Friday, May 21, 2010

Denim quilt

Blogger's quilt Festival Begins today; Amy over at Amy's Creative Side has a list of participants and some great prizes for us. So if you wish you could go to a quilt show and can't, visit all these quilts in blog-world. It's almost better than a show 'cause you get to read the stories behind the quilts.
I recently checked out 'the Quilts of Gee's Bend' from our library and they reminded me of the denim quilt I started while I was working on my PHT (Putting Hubby Through-College). This quilt was started in 1977, when I had NO money. It was finished 5 years later when I could afford a sheet to back it with.
I'm telling you this weighs a ton! Try getting this under your domestic machine to quilt. I DID. One of my first machine quilting projects, if not the first. When it gets dirty it is so bulky it has to be washed at the laundromat. But it was Brian's choice to sleep under it in Virginia (where the warmth was greatly appreciated) and in South Texas, year round. While my teen-aged son, Brian* was sick with cancer he continued to sleep under this quilt. It now has more holes than the original jeans had. It is backed with a red sheet. It has no binding; I used the 'pillowcase' method to finish the edge. I labeled it with a sharpie on the sheet and misspelled a word... I always felt like I cheated cause I bought some denim for the checkerboard border; some dark denim since none of our jeans were dark enough. We were also out of old jeans so I bleached some of the dark to get the light. I can't imagine using up ALL of my old jeans now. In fact I can't imagine using up any category of scrap; I keep making blocks and there are still scraps!


Yes, those are 2 boys on the roof of our garage, in TX there is only a small amount of time that this works. Most of the time I couldn't bribe them to get up there on the hot roof but other times they think it a treat that MOM WANTS them to climb on the roof.
*Brian fought cancer for 18 months but died in 1999, at 16 years old.

26 comments:

Mom said...

I LOVE the quilt in your top banner!

margaret
www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

My grandmother made me a denim log cabin quilt. It is still a favorite. You are so right about how much they weigh but thats what makes them so nice. You know you are sleeping under a quilt.

Kathy said...

Nice use of the denim as you made very good choices about the differences in light and dark values.

Nat Palaskas said...

That is a great quilt with interesting story to go with it - Enjoy BQF - Hugs Nat

SarahB said...

What a special quilt! Very nice placement of the values!

Michelle said...

I've never seen such an elaborate denim quilt. It looks so warm. Well done! It sounds like the quilt is well-loved too. It just doesn't get any better than that.

Anonymous said...

What a great quilt and great story! Thanks for sharing!

Sandra said...

What a flashback. Glad it comforted your son, hope he is doing well.
Sandra

Carol said...

I love it. I've never seen denim done in that pattern before. Very effective.

Linda at Roscoe's Ma said...

I love this quilt. It is spectacular! Did a jeans quilt once...they weigh a ton. Hope your son is doing well now.

Army Wife Quilter said...

wow that would be heavy for cotton fabric let alone denim. love it

Miri said...

This quilt is fantastic! The design is wonderful...thank you so much for sharing this-you put a big smile on face...ahhh, 1977!

Marjorie said...

I particularly like your quilt hangers. They look suspiciously like teens on a roof.

Allie said...

Your quilt is fantastic! I love hearing the story to go with it. Great picture too. :)

mary said...

This is a cool quilt. Funny cause just this morning my husband added yet another pair of jeans to my pile and I thought "now what in the world can I make out of all these jeans". Now I know. Thanks for the idea.

Shannon w/ Monkey Dog Quitls said...

Denim quilts make me smile. Sew On!

SewCalGal said...

Spectacular quilt.

SewCalGal
www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

Karen said...

What a great denim quilt. Glad to hear it is so well loved. It is a great design.

Eileen said...

great!! love the design and the story is a great one also

Laurel H. said...

What a moving story; I think this makes your quilt the most beautiful one of all. Thanks for sharing; blessings to you.

Magnolia Designs said...

Sorry to hear that your son lost his battle. That is a special quilt and a very moving story. Thank you for sharing!

quiltmom anna said...

I can well imagine it was like wrestling with a bear to quilt your denim quilt. Its a lovely and unique design.
The first quilt I made was a log cabin that had double polyester batt in it, because I wanted it to be puffy. It was queen sized to boot. I got my exercise quilting it..VBG
Hope you get the opportunity to view some of the quilts in the festival.
There are some beauties.
Sorry that your son lost his battle with cancer- Hope that the quilt brings happy memories of a young man well loved.
Regards from a Western Canadian quilter,
Anna
http://quiltmomsjourney.blogspot.com/

Vicki said...

I'm so sorry about your son.

Great quilt, it's gorgeous and so unique!

debbi d-w said...

Wonderful original piece! I love the simplicity of the different shades of denim & the combo of straight & curved lines - Brava!

Unknown said...

Your denim quilt is awesome...great design! and oh yes it will be yummy warm in the cold weather!
hugz, Pam

Amy said...

Very nice quilt. I imagine it was very heavy. I am sorry your son lost the battle with Cancer. I am sure the quilt holds a very special place in your heart.Thanks for sharing,Amy