A memorial quilt

While visiting my brother Friday I did something to pull a muscle in my back. It's not bad, I just need to relax for a couple of days. I tried sewing yesterday. That was a mistake.

Since I don't have anything current to share I thought I'd share some pictures and the story of the memorial quilt that I mentioned a couple of weeks ago in a Flashback post. The quilt was made in memory of my friend Kathy. We worked together at NationsBank. I first met her just after she had her first cancer treatment. Kathy was diagnosed with gall bladder cancer at 28. Gall bladder cancer is extremely rare and usually strikes people over 50. If I remember correctly, I believe she told me that she was the youngest document case in the US. She had very aggressive treatment and was cancer free for 3 years. The cancer returned in her liver when she was 31 and she died a year later in September 1999. She loved her career and kept working throughout her career. She was at Price Waterhouse by then. She also kept in close touch with her friends. The most striking thing I remember about her funeral was that the azalea bushes at her parent's home were in bloom - in September. Every azalea in the yard was covered in pink blooms. I've never seen an azalea bloom in September. I decided that week to make a memorial quilt for her family.

Kathy was unmarried. She had an older brother, sister-in-law, 2 nephews and a niece. I talked with her Mom and Dad about it and planned a signature quilt. Here's how it all came about - included some lessons I learned through the process. It took a lot longer than it should have - 5 years - and has a lot of technical errors (it doesn't hang straight) but I was pleased with the overall effect in the end and her family loves it. Making this quilt was like taking an advanced quilting class. I learned a lot!

I spent a few months designing the quilt. I wanted it to have several symbolic elements:

• mountains, because she enjoyed hiking
• Charlotte, NC skyline because she loved living there
• flowers, for the gardens at her parent's home in Greensboro, NC

I designed the quilt as a window onto Kathy's world. It's a traditional attic windows pattern but the design basically has 3 layers: the view, the glass and an image in front of the window (the quilting).

I started with the view. I drew up a skyline of Charlotte, NC with the NationsBank and PWC building marked with the company logos. I added mountains behind the city and then placed sky colors to give the feel of a sunrise. Those blocks are all hand appliqued. Those top 6 rows of blocks (48) were mailed to friends and family with instructions for signing the blocks. That was a total waste of time because hardly anyone followed the instructions. It also took TWO YEARS to get the blocks back and 14 of then were never returned. I had to remake a number of the appliqued blocks. That caused me a big loss in mojo. Then along came the wedding dress and 2 years of travel to London and then my Dad passing. I didn't work on it for several years.

The other problem I had was the garden. I believe I tried 3 different techniques. The first was a watercolor technique. I cut hundreds of 2.5" squares and tried several ways to arrange them. It all looked like crap.

This quilt, on the left, is what I eventually did with the watercolor squares. I gave this quilt to Kathy's best friend, Jeannette. I called it Kathy's Wild Garden and its one of my favorite quilts.

For Kathy's quilt, I eventually settled on fussy cutting and fusing a million flowers into a garden arrangement. I loved the end effect but I can't even imagine how many flowers I cut. A lot of them were cut in hotels in London and California while traveling.

Here are some close up photos of the signed blocks.

In this photo you can see the "sunrise" blocks. The one that is printed is a journal entry that Kathy wrote and the ones above it were done by her family and are placed in a cross shape.

  Here's a corner of the garden. I was very lucky that there were some good floral prints out at that time!

Next came the quilting. I wanted to incorporate the nephews and niece in some special way so I asked Kathy's brother to send me some profile snapshots of the kids standing and looking up. A friend took those and some profile photos of Kathy and combined them into a drawing of Kathy passing a rose to the children and the children looking up at her. I projected the drawing onto Golden Threads paper and used that as my quilting guide. I quilted it with silver metallic thread. Overall the quilt is not quilted enough. I really struggled with what to do because I couldn't quilt in the signature blocks and the silhouette quilting did draw it in a lot. I didn't have the longarm then so it was all done on my DSM. I don't know if you will be able to see but here's the silhouette quilting.

This is the head of the oldest boy. You can sort of see his hair and eye in the blue fabric.

The youngest child's head is quilted over the cow.

  Here is the rose being handed to the children.

Lastly, here's the label that I created in PowerPoint with a photo of Kathy. I finished the quilt in May 2005.

It's probably the most meaningful and cherished quilt I have ever made and it ranks right up there with the wedding dress for sewing stress. I don't think I'd ever do another with this much detail and I'd certainly make the signature process easier (smaller blocks). I think that the 6" square was too much blank space for some people. I would also give firm deadlines and follow up with people. I completely understood her Mom having difficulty getting her block done but I would not have waited on anyone else. I'd also plan something that I could technically accomplish. This wasn't the right place to learn new skills.

When I sent the quilt to her parents - I sent it to Jeannette and she delivered it for me - I sent the drawing that was used for th quilting, all of the letters that I received from people, my design notes and leftover fabric for any future repairs. I didn't keep anything. I felt that it all needed to be together.

There you have it - probably my biggest project ever! Now, I'll go back to having that chat with my back to get better so I can get in there and make something else!

Comments

[Terri]

Wow Vicki, what an amazing undertaking. Your finished result is fabulous and what a great memorial.

[Deb Levy]

WOW Vicki! What a labor of love! A massive undertaking, well done. I'm sure it was a healing and cherished gift for the family.

[Vicki]

That is just amazing! You certainly put a huge task in front of yourself and you completed it. Perhaps taking 5 years was a good thing for the family. They could then receive it without so much sorrow.

[Jeanne]

I hope your back starts behaving itself very soon. I really enjoyed the story of this fabulous quilt. What a wonderful tribute to your friend, and a treasure for her family.

[Mary]

A quilt like this isn't about technical perfection. I think it's wonderful and a lovely tribute to your friend.

[Karen]

what a wonderful memory in honor of your friend - so young to have cancer twice and die so young. I'm sure her family will appreciate the love and thought you put into this quilt for them.
Karen
http://karensquilting.com/blog/

[Wanda]

Wow, what a quilt. It is one of those things that you want to fall together without a lot of problems and it is hard to stick with it when it doesn't. I'm sure the family is glad you stuck with and finished it for them, for all of the memories.

[Judy L.]

That quilt has to be so special to Kathy's family. You put a lot of live and time into that project and it shows. Amazing! Hope the back is MUCH better real soon!

[Marie]

This gives me chills. What an amazing gift, what an amazing woman. This is, surely, one of the most memorable things you have ever made - or will ever make !

[Debra Spincic]

You were a wonderful friend to continue the quilt past your point of frustration. It will always be a treasure to the grieving family and a treasure to you for showing your love. You continually amaze me with your generous spirit.

[Doodlebug Gail]

What an amazing quilt and what an amazing friend you are to have done that. Taking so long over the quilt was a blessing in disguise. You're an angel.

Hope your back eases us real soon.

[Linda]

A touching and awesome tribute to your friend! It is so detailed; I can see how it could be stressful. But the results are wonderful.

[Becca]

This definitely put me in tears! What a beautiful thoughtful gift. You are a dear caring friend.

[Lynda]

What a very touching blog post Vicki, a truly amazing story.

[Kathy]

Vicki, the quilt is gorgeous. What a blessing it is for her family to cherish.

[Sue H]

Vicki, that's an AMAZING quilt. And it's wonderful how you explained it. So sorry about your back. Hopefully you're on the mend!

[Cheri]

What an incredible undertaking -- thanks for sharing in so much detail. The quilting was visibile on the photos when I clicked to enlarge. It must be such a treasure for her family to have.
Hope your back feels better soon!

[Nancy (nanflan)]

Thanks for sharing this--you've spoken of it before and so, I was curious. Very nice piece!

[Cindy]

Wow, what a labor of love. I cannot imagine what a gift you gave her parents. They must love it!

[Kristin Farwig]

Hi Vicki,

Thanks for sharing the story of your memorial quilt. I am sorry for the loss of your friend. The memorial quilt is a beautiful and touching tribute which I'm sure her family cherishes. What a generous gift you gave. You really put alot of thought into the planning and design.

I hope your back feels better soon! I can relate.

Have a Happy New Year and a wonderful 2009!

Kristin in SC

[Becky in VA]

I'm sorry your back is hurting you, but I thank you for taking the time to tell us about the memory quilt made to honor your friend, Kathy. I'm sure it's a real treasure for her parents.

[Allison Aller]

This embodies the true meaning of quilting, in my opinion.
Vicki this is so wonderful...and I love Kathy's Wild Garden, too!

[Denise]

that is the most ingenious, creative, and emotionally moving quilt I have ever seen! what a trbute.

[Ivory Spring]

Vicki,

This has got to be one of the most touching posts I have ever read! I know your friend's family must must must cherish and appreciate what you have done for them with the quilt. You are a sweetheart!

[quiltdivajulie]

What an incredible undertaking... marvelously executed and so deeply meaningful on so many levels. WELL DONE and thank you for sharing it with all of us!!