Wedding Quilt For Grandson!

The Wedding Quilt for Brandon and Raegan - too long for the Quilt Holder to display all of it

In March 2024 our grandson surprised his sweetheart with an engagement ring at Red Rock Canyon in Colorado, detailed here The wedding was this past April, and this is their wedding quilt.

Inspiration photos

Inspiration quilt photo - if you recognize it, shout it out!

In order to surprise them, I decided not to ask about colors so checked out their registry and found the colors represented were teal, navy, sage green, and cream. With that in mind, I bought a few yards of new fabric and pulled from stash. I saw a quilt made with these colors on one of your blogs, and I apologize, but I cannot recall who it was. The pattern was Brightly by Cluck Cluck Sew, and I loved it.

Due to last minute health issues, we were unable to attend the wedding, which was in Tulsa. The wedding was at Christ the King Catholic Church, and reception was at the historic Mayo Hotel in downtown Tulsa. We were a bit lonesome and depressed that night, but our daughter texted lots of photos and videos to make us feel like a part of it!

Quilting was delayed because of bobbin eyelashing on the back. After watching many videos and trying everything, I finally stopped ignoring the first instruction: "make sure your machine is threaded correctly". Yes, I had it threaded wrong - good grief! What a relief to get it going again, and I did a simple meander and enjoyed every minute of it.

I made a variation of the Brightly pattern for the twin size quilt and added a border to both sides to make it more a more standard size. Pre-laundering size = 74" x 94"; after laundering = 71" x 92". The border is a dark teal with gray dots, and the binding is Grunge. The backing is a pretty, warm sage-y green I purchased on sale at Joann's before it closed.

Rosie makes a perfect meowdel for these colors

It was nicely crinkled and soft after laundering

Raegan was so excited for the quilt and Brandon can't wait for it to turn cold to snuggle under it

Sammy with Papaw and Grandma (I was photographing our son photographing us)

We drove down south to Huntsville TX and delivered the quilt after a late lunch with our family celebrating the college graduation of our granddaughter Samantha (Sammy). She is our son and DIL's "baby", so it was an emotional day! Sammy is a very smart girl who has had a difficult past year, but she has a wonderful supportive family, a sweet and kind girlfriend, and she is on the right track, as we knew she would be. She has a job working with special needs children and wants to keep going in that direction. We are so very proud of her. 

Sammy with Raegan and Brandon and her girlfriend Cate. She was so happy!

The last quilt I made for Sammy was in 2017. I found out that she loves pink, so I have an initial fabric pull and pattern planned for her next quilt!

If you've made it this far, thanks for indulging me for this long post with gigantic photos! I am very pleased with how this long-awaited quilt turned out and grateful that my new granddaughter-in-law and grandson are so excited for it.

I am linking with a few linkups:

Kate's 15 Minutes to Stitch

Melva's Sew and Tell

Brenda's Monday Musings

Alycia's Finished Or Not Friday

The Almost Wedding Quilt and Upcoming Blog Hop

This quilt has been in progress for a year!  knew I would make a quilt after the engagement, but I waited until colors were chosen. Then a long wait for batting to be delivered (economy shipping might be free, but wow is it slow), the sandwiching process (it is the biggest quilt I've made so I needed my husband to help me), and bobbin tension issues (first time ever!) it is still not quilted. On top of that, I am having some eye issues, so not a lot of sewing is getting done!

Last month we had lunch with our grandson Brandon and his new bride Raegan after meeting them at the duplex they are leasing. The house is so cute - it was built in the 1960s and is in the Lake Highlands area of Dallas, an older neighborhood with tree-lined streets. I showed Raegan a photo of the quilt and she is thrilled. I hope to gift it to her by the first of August.

In other news, Melva from Melva Loves Scraps is hosting a blog hop on Thursday and Friday this week! As you can see from the cute logo, it is called Christmas in July. My day is Thursday along with other quilters, and the hop will continue on Friday with another group. There will be some prizes involved so be sure to check back on Thursday!

The Wedding Quilt Finish

At long last, here is The Wedding Quilt for my great nephew and his new bride! They were married last January in a beautiful winter setting in northeast Oklahoma.

My great-nephew Cory and his beautiful bride Brooklyn

Cory with his hat - lol - to cover his bald head!

I still remember Cory as a toddler, when he cried every time his Mama put him down. We thought he would grow up attached to her hip! He grew into such a good young man, and I think Brooklyn must be the girl of his dreams. Apparently he fell in love with her the first time he saw her, although they were "just friends" for a few months. After dating for two years, Cory popped the question, and the rest is history!

Pixelated Heart pattern by Amy Smart

My decision on a quilt pattern went through so many starts and stops, including Corey Yoder's Sprinkling, Slice of Pi's Exploding Heart, and Southern Charm Quilt's Lulu Louise before I finally decided on a simplified Pixelated Heart, a free pattern by Amy Smart. Since I already had 5-1/2 squares cut and ready to go, I just used her quilt photo as my guide to lay it all out.

Quilt back using yardage of Vert Fusion and a sage green buffalo check I had in my stash

My great nephew emailed this inspiration photo to me as Brooklyn's preferred colors

Bumble Beez by Art Gallery

Doiland Gloss Sparkler by Art Gallery

Lots of scrappiness with most of the neutrals from my stash

I actually had the fabric line, Vert Fusion by Art Gallery Fabrics, before I chose the pattern. My intention was to follow the inspiration photo above as closely as possible, but the colors are so muted that I decided to perk it up using Art Gallery's Bumble Beez and Doiland Gloss Sparkler to influence my choices. These fabrics add soft jade with hints of coral pink and ochre as well as provide some whimsy to the quilt. The neutrals and pops of color are from stash, with a big boost from Decostitch in Cloud, my favorite neutral.

Quilt progress was delayed by indecision, cataract surgery, procrastination, and fear of failure. Fortunately I overcame those obstacles and not only am I pleased with the outcome, but I also learned to "quilt from the back" using Longmire! A couple of you have wondered how that works. It involves putting the quilt on the frame, placing a pantograph on the table, using the rear handlebar, and positioning the laser beam from to trace the pattern on the pantograph while the needle stitches the pattern. You can see a demonstration of it right here.

My intent was to be true to the winter theme of their wedding, using snowflake fabric, text prints with sweet words, the silky elegant front, as well as a more homey theme on the back, and the name of the quilt pattern - "Drift", very appropriate for snow!

The weather has not cooperated for photos. My DIY guy suggested that foggy weather

was not the best for quilt photography, so I took the photos inside the house.

Toby putting last minute touches on draping the quilt

Rosie saw a wrinkle that Toby overlooked!

Cory's step-sister (my great-niece) lives near me and will see Cory and Brooklyn when she goes to Oklahoma for Christmas, so I will wait on mailing it and let her cart it to them. It is not only heavy for mailing, but I want to make sure it arrives intact!

QUILT DETAILS

Pattern inspiration: Pixelated Heart pattern by Amy Smart

Finished size: Approximately 76" wide x 80" tall

Front fabrics:

Vert Fusion layer cake by AGF (Art Gallery Fabrics)
India Ink from Kismet by Sharon Holland for AGF

Stamped from Paperie by Amy Sinibaldi for AGF

Spotted Graphite by Zen Chic for Moda

Decostitch in Cloud by AGF

Various fabrics from stash

Backing:

Sonic Flora Vert from Vert Fusion by AGF

Anew in Green Plaid with White/Cream by Brenda Riddle for Lecien

Binding:

Metallic snowflake fabric from Jo-Ann Fabrics

Superior Threads So Fine! 50 wt:

Piecing -#503 Genoa Gray

Quilting - #402 Pearl

Binding -  #152 Bisque and #1142 White Sand (30 wt)

Quilting:

Pantograph "Drift" by Keryn Emmerson

Toby lent his tail to the final shot

I am linking this post to Brenda's Monday Musings and PHD Update and Melva's Sew and Tell.

Sunday Happenngs

Our grandson's new digs!

Yesterday our son, DIL, and one granddaughter (another granddaughter had to work) drove up from The Woodlands, north of Houston, to move our grandson to Dallas. Brandon is 23 and has a great job in Houston that allows him to work from home. Dallas is about 3 hours from where he has lived all his life, so this is a big step for him. Of course we are thrilled to have our first grandchild only 65 miles from us! He is leasing a 3-bedroom townhome with two of his friends, and he will be much closer to his girlfriend who lives in Oklahoma! My husband and I drove down to tour his townhome, which is in a gated community in a trendy area near downtown Dallas. 

Here we are with our daughter, the two Littles, our DIL, and granddaughter in front, and our son and grandson in the back. We had just stuffed our faces with burgers and margaritas!

Today is a play day in the sewing room. I was forced to pause in the middle of working on The Wedding Quilt to invite a squirrel into my space. It is the fault of Diann from Little Penguin Quilts, who posted about this adorable table runner, and I could not resist. I plan to finish it this week and use it on our dining room table.

I have half of the rows sewn together for The Wedding Quilt. I need to hurry up and finish because my quilt assistant Toby keeps pulling the squares off the design wall then rearranging them up on the floor.

I hope you are enjoying your weekend!

The Wedding Quilt - Change of Direction

The bride's inspiration for colors

The Wedding Quilt for my great nephew and his new bride was originally going to be made in the Exploding Heart pattern. Pieces were cut and labeled, and then they sat there, patiently waiting to be made into little blocks. A few blocks were made, but I just wasn't feeling it. After a great deal of thought, the decision was made for a simple layout. And that is what is happening this week!

I already had 5-1/2 inch pieces cut from a variety of fabrics purchased for the quilt plus coordinating fabrics from my stash. I looked in several of my books for pattern inspiration and found one from A Life With Quilts by Melanie Traylor. I am using the photo in the book as a visual guide only.

I am using a variety of grays, creams, text prints, and soft sage-y greens

Since my cataract surgeries are not scheduled until July, I hope to get this baby finished this month!

I am linking to Melva's Sew and Tell linky party!

To Do Tuesday 1-11-22

If you are new to To Do Tuesday, just click on the logo above to find out more about it.

The linkup is at the end of this post, and it is open until Monday, Jan 16, 11:59PM.

Welcome to To Do Tuesday! Come on in with your coffee or tea and find out what your blogging friends have been doing this past week. Last week there were 35 linkups posted! I learn so much from your posts, and not just about your projects. I love reading about your lives, your activities, your families, your recipes, your ups and downs, and I even get great reading suggestions and TV recommendations. What a supportive and kind group you are! 

My goal last week:

✅1. Work on Wedding Quilt. - picked out a new pattern, cut all the pieces, chain pieced a few blocks

I only had one goal last week, but . . . a couple of squirrels made their way into the sewing room. One is the pretty embroidery pattern above from Carina's Craftblog - I am blaming this on Patricia since I saw it mentioned on her blog - lol! And I also started another QAL, and it is one I did last year and loved - the Riley Blake Designs Block Challenge (see photo below). If you'd like to join in, you can find all the information you need by clicking the logo button in my sidebar.

Riley Blake Block Challenge - Daisy Chain block by Lori Holt. You can find the pattern here

The goals for this week:

1. Continue to work on Wedding Quilt

2. Finish borders for Santa Fe Trail flimsy

3. Reconsider 2021 Monthly Color Challenge blocks for a quilt

I will continue to post the link to Marsha's blog because of Inlinkz issues.

Marsha's Spot

Now it's time for you to add your link below. If you schedule your posts ahead of time, the link opens at 12:01AM each Tuesday morning - at least that's when it opens when I remember to hit "Publish" on my post - lol! Be sure to check back after you link up and visit a few blogs!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

To Do Tuesday 1-4-22 - Happy 2022!

Welcome to the first To Do Tuesday in 2022! Our New Year's Eve PJ party was pretty tame, with us not being able to stay awake past 11:00 - lol! How are things going with you - have you made goals for 2022? I hope you will share with us by adding your post to the link party below. If you are new to this event, just click the logo above for more details.

Final blocks from 2021 Monthly Color Challenge hosted by Patterns by Jen

Here was my list of goals last week:

☑1. Wedding Quilt - cutting - I cut a few pieces then began to waffle about the pattern

✅2. Take down Christmas decorations - done last Tuesday, finished by 10:00am!

✅3. Pieces of the Santa Fe Trail - last block, layout, and post - done and posted here

✅4. Color Challenge layout and post - finished the block - no post but you can see the all the blocks in the photo above. These will likely become orphan blocks.

My goals this week:

1. Work on Wedding Quilt. 

The Wedding Quilt is a quilt for my great-nephew and his fiancée who are getting married this month. We have sent "regular" wedding gifts but I hope to complete a quilt for them by the end of the month. This will be my main focus in the sewing room for awhile. I'm still undecided on the "Sprinkling" pattern by Coriander Quilts, but I am using a layer cake of Vert Fusion by AGF against a background of Spotted Graphite by Zen Chic for Moda. The bride and groom like grays and sage-y greens, so I am hoping this will be to their liking. It will be different for sure!

Now it's time to share your stuff! Let us know what's going on in your world by adding your link below.

Because Inlinkz continues to have issues with Marsha's Spot, I will post her website for you to visit her blog. She may or may not have a post for To Do Tuesday, but here is her address just in case:

Marsha's Spot

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter