Whispering Window

It is tax season. Gathering the documents, filling out the forms, checking and rechecking, and finally filing the return killed two precious weekends. No sewing, no quilting, and absolutely no blogging happened.

Original Scraps

Taxes are now done and that is a relief. I am back to quilting and blogging while I wait for the refund!!!It is a tiny amount but it is that unexpected aspect of it that makes it so yummy.
Yes, that is why I do the taxes - so that I can claim the refund. Paul agrees. If I do the taxes, I get to keep the refund!!!

Thinking of the refund as the scraps left over after you've made the quilt, takes out some of the sting associated with taxes. Scraps, like the refund, are a little bit like that unexpected bonus.

Yumminess!!!

A few months ago, I received some scrappy goodness from a quilter friend. I picked out a few of those scraps, added white yardage and arranged the rectangles into a window-pane shape. I wanted all four panes to be different to create some visual interest!

Layout

Top Left

Top Right

Bottom Left

Bottom Right

The batting is Warm & Natural. For Backing, I used a pretty purple striped fabric with pops of yellow, red and green that just matched perfectly.

Quilted with my walking foot - straight lines in the white part and slightly curvy in the window portion. I think it conveys the effect of rain falling on the windowpane - rainwater running into rivulets on the glass. The variegated blue thread came from Connecting Threads and I love it.

Quilted!!!

Rain on the Pane...

Variegated Blue Thread :-)

Quilting Detail

The binding is a lighter/brighter shade of purple. Stitched to the quilt back, brought to the front and stitched in place using my favorite squiggly stitch.

Matched!!!

The finished quilt measures 40" by 42". And here is the label...

Label

Few more pictures

Back with Label

Sunny & Rippled

Slanted Angle - just because...

Whispering Window

This quilt was not on my to-do list. I saw the scraps, I asked for them and just played with them. See the result? Well, I am very happy with this little gem of a quilt.  I guess amazing and magical things can happen when we dare to go off the script and live spontaneously.

Do you agree?

A Glimpse of Sylvia

Paul's grandma, Sylvia passed away last month.  She lived next door from Paul's parents. I had met her only a few times - once every year since Paul and I have been married. We were not close. Then in 2012, when I discovered sewing/quilting and my mother-in-law (MIL) and Sylvia learned of my new passion, there was a dramatic change.

Vintage Fabrics

"Welcome to the family", my MIL exclaimed. The sewing family, she explained. Immediately, I gained access to the inner circle and was allowed to not only visit the fabric room, I was even allowed to pick fabric from their stash.

Simple Rail Fence Blocks

Sylvia gave me white fabric with red hearts, some red/silver yardage, some pieced strips, and an assortment of vintage scraps from her stash. I was giddy.

My favorite Floral print

Last Thanksgiving, Sylvia was sick and we did not see each other. When I heard of her passing, I felt the need to relive our short time together - the only way I could. I pulled out the pieced strips that I received from her stash. As I cut and pieced, I could not help think - So this is how a grandma's quilt feels - homely and comforting.

Berry Border

The border fabric is also from Sylvia. I just love this color - rich, dark, pink/violet/berry and gorgeous. I am glad it matches the binding so well.

Come snuggle with me!!!

Arranged into a simple rail fence, the blocks finished at 6", the border is 2" and the finished quilt is 40" by 46". I used Warm & Natural batting. Quilting is a simple stitch over the ditch and the dusty rose binding is pieced.

Dusty Rose Pieced Binding

The soft floral backing came from Debbie - a cousin of my father-in-law (FIL). When I met Debbie at Thanksgiving, we talked about sewing and quilting, and then she invited me into her sewing room. Then she generously cut out yardage from this beautiful bolt of floral fabric and gave it to me.

Backing - Inspired by a Painting?

By including Debbie's fabric with Sylvia's fabric, and giving a new lease of life to her fabrics I am hoping that this is more than just a quilt. It is a family's way of celebrating, remembering and cherishing Sylvia's life.

Backing & Binding match!!!

I will give this finished quilt to Paul's dad when I see him next. I hope he can feel Sylvia's love in her fabrics. I have decided to call it "A Glimpse of Sylvia"

A Glimpse of Sylvia

I hope I have done some measure of justice to Sylvia's fabrics and able to capture her memory.