Quilt, name tags and family trees

Here is a photo of my quilt. It's not the full quilt but you can see a good portion of it.

Since we are such a large family we make name tags every time, just so we know which branch you belong to as a lot of the kids look alike. In 2008 the theme was kites as we were in Lincoln City - home to the kite festival. Each branch of the original family has a color. People wrote in their own names and how ever they wanted to decorate it.

I also do up a family tree. Just so people can see all the branches.. This year I had the idea of making it three dimensional. I was going to string rope between the poles below and hang the kites off so they could blow in the wind. Well let me tell you there was not a flat space to be found in this park and it just didn't work. So we got the idea to string the robe around the covering and hang them from there. At the end of the line we put the family pole so they new who was who. Thanks to my brother and brother -in -law for putting put the string. Everyone loved it.

I don't have a photo of it but at the end of the far end of the covering - i tried to make flag bunting with the family name. It worked OK but i used construction paper so it didn't quite look like what i had in mind but it worked with the change of plans.

There will be another reunion in 2010 here in the Portland area.. and then in 2012 I will plan one for a Lincoln city weekend.

The reunion quilt

Here is a photo of my hand embroidery I did from my label to my family reunion quilt. I made up a poem that coordinated with the colors and what they represented in nature.

It went “Blue is for the waters of the rivers. Tan is for the sand. Purple is for the flowers. Yellow is for the sun. Green is for the trees.” Plus who contributed to it's making and who designed it.

The quilt was a signature quilt that I had everyone signs at the 2006 reunion. I had just prepared the blocks with off-white muslin and the corners of 3 different fabrics. I had all intentions of finishing it in 2007 but time just got away. You know how that is. In early 2008 I bought complimentary fabric for the borders and sashing. I wanted to get it done for the 2008 reunion in July. Of course I couldn’t get matching as I was so late but I went back to the same store I was at originally and was able to find some good matches. I was able to go to the Fabric Depot Outdoor Sale and found some good backing frabric for $2.00 a yard. I was excited about this quilt as I had designed it myself. I even made blocks with the family name Altenhofen. I had trouble designing the n’s but decided instead of doing the n part I would just machine on the negative spaces onto the square. It turned out great and just added to the homespun look that I was going for. The only bad part of this quilt that I will always remember is that I left it to the week before the 2008 reunion to put it together. y family helped me and we worked on it 20 hours in 3 days. We ended up tying it as I used a loftier batting. Currently it is folded up in my room and I don’t know what I am going to do with it.

Long time no see...

It’s been a while since I have posted. Dealing with the term, getting ready for graduation, a trip to the beach with the Faith Sisters and a trip to NY for 4 days has been keeping me busy.

I have picked up my hand project at work again. It was the 2008 block of the month by Suzi Gorman- Hearts Aflutter. . See above for one of the peaces. It is one of my first appliqué quilts. I am learning. I decided to do this project using a couple of Moda charm packs I had and other fabrics from my stash. It’s in the soft greens, blues, pinks and yellows. I love it. I am using Eleanor Burns idea of turn inside out appliqué for the hearts and fusing the other pieces down the a button hole stitch with heavier quilting thread I found at Joanne’s. I am getting faster at it and my sewing is improving with each block.

Well back to work. Have a wonderful Thursday. Almost the weekend! Yea!