A PATCHWORK QUILT OF A LIFE.....
This is a long, picture heavy post and I'm not ashamed about it *grin*
Wow, did I have a great birthday week, lovely things happened each day but amidst it all, some crafting got done - amazing!
The JanCave has been taken over by son No 1, he had a week's holiday but will be working from 'home' here for another few days. But there is some fabric amidst the tech.
Owen mentioned in passing that he didn't have any sewing equipment and needed to do some mending, so I made him a quick needle case with flap pockets at each end and put together a basic kit from my stash.
We'd been playing Newmarket (Card game) and always use buttons from the tin that was my mum's. It was that which prompted Owen to ask:
We picked out a few black and white buttons for future use, there's no danger of running out. Goodness, some of those buttons have memories, I remember Mum cutting them off old coats and cardigans....she'd be thrilled to know we still use them regularly!
I got out my new paints and was quite methodical in setting them up:
Tutorials on YouTube had mentioned labelled colour swatches so that's what I did because while I'd like to think I could remember what colour was what, you and I both know that it's not going to happen!! These Daniel Smith watercolours are light years away from what I was using before, far more deeply pigmented, I shall have fun getting used to painting with them.
Last Wednesday, we went over to the Gower to meet up with my brother and his family who were staying there for a week, the view from the cottage garden was incredible!
They kindly put on a birthday buffet for me, not a bad place eh? I also received some amazing presents but the one from my SiL Jill was completely overwhelming:
She'd made me a bed runner quilt featuring a hare. The colours and detail are so wonderful, it's so beautiful, it made me cry.
Jill had gone round the house the last time she stayed and taken reference pics of the colours, so the quilt fits in beautifully - even the back is a work of art:
I love the patterns, so neat!
But the hare panel is stunning:
Jill said it's the first time she's done applique, you'd never know, it's amazing. The midnight sky has got very subtle sparkles in it.
It is GORGEOUS!!!!!
And Jill even thought of the perfect finishing touch - on the back is this:
An amazing present from my equally amazing Sister in Law, thank you Jill, I really shall treasure it for ever xxxxxxxxx
Sorry this was such a long post but there was just so much to share - have a great week everyone!
29 comments:
Must start with the quilt first - it is totally stunning, no wonder it brought you to tears. just beautiful!! your birthday week sounds lots of fun, and the view from your family's bolthole looks fantastic! Enjoy your paints. Helen #2
All I can say is WOW what an amazing piece of work from someone who has never done applique before. I like the way your son has left you a little room for your sewing machine! Glad you enjoyed your birthday. Here's to the next 10 years!! ANi #3
PS the view looks good and also the food.
Oh wow Jan that quilt by your SiL is indeed a work of art. Thanks for sharing all the close up photos. So glad that you have been enjoying an extended birthday celebrations too. Stay safe and happy WOYWW. Sarah #5
Hi Jan, I am impressed that your son can sew. So many young men have no idea. My dad was taught to sew in the navy, but still got mum to do all his:)
So glad your special birthday celebrations went on for so long and you got to spend time with your family. That quilt is just stunning. Not surprised it made you cry.
Happy WOYWW
Sue
How nice to have one of the boys home for a while. Love the sewing kit you made for him.
So glad you are enjoying your painting - sounds as if these watercolours are the biz!
What a WOW that view from the cottage was but an even bigger WOW was for the bed runner. Not surprising that you shed a tear or two. That is totally gobstoppingly amazing.
I always think a handmade gift shows so much more love than the most expensive diamond. For someone to give up their time for you means so much. So I can imagine the emotion that went through you that day when she handed it over. it really is so thoughtful, so beautiful and so cleverly made - just amazing.
A lifelong treasure.
Hugs, Neet 10 xx
Wow, Jan, Jill’s hare quilt is gorgeous! Very impressive. I love Int to bits and will have to exercise great restraint when we finally come and see you, not to run off with it!
Owen asking for a sewing kit is lovely too, and the fact that you use your Mum’s button box.
Glad you like the Daniel Smith paints. I’d go further and make a grid which shows what you get when you mix each colour together. You’ll get some surprises
Take care and happy WOYWW
Hugs
Lynnecrafts 4
I’m glad you had a lovely birthday Jan. We need to keep them going as long as possible.
Mine started on Monday but isn’t actually while Friday. Thank you for the lovely card, I’m glad you liked the jigsaw.
I’d have cried too at the stunning runner. What a beautiful thoughtful gift. Jill is very clever.
I’ve asked for a set of paintbrushes for my birthday so I’ll check out the paints you’ve got once I get started.
Have a good week
Lynn xx 13
Happy WOYWW. That quilt is making me cry! How wonderful. Jill is very clever. I can picture which cottage your family were staying in. I have always loved the Gower (Oxfordshire County Council had an outside activity centre there in the 80s and we went on a few trips there), but we don't go very often now (spoilt by living in Pembrokeshire and always rushing past on the M4 to go somewhere else, or stopping in Swansea for vehicle servicing etc). We are going to Swansea soon to get our car serviced, and will have a new Land Rover to try out for the day. Will see if we can go down to the Gower to test it on the narrow lanes. Haven't forgotten our possible meet-up, but life is just full at the moment. Hopefully September will bring a few spare days. Ali x #12
Stunning! what an artist!
Your button box looks familiar . . . . must show you mine now I've seen yours!!!
Love the needle case.
Have a good week
Christine #16
Oh my goodness - that quilt is soooo gorgeous! What a clever and very lovely lady to have made something so totally unique and perfect for you Jan. Well done on making a little sewing kit for Owen - good that he is happy to sew for himself. It never ceases to amaze me that folks go to ask Annie to sew on a button for them! I love the button pic - so many memories and some very useful buttons there too - we all love a button tin. xx Jo
Your quilt is just so beautiful, an amazing work of art. Did you make the bag that has the scissors in on your desk? You have probably shown it before, but it caught my eye today. That view is just stunning. Have a great week Angela #9
Oh my what an amazing week you've had, you are obviously much loved to receive such lovely gifts. What a gorgeous view too, heavenly! Owen has obviously learned something form his mum, I'm impressed that he wants to do his own mending and what a useful little case. Of course I was well distracted by the paints. Thanks for the lovely comment over at mine too. Happy woyww with hugs, Angela x14x
Hi Jan,
Wishing you a belated Happy Birthday! Looks like you have had a fab time celebrating. The quilt is just stunning!
I'm glad you said you remember me as I think of you every December when I put up my lovely Christmas Bunting that I won from you in a give away many moons ago :)
Your desk is looking as tidy as ever, love the little sewing case! Nice to see all the old buttons, I still have a few buttons that came from my Grandma's stash, I only ever use them on cards for my Mum though so they stay with us, silly sentimental stuff!
Have a great week.
April #17
Is your son using your folded fabric as a mouse mat LOL? Great idea to give him a sewing kit - does it come with training or is sewing in his blood? That is an amazing quilt - so much work must have gone into it! The watercolours look fantastic and lovely views as well - you've been thoroughly spoilt, but so deserve it! Hope you're enjoying the first few days of your 60s! You have a a lot more to look forward to! xx zsuzsa #19
What a lovely post, Jan. The quilt your sister-in-law gave you is out of this world! Quite beautiful. I love the needle book you made, and all those buttons made me smile - my button box is full of memories, too! You pick through them and remember the various garments they came off, and possibly the people apart from you who wore them. Your new watercolour paints look amazing. I love how you're arranging them in the pans and doing the swatch.
Thank you for your visit - I'm glad you enjoyed the content this week. Thank you also for your responses this morning to my cries of help re Julia's blog. I tried to submit a "dispute" on Norton just now and they wouldn't let me, saying the site is "under review" - perhaps someone else has started a dispute. Let's hope they get their knickers untwisted soon because it's a pain not being able to access it. I had to do a web search for your site because on my Wordpress blog comments list, there is no active link for you apart from your email. Leaving comments is going to be difficult this week, I can see!
Quick bit of news - oncology appointment went well - NO chemo required! Yaayy!!
Hugs and happy WOYWW,
Shoshi x #11-ish!
Hi Jan, Happy Belated Birthday! You certainly were spoiled! The view and the lunch look awesome, but that quilt! Oh My! She certainly is one talented woman! I love the hare, it's just perfect, and the one on the back too. The quilt is absolutely exquisite.
Thank you for helping me with my Netflix problem, which still keeps coming up with more challenges as I go. I sent you an email, hoping you can link me up, as that is not something I can do. And since I am viewing is a "safe mode", Google etc doesn't recognize who I am when I make my comments. What a pain!
Thanks, have a great week, Lindart
Oh my gosh but what an amazing runner!
And that view is beautiful!
Looks like a great way to know your paint colors.
I, too, have my mom's buttons.
Hope you have a wonderful week!
Carol N #20
Wow. Just wow. Jill is so clever, patient and then kind…being able to give away such a beauty! Oh what a gorgeous and thoughtful and thought out piece. Lovely. I know you’ll enjoy it every time you look at it. Working or not, must have been lovely to have Owen back, and for him a great change of pace which is good for the worker bees. Absolutely love Tony Hare, he’s much bigger than I envisioned, can totally see why he’d become a presence in the lounge of his guardian!!
Lots of lovely photos today, Jan. I love the needle ase with the pockets- very clever and practical! Your bed runner is a work of art-I’d be tempted to put it on the wall. Happy sewing!
That's the most amazing birthday gift Jan, the fact that she took reference photo's alone is wonderful. I understand where the tears came from! I also love the desk-pic: the technical stuff against the fabric, it could be me and my son on a desk like that (but instead of fabric, it would be paper...) I think of you often 'cause it's a bright and sunny day overhere and I keep my sunglasses in the 'thingie' (what's it called again? Glasses "bag"???) you made me some years (?) ago. Still love that!!!! I hope your day/week is bright and sunny too! Thanks for stopping by my blog yesterday, it was good to 'see' you! Hug from Holland! Marit #7 (Ohmy... I almost forgot: HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!!)
Such a lovely post. Happy belated birthday.
Oh WOW Jan, so much cool-ness being shared. the Quilt is amazing. :) now that I have a few DS paints I find my self using them more than the others frequently. Love that you could make up a sewing kit on the fly so easily too. ( you know, I bet those would sell to tourists in that shop too, how often do you wish you had a needle when you are away from home. ( maybe add a safety pin?) ~Stacy #25
Wow what a beautiful gift, I love that hare! Also a beautiful view to look at over lunch and of course beautiful colours in the Daniel Smith. I love mine, they really make a different. Thanks for visiting Happy WOYWW! Elle #21, EOTC
Hi Jan, your son is going to appreciate the sewing kit for many years to come. I'm so glad you had such a lovely birthday week. The quilt is precious, so beautiful, and I love the personalised label. Have another great week. Hugs, Elizabeth x #24
That quilt is stunning you must n so pleased to receive it. your SIL sure is talented. , what a lovely place to eat, amazing view. love all your buttons never run out of them I am sur
Take care and stay safe,
Lilian B #22
Dear Jan!
I'm speechless!! What a gorgeous bed runner. Your SiL appreciate you so much!
I have old buttons from my Mum too. When I was a child, I played with them.
A childhood treasure .
Owens needle case is lovely. Very nice that your Son tries to help himself.
Eva from Austria
2020 wasn't such a bad year for us, the pros of just being a family of 3 in the same house. Anyway loving the buttons and the vintage tin, think that's a better example of the one my hubby has with his marbles in. Actually think that's where he keeps ALL his marbles, oh I digress. The HARE quilt is AMAZING thanks for all the lovely photos well worth it.
Thanks for the visit BJ#18
What a fabulous quilt!!
Also loved the stories of the sewing kit and buttons!
Happy WOYWW!
Stay safe and keep well!
Susan #27
Calling All Crafters! – My Blog!
What an amazing quilt! That she matched the colours to reference photos of your house is fab. And I remember my mom's button box. Stringing them on to thread was a favourite at-home-sick activity. But then they had to be unstrung cause it was a "working" button box for sure. The lunch scene is stunning, and I look forward to further word on those watercolours. They look lush!
Happy so very late WOYWW.
Mary Anne (1)
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