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Your sweet granddaughter who died could be a cloud in the sky; then your ex's could still be falling leaves or leaves on the ground. I just made a "wall" quilt, about 36" x 50", using a Stonehenge grey for the "wall". I put a few "bricks" on the wall with grey satin stitches for "mortar" around each one. My idea was to have a crumbling stucco urban wall that exposed the brick underneath. It was a prayer quilt for a very ill relative. I had collected family and friends well wishes and wrote (with machine embroidery) on each brick, using different fonts. The bricks were different colored batik scraps and I used different colored thread for the writing so it would stand out on each batik.
When I thought I had enough bricks I finished the well wishes as graffiti on the grey wall background using black thread. Then I quilted angels with pale thread on the wall. I emb. little flowers, mice, crosses, elves and other quirky things I'm known for in between the bricks and along the bottom "ground". (I brought it to church and had it blessed and others present prayed over it. I made him a huge prayer quilt as well. At the moment he is doing well.)
For your quilt I am picturing the sky with a cloud and perhaps the sun peeking out from it, a low brick wall, a tree in front of the wall and of course, the ground. The wall could hold some of the names and birthdates of the grands while their parents are leaves on the tree in front of the wall. If you scattered the grands' names around instead of keeping them all together they would have fun looking for their names and for the funny designs you hide on the bricks, tree trunk and grass.
I must say that some of my emb. designs acted very badly and while I know where the messes are, they are not all too visible. I truly messed up when I tried to satin stitch the mortar on my old sewing machine and it looked terrible. Switched to my emb. machine -- because it was midnight and I wanted to finish the mortar -- and I was impressed how much prettier the grey thread stitched out on the emb. machine. Weellll, that really isn't what it was. The thread broke just before I finished and that's when I realized that all the mortar was in metallic silver. The two spools were stored next to each other. LOL And that's the story of my life........... I hope this wasn't too confusing and do wish you good luck on what you decide. Last but not least: Congratulations on a wonderful life together all these years through thick and thin times.
by toogie
05 Jan 2017
Thank you and I do hope you show us a photo of the one you made. It sounds like you have put a lot of thought into yours, as well....Wanna make mine?-lol
by topcat5
06 Jan 2017
LOL. Thank you. I was in a hurry and sent the quilts on without taking a picture. I wanted to have him wrapped in prayers as soon as possible. I don't consider myself a quilter as I came into it about 10 years ago and use BOM or pictures of pretty quilts but I'll be glad to help in any way I can. I had already thought of a baseball bat leaning against the tree with a name on it and a baseball on the ground with his birthdate on it. Other toys or games could be scattered around with names and dates of a particular child. You and Hubby's names and dates could be on the tree trunk. There are so many real quilters in our group that I'm sure they know exactly what would appeal to you. Maybe they will speak up soon.
1931I just went and had a look on Google for Anniversary quilts and the ones on there just blew me away. My, my there are some very gifted Quilters in the world. I hope you find something that will suit your needs Toogie. Good luck with it all. Love Chris
by toogie
05 Jan 2017
I know Chris, they are all so beautiful and the one you are on included. How much have you finished on yours? I could never do one on my machine ITH, because of my so small size......
234253Will have to give this some serious thought, I do agree about leaves with the ex's on them maybe they could be the dropped ones at the base of the tree lol. Will get back to you..
by meganne
05 Jan 2017
I love your thinking on the fallen leaves, what a beautiful way to include the biological (ex parent).
hugs
by toogie
05 Jan 2017
I was gonna put our grand daughter's, that died, leaf, on the ground so maybe the ex's could be falling mid-air?
45917Hi Toogie, though I really like the idea of The Family Tree,not too sure about sleeping with it. [haha] I did once do a large 24" pillow with lots of family photos printed on it for a birthday. (for a member of our family who was 60yrs). I am not a fan of 'kits', as they do not always come up to standard. However, pre-cuts such as the jelly-roll and layer-cake etc would perhaps make the job easier.
by toogie
05 Jan 2017
Precuts would help but I have so much fabric already I need to use,............we will see.
16529I'm going to think on this a while Toogie. It's a grand idea but want to give it some thought. What came to me at first was not a tree but a famly diagram as you would see on paper. block for you block for hubby with full names block under with marriage date. block for each child with birthdate, their mates and wedding dates, then their children and their birthdates etc, etc. Of course other blocks also but this is just what is running through my mind at the moment. I'm sure you will get some grand and glorious ideas from other Cuties far more creative than myself Hugs LILLIAN
by toogie
04 Jan 2017
If I did do it block by block info, what about the multiple marriages?? This is my hold back on making anything family.......
The reason I thought of the tree was, I saw one done and so regret not taking a photo with my phone. I knew I didn't have my camera and that was when I first got my cell phone and forgot I could snap photos with it. Anyway, it was all done machine applique, the tree, the flowers that made up the borders. I think the whole quilt must have been done ITH, so her sister must have had a large or commercial machine. It was colorful and oh so beautiful.
Thank you for responding, I know your time is valuable. How are things at home? Are you still getting a little help with DH? How is your back?
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