We all have one quilt that stands out for some reason to us. Maybe it's because it was a pattern you weren't sure you could make, or it went to a special person, or it was to celebrate a landmark event in your life. Tell us about it.


Mine was a quilt that I made for my grandmother's 90th birthday. She loved roses and the color light aqua and I based it around a fabric that had both. I killed myself to finish it in time for the party, including sewing on the binding in one of my doctoral seminars. She was thrilled with it but then said "I am going to hang it up because it is so pretty and I don't want anything to happen to it". :shock: I said "you're 90 - if you wear it out, I'll make you a new one" and she laughed. But she used it and she enjoyed it. She died about 18 months later, having napped under it many days during that time. My aunt gave it back to me and when I want to feel close to her, I pull it out and sit under it.

She told me later that I was the only person to ever make her a quilt - and she had 12 kids and 49 grandchildren including a bunch of quilters. That made me feel pretty good.

My avatar is a paper piecing of my late husband's shirts and ties. It's really special to see is hanging on the wall. Like you, I feel closer to him when I most need it.

My favorite quilt took 25 yrs to make!! When my son was in kindergarten he brought home drawings that of course I thought were the best art in the world. I traced them on fabric 12 x 12 squares and then hand embroidered them in the exact colors of the crayons he used. Then I put them in a box==UFO. After he left home and got married, I found them in a closet and decided to make a quilt out of them. I had 7 blocks so I picked some solids and alternated them. I used his then two year old's hand prints for the quilting pattern in the solid squares. I gave it to him for Christmas (he was 31 years old!!) It really surprised him-he had forgotten all about it; I also had his original drawings to give him, too.
Sorry this was long and rambling but it still is my favorite quilt-thanks for letting me share it with you.

Well, it's a story that doesn't end well but here goes. I made my first show quilt in 1997. A large Mariner's Compass that I still love to this day...EXCEPT that when I see it I get very angry. That quilt took months to hand quilt and my mom loved it so I gave it to her after the show. We lived in TX at the time so it was a few years before I got to come home to visit to see how she hung it. It was out in the shed, hung up to cover a window, with rusty nails pounded through it. I've always held my tongue about this because I feel that once you give a quilt, it's not up to you how its' treated but this torqued me so much because she knew how hard I worked on it. I was not prepared for how she wanted to use it. I hate to say it, but I won't give her any more of my quilts.

My favorite was a huge double Irish chain I made years ago. My ex and I relied on wood for heat, so he would steal the covers and I would wake up shiverring. This quilt was so big that if he rolled over, wrapped up in it, I still had plenty for me. It was a pen-and-ink paisley and slate blue, with hearts in the border cornerstones. Took six months to hand quilt that puppy. Wish I still had it.

OMG!!!

My story is not a quilt that I made but one someone made for me. When I was in 6th grade my Aunt Amy helped me hand piece a few bits a fabric together for a crazy quilt. I finished the block and didn't think anything about it. On my 16th birthday she sent me the quilt that had my block along with ones she had done. It has been well loved over the years from myself and my son. It is falling apart so it put away. One day I will pull it down and see what I can do to repair it.

Last summer my mom turned 80, so I made her a signature quilt. There are 76 blocks + 1 center block. Everyone in the family + some friends signed, wrote messages or drew pictures on their own block. She was stunned that so many would say such nice things about her. She has hung it in her bedroom. I was hoping she'd snuggle with it, but she can read all the signatures this way.

I had just joined a local guild in town and just finished my first quilt and onto my 2nd. I picked the Drunkard's Path. Boy, did I get comments! They we all shocked when I brought the top in finished!! I did this for my ex's grandmother in white with pansies. I came out gorgeous!! Grammy loved it!! She willed it to my son.

It isn't one I made. It's one my mom made. She hand pieced and quilted two quilts. A blue one for my nephew and a pink one for my oldest daughter. My nephews is long gone but DD used hers for a long time. She passed it on to her brother and then it went to my youngest. She slept under it till she was 16. It was getting tattered so she folded it and put it in her closet. Go forward eight years and DGD is now living with me. She wanted a blanket to cuddle with so I sent her to the closet to get one. Out of all the cuddly warm blankets in the closet she comes back with the tattered quilt. I decided then if something could evoke that much love I wanted to get involved. That's when I started quilting.

thanks for starting this cool thread

I am still working on my first quilt

Eleanor Burns Lovers Knot lap quilt, I took a class and got the top all done in one day, 2 weeks later the teacher was killed in auto accident, and just now got it back out last fall and trying to get it finished, I am now stitching in the ditch, this will be a special quilt

Craftybear

Irish--what a beautiful story. It seems a tiny bit familiar... did you post a picture of that quilt? I love your story. Thank you for making it for her.

My mother used a Cathedral Windows quilt, that I made especially for her, to cover her washer and dryer so she could put the cat's litter box up there. To this day she wonders why I haven't given her another.

It's the very first quilt I ever made. I made this quilt for our dear friends as an honor of them being our Chapter Directors. Never made a quilt or knew what a rotary cutter was, or even knew how to use all the gadgets that go with quilting.. I was always overwhelmed when I went to the store to look at all of that stuff... (laughing now because I own about one of everything)
After searching many many web sites I saw a block that was called a "Friendship Block". How appropriate I said to myself. Our chapter colors are red and we are called the Pioneer Chapter.. I found material in the past to make scarfs for us and I had a bunch of that left over... so that fabric had special meaning and yahoo.. it was one of the fabrics. then I thought wow would it be great if i could add some pictures.. so here I am trying to figure out how to add pictures to the quilt... wondering all the while, will I be able to pull this off.
This couple did so much for our chapter. We had many wonderful memories and fun together, I wanted to honor them.
Well, I managed to make this special quilt and presented it to them on the day they stepped down from their position. We remained very good friends (sisters) and quilting buddies. We shared many happy times. That quilt now hangs in their house..
She has since passed away but knowing that quilt still brings comfort to her husband... and to me.. so with all that said, this is "that very special quilt"

BB,
I haven't posted a picture but I should. I'll try to do it tomorrow.


After reading the stories, I have one question. Why do people mistreat and not appreciate quilts made from the most intricate patterns instead of a basic 9 patch? Perhaps the lesson is that we should test appreciation levels of a recipient with a simple strip quilt and see if they earn a more complex quilt. I am heartsick to think of a Mariner's Compass and Cathedral Windows being used like a tarp.

I crocheted afghans years ago for my husband's grandsons for Christmas. His daughter called all excited and said they put them under the trailer and the dogs loved them. That's all it took for me to never give them anything more. Sadly, the boys' children didn't got anything either. I know I should have just let it go but I couldn't. I now have two grandchildren that love everything they get.

My special one was for my younger son.....who is a biker, a Harley man !!!!

It is made from 53 of his Harley T-shirts, his wife's t's, neckerchiefs, member patches and pictures that we took. The block that I like the most is one made from a gift he bought for one of his nieces. It was a Harley-Davidson little girl's denim pocketbook.

I took the flap off the purse and sewed that onto a block. I then cut off the front of the bag and sewed it unto a block also but only around the edges, leaving the top open and the flap folded down over it. I then made the strap a lot shorter and sewed that in a loop over the purse.....it can be used to hide a treasured something.

He absolutely loved it so that made all the time spent in sewing this 90"x90" quilt worth all hours worked.

It's called "Bikers' Only"

Maryjane

I had 5 sisters, 4 older than me and 1 younger. I am the only quilter in the family. I made a pp pineapple using a pansy and off-white fabric for my sister, Marie. The pansy print was fabric that Marie had given to me years before. It is twin size and hand quilted. I had started while living in Ca, finished in Co,took 6 mos to make. Made a special trip back home to personally deliver it her. It is on her bed. But the one I am glad I made was for my sister Liz. I used floral prints and matching solids to make a Pinwheels. That one is also twin size and hand quilted. I delivered that one also. My sister Liz suddenly passed way last October. When I gave her the quilt, I told her we are miles apart, but we are a part of each other and I will always love you. I don't know where that quilt is, but I know where Liz is, always in my heart. I hope to make all my sisters and 2 brothers quilts.

My special quilt was a queen size love quilt for my pastor. He has advanced cancer and it is made of random strips (fat quarters) and a light beige narrow strip with different colored beige strips. The lightest beige strips were signed by church members with words of encouragement. I was proud when it was completed.

That brought tears to my eyes.

I can't choose. I have 2 that my grandma made me years ago that I kept on my bed until they were falling apart. I have 3 that I made and gave away that I loved too. So please don't make me choose cause I just can't.

I have 2 and you will see why. The first one was made for my grandaughter before she was born by a close friend/coworker. We all worked at a quilt shop and she made her a pink and white heart quilt with eyelet on the edges. My grandaughter is 14 now and still uses and treasures the quilt.
The second one is a quilt that I orchestrated to make for that same friend/coworker when she got diagnosed with cancer a year later. I gave each person who worked at the shop a muslin block and had them make her a special block. Then when everyones was done, I sashed and quilted it and took it to her. She loved that quilt so much and her husband said that she took it with her to chemo and everywhere. She battled for 3 years, but the cancer finally took her away from us. I saw her days before and she was wrapped in the quilt. The day of the funeral, her husband told me that she requested that the quilt go with her, wrapped tight around her so she could take our love and warmth with her.
I have pics somewhere, will try to find them and post them in a few days or so. I miss Carol immensely.

My favorite quilt is usually the one I'm working on at the time. But I guess over all it would be the scrappy one I made using my MIL blocks. It meant so much to me that she gave me the blocks before she died. She did live long enough to see her blocks quilted. It was the second quilt I made and I was very unsure of how or what to do.

My step son used the Hawaiian needle turned, hand quilted, quilt I made him (took about 10 months to make) to cover some old tires in his garage. I feel your pain.

Two special quilts for me so far. My youngest son got married and I decided that I wanted to make a double wedding ring for him and his wife. I found the perfect kona off white with off white butterflies for the background and a beautiful batik in purples for the rings. I could not make my sewing machine do the curves correctly so I decided it had to be completely hand pieced and hand quilted. It was slightly smaller by a few inches than a king. They are no longer together, but he considers it the best quilt I have ever made. The second quilt was a kit I got from connecting threads, Penny Candy, with stars and pinwheels. I made it for my friend Cathy for her birthday and she got it a year later. She loves it and I was so glad to make it right now for her. I never got around to making a quilt for my BFF Anna thinking I had time, but suddenly she got sick and before I knew it she was gone. I wasn't going to let that happen to me again. Cathy appreciates it as she quilts too and refuses to let her dogs come anywhere close to it, LOL!!

I have two special quilts. One I made for my DH on our 50th ann. called an american family. I posted it several days ago. the other was a joint venture. while going through an old trunk about 15 or so years ago, I ran onto a double wedding ring quilt top. My mother said she quilted it when she was about 16. It was hand pieced. I asked her to give it to me so I could finish it. Because it was badly sewn, I went over all the seams and then quilted it. I embroideried Mom and Dad's names and their wedding date on the center space and then my husband's and my name in one just below it. well that set off a problem with some of my sisters that I had it. so back it went to Mom and then to my oldest Sister. When she died recently, her daughter thought I should have it. so while I now have it, there is a bitter sweet memory with it. I will post it maybe tomorrow in the pictures. it's the only thing I can remember that Mom and I did together.

My guild has a yearly challenge and in 2008 my daughter was battling cancer. I didn't have my heart in it to make a quilt. The challenge was a nine-patch. I decided to do a fabric scrapbook about my daughter. I brought the patches with me to the hospital during visits and chemo, doing applique, embroidery, etc. The quilt contains her silhouette, a scrap of her prom dress, college and high school letters, her favorite sport - tennis, her favorite music and band buttons, and an awareness ribbon for hodgkins lymphoma, etc.. She didn't realize I was making it about her and for her. She was touched and I recently entered it in a quilt contest - it won third place. The quilt is now on display in a shadow box in her bedroom (she is doing well).

These are wonderful stories. Thanks so much for sharing them. Just like me, many of them are about the quilt we made for someone who isn't with us anymore. I hope that more will tell us about their special quilt

[quote/].
My guild has a yearly challenge and in 2008 my daughter was battling cancer. I didn't have my heart in it to make a quilt. The challenge was a nine-patch. I decided to do a fabric scrapbook about my daughter. I brought the patches with me to the hospital during visits and chemo, doing applique, embroidery, etc. The quilt contains her silhouette, a scrap of her prom dress, college and high school letters, her favorite sport - tennis, her favorite music and band buttons, and an awareness ribbon for hodgkins lymphoma, etc.. She didn't realize I was making it about her and for her. She was touched and I recently entered it in a quilt contest - it won third place. The quilt is now on display in a shadow box in her bedroom (she is doing well).[/quote]

What a beautiful quilt and great story. But the best part is that it has a happy ending! I am so glad your daughter is doing well.

My DD wanted a red, white and blue quilt, so I made her Abe Lincolns Quilt, but I put a nine patch between the stars. The nine patches were from all different fabrics But the stars were a deep red batik against a deep blue batik. I took me forever as it was the first quilt I had made in quite a while and I had to get back in the swing. I finally finished it and I have to say, it was beautiful. The way the colors were made it almost glow. The day I gave it to her, she found out that the daughter of one of her closest friends from school had cancer of the brain. She was 7. My daughter asked me if she could donate that quilt for a fundraiser for them. Of course I said yes. It raised double what I would have charged for it and the family was so greatful. There was a little girl there who fell in love with that quilt. She came back every little bit to look at it. She bought one ticket and yes, she won it. She was about 10 and I thought she would wet her pants when they called her name! Sadly, the little girl with cancer left us last year, but her parents have pictures of her standing by that quilt. I am in the process of making DD another quilt, but she didn't want that pattern because she said it would be forever Jayden's quilt.

These stories have brought tears to my eyes ... such wonderful reasons for quilting :)

I have to say this thread is just as good as mine about quilting stories. I have enjoyed reading all of these just as much.

[quote=IrishNY]We all have one quilt that stands out for some reason to us. Maybe it's because it was a pattern you weren't sure you could make, or it went to a special person, or it was to celebrate a landmark event in your life. Tell us about it. /quote]

This one made me feel real good because I did it with my son's 6th grade class.

[IMG]http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q...ted/britto.jpg[/IMG]

I like this thread too in the same way that we wrote about what got us started quilting. I would have had difficulty selecting a special quilt, but here's the one that made me so happy. Years earlier I made a very simple and plain crib quilt for a dear friend and colleague for her new baby girl. We were transferred as were they, but we kept in touch at Christmas. The years passed and my friend always sent me photos of this little girl. In one of their Christmas letters she wrote that her daughter asks her every night: "Tell me about the lady who made my little quilt." And every night for years, she did just that. That young girl is now twenty-one years old, and this child's love for a simple little quilt is my inspiration. :lol:

I made my first doll quilt in March, and my partner loved it. that is the only quilt I have made, so when I do some large ones I will have more of a feeling of a special quilt. Penny

I don't blame you on this one I would feel soo hurt people should know that quilters put their feeling and sooo much time into these.

these are all so heart touching stories. God bless all of you for there very special stories and for those of you who have had your beautiful quilts so miss treated, may your hearts heal for the pain you carry. Penny

You are much kinder than I am. I give gifts with no strings attached as well but to see something that I worked so hard on be disrespected would be more than I could handle. I would be happy to take it back even if I had to pull out the nails myself.

Well when you give a gift to people they can do what they want with it but that is so sad to me I would feel extremely hurt especially a family member mistreating my gifts

These are such beautiful touching stories. It's so wonderful to be involved with people who love quilting as much as I do. My special quilt was the second one I made which was a patchwork quilt in mainly primary colors for my youngest grandson (then 4). He cried when I needed to borrow it for a picture. He thought I wasn't going to return it. He loves it so much and always tells me. We also made a pillow together from scraps. It doesn't match the quilt at all, but he loves it and sleeps on it every night. He even takes it with him when he goes somewhere overnight.