Friday, June 3, 2016

A Quilter Is Born and A Giveaway


This is one of my most favorite stories ever.  It's about how David became a quilt builder and gained two quilting "moms."  I have been quilting now for at least 10 years off and on.  Over the years, David, my husband, had started to show an interest in my quilts by helping me pick out fabrics and even doodling around on graph paper.  I've been telling him for years now to give it a try and a few weeks ago he finally decided to jump right in.

It started during an impromptu lunch date.  Sandra (mmmquilts) had just finished her Blue Skies and Sunny Days quilts.



After showing him a picture of the quilts he remarked at how pretty they were and that he really loved her design.  He ask how hard it would be to make the quilt and I said probably not very hard.  It's mostly strip piecing.  I followed up with, "Why? Do you want to make it?"  To my surprise he said yes.  I quickly texted her and asked if he could pattern test it for her.  I truly think at first she thought I was pulling her leg, but said of course he could.

The next day I texted her this picture.



 He already had a color palette picked out in his head before we ever got to the store.  Quilting lesson #1 was picking fabrics and getting them cut.  Which he handled like a pro.



After sending Sandra these pictures, she went to work writing her pattern for him to sew.  We both knew he was serious.

Quilting lesson #2 would be prepping fabric and cutting it.


It is also where I learned the difference between "piecing" a quilt and "building" a quilt.

Quilting lesson #3 consisted of piecing the blue and orange strips with the background strips.


Quilting lesson #4 attaching strips together.


Here's where the story sort of takes a surprising turn.  Quilting lessons #5-some higher number he figured out on his own.  I took our daughter to a family Memorial Day get together and he opted to stay home and finish up some things around the house.  When he was done he decided to work on his quilt.  While I was gone I received the following text.


There may have been a moment of slight panic on my part.  I hadn't thought about him sewing while I was gone, or running out of bobbin or him trying to fix it.  But he did and got everything working once again.  It wasn't long after I got home he had all of his blocks together and was ready to figure out his layout.


After narrowing it down to two he liked best, he even asked for help on Facebook.



A decision was made, rows were pieced and David's first quilt flimsy was finished.

Presenting to you, David's version of Sunny Days he is calling Hawaiian Stepping Stones.




I'm pretty sure this is a look of, "Yup, I built a quilt.  Don't mess with me. I am a bad ass."
Now, how about that giveaway?  Sandra and I are just so dag gone proud of him!  Just as proud as two quilty parents could be.  So that you can join in and share in our excitement, Sandra has very graciously offered a copy of her pattern as a giveaway on my blog.  It's kind of like when dads hand out cigars when babies are born.  So today through June 10th you can win a pdf copy of Blue Skies and Sunny Days.  The pattern is available in her Craftsy store today as of today and will be on sale till June 10th.  You can check out her Craftsy Pattern store here.  Also if you win the give away but have already purchased the pattern, Sandra will refund your money.  Isn't she the best??  

You have two chances to enter:

1) Leave a comment any comment really.  Maybe tell me if you have ever taught someone to quilt and how it went.  Or maybe you have some quilting advice for Dave, the quilt builder.

2)  Tell me how you follow Tish's Adventures In Wonderland.

Make sure you leave a separate comment for each.  On Saturday, June 11th I will pick a winner using a random number generator and announce the winner.  If you are a no-reply blogger (or even think there is a chance you might be) please leave your email in your comment so that I can reach you.  I know I'm pretty excited...this is TishNWonderland's first give away!

How about one more picture before we go?


This is our budding new quilter worrying inspecting seams that he feared didn't quite match up.  If they were off it was by like 1/8" or less.  He strives for perfection and I love him for it.  Congrats on your first quilt, quilt builder!  I promise it will not become your first UFO :)



78 comments:

Nancy J said...

As any builder will tell you " Measure twice, cut once", Dave you nailed it to a T ( pardon the pun) but this is so fabulous, even texting for bobbin help. Maybe a bit like a bloke up a ladder wanting more nails. I can see you are taken with this, and I am waiting to see another one. The flimsy, perfect stained glass effect. Wow, some fierce competition in your home for use of the machine and cutting table.

Sew Much For Free Time said...

This is a fabulous post. Great story and pictures to go along with it, how fabulous to have an interest to share. Lucky girl! Tell him he did wood work! His first quilt is perfection!

Tami at sewmuchforfreetime.blogspot.com
Izemmom@gmail.com

Sew Much For Free Time said...

Oh, and I follow you on bloglovin'

Tami at sewmuchforfreetime.blogspot.com
Izemmom@gmail.com

smilesfromkate said...

I love his fabric pull, wonderful batiks. Didn't he do well.

smilesfromkate said...

I follow you via Bloglovin

Lynn said...

That is fantastic. My husband has often looked at magazines, chosen his favourites, made suggestions about what he likes and doesn't, but never hinted he might want a turn! I really liked Sandra's pattern when I saw it too, but being a typical quilter, already had too many WIPs (ha ha). Congrats to him, next step quilting. I have taught a few women from the start, a couple have taken to it like ducks to water, others struggle to sew a straight line but still enjoy the results.
I often check your blog having come through Confessions of a Fabric Addict.

smilesfromkate said...

I follow you via Bloglovin

Dave S. said...

I'm glad that I happened to be wearing my NPRC shirt. Men can be tough and still "enjoy the finer things in life"!

Judy@Quilt Paradigm said...

Congratulations on a very beautiful first flimsy, David!! It turned out spectacularly! Love the look of concentration and determination during the building process! Stop looking for unmatched seams - once it is quilted and washed, you will not be able to find them, pinky swear! :)

Shelina (formerly known as Shasta) said...

Congratulations to all three of you on a beautiful quilt. I don't know why sewing became such a feminine endeavor. I had my nephew over one day to make holiday ornaments, and he thought it was pretty girly until he realized he would be running a sewing machine. He realized it wasn't so dainty after the safety lesson.

Karen said...

You husband did an amazing job. I love his Hawaiian Stepping Stones. Congratulations to the teachers too.

Sharon said...

I LOVE this story! Way to go,David! I loved teaching the boys how to sew in Home Ec...they approached it so technically.

Ruth said...

Fantastic. Congratulations to David. Really enjoyed reading his post and I love the term quilt builder!

amy said...

Great job and great story!

amy said...

I follow you on Bloglovin.

QuiltShopGal said...

Congratulations to the new quilter. David did an amazing job. Beautiful design, fabrics and arrangement play the colors well drawing in the eye to look. Total #CreativeGoodness. I think David is a natural.

QuiltShopGal
www.quiltshopgal.com

Shelia said...

Good looking flimsy.
Shelia. stitchedfromtheheart@yahoo.com

Shelia said...

I follow thru bloglovin.
Shelia. stitchedfromtheheart@yahoo.com

Lisa J. said...

Hi Tish ; I think I follow you by email, not sure why I chose that and not bloglovin?

Lisa J. said...

O.K. I love this post especially that manly yup I built this quilt picture near the bottom. I taught Dwight how to weave once and I was really ticked because his tension was better than mine. He made our friend David a scarf and he's never woven anything since. It's been years since I've woven anything either as I can only handle one hobby, no passion at a time.

Yvonne from Quilting Jetgirl said...

I love everything about this! Congratulations on your first quilt top, David. Perhaps you can get him blogging next? :)

Sandra Walker said...

What I love is how succinct, and so MALE, his FB post is!! Most women, me especially, would be all, "Last night when we were out for dinner, we were waiting for our food and my husband showed me this quilt on his friend's site, and I loved it; the colours were great, but I had better ideas of what I would do... but I don't know how to quilt..so I asked my husband if he could teach me and he said sure. So I made the...." and on and on!!
It is a FABULOUS first quilt, and incredible precision and care that he took from choosing fabrics to execution of the building process, to a flimsy finish! It means THE WORLD to me that you two have done this for me. PS I sold one copy already! Eeep. Thank you a thousand times.

Rebecca Grace said...

Tish, this is AWESOME!! "Building" a quilt -- when I looked at that picture, I immediately thought of how my DH looks when he is leaning over his table saw, measuring his boards or his miter cuts or whatever and marking them with the giant Home Depot pencil. But I would have a heart attack if I found out my husband was using my sewing machine when I wasn't even home. He refuses to read appliance instruction manuals, and he's not even allowed to use the laundry machines anymore after some expensive experiments when he did not believe me that anything bad would happen if he washed all pants together in one load, all shirts together in another load... Regardless of what color anything was, what kind of fabric anything was made out of, and what temperature water was specified on the care label!!

Good for you and good for David. Congratulations!

Dave S. said...

Yep! If it wasn't for them I can assure you the finished product would not have been as good

Dave S. said...

At a minimum it was my pleasure, but with the title I am sure she feels the same

Christine Slaughter said...

This is the best post I've read in quilty blogland all day! And I've been hopping to blogs all over the place today! Way to go!! Love that quilt, he did an amazing job!

Cut&Alter said...

Oh Tish I a so happy to read this post. It's just wonderful - everything about it. What made me smile the most was that you weren't expecting your husband to sew whilst you were out of the house ...... there will be no stopping him now!!

Jen said...

What a great first quilt! Amazing fabrics. Sometimes an inspiring pattern is all it takes. Great job!

Jill said...

I love that your husband, with his analytical mind, 'built' a quilt. My husband has helped me with comments, math/angle and various things that aren't my strength. Yay to teamwork~ archergreen1@yahoo.com

Dave S. said...

Now I have to get my own machine or get her a new one so I can have the old

Mary said...

Congrats to David! Sew what you like. Beware of the rotary cutter and close the blade always.

Mary said...

I follow via email. Too many problems with bloglovin. Thanks for the drawing. I'd like to make this quilt, too.

SherryB said...

Awesome story; echoing the advice of others--measure twice before cutting & close the rotary blade before you set it down. I need to follow my own advice--oops! Love this pattern--I may have to buy it instead of waiting for the drawing...thanks for the chance to win it!

helenjean@midgetgemquilts said...

I follow you through bloglovin

helenjean@midgetgemquilts said...

Congratulations to Dave on his first quilt . Tremendous ! Just one thing - in your text you said to him "you tube" . Is he not hurt by being called a tube ???? Har har har wink wink

Kat said...

Love this story! I know a man quilter and he always calls it "Building" a quilt, too ;)

Stitchin At Home said...

David the quilt builder's first quilt is perfect! You might need a schedule for machine time now. Congrats to you all!!!

Susan McG said...

I am really impressed! I wish my husband took some interest in my quilting hobby - which he refers to as knitting half the time. I have taught my daughter a bit of basic sewing - but she didn't have enough interest to stick with it. Maybe she'll be more interested when she's older. Thanks for the chance at the giveaway.

Patti said...

Yes I have taught my daughter to quilt and even after many baby quilts I still get calls that start, MOM help!!

Patti said...

I follow you by email and thanks for the chance to win the pattern. Forgot to say how much I love his colors.

Terri said...

Time to quilt together all those marathon and race t-shirts, Little Brother! Make room for more race trophies ;)

Brianna said...

I love this! Good colour choice. Such a badass picture of his finished top. I especially like the rifle tee, it's a nice touch. I had seen a few pics on Facebook but it was nice to read the whole story here!

Dave, you should get her a new machine and take her old one ;)

Unknown said...

Great colors! Thanks for the giveaway chance. refusestofear at yahoo dot com

Paige said...

Oh Tish! Dave the builder, I love it! Nancy J stole all the good builder jokes! My husband has a builder's background. I would have died when he mentioned fiddling with the tension! This story made my day! Thanks for the great giveaway!

Paige said...

I follow via IG and Bloglovin

Barbara Winkler said...

I REALLY like this pattern. I have alot of batiks to make it with, but may try patriotic fabric so it can be a Quilts of Valor and be given to a Veteran!!
Barbara Winkler, Bellflower, CA creations4u7@aol.com

zooperson said...

I'm super impressed ! Great color choices as well as layout ! Well done Builder of Quilts!

Donna W said...

Fantastic job Dave! You sure nailed it.

Donna W said...

I follow your blog via email.

Lara B. said...

Woohoo! Wow Wee David! A very beautiful quilt and I look forward to seeing more!
Tish I emailed this to my Jim, to fan the sparks I saw in his eyes when I asked him if he would like to make a quilt, I also purchased Sandra's pattern, so don't include me in the giveaway. A wonderful post!

Leanne Parsons said...

I love this!!! Dave's quilt turned out so beautifully, and I love his enthusiasm for the project. Welcome to the quilting tribe, Dave! As for advice, all would say is you can make any quilt that interests you, so long as you're willing to learn the steps to get there :) Thanks for linking to TGIFF this week.

Janice said...

This is just wonderful! My husband is a builder as a profession. I wonder if I could talk him into "building" quilts with me? It would be awesome to collaborate on a design! Tell David he rocks!

Cheryl said...

What a beautiful first quilt and great pattern.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Congrats! to your Quilt Builder. My advice: Just keep quilting!!!

stitchinpenny said...

Tell David congratulations. He did a great job and I love his color and style choices!

ittehgaps said...

I follow you with bloglovin. cindy bluemoonstencilsatyahoodotcom

ittehgaps said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
ittehgaps said...

Good job Dave. Check out some of the blogs of other guys that build quilts. There are a bunch of ideas and friendships out there in case us gals start to drive you a little crazy. I have a bunch of guys in my family and have made sure they all know how to work my machine and do a little basic sewing. Would love to share my love of quilting with them as well. Here's hoping maybe one of my grandsons will catch it. Cindy bluemoonstencilsatyahoodotcom

Anonymous said...

I love to quilt but none of my 5 children follow my footsteps. LOL. Having said that, I am not giving up hope yet, I hope to change their minds one of these days....

Anonymous said...

I am following you by email.

Kelly said...

I'm very impressed with your husband's fabric picks. I have never taught anyone to quilt, yet, but there is always hope!! My husband came to our marriage with the sewing machine, not me, so time will tell!! Advice for your hubby, don't be too critical of your work, no one else will look at it as closely as we do to ourselves!

Kelly said...

I follow you on bloglovin and I saw your link on A Quilted Passion blog!

Anonymous said...

Not an entry in the quilt pattern giveaway, though I like it very much, but I wanted to tell Dave to keep building! This is a great quilt, the colors are perfect, and I'm sure the execution was grand. It's a great love to share with your wife. You go, bobbin fixer! Next up ... Dave's own machine? Sharing can be wearing!

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

Congratulations, David. A great quilt. I love the, I'm a bad ass photo. LOL

Anja @ Anja Quilts said...

I follow on Bloglovin and on Instagram.

tbear said...

I sure like to see a man sew a quilt.. That was an adorable post

Rachel said...

Lovely! That was my favorite of the two layouts. And I really like the term "quilt builder". ;)

Rachel said...

I follow you with my Blogger Feed.

kupton52 said...

Great job, Hubby of Tish and Quiltchild of Sandra Jane! My only advice is to keep "building"...be an inspiration of other quilthusbands out in blogland. I plan on showing my hubby of 44 years your work. He's a civil engineer in real life and a carpenter in his spare time. (We're Marshall alumni too!!!)

kupton52 said...

I follow you via email!

Dave S. said...

Go Herd!!!

Shirley said...

What an awesome story! Thanks for the opportunity to enter the giveaway. (shirparks@gmail.com)

mumbird3 said...

Lovely quilts - great job!!!

Kathy E. said...

I am speechless! Dave's hidden talent has finally come to the surface and who knows what he'll create next! I can't imagine my husband even attempting something like this. His quilt is fabulous and Sandra must be so proud of him too. No advice needed to send Dave! He's got it all together. duchick at gmail dot com

Kathy E. said...

New Bloglovin' follower here! Let's see more of Dave's creations! :)

celia ambrose said...

I read your blog from Quilting Blogs.com

Your husband did a great job with building his quilt. He has every reason to be proud! (celiaambrose@hotmail.com)

KaHolly said...

Trish, Sandra sent me over to read this post. Great story!

Preeti said...

Just got back to blogland...and saw this post.
The zeal of a warrior and the sensitivity of an artist makes a perfect combination in David. The result is pure beauty. Love his interpretation of the design. Hawaiian Stepping Stones is priceless!!!
Hugs,
Preeti.

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