Amy's Blogger Quilt Festival Entry

Are you playing along with Amy?
I thought I would share my Christmas quilts that Grandma Kath and I made.
Here is the story of how they came to be.

Last year I found out about Monica of The Happy Zombie.

I love her, her posts are so funny, and she knows her stuff.

Not to mention how CUTE her fabrics are.

Last year she posted her quilt called Rectangle Reverie.

I fell in love with it, I had been buying red and white Christmas fabric for years.

Every year I would go the Joann's and get whatever red and white fabric they had.

When I saw Monica's quilt I knew that I was finally going to put my collection to good use.

At this same time Grandma Kath wanted to make quilts for her daughter's.

She has never made a quilt and wanted to learn how.

I figured that this would be an easy one, with no corner's to match.

Since the pattern calls for ten fat quarters, and I had ten half yard pieces,

we made two red ones. Then headed down to our friendly neighborhood Joann's.

When we got there we found all the Christmas fabrics on sale 90% off,

add with Kath's teacher discount, are you kidding me!!!  

Kath liked the Debbie Mum's best, so that is what we got for the other two.

Did you want to see?

This one is mine, how cute is it!

Here is the back

My little back patch with all the fabrics from the front.

I love it and can't wait to make some more.

Here is the quilting, Picnik didn't like my pictures this morning, so I couldn't highlight it.

The red ones got snow flakes.

The Debbie Mum's got holly berries and stuff.

I am so happy with how they turned out.

Go on over to Amy's blog and see what everyone's been up to.

What I Really Do

Some of you might think that I am a quilter.

Some might think that I am a dress maker.

Some might think that I just sew simple things for the girlies.

But the truth is that I am an heirloom seamstress.

I think I have been trying to hide this fact.

In the world of sewing/craft bloggers, simple seems to be best.

What I do is more complicated.

It take hours of practice and patience.

It is not really something that you can teach in a bloggy format.

I think that I wanted to be part of the bloggy world that can show you some simple techniques, and make you think that you are awesome. It is important, and that is why there are so many of them out there. You know the ones that say, get you child's favorite store bought pants, trace them on some fabric, cut them out, and sew it together, look at that you are sewing. I think it is great to make mother's think that they can contribute and make something for their family. I figure the more woman who start sewing the better. Everything has it's purpose and I could go down that route in order to get followers, but that is not me. 

I have been sewing since I was twelve, I worked in three different sewing factories, I know how to do it, and I do it well. I guess for me I feel like I would be dumbing down to follow that path. I am no longer going to be hiding my light you could say. Hiding what makes me different, just because there are not a lot of sewing people like me.

I don't want you to think that I think I am better, that is not what I am saying. I liken sewing to construction, there are plumbers, electricians, carpenters, tilers, all of them are talented and all can make a house. They are all different and have their own awesome skills. When asked what they do they would say I am in construction. That is like the sewing world, there are quilters, those who can sew a slipcover, those who can sew jeans, the super awesome who can do alterations (a skill I refuse to learn) and then those who can do what I do.  When asked I am sure we would all say I am a seamstress. If I offended anyone I am sorry, truly not my intent. 

Moving on.

Last month while as I was getting ready for Easter and Hawaii, I was asked by Grandma Kath if I could bring down a baptism jumper down for her little friend that was getting baptized that next weekend. I had made one for her big sister and Kath wanted her to have her own.

So with four days to spare I whipped this out.

In the Mormon faith children are baptized when they are eight years old.

It is a full immersion baptism, the church provides jumpers.

They are not cute. 

I am all about the cute.

On Facebook one day I asked if you could describe me in one world what would it be.

My sister answered with "Sentimental"

This comes out in the things that I sew.

I'll so you.

I hand embroidered this CTR crest.

It is shadow embroidery. 

CTR stands for Choose The Right.

The children in the Church are given rings with this crest on them 

as reminder's to choose the right after they are baptized.

I chose this lace because I thought it looked like Temple windows.

I pieced the lace together to make this fancy band.

All the lace that has the little windows is separate lace from the big windows. 

I always try to put in three hem tucks to represent the God Head.

A reminder that after today when all seems lost the Lord will always be there for you.

On the sleeves I put these pin tucks.

Each one represents a member of her family, her parents and her and her siblings.

As a reminder that her family will be there, with their arms around her through out her life.

Lastly a bow in the back made of sheer fabric.

Not only because little girls should always have a bow in the back, 

but also to represent Temple clothes. 

Baptism is the first covenant to God, and going through the Temple the second.

The bow Is suppose to be that reminder. 

So there you go that is really what I do, and what I love to do.

I am making Lillian's baptism clothes as we speak.

She gets to get baptized in 2 1/2 weeks.

I will be showing you that for sure, no more hiding for me.

I hope you have a fabulous week, I am going to be busy hand embroidering until my fingers give out. 

My Four Mother's

Once again I find myself in this same position  One would have thought I would be one year older, and a year wiser but no. They are still not listening to me, and to top it off they have their friends over today to add pain to misery. And Yes Good Looking is still out of town, he is coming home at 10:00 tonight.

Maybe one day the four children will grow up to be women who have learned to clean their rooms. Maybe they will call me one day to tell me that they just said to their child, the same things that I have always said to them. Maybe just maybe they will apologize for not listening to me. Maybe they will even say your right mom the day before Mother's day should really count as your own mother's day. Do you need me to come and clean your room for you.


So to try and change my mind from the whole failure of motherhood I am going to tell you about my Moms.

I have four of them.

I would not be, who I am with out them.

My first mother

Is my birth mother. I was adopted. I have never met her. I am told her name is Kathryn. I am told that her husband left her while she was pregnant with me. She already had a 1 1/2 year old son to take care of, and wanted better for me. I am very grateful to her for giving me my life. Besides giving my parents, my stable two family home, my five brothers and three sisters. She literally gave me life. Hawaii was the first state to legalize abortion. I am thankful that she didn't go with that option. I sometimes think what she might look like. I am guessing that we would have the same hands.

My second and forever mom.

She is amazing even though she would not agree with it. She is crazy, fun, and everything I needed in a mom. She raised eight children and said goodbye to her youngest.  She says the funniest things. One day I called her and when she answered the phone I said "mom" and she said "well that all depends" and then went off on how I could be her mom or I could have the wrong phone number, in that case she would not be the mom I was looking for. Her eyes disappear when she is laughing, and when she gets choked up watching a show she will literally say "a pup a pup up" and  wave her hands in front of her face. She is an on the floor Grandma and always organizes them into activities. I saw a quote the other day that said "The only thing better than having you as a mom, is knowing that my kids have you for a grandma" Truer words have not been spoken.
If you live in Utah County then you might know my mom she is the one who started Hope of America. She had a vision, and at fifty she made it happen. She went back to school to get a degree in physical education and not only did it, but got straight A's. Her show started with just a few schools and now includes every school in the county and is over two nights. if you have been in the past; she is the one directing the choir, and she is the one doing the push-ups. I told her my fitness goal is to beat her in push-ups, she would be a tough one to beat. When she was serving her mission in Samoa last year she challenged the boys there to  push-ups and she won. She beat them. My almost seventy year old mother beat the big Samoan boys, cracks me up.
I could go on and on about all the fun and crazy things she had us do while we were growing up. The checker tournaments, scripture and prophet memorization, or the muscles of the heart memorization in hopes that one of us might become a doctor. She used to always say "One day our ship is going to come in" If she had a dollar for every time she said it it probably would have. One day my dad said "It did come in, it was a raft full of kids" I am so thankful that I was on that raft. I love you Mom.

My third Mom

My Mother in law. I know there are a lot of women who hate there in laws. They feel like they could never measure up, or that they are not loved by their mother in law because they took away her baby boy. I have never in my eighteen years of marriage felt that way. She is a kind and loving woman who has treated me like part of the family since I first walked into their house when I was dating my husband. I wanted to marry into a family where I could call my mother in law mom and I always have. I don't think I have ever called her Tamra. She raised a wonderful man for me and for that alone I could love her. I think it is the way that she has always treated me and my girls that makes me love her more. Her health has not been the best over the last few years. I wish my girls could have seen the woman that she was, but I know that they love the woman that she is. She always says that she put it in a safe place, then can't remember where that place was.  She can get out any stain that you might have, and can make white clothes white, and mean WHITE. She won't send her husband to work with out an ironed shirt and he is in construction. She would iron his paint shirts, because she doesn't want him showing up to work not looking his best. Don't bother telling her that it doesn't matter because to her it does. I have been blessed. When I hear the awe full in-law stories I always say a little prayer of gratitude.

My last mom

Grandma Kath. I have talked about her before she is our spirit Grandma. She is not related to us through blood but through the spirit. The Lord stepped in to her life, so that she would be a part of mine. I have called her my friend, my mom, and my soul mate. She counts my kids as her grand kids and loves us all the same. She is the one that I can talk through all my problems with. She will tell me the truth, and tell me how to fix it. She cleans my pantry and my laundry when she is here. She wants me to teach her, after all the teaching that she has done in her life, and my life, she wants me to teach her.

I am hoping that one day I will think of my self as equal to these great women who made me, me. I am thankful that the Lord looked down on my life and said this is who you need, and gave it to me.

I hope that you have a great Mother's day. As always I hope your children listen to you, and shower you with kisses.

I am guest posting today.

I am guesting over at....

Sew Bitter Sweet Designs

I am teaching how to make this super cute bag.

Come check me out.

This last month has been a trip or two.

First we took a trip to Arizona, and then to Hawaii, and then to Las Vegas, and then an eight hour drive back home.

I was going to tell you all about it and make you jealous, but then life got in the way.

Trying to get kids back on schedule after ten days off, and then Blogger changing everything, and I am a little scaredey pants of new thing and have been trying to put it off.

On top of all of that I still don't have my old pictures since the computer died, and it hasn't been the same since.

Is that enough whining and complaining?

Well no more, no more I tell you.

I am going to be guest hosting for Melissa over at Sew Bitter Sweet Designs on the eighth so I just have to get over it. 

I will try to get back in touch with you before the eighth until then I hope you have a great day.

I hope you can have your kids listen to you, and clean your house the first time you ask.

(because that is my hope everyday)

I hope that after the kids have done their work, that you can get something wonderful done.

Maybe a sundress, or the boarder on the quilt that you still haven't finished.

I have to start on Lala's Baptism dress, it is in three weeks and I still haven't even started it.

 I keep on thinking if I don't start it then she is not eight, and she is not getting older.

That theory is not going to do me any good though, if on June second she doesn't have anything to wear.

OK enough of me projecting on to you. 

I will go do what I need to do, and you go do what you need to do, 

and we will meet back here again to report on our greatness.

How does that sound? 

I think it sounds fabulous.

Just so I don't leave you with nothing to look at here is a picture to make you jealous.

Have a great weekend.