I am the grandmother of three grandsons and one lone granddaughter. So I suppose it is not surprising that I have an embarrassment of riches in my fabric stash of "boy fabrics." Too, our oldest grandson, Malcolm, during his first year of life was drawn to balls as if they were magnets. For his first birthday party, the theme was balls of all sizes and types. Early on, then, in this adventure of grandmothering, I started collecting fabrics that featured balls and also little and big boys playing ball.
The journal quilt I made today reflects our May visit to Michigan, to visit our family there and to watch both Malcolm and Dawson play baseball and soccer. Two recent blog postings featured photos of both boys and descriptions of all the fun we had.
The center four patch features two fabrics of widely disparate themes, but they have a similarity in that the baseball fabric is of baseball cards picturing kid players and the gardening fabric is of seed packets. We spent a lot of time not only at sports events but also planting a spring garden. Around the edges of the quilt, four different fabrics are used as borders—a dog fabric for Ace, their beloved Labradoodle, gardening tools, balls of all sorts, and at the top, soccer balls. Six fabrics in one small journal quilt is enough to make a person dizzy! Close-ups below show details of the fabrics. This quilt was quilted with variegated thread very simply—stitched in the ditch and then around the edges of the cards, the packets, and the flower pots. I used yet another ball fabric for the backing.
That journal quilt really captures the times you've had with the grandchildren and is as lively and dizzy as the fun you have with them. All that you do amazes. That will be a lively addition to the other journal quilts on your wall; and it is fun to have an appropriate backing.
ReplyDeleteLoved it mom. It seems to fit our goings on, even the dizzy quality of it all :)
ReplyDeleteThird try. Now that I got on board with Linda's blog, I think this comment will take.
ReplyDeleteAs I said before, I love the baseball and soccer 'cartoons' as well as the flower pot fabric. The way you put the flowers, the pots, the balls, garden tools and dog together in is delightful. Neat little frog, too.
Alice, this is all a priceless recollection. I love the way you "record" things :).
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