Christmas Stockings

I made these stockings as an order from one of the teachers at Buckingham school, who sent them to her family in Australia as Christmas gifts. It was the first time I'd got paid to sew/quilt something (around $30 each). They were machine pieced using strips, machine quilted, lined and machine appliqued. The names were hand embroidered on. Apparently they were well received in Australia. Dec. 1984.

Advent Calendar

 

In December 1983, I made 4 of these. I went into each of my children's classrooms  (3 of them) with the backgrounds done and the students all made an ornament -the teacher then got to keep the Advent calendar. We kept the last one and still put it up at Christmas time -my 3 children decorated each ornament. It's showing its age now and a lot of the sequins are missing, but it's a wonderful keepsake and the 'kids' still enjoy seeing it.

Adrienne's Baby Quilt

This baby quilt was made for my niece, Adrienne, who was born in May 1984, Just simple strips of fabric and I lined it with flannelette and put some cotton lace around it. Did some machine quilting along the strips.

The Cabbage Patch bunting bags were made for either a doll or a real baby. My daughter, Robyn,  got the pink/rose coloured one and I gave the other one to my niece, Adrienne. 1984.

Spencer's Quilt

Made this quilt for our Kourageous Kids' Calendar project. Some of our Langley Guild members duplicate the drawings done by children being treated for cancer at the Children's Hospital -these drawings were all in a calendar made to raise money for their "Balding for Dollars" campaign.
I chose this drawing as I loved the colours Spencer had used and especially the fancy race car with the flames. Spencer loved his dog, playing hockey and drawing, so there were also fabrics in his quilt to represent his interests. While I was making the quilt, I had a feeling that Spencer had not survived his bout with cancer and did find out afterwards that it was true. When the quilts were presented to either the children or their families, Spencer's Aunt was there to receive it as his family had embarked on a year long journey on their sailboat to help in their grief and recovery. I found out that Spencer had fought his cancer for 4 years, but died at the age of 11 years. Afterwards I received a lovely card of thanks from his family, thanking me for taking the time to recreate his drawing and giving them a memento of it that they would treasure forever. It was very touching. I still try to make one of these quilts every year as these kids really deserve something as they fight this disease -it's not fun or easy and they rarely complain.

Velvet and Cotton Wallhanging

Made this wallhanging in 1980 out of velvet and cotton. Hand pieced and hand quilted. About 18" square. Pictured with it are my niece, Andrea (12 yrs) and son, Wade (6 yrs) in December 1980. I seemed to like that velvet for some reason -still not bad for my first year of quilting.

Mrs. Hammonds Wallhanging

The first placemat was a set of 2 made for the kids' piano teacher, Mrs Hammond as a Christmas gift in 1983. The second was also a set of 2 given as a wedding gift to Robyn's 1st Grade teacher when she got married in 1983. You can date the placemats by the colour choices and combinations -not that pretty now, but at the time they were considered quite lovely. Actually blue & brown are now in vogue again, but it looks quite different (everything that comes around, goes around they say!) All hand sewn and hand quilted

First Quilting Attempt

This was my very first quilting attempt in 1980. . Think I found the pattern in a Quilt magazine -the only one available at that time, and it was all black & white.  I used poly/cotton fabrics, including corduroy in the middle -had no idea what was considered 'right'. Hand pieced and hand quilted. As you can see, the borders were 'waleless' corduroy also. It hung in our kitchen for quite awhile.

My First Patchwork Quilt

First patchwork quilt-made in 1980 of 65%/35% poly cotton. Completely hand sewn and tufted (tied).- I cut out  each square by tracing a cardboard square cut  out of a cereal box, and hand sewed it on the lines. A work of love. Hand quilted in 1981. Made it for Wade's bed. Pictured are Blair (2 years) and Robyn (4 years). Later I machine quilted it 'in the ditch'. This quilt travelled a lot in it's lifetime, from Wade's bed, to a comforter watching TV. to my Mom's dog bed , and finally recycled it to the thrift store for someone to enjoy. A little faded, but still in good shape, considering.

Robyn's Grad Quilt

 

Made this quilt to celebrate my daughter, Robyn's, high school graduation. It was an original design and I hand quilted symbols of the sea in the white section as she loves swimming, the ocean and and all things tropical. It was on her bed for quite a while and it now lives with her in Toronto.