Just Some Random Thots

Today we’re busy setting up for the Quilt Retreat, so thought I would quickly share some Random Thoughts.

Although, I said we were busy, yesterday I did get a little down time to stitch on a quilt label.

Sitting by the fire on a cool, rainy afternoon, hand stitching a label on a quilt.

I can’t show it to you yet, because it hasn’t been gifted, but I like to add a label to quilts I make and give away. Some of the info I add to the label include:

A name for the Quilt
The name of the Pattern, if it is a specific pattern
The size of the Quilt (Throw, Queen, or just 46″ x 60″)
The name of the recipient & their city & state
If it is a special occasion (1st Birthday, Wedding, Graduation, etc)
Of course, my name and relationship, if any (Grandmother, Grand Aunt)
My city & state
Who quilted it (if not quilted by me)
Sometimes the fabric identity, if I used a special fabric line
Date – Usually the Month & Year
Maybe a brief message (Hugs & Love, Best Wishes)
I include a caricature of me that I made at a Quilt Retreat a number of years ago
Doesn’t this look just like me?
And a OCR code I created which, when scanned, reveals my contact info.

This sounds like a lot, but only creates a 3.5″ x 5″ printed label. I add a matching or contrasting 1″ border to frame the label and POOF! It’s done! I’ll do a post the next time I make a label.

For my quilty friends, I would like to share with you a blog post from a blog I follow – From My Carolina Home. She lives a little south of me and I love seeing the pictures of her Blue Ridge Mountains. Carole is a busy, crafty lady, but I enjoy her quilting activities the most (ok, I enjoy all of her posts!).

One of the services she provides is repairing what she calls “well loved quilts.” This week she shared, what I would have considered, a quilt beyond repair. Sadly, it was only 7 years old, but definitely had seen better days. It was a wedding present and the owner really wanted it saved. She is an angel to even have tried to make repairs but her creativity and concern to recapture the love behind the quilt has brought life back to it.

In this first post, Carole shows the severity of the damage and her thoughts and concerns about the methods needed to make the repairs. She promises to share more about this reconstruction. I’m looking forward to seeing what she gets done next.

Well, that’s it for now. Off to get the Quilt Retreat set up!

Happy Stitching & Moving!

Quilt Mouse