A Warm Tribute

The Quilted Legacy Blog Hop is an effort to honor the legacy of Paula Budinger, who passed away earlier this year.  Paula blogged at http://paulabquilts.blogspot.com and later at https://paulabquilts.com. Many of us knew her through her blog and quilts. Paula loved colorful, scrappy quilts, and made kid quilts for Project Linus. Paula also studied quilt history, learned dating old quilts, and collected antique and doll quilts. 

To celebrate Paula's life and her love of quilting, some quilter-bloggers decided on a blog hop where each one of us shares a quilt we make for a charity or a cause close to our hearts. The quilts we share are as varied as each one of us. Hope you will take a few minutes to learn about Paula and visit other blogs to see the quilts made in her honor.

Paula Budinger

No blog hop can be complete without a giveaway. So let me get those rules out of the way.

Every comment (on any blogpost in the blog hop) is an entry to win one of the great prizes!  Yes, you can comment on multiple blogs. Janice will aggregate the comments and select the winners with a random number generator. The giveaway ends on May 15, 2020.

Here are the prizes: 

• Lorna, Sew Fresh Quilts, $50 gift certificate for her pattern shop.
• Yvonne Quilting Jetgirl, 2 PDF patterns of choice.
• Bernie Needle and Foot, $25 certificate for her shop.
• A fat quarter bundle from Figo Fabrics
• A set of quilty gift cards from Initial Thought by DMF  Note cards set 1
• A pattern of choice from Karen, Sugar Free Quilts
• A $30 gift certificate from Doris, Cactus Queen Quilt Co
• A PDF pattern of choice from Joanne, www.etsy.com/shop/CanuckQuilterDesigns

And here are the other blog hop participants.  


Wednesday, May 6  
Karen @ KaHolly
Kate @ Smiles From Kate
Wendy @ Pieceful Thoughts of my Quilting Life
Bernie @ Needle and Foot
Linda @ My Sew-Called Quilts
Cathy @ Crazy By Design
Sue @ From the Magpie’s Nest

Thursday, May 7 
Kate @ Smiles From Kate
Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts
Rose @ Something Rose Made
Nann @ With Strings Attached
Mari @ The Academic Quilter
Louise @ My Quilt Odyssey
Susan @ Desert Sky Quilts

Friday, May 8
Janice @ Color, Creating and Quilting
Kate @ Smiles From Kate
Joy @ The Joyful Quilter
Susan @ Quilt Fabrication
Edi @ Edi’s Crafting Life
Carol @ Quilt Schmilt

Emily @ The Darling Dogwood
Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts - This is me

And this the quilt I made.

The Finish

The story follows:

The year was 2005. I was working in Fort Lauderdale as a junior planner, where Steve was a Senior Surveyor. We connected over our love of Indian food.  One day, I brought to work home-made green shrimp curry and uncooked rice. About 11:00 AM, I switched on the rice cooker. I still remember that lunch :-) Steve enjoyed the meal and I was happy to share it with him.

When the company lost the contract, I was let go.  In a few weeks I found another job but I had to move from Florida to Maryland.  When Steve found out, he came to my apartment with 20 packing boxes. Just like that. I did not ask. I wasn't even sure if I needed them, but he knew better.

I used them all.  More than once in my life, I have received exactly what I needed when I needed it.

The universe knows it all.

The concept

On the day I had to fly from Fort Lauderdale to Baltimore, Steve offered to drive me to the airport. I was carrying three large suitcases, while the rest of my stuff was on a truck headed north. When we arrived at the airport, Steve helped me with the luggage.  And then as I fumbled with my shoulder bag to check my ticket/boarding pass, an airport worker/porter materialized.

Fabrics 

I have a feeling Steve motioned to him. What happened next happened so quickly that I am still unsure of it. Steve tipped the guy a $20 bill (I think), which he pocketed, nodded to Steve and effortlessly moved my heavy suitcases to a cart.  I looked aghast at Steve and then at the porter and at Steve again. Steve smiled, wished me a safe trip, waved and left.

On the Design Wall

We did not see each other again but have stayed in touch through Christmas/Holiday cards.

We speak over the phone every couple of years or so.

Steve has a son, Eric, who is about my age. Eric is a fire-fighter, is happily married (to Amy) and rescues and fosters dogs.

81st Block - Puppies

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related anxiety, I felt the need to reach out to Steve.  We chatted for over 35 minutes, talking about work, family and the uncertain times. When Steve mentioned that Eric was diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing treatment, I knew I had to make a quilt.

Completed Flimsy

Twenty strips 6" by WOF in fall colors was the starting point.  Combined with solid jelly roll strips, I would get 80 blocks, 7" by 9" (finished size). I needed 81.  My solution for the 81st block was a puppy fabric - a nod to Eric's love of dogs.

Quilted

I used wool batting, faded chambray wide backing (from Connecting Threads) and orange binding.

Quilted sparingly to maintain softness and loft, using my walking foot.

70" by 90"

Labelled

I had a few fabric scraps left over. Added a few matching batik fabrics and made two zippered pouches.  One for Steve's wife Jeri and one for Amy.  

Scraps - Repurposed

The quilt is in the mail and USPS tells me that it will reach its destination today.

I am not going to ask but if Steve sends me pictures, I will update this post.

A Warm Tribute

This quilt was already in the works when Janice was setting up the blog hop.  The timing of the quilt just magically coincided with the blog hop. And here I am - once again - marveling at the miracles of the universe.  I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.



Update - May 22, 2020

The quilt reached its destination and Steve sent me this picture.

Eric's Quilt

A few days later I received two cards - one from Eric and Amy and one from Jeri and Steve.

My heart is warm but my cheeks feel wet. Stay safe my friends.