Does it need a name?

I guess there are two schools of thought about naming a quilt.  One is that you give it a name, and the other is that you don't. 

I adapted this quilt from a picture I saw on Christa Quilts.  She called her pattern the Jolly Jelly Roll Quilt.  Since I didn't use Jelly Rolls but 5" charms, I don't want to call it a Jelly Roll quilt - right?  Usually when I create a qulit, it is for a specific person, for a specific event or milestone.  This one was created specifically as a way to give love and comfort to someone who was affected by the tornados in Oklahoma after reading a blog post over at Quiltville.

I dove right in to my 5" charms and starting sewing them together.  I sorted out the brights from the more sedate colors and came up with this cherry little quilt.  My hope is to bring a smile and some comfort to a child.

 

I quilted it fairly densely in an all over loopy pattern with spirals in the first border and attached a bright binding. 

So I'm back to my original question:  Does it need a name?  What would you call it?

Linking to Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project FMQ Friday

An Open Letter to My Dad

In a previous post, I showed a quilt I was making for my Dad.  He will be 78 years old this December, and is in failing health.  I'm grateful to have him in my life.  Even though we live so far apart, he is never far from my mind.  I have the opportunity to present this to him in person over the 4th of July weekend.  A fitting time to spend together, with Mom, our son and his family.



Bowtie Hugs and Kisses

 June 2013

Dear Dad,

I remember the first time I met you. It was 1972, and I was just a little girl when I answered the door that day at Nana and Papaw’s house. There you were in your Dress Blues with a bow tie. How handsome you looked! Later, the story goes, you were taking Mom to the Ball.

We had our ups and downs as all Dads and Daughters do and through it all, some part of me always knew that I was loved.

How can I ever begin to remember all the lessons you taught me? Do you remember teaching me to drive that very first time “keep it between the ditches, kid”? Or how about “don’t panic on the first enlistment” when I’d get my feathers ruffled? Or “I’ll always be proud of you. If you want to be a ditch digger, be the best d*mn ditch digger you can be”?

I grew up strong on the lessons I learned from you. I was able to choose a husband who is the love of my life and raise a son who is also proud and strong like you; all from the lessons I learned from you. He will make a good husband and father one day, just like you.

The lesson that sticks with me to this day is, “You have to look at yourself in the mirror”.

Today when I look in the mirror, I see a loving daughter, wife, and mother; a warrior and worrier; and a strong, proud woman who is creative, courageous, caring and grateful to have you in my life.

I regret that we live so very far away from you that we don’t get to see you very often. I created this quilt for you as a reminder of how much I love you. The pattern is made from Bow tie blocks, and it is set in an X and O pattern. I hope that when you wrap it around yourself it will feel like being wrapped in hugs and kisses from us.

I love you Dad.