Hallelujah

A finish. Yes, that's right, a completed quilt! I realize that it's been a long time since I finished a quilt of appreciable size (read: larger than a wallhanging). This quilt top was complete back in May but I was stalling on the quilting. An all-over swirly or floral just didn't seem right for the modern feel of the pattern and fabrics; straight lines would have been too rigid. I felt it did need some softening, so went for organic wavy vertical lines that sometimes intersect.

After washing (that white fabric wasn't looking so white after all of the piecing and travel to a retreat, and being dragged across my sewing table about a hundred times during quilting!) it wrinkled up nicely and was very soft.

Many of the fabrics were purchased online from Sew Mama Sew in 1/4 yard chunks and the background is Kona Snow. For the first time, I used a white cotton batting so that the white would remain bright on it: Arctic Cotton White.

The quilt is called "Homecoming" and for me, the green and white represent faith and hope. It is a gift for a friend and her daughters who are living in difficult circumstances while awaiting the return of her husband and their father. You can read their story here...it is a cautionary tale for anyone wanting to live in, or visit Mexico. There is a community of support around this family, however every day brings disappointment and frustration to their situation that are difficult to overcome. Sometimes we make quilts because it feels like it's all we can do to help. We sew with love and gift our work in the hope that it's soft warmth will provide comfort to someone in need. This is such a quilt. I wish I could do more to bring him home.

"Homecoming" is the first of my two UFO's for Jacquie's Joy in the New Year Challenge. I'm starting to feel the joy....

On Christmas day SewCalGal had a random drawing for prizes in her virtual Christmas Quilt Show. In a lovely karmic twist, I happened to win a prize donated by Mrs.Moen (a couple of posts ago I put a shout out for her giveaway) who featured this quilt in the virtual show. I thought it was fabulous, so voted for it as my viewer's choice. I will receive her Mix n' Match for Christmas pattern, which I'm so excited about because it is definitely something I will make. Thanks for the prize Mrs. Moen! Thanks for the show Darlene!

Every Christmas Eve I take a picture of the kids in front of the tree before they head up to bed.

The timing of this photo shoot is getting later and later every year, making it tough for Santa to get all her work done at a reasonable hour! Luckily everything else was wrapped and ready to go, so the stockings were filled and we all had sugarplums dancing in our heads by midnight. We were not expecting D to tiptoe in at 4:30 a.m. whispering that she 'just couldn't fall asleep'. Even more unexpected was the gentle knock at the front door at 7:30 a.m. from grown-up sister in law who apparently couldn't wait any longer, either! Ahhh, Christmas.

Hope you had a wonderful day, too.