to wear a vintage apron and then
give it to me as my hostess gift. 

Pretty bold?  
Read the label below and then you will see 
Pretty special! 


This  "Friendship Star" quilt is a result of
all those vintage aprons 

I will cherish this Kwilty Pleasure forever!

  And here is the label...always label your quilts 
so the history can be passed on.  





Have you ever made a "signature quilt" and
if so, tell me about it.

Deckig my Halls with Vintage Collections

Day 5
"Decking My Halls"

If you love vintage...you are going to love this post.
This vintage "Christmas Tree Topper" collection 
is by far my most precious and beautiful collection!  

Find a mantel, china cupboard, sideboard, dresser or armoire, 

add white lights and greenery.  I use brass candle sticks (picked up at the thrift stores) 
with florist putty to display them.  

Just beautiful!

My next favorite vintage collection is card board houses
and bottle brush trees.

  Today you can find replicas in most of the stores or find instruction on the web to make these. 
I am lucky to have the real thing!
Most of my collection once belonged to Mom Murphy.
Each year, as I put these on display, I remember 
my mother-in-law and the
Happy Christmas times we shared.    

One year the houses found a spot in my kitchen, 
sitting proudly on

my cake stand collection, above the cupboards.
Fun to use the cake stands for more than just cakes!

Another year they found their way in the guest bedroom 
sitting on top of a quilt hanger. White lights twinkle at night. 
The top quilt I made as a mantle quilt but
it is perfect for this display. 
Lap size quilt hangs down past the bed...nice headboard.

A few bottle brush trees and a larger cardboard church sit

on top a treadle sewing machine side table.

One year I tucked the cardboard houses into a 3 foot flocked "feather tree" and sat them all on snow....

I don't have a photo of that.  : (

This post is dedicated to June Murphy, my mother-in-law, 

who will always has a place in my Holiday home. 

Miss you Mom.  

What is your special Holiday vignette or display?