What I've been working on...

I know it's been a while since I've posted a new sewing project, so I thought I'd show you what I've been working on for Mother's Day. Throughout the years, my mom has put together so many Around-the-World quilts for me, my sister, and countless friends and family. I remember as a child watching her cut out all the squares, then lay them out on the living room floor, and finally sew them all together. I never thought I'd make a quilt as nice as hers. And until now, I had never tried.

It just seemed to fit that my mom should get the very first quilt I've ever made. With 7 grandchildren (3 of them mine), she's been wanting a blanket that would represent her grandkids. I thought about it and decided to make a quilt - my first ever - for her Mother's Day gift. I literally made this going by what I watched her do so many times before. I went to JoAnn's and bought the fabric with help from my children - that was a fun trip! I used a favorite throw blanket to determine the size I wanted, then went from there. I use a rotary cutter with cutting board that makes the cutting go SO much quicker.

I did a couple of searches on YouTube.com to to learn the best way to sew the binding around the finished quilt. (Look below for those links.) and ta-da, this is the finished project!

Click on image above for larger size.

My mom has been out of town visiting her mom for Mother's Day, so she won't actually open this gift until today. Hopefully, she won't stop by SewWhatSteph.com before she opens it... :)

The picture didn't come out quite as well as I would've liked, but here's some of the details of the quilt. Since I am not super skilled in hand appliqueing, I chose to use a permanent fabric paint pen to write the names and birthdates of each grand child. Then at the top, I quoted a verse from one of my favorite chapters of the Bible (Proverbs 31) that states, "Her children arise and call her blessed." Proverbs 31:28. I chose some colorful and bright fabrics because my mom is not a stuffy kinda lady and I wanted her to smile every time she looked at the blanket. These fabrics are bright and cheery, so I thought what better way to brighten her day?! I finished it off with yarn ties - again, a simpler method my mom used often.

In case you haven't figured it out yet, my mom is very special to me. We are so much alike and often think the same way. Throughout 2009, she went through a long process of breast cancer treatments. I never understood how hard that was until I saw her go through it. I appreciate my mom so much more today than ever. More importantly, I saw her walk with God grow immensely throughout that time. She is a true woman of God and her faith and love in God has blessed me beyond measure. I do indeed "arise and call her blessed!"

YouTube.com Links:

• How to Bind a Quilt: I used this video to help me understand the binding method, but only as a guide. If you're new to quilting, hopefully this helps.
• The Slip Stitch: I slip stitched the back of the binding. Since I had never done this before, I again looked to YouTube for a demonstration. This took a little longer than I liked to complete, but I loved the finished product!