A few years ago, I decided to make a quilt for my daughter's 4th birthday. I took the inspiration from an Australian quilter whom, I am sorry to say, I forgot the name... I wanted a very colourful quilt with simple, naive blocks. The original quilt pictured abstract designs but I thought it more fun if each block represented something that meant a lot to her at the time.
Here are some of the blocks picturing her favourites songs ("The sun has got his hat on" and "Incy Wincy Spider"), her hand, her first writing of her name without help, clover for luck, lots of love, home and a few others...
I actually finished it when she was six! My daughter is now eleven and she still uses her quilt and sometimes she will ask me to sit with her and tell her the story behind each block. I had a lot of fun making it and she has fun now "reading" it. Technically, it is not perfect, I made my rules with regard to the binding and quilting, and the colours will fade with time, but I hope it will become an heirloom for my daughter to keep and cherish.
This post came to me as I took this quilt out for a wash after one of my daugter's nose bleed and I thought to myself : wouldn't it be nice to make a new quilt for each of my two children for Christmas this year?...
What a lovely quilt and what a lovely story. How wonderful that you can share the story or each patch!!
Posted by: 2paw | July 15, 2006 at 01:27 AM
Positively beautiful. My mother made me a quilt, too, cutting pieces from lots of my old clothes. Like your daughter, I can point to just about any square and remember the exact piece of clothing, special occasions on which I wore it. . .
Posted by: Kim | July 15, 2006 at 03:02 PM
Yes, it will be nice ! Ma mère qui fait beaucoup de patch m'a fait un dessus de lit il y a 10 ans, et m'en finit un autre en ce moment (Irish eyes). Elle a voulu en faire un à chaqun de ses enfants et petits-enfants pour qu'ils aient un souvenir d'elle (un quilt, ça se garde pendant looooooongtemps!). Le tien est tout joli et les enfants adorent effectivement que chaque bloc soit différent et avec sa propre histoire à raconter.
Posted by: Christine | July 16, 2006 at 07:45 AM
It's so beautiful! I love how it is like a snap-shot of an age and contains so many stories. I can't wait to see you progress on the new ones for your children this year!
Posted by: Marie | July 16, 2006 at 11:41 AM
Your daughter's quilt is beautiful - I love the personalized individual blocks and the stories behind each. An excellent gift, and lovely work.
Posted by: Elizabeth | July 16, 2006 at 03:01 PM
This is so meaningful, a personal story quilt. Hope you decide to do another one and this time, your kids can have some inputs too :)
Posted by: erin | July 17, 2006 at 03:44 AM
What a lovely story and what a lovely connection between you and your daughter.
Posted by: Amelia | July 17, 2006 at 06:53 AM
What an amazing quilt and what a beautiful story to go with it! I love the idea of the personalised blocks, and it's sure to become a heirloom. Such lovely work.
Posted by: Iris | July 17, 2006 at 10:34 AM
Isn't that lovely! I don't sew, so I don't know how feasible two quilts in 5 months is, but they're certainly keepsakes!
Posted by: dawn | July 17, 2006 at 02:51 PM
This quilt is so great and such a lovely idea to have patches with a meaning. It´s such a wonderful memory-board for your daughter, I am sure she will treasure it her whole life. And it´s not only the story behind every picture, it´s also the knowing that it´s made for her stitch by stitch by her mother. I wish I would have such a quilt and I wish I would have made one.
Posted by: Krawuggl | July 17, 2006 at 06:03 PM
What a treasure!! Your daughter will love having that her whole life long. Definitely, you should make them for your other children! (Can you do that by Christmas? That seems like a LOT of work!)
Posted by: Kathy | July 17, 2006 at 06:53 PM
Magnifique patch Françoise ! C'est une très très bonne idée de s'y remettre. Normalement pour Noël tu devrais pouvoir le faire, bien que ce genre d'ouvrage demande vraiment beaucoup de patience... Mais ça en vaut largement la peine !
Posted by: Dorothée | July 17, 2006 at 06:59 PM
What a beautiful quilt and sentiment behind it. Surely something your daughter will treasure always!
Posted by: Becky | July 17, 2006 at 10:13 PM
I always enjoy your "knitting" pictures that you often post. Carl Larssen is one of my favorite s. Have you ever come across a knitting shepherdess painting from the mid 1800s that WASN"T painted by Francois Millet? I found it one time on the web, but haven't seen it since I had a blog.
Posted by: Caroline | July 18, 2006 at 02:10 AM
I love the quilt! An Australian design no less! Based on what you have shown us, your sewing skills are very much up to date. So I have absolutely no doubt you can reach your goal.
Posted by: Adriana | July 19, 2006 at 08:47 AM
it's a great idee! the result is perfect!
Posted by: le chat qui coud | July 28, 2006 at 12:06 PM
Such a beautiful quilt - I'm sure your daughter will treasure it forever.
Kristin
Posted by: Kristin Nicholas | August 14, 2006 at 03:30 AM