Con Affetto

I sometimes give titles to my quilts.... a friend of mine thinks it is awfully pretentious!  :-) This one is called Con Affetto.

my latest scrap quilt

It means, with affection and comes from the note my Veronese friend wrote me. She is the one who gave me the hand-dyed heart I inserted in this quilt. Marina Tavella is an accomplished textile artist and teaches the dying workshop for my Verona Textile Trip.

The title also worked as over 100 half-square-triangles were 'by-products' from the Valentine's quilt...with affection. By 'by-products' I mean the secondary pieces that came out of making the X's and O's.

Con Affetto, 32" x 40"

The back will be "quiet". Simple.

I will be teaching triangles at Eweknit next weekend. (April 22, 2017)

Quilts as Gifts

When you make a quilt for someone special you put your heart in it.

Decor from restaurant Olive et Gourmando in Old Montreal

I know from experience that, in general, people who do not make things or sew quilts have no concept of how much time and effort it takes to create something. I have even heard people say, Well it's cheaper if you make something...which it isn't as we know!

I made a special baby quilt for my cousin's first baby. In the card that accompanied it,  I explained what I designed for him.

I used blue to symbolize the sky- The sky's the limit in what you can do in life. I used straight quilt lines in variegated thread to symbolize the many roads he will take in his life.

I love using fun fabrics for bindings.

I explained that it should be USED...how many times do recipients say it is too beautiful to use. I wrote, "It should be used for riding in strollers, for making tents, for reading under, for cuddling under with your mom and dad."

I proposed a few games. Using the 1 inch squares you could play "I Spy"... I spy a dotted line, a star, a letter B... or find two fabrics that are the same.

I made it personal. I added a 1 inch square of a map of Paris which is where his godmother lives. On the front, I placed a large letter J for his first name. On the back, I added a fat quarter which made a reference to his family name.

Fat quarter on the back.

I also stated how many hours it took to make. People have a different level of appreciation once they know that!

Marking Time

Judith Martin, still my favourite textile artist, marks time by stitching.

This was a pattern I followed but even in those early days
 I changed it!
I was originally making it browns but it got so boring
 so I added a some blue and that gave it some life.

I started quilting almost 25 years ago to do just that. Mark time.

Simple Brick quilt with double boarder.

To show myself that during a day I could accomplish something.

I label my blocks (top left corner)
while I hang them vertically
 on a design wall

I could hold up my tangible quilt block and say, "Today, I did this."

This quilt was put together a few years ago.
Notice the blue square with the shibori circle.
I made that in Verona. The rest of the fabrics
 are blues from my fabric stash.
It is being quilted at this moment.

The other things I was doing were not tangible.

The centre fabric is washable silk.
The outside strips are men's cotton shirts,
Italian, of course.

Every day, I read books to my four children. I made snacks and three meals per day that were gobbled up. I prepared science experiments so we could explore together. I helped button the dress-up clothes and sat as the audience and watched plays. I walked to the park and went down the slide with them. I gave four children a bath every night.

This quilt was also a pattern. I didn't change it.
(that's not usual for me)
I did choose my own fabrics. 

This past holiday the six of us were all together. I was able to see what I had done over time. The four young adults love each other. They are on the path of happiness. They feel good about themselves.

Hearts and friendship stars,
detail of "Baby Earth" quilt
which hangs on our third floor.
The quilt was inspired
by a favourite children's book

I am so happy I marked time that way.

Saturday market

There is a lovely antique shop at the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto. (North building, west corner)

The owner, Barbara, has many lovely quilts for great prices. Over the years, I have purchased several.

Today I picked up an applique quilt.

vintage quilt, hand appliqued and quilted

I love the birds!

I am giving it someone I love very much.

there are hearts quilted along the border

I know there was a lot of love put into making it!