Saturday, March 11, 2017

Jan and Jen's Mini Quilt Blog Hop

Have you seen all the adorable Quilter's Laundry Day Mini Quilts popping up the last few days?  They are all part of Jen (A Dream and A Stitch) and Jan's (Color, Creating and Quilting) Mini Quilt Along.  Jen designed a super cute pattern that looked too fun to resist.  Plus, I need some mini's to decorate my bare sewing room walls, so, I signed up!


I've been more consistent with sewing regularly than I have been with blogging, the pattern seemed simple enough to put together, and I had a relatively clear calendar.  So, back on Feb. 10, I didn't anticipate any difficulty getting done in time for today's big reveal!  As it usually does, life had other plans!   My 11 year old daughter has cystic fibrosis, and lengthy hospital stays are not an uncommon occurrence for us.  On Feb. 20, we learned that it was time for another one.  She was admitted on Feb 23, and just came home Thursday.  I stayed at the hospital with her for all except two nights when I came home to spend time with our older daughter, and judge forensics meets for her team.
This was our home away form home for two weeks.
My Candy Hearts Quilt (now know as The Sister Quilt) gave it a cozy feel.

Now, I don't like to give up on things I've committed to , so, I made this mini quilt a hospital project!  The night before we left for the hospital, I printed and read through the pattern (you can get it here) and pulled my fabrics.  The first time I came home, I did all my cutting. I also made the 4 1/2 block that would become the little quilt hanging on the line.  Then, I packed up my machine, an assortment of notions and my cut pieces and took it all along.



I've had hand sewing projects along on several previous visits, but this was the first time I've taken my machine  The rolling case that Santa gave us for Christmas made it easy to get the machine to Emily's room, and it held ALL my sewing stuff, too!

My cutting session at home was a bit rushed.  This resulted in discovering that I was short a piece or two, and that I had mis-cut one or two others.  I neglected to bring extra fabric, so, I had to get a bit creative.  I also had to text my daughter pictures of the fabrics I needed more of so she could bring them when she and her Dad came to visit.  But, by the end of the first week, I had my mini pieced and was quite happy with it.

At that point, I decided to send my sewing machine home.  I knew I wanted to do some embroidery, and decided that I'd have a go at hand quilting, too.  It's been YEARS since I've hand quilted anything. It turned out to be the perfect choice for this mini quilt, and for a hospital pastime. Working with the needle and thread calmed my anxieties and gave me something to look forward to each day.


Several afternoons, Emily and I sat together in the couch under the window, usually with a coffee for me and a frappuccino or smoothie for her.  I stitched while she read to me from the novel she was assigned for homework. Sometimes, she worked on her cross-stitch project.  It was a cozy time, and took some of the "sting" out of being there.

Pretty proud of those shingles!



On Friday, I did the last little bit of quilting, and bound my sweet mini.  The quilting angels were with me...I joined the binding ends together correctly on the FIRST TRY and without needing to look up directions!  Whoo hoo!

Jen named her pattern Quilter's Laundry Day.  But, I'm calling my mini "Home is Where the Heart Is."  Whenever I look at it, I will think about the days spent with my sweet girl in the hospital, and be reminded that where ever we are, as long as we're together, it's home.



There were almost 30 quilters who joined in on Jen and Jan's quilt along.  You can find all of the cute minis at the links below.  If you visit Jan or Jen, and leave a comment, you will be entered to win a great prize!

Thanks, Janice and Jen for organizing this fun QAL and blog hop.  It's been a lot of fun, and it turned out to be just what I needed!

Friday, March 10
Jen Rosin  A Dream and a Stitch
Kate Heads at Smiles From Kate
Jennifer Fulton at Inquiring Quilter
Karen Thurn at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels and Eats

Melva Nolan at Melva Loves Scraps
Vicki at Vicki's Crafts & Quilting
Diann at Little Penguin Quilts
Jayne at Twiggy & Opal
Susan Arnold at Quilt Fabrication
Leanne Milsom at Lizzie the Quilter
Sandra Walker at Mmm! Quilts!

Saturday March 11

Janice Holton at Color Creating & Quilting
Jennifer Strauser at Dizzy Quilter
Amy Gerlich at Amy Scrap Spot
Sharon Denney Parcel at Yellow Cat Quilt Designs
Steffi at Steffi's Hobbys
Susan Gordon at Sevenoaks Street Quilts
Anne Boundy at Said With Love
Barbara Wootie at The Flashing Scissors
Jan Welander at Making Scraps

26 comments:

  1. I'm happy your daughter is home and well. That's such a wondeful story behind the making and makes the quilt that much special! Home is really where the heart is.

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  2. Thank you for sharing your story with us. It does indeed make it a special mini for you. Love the mini mini.

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  3. Cute! Glad you were able to sew at the hospital, and even happier to hear she is doing better! It always helps to have a project on hand to carry along at times like this,

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  4. Prayers! Love your hand embroidery!

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  5. Tami, you make me cry! Such a sweet time for you and your daughter---spent together. Yes, the quilt is perfect and so is it's name. I hope it always reminds you of this time and how you got through it together.

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  6. Thank you for sharing your story with us. It is nice that the sewing helped relieve some of the anxiety during your stay. I love the name and the meaning behind it. The block is lovely with the hand quilting and the beautiful embroidery touches. Thanks for joining us!

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  7. I'm so sorry to hear of your daughters recent relapse, I'm so glad she is home and much improved. It sounds like you have a special bond with both your girls and make the most of your time together. Your mini is so pretty, I love the window box and the floral wreath on the door and the hand quilting is lovely, especially the bricks and the roof of the house.

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  8. Happy to hear that your daughter is doing better! Such a cute quilt with darling touches resulted from the experience. I'm so glad that you were able to work on it with your daughter.

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  9. Oh Tami! This mini is so SPECIAL! Not only is it adorable (I love the embroidery work you did, and the hand quilted details) but the story behind it is heart warming. The title is perfect. I am amazed at your determination to finish this! Most people would have just called it quits in your situation and nobody would blame them. You are an amazing lady.

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  10. The name fits it, a true keeper, and I can see this on your wall, a memory of days together, and home again. Lovely wee quilt on your clothesline. Then I scrolled down, and found your new sewing room, lovely design wall, looks fine and perfect to me? ( did the construction give a few problems or different opinions? ) and a table that has had good use, and now fits there just right.

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  11. You are such a great mom. You make these hospital stays such a special time for you and your daughter. Not as good S being home, but really a good time to spend together. I wonder how many times the ruses see a sewing table set up in the hospital rooms. Not many, I have to think!
    The mini quilt is adorable and your embroidery makes it that much more special.

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  12. What a great story to go along with a fantastic quilt. I hope your daughter is doing well now.

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  13. Great details and fabric choices - such a cheery home!

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  14. How resourceful of you to bring your machine to the hospital. I loved reading about how you and your daughter spent time together in quiet pursuits....and the name of your mini is just perfect.

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  15. Well, that would be just terrible, but wow, I do like how you made the best of things...speaks to the indomitability of the human spirit. To handquilt yours then...wow. And with such detail. Yay for a binding that works on the first try too!

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  16. Love the wreath on the door and flower boxes. The have been many different swings on the block. your hand stitching is a great finishing touch, along with your story. Said a prayer for your daughter. Your one busy lady, enjoyed this visit

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  17. Good for you keeping up your work. It's hard when life throws wrenches into your path, but I imagine there was something comforting about having a project to hand stitch. It is for me. Love your little wreath on the door!

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  18. your mini is wonderful. and what sweet memories it will bring when you see it

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  19. Your mini looks beautiful!
    What great QT with your girl ♡♡

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  20. What a wonderful way to make the best of a bad situation! All the best to your daughter in dealing with her medical challenges!

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  21. I thinking of how it must have looked to the nurses, you sewing and your daughter reading to you--making the best of the situation and bringing home with you to the hospital. This is truly a memory quilt full of love. There is something so therapeutic about handwork, isn't there?

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  22. Thanks for sharing your story. I spent many hours hand-quilting while sitting with my mom, who had Alzheimers. Those memories are precious now. Your daughter's memories of your love for her will last forever. Prayers for your little one.
    Your embroidery is beautiful.

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  23. What a nice story around this quilt, and I love how the name ties it together. I love your embroidered wreath and flower box. Lovely quilt!

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  24. This is such a great little quilt Tami!

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  25. your wreath and flower box are just the perfect little touch. So lovely that you could keep your mind occupied during the hospital visit.

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  26. Precious! Precious little quilt. Precious testimony. Precious time together with your youngest daughter. Thank you for sharing your full story behind the quilt. You have given me much food for thought. (lynnstck[at]yahoo.com

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