Pages

▼

Monday, April 13, 2015

Retirement Star Quilt

This will definitely be one of my most prized possessions. The memories contained in the sweet words written are priceless to me.

Bear Creek Quilting was kind enough to supply me with the colored star fabric, backing, and binding for this project. My group had given me five inch signed squares of muslin when I retired.

I used the 2014 Kona Cotton fat quarter bundle for the stars (FQ-806-32), beautiful bright colors. I made easy wonky stars out of the solids to randomly put in amongst the signed and blank neutral squares. The finished size is about 68 x 78. Big enough for a large throw, a twin or double bed quilt, and not too big for a wall hanging. I even put this size on our queen bed under a larger quilt.

 
 
 
For the backing I used a fun print, Benartex Felicity in Diamond Aqua and used Benartex Felicity in Stripe Teal for the binding. I added a section of a t-shirt as a label of sorts. It was one we had printed up for a safety day a few years ago for everyone in the department to wear.



This quilt would be perfect for other occasions too. Not only retirements, but the pattern could be used as a wedding quilt, a welcome home for a soldier, for a long awaited new baby (birth or adoption), or as a going away present from friends when someone moves. Please look at the fine folks at Bear Creek Quilting where you will find a tutorial for this quilt in a few days, and you can get some great fabric for your special project.
Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts, Patch Work Times, My Quilt Infatuation and Crazy Mom Quilts.

 

at

10 comments:

  1. DollyApril 13, 2015 at 2:46 PM

    Did you freehand the wavy quilting or is it a pantograph?

    I LOVE how this turned out !

    ReplyDelete
  2. RachelApril 14, 2015 at 7:43 PM

    Dolly, I still don't think I'm that good at freehand long arm quilting. I used a pantograph called slip and slide by Anne Bright. I saw it in the computerised version but not the paper and they made it for me in the paper roll format, That is service!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. CarolApril 14, 2015 at 9:57 PM

    Very nice. Sometimes memory quilts can look less clean and modern than this -- yours looks so nice! I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  4. JayneApril 15, 2015 at 9:24 AM

    Isn't that beautiful! I so love the bright and bold stars especially with the neutrals! Wonderful quilting too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. legato1958April 15, 2015 at 11:44 AM

    What a beautiful quilt ! I like how the memories are there, but the stars and quilting are what you see first!
    Susie

    ReplyDelete
  6. IdaApril 16, 2015 at 7:15 PM

    I agree with the other comments - this is a classy way to do a memory/message quilt. Really well done. Happy retirement!

    ReplyDelete
  7. JasmineApril 17, 2015 at 9:32 AM

    I love the colorful stars on the neutral background. What a wonderful memory quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Gemini Jen NZApril 18, 2015 at 3:48 AM

    Very very cool! I am about to start collecting messages for a similar quilt for a workmate, I hope she will love it as much as you like yours!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Linda @ kokaquiltsApril 18, 2015 at 4:17 AM

    A lovely finish! Linda

    ReplyDelete
  10. UnknownNovember 27, 2016 at 5:38 PM

    My motherr-in-law is retiring soon. I would love to make her something like this. I haven't been able to locate the tutorial at Bear Creek. Do you have a link? Thank you so much. It is my first time finding your store and blog and I love it!

    ReplyDelete