Last week I foolishly decided on Dec 20 to make up a couple of very last minute presents. I often make gifts, but have been turned off in recent years because I never but never see what I make in one of their homes. Maybe I should take a hint. Probably, definitely. But Christmas was being done at my house, and both sides of the family would be there. It would be more awkward to make something for one and not for both. Seriously, it is not like I had the time for this. I have a couple client quilts I really needed to get quilting on, but I have been working out issues on my new machine, and one of them is still prohibiting doing anything very large.
Last Sunday, I sketched these runners up, and had them mostly cut out within about an hour. No time to overthink anything. They are simple and use the pretty fabrics as the "show". I had the tops pieced within 3 hours on Tuesday, still quilting on a client quilt. My window to do the quilting was when the client quilt was done...Wednesday. Keep it Simple - that was the rule.
I have made a couple of other seasonal runners for my MIL - spring and fall I think. This is the Christmas/winter one. Not sure if I hit the mark or anywhere close to it judging by her always questionable expressions while opening, but I like it. It has some great red and gold fabrics I have hoarded for many years.
Anybody with a 14, soon-to-be-15 year old knows that they don't willingly say "take my picture", so we have to hold onto the few we get. It may have come with a bribe of Thai food. I'll never tell.
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8 comments:
Thank you for the honest posts. I enjoy your beautiful work.
I would not be surprised if all of your previous lovely gifts are sitting in a drawer because they are 'too nice to use'! My mother passed away, and that's when we found all the things we had ever given her, still in the gift boxes, with hand written notes on when we gave them and what the occasion was. She obviously liked them, but was not wanting to use them up! So sad! Make sure your gifts come with a 'Use this! Do not save it!' tag....or you may never see them on the table!
And those runners are lovely! Nice job!
It's clear that I need to admit that I'm a long-lost relative. I'd be totally honored to have anything you've quilted in my house. Anyone who would not display your work must just not understand the whole concept of quilting. LOVE the blue one, but the other is very pretty as well.
You have a lovely, very photogenic family. The runners are very pretty. I especially like how you combined the feathers and lines in the border of the blue/grey runner. The "presents" runner is so nice for the holidays; the "bow" is even prettier than I've seen in similar blocks. I can only imagine the reason you haven't seen previous gifts displayed in the recipients' homes is that your work is seen as an heirloom and is treated accordingly---either that or they simply have no taste at all.
I had liked your family photo and a napkin.
Very beautiful work.
Oh yay, someone after my own heart. I just shake my head at the Christmas madness. This is the first year I haven't done "I should" presents for people who couldn't care less about the effort I made. And it is the first Christmas where I haven't had maddening eczema. What does that say!
Oh boy....those table runners are just lovely. The don't know how special it is to have a M.S.G. item made and quilted just for them. Adopt me!
Beautiful quilting on both the runners. So clever of you to do the bow quilting in the semicircle on t the presents. Your children will appreciate the pictures later and may even get to like having them taken. Just keep trying.
wow very nice...
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