Saturday, May 28, 2016

Dodging the Diamonds

I recently received an order for Eileen's EIGHTH Harley Davidson quilt. I guess if you love the brand, love the shirts, love the quilts, why not? Because she had (has?) such an enormous collection that her dresser was overflowing, she turns to me to transform them. There are studs and "diamonds" on her shirts, so it is a bit of a challenge. I love a challenge, and I love these shirts!



You may not be able to see them in this picture but there is a lot of bling going on here! I so enjoyed  making this quilt. It is one unlike any others!



Here is a picture of the front of the quilt. There are so many really cool Harley Davidson shirts on here. Different sizes and shapes - the outer edges are 8"squares. But the real fun is on the back. It's so hard to get a decent picture of a black quilt, but here it is:


I took a handful of those smaller logos and lined them up across the back and I think it added a nice touch. Eileen's quilt is fun, washable, durable and holds a lot of warm memories!  yes. Pun intended.

For one of my own.

Graduation "season" at Wild Zipper is like a holiday. The pressure is on to get those quilts to the graduates in time for their special day. Now and then, a mom or dad will admit that the quilt is more for themselves than for the graduate. Of course! I remember making my daughter's quilt as she graduated from Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin. Four years of volleyball and softball were four of the most exciting years of my life (too)!


Even this mom got a little sentimental as I cut these shirts. Every one had been through the laundry so many times! I remembered her wearing them.  I just had to tell myself that this was preserving these precious memories. The alternative? Rags...Goodwill....or shirts hidden in a drawer for years.

Hers was a unique quilt, as it was a 2-sided machine quilted quilt. I've made only a dozen or so over my quilting career. Above is the volleyball side...and below, the softball side.



So, there you have it. 50 shirts, give or take, She loves her quilt, and so does baby Eleanor....

taking the road less traveled,