Happy Tuesday Tale: Two Quilting projects

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I finally finished the hexagon project that I first showed you here...it was supposed to be a Christmas tree skirt.  Made from 60 of the hexagons. After making 9,  I quickly nixed the idea of 60.  What a tedious project.   This collage shows some of the process.  

 I made 31- hexagons.  Each one had to be folded and pinned on 6 sides, stitched down. All 31 had to be stitched together. I had to stand up to do the folding.  Even with my waist high sewing/craft table...I was achy in my shoulders and lower back.  I did it in spurts.  Anyway I made an executive decision it would be a Christmas throw for the back of the couch.

Finished project.  I still have 5" precut festive squares and  about 1/2 yard of the cardinal and holly fabric.  I will make use of it in a less tedious and back breaking project.

26"x21"

Summer of 2019 my neighbor and her sister commissioned me to make 2 Memory quilts using their Mom's blouses. This was my first project for someone else. I explained that my quilting skills were still very much being developed.  Their only requirement was that I use pieces of each blouse in both of their quilts.

Two quilts completed

Back side the same on both.

Fast forward to 2 weeks ago.  Sadly her sister passed away unexpectedly in June of this year. My neighbor asked me if it would be possible to make the two quilts into one large one. I said absolutely; however, it will be my gift to you in memory of your Mom and Sister.

Needless to say, I didn't want to do any harm either quilt in the process, the blouses are irreplaceable. I knew I had to take them apart but it needed to be as minimally invasive as possible.

SO I EMAILED WALTER AND MILLIE'S MOM CINDY in New York.

Cindy said the best way was to take the edges off to some degree, which I expected. 😱

She sent me a video to watch, which was way passed my skill set.  I did get one excellent idea!!.

Use my walking presser foot, which glides smoothly over thick fabric like quilts.

I took the stitches out on the long border on each quilt.  I joined them together in the middle

using the border from each.  I bought a package of satin quilt binding (like you see on baby quilts).

That became my new center on the back and front.  Using the walking pressure foot I sewed both sides of the satin binding on the front.  I folded it around the back of the quilts then hand stitched 

it down the center on the back.

Presenting my neighbor's new Siamese Quilt

I forgot to measure it but it is huge.

My neighbor and her sister loved them as two.

Now my neighbor has in memory of her Mom and her sister.

Frankie and  Ernie's mom described it best when she saw the photo:

"squares are like a family album of their Mom,

the Satin down the middle looks like a bookmark"!

Front

back

As the saying goes  "idle hands are the devil's workshop".

Neither my hands or my mind have been idle.