Leister's Pinwheels
81" X 95"
My fourth quilt is a very special quilt. It was made for our oldest son Leister's college graduation from Indiana University in Bloomington, on May 9, 1998. I couldn't think of anything more special than a quilt, which is a gift of the hands and heart (there had to be hearts in this quilt because it was made with lots of love).
I had read in a quilting magazine about a quilt show (Indiana Heritage Quilt Show) that was to be in Bloomington, in March, right before Leister's graduation. I thought it would be so wonderful to have him walk into the show, and be able to surprise him with his graduation gift. The quilt had won a first place, and was hanging on an end of a aisle. Leister took Mary (now his wife) to the quilt show to see his mom's quilt. Mary knew I had made the quilt for Leister. At a distance as they walked toward the quilt, Leister said to Mary, "That's sure a pretty quilt". She stopped him, and said, "That's the quilt your mother made for you". Mary said he fought back the tears coming to his eyes. Quilts are such wonderful gifts of love, and what a way to celebrate an achievement in ones life.
The white fabric is Kona cotton, it was not pre-washed before sewing. I like the fabric to pucker and shrink after being washed to give a more antique look. The flannel backing however was pre-washed to allow for shrinkage. It was pieced on my Featherweight and quilted on my Bernina 1230 using nylon thread in the top thread and 50/3 silk finish Mettler cotton thread in the bobbin. The pattern is from "Quilts from the Smithsonian" by Mimi Dietrich.
Awards
2004 Published in "Quilts A World of Beauty - Journal of the IQA"
Vol. 24, Number 4, Winter 2004 (pg. 19)
The IQA Files (Profile on Me)
2002 West Michigan Quilt Guild - Quilts on the Grand
Grand Rapids, MI Sept 20-21
Special Exhibition - National Blue Ribbon Quilts
2000 West Michigan Quilt Guild - Quilts on the Grand
Grand Rapids, MI Oct 6-7
Exhibition - Past Winner's Exhibit
1999 American Quilters Society Show
Paducah, Kentucky
Juried into Traditional Pieced, Amateur
1998 West Michigan Quilt Guild
Grand Rapids, MI
1st Place - Large Quilts-Pieced Quilts, Machine Quilted
1998 Allegan County Fair
Michigan State Special Award
1998 National Quilting Association
Fort Wayne, IN
Honorable Mention - Bed Quilt-Pieced, Machine Quilted
1998 Indiana Heritage Quilt Show
Bloomington, IN
1st Place - Pieced Amateur