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I think I'll start small and quilt a pillow...i'll start on it soon..thanks for the link..
I'm going to check it out now!

pretty quilts Mabel!

Thanks very much for the links. Thanks also to Rose for all that information.

Mabel that quilt is wonderful, what a great present to recieve for ur wedding, so detailed to.

Thank you for all the help! I was looking for some useful sites in the textile art bingo links, but those are not very good for beginners.
I was thinking of trying it out, too - but it can only be a mini-project, hand-made, before I can buy a machine.
I saw somewhere a little project called crazy quilting, that was hand made, and I liked it. I may try to find it again.

Mabel, that quilt is definitely a precious gift! So much work and love must have gone into making it!

Mabel, that quilt is gorgeous what a lovely thing to have.

Wonderful Quilt Mabel, your MIL sounds like a very special lady

Girls I hope that this link works I was looking to see if the new snowman design was up on the Vermillion site and I came across this slide show of what some have done with the patterns they have made. There are some wonderful quilts, bags, table rumnners and so on. http://www.vsccs.com/ME/Inspiration/VSTrunkShow.htm" target="_blank

I have also been trying to find a site I came across about a year ago. It was a group of ladies that make quilts for childrens hospitals and Make-a-Wish foundations. They ask people to do a design in a particular theame and on a specific measured square and then you send them the stitched piece. They then sew it together and present it to sick children to boost their spirits and give them something beautiful to hold as they are being treated for whatever ailment they maybe fighting. It is a beautiful site and the quilts they have made at FABULOUS. But I can't find it in my travels. I will continue to look and hope to have it for you soon. In the mean time enjoy the Vermillion site.

For anyone who is interested I have put up this folder of the quilts that my mom made for us kids and dad. I thought it would just be easiest to give you the link to the album rather then putting each one up here.

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/563432586AyjdgB" target="_blank

Thank you, Rose, for both!

The vermilion site can give us some good ideas about finishing, and further reasons to learn quilting.

Your family quilts are real treasures! You must be so proud of your mum! They are all a lot of work! How long did it take her to make one? Did she stitch all the pictures, too?

Wonderful quilts, Mabel - the colours are beautiful

Your family quilts are amazing, Rose. I take it that the pictures all relate to that person's interests. They're real family heirlooms.

Mabel, what a wonderful gift from your MIL. The quilt is beautiful. All the love and work that went into such a personal present is always special isn't it.

Rose, thank you for the link to that site, I enjoyed looking at all the designs. I wish I was able to achieve something so beautiful.

I love the family quilts one as well. What a wonderful Mum, giving each of you something so special you can always treasure it.
Lovely family photo as well Rose. Thanks for sharing these with us.

Thanks everyone we all have our quilts in pride of place. To answer a few of the questions...... Since mom and dad were both retired when she stitched the quilts they didn't take her long. Once I get the better camera I can take a picture of the tag she made up for mine and post it. I had the one that took the longest figures and it was about a years work. But she could do alot of stitching during the day. She did all of the pictures. Some were already to go made charts but some of the ideas my dad had to imagine and then make-up the chart to match it. Like the Birth certificates, the school my husband went to and his A&P Certificate, all of these dad made up on the computer for her to stitch. Yes each square has a special meaning to each individual. And the are in chronilogical order. Birth to present, or when it was present for them to be finished.

The quilt that was done for my dad was the last one and since all of us kids were by then living on our own we didn't understand why some of the squares were made so dad and mom put together a book. There was a close up picture of each square and then a 3 or 4 page explanation to go with it. It was really cool because along with the picture was a dad story. My dad could tell the best stories and it is nice to have the memories. Actually before he died he and mom put together 4 books with stories in them. They are so fun to go back and read . My family thinks I have flipped my wig when I get them out because I just sit and laugh for hours.

Oh, Rose, how good it is to have all these good memories! I am sure even your grandchildren will appreciate it!

Your parents sound wonderful Rose, and so fantastic for you to have these books of memories. Something you can really treasure.

Sometimes I wonder whether there will be things I leave behind that my grandchildren can treasure... Such a difficult thought.

What a wonderful thing to have Rose, such a lovely idea and personal item/s to have.

Rose, What beautiful quilts. Your mother has given you such wonderful heirlooms and memories. They are fantastic!



Mabel, your quilts are beautiful. I love the colours. What fine work your MIL has done.



You Lucky Lucky girls!!

Hi everyone, all I can say is that if you have a sewing machine,can sew a sort of straight line, please go and have a few lessons for quilting as you will love it. At the moment Im passed my quilting period, but no doubt I will return to it as I loved seeing the quilts come together. You will be surprised at what you can make with a few simple lessons.

I found lots of videos about quilt making on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_q ... arch_type=" target="_blank

I can work from books, but find it much easier to actually see how things are done.

(I really must get out more!)

I'm like that too Genevieve. I find it so much easier to learn if I'm actually shown/can watch it.
Books are great once you have a good idea of what you're doing, but you can't beat seeing it.

Omg Rose thats amazing, I've been thinking of doing something similar for ages mainly so that I could find a way to display my small projects but I didn't have a clue where to start so I'm going to have a good read through all your tips etc and see if I can manage to do something