I will always believe that home made gifts are the very best. You know that the person that made it for you took the time to really think about what is special to you and trust me, you can’t go to a store and get the same results.
Whether its big or small, something to eat or put in a special spot you know it came from the heart and hands of someone you love. Yesterday I was able to do just that – I’d like to introduce you to Miss Hannah <3
Hannah was the very first friend my Chelsie made when we moved here to Forest Lake. They were in the 8th grade. Through the ups and downs of growing up they remain great friends. This picture is from Chelsie’s wedding. Hannah and her husband are expecting their first child in January and we could not be more excited for them!
Last August, Hannah lost her Grandma and I can’t imagine how hard that was for her.
Hannah had an amazing opportunity to share a bedroom with her “Gram” for 6 years growing up. Their relationship was incredibly special. Chelsie & Hannah went to college together, Chelsie told me that Hannah and her Gram were pen pals through out her time away from home. I can’t imagine the friendship and bond that developed between them. Hannah is an RN now and I believe her tender heart is because of the love and guidance from her years with her. I’m so glad Hannah will always have this beautiful picture to treasure from there wedding day!
Hannah & Quincy are having a little girl!!! – I was so excited to make something special from Chelsie, Allie & myself! I decided on the “Sunshine” theme, so off I went to look for some “sunshine” in fabric only to realize that there was nothing I liked. I know that I’m better off doing my own thing. So I bought a beautiful white, a gorgeous soft grey floral and the yellow fabric?… I brought one piece home but was soooo incredibly unhappy with it.
I knew that it could be so much more, I needed it to be something special. As I was looking at the pile I started thinking about Hannah and her Grandma. I had an idea, I decided to call Hannah’s Mom and ask if I could please have an article of Grandma’s clothing to sew into the quilt. We met two days later and I was given Grandma’s yellow seersucker robe. It was faded and worn, loved up and best of all I knew Hannah would recognize it given the fact that they roomed together! I was completely thrilled to work it into the quilt. Now I was excited! So much so that I got up at 4:20 am and gathered a few more pieces to balance out the light yellow.
I was ready to roll. I had just 2 days and no pattern… I started off with the sunshine center and cut out the heat transfer design by Kolette Hall to fit. It was perfect! It was time to cut into Grandma’s robe. I had a horrible time taking that first cut. I said a little prayer and went for it hoping that I could get enough of her fabric into the quilt to make me happy.
Row by row, section by section it was becoming everything that I had hoped.
There were two flowers on her robe and I had every intention of using both. The lower flower on her robe went on the lower corner of her quilt. I knew exactly what I wanted to do… you can’t look at that saying without singing it in your head… I had the grey borders representing the “cloudy days” so I ended it with “You never know dear, how much I love you, Gram” I had tears running down my face because I felt that Hannah’s Gram loved it.
The writing was so small that it wasn’t perfect on the bumpy seersucker…. I remembered Chelsie telling me that Hannah was the only one that could decipher Grandma’s hand writing so I decided that it ended up being a good thing ; )
Off to the post office it went to my quilter Norma Riehm. She helped me out by quilting it quickly so it would be done in time for Hannah’s shower a week later. With it done and no time to send it back in the mail we agreed to meet half way in Siren, WI. It was a really good thing as Norma and I had never met in person before! We had a wonderful time in the corner of a darling coffee shop. After a great visit I was back on the road to Minnesota to get this now GORGEOUS quilt finished! Norma, you did an amazing job as always! Thank you so very much!
With the quilt complete I knew that I wanted to make something special with the last of Gram’s robe. I needed for Hannah to really “see” the robe, so I cut out the area with the last flower on it. I sewed it to heavy card stock and wrote her a letter. My heart was smiling.
With everything layered in the bag just right we gathered yesterday morning to celebrate Hannah and her upcoming birth.
I was so excited for her to open our gift, this little quilt is one of my top 3 favorites I’ve ever sewn! Hannah, sewing this quilt for you meant the world to me. “ May you wrap yourself up in her love” – We love you and wish you & Quincy the very best
