There is actually quite a lot to tell about this quilt, but I will leave most of it for a separate post (or set of posts, since I took photos of various steps throughout the process).  The ‘finished’ quilt was delivered at our annual family Christmas gathering last year.  I quote ‘finished’ because there were 32 names last Christmas (including my grandpa & one cousin who are no longer with us).  But since then, I have already added four new names to the tree.  We had two weddings & two births this year!!  And we already have two new babies on the horizon for spring!  I decided to use fabric marker for the writing, specifically because I wanted to be able to add names as our family grows, without having the new ones look out of place.

My grandparents had six children.  So I gave each child his/her own branch.  The rest of us (grandkids, spouses & great-grandkids) are all written into the leaves.

In the design phase, I very briefly considered a more traditional representation, with lines (branches) connecting people to their spouses and children.  But I threw that idea out for two main reasons.  One, some of our branches are a lot larger than others, and it would be difficult to make the quilt tree look well balanced.  Two, I have no idea what the future will hold for our family.  And I wanted to be able to add names, without having to cram them into a predefined space for each family branch.  So I chose to add names where they seemed to fit well, without stressing too much about placement.

My favorite part is the heart.  I ♥ the heart.  It is reverse applique, but I did this before I’d ever heard of reverse applique.  I just really wanted it to look like the heart was carved into the tree, so that’s what I came up with.

I think my grandma’s favorite part is the banner at the bottom.

So that is my Family Tree quilt.  It now lives on a chair in the entry way to my grandma’s living room.  I think she keeps it with the banner out, so people can read it as they come by.  This quilt is the largest I’ve made so far, even though it is only about 4 x 6 feet.  It was the most work, the longest design phase & the most satisfying when completed.

If you haven’t checked out all the other quilts from the BQF participants, please head over to Amy’s now and have a look.  There are a ton of very wonderful and inspiring quilts being showcased there!

Saturday morning, I finished making the rest of the blocks (no more embroidery on the front of this one), then I put them together & added the first border.  Later I will add a white border & probably embroider some more paw prints for the back.

These photos are not so great.  I should’ve taken them earlier in the day, but I took a nap with Little Yoohoo instead, and we ended up sleeping longer than I intended.

So I hope you made progress on your own projects this weekend!  I’m heading over to see what everyone else has been working on for the Sew In.  Don’t forget also, that the next round of the Bloggers Quilt Festival (hosted by the wonderful Amy) is coming up soon!

I’m extra excited about it this time around, because I finally have some photos of the Family Tree that I made my Grandma for Christmas last year.  Will you be entering anything into the Festival this week?

Are you going to join in this month for the FNSI?

If you haven’t noticed, I am really terrible about taking photos.  I know I need to get better about getting shots of all my projects, both finished & in progress.  But I am usually just too tired to mess with the camera, so most of the time, I don’t.  However, my best friend was kind enough to get an Action Shot of a mug rug that I made for her earlier this year.  I was supposed to have it done as a Christmas 2010 gift.  But that didn’t happen.  I did at least get it done & delivered before Christmas 2011 though!!

The mug was a previous gift, so I decided to try & stick with that theme for the new rug.  It took awhile to figure out what I was going to do, because I kept trying to figure out how to piece those cute rounded flowers into it.  Eventually I realized I could just go with the traditional Friendship Star & try to match the colors.  I think that worked out much better.  I still think those flowers would be super cute, so I may try that out someday.  But I am pleased with how this version turned out.  Here are all three together that I made for my work friends.

So this is not actually what I have been up to lately.  The things I need to take pictures of are – I started a new baby quilt & I finished the broomstick lace that I showed a progress picture of before.  I will try to make myself get photos soon, & I still need to layer, baste & quilt those letter quilts.  I will be happy to have those finished & on their way to my adorable baby cousins!!

What about you?  What have you been up to lately?

Awhile ago, I started working on a quilt for myself – I’m calling it My Happy Quilt, partly because I’m finally making a quilt just for me, & partly because I designed it with Happy by Me and My Sister Designs.  I am pretty sure I am not alone in this, but whenever I start a quilt for myself, it tends to take lowest priority behind other projects.  Here is a sneak peek of its current condition.

This chunk is going to be the center of the quilt.  I have to rip some seams and make some corrections though.  You can probably tell why from the photo above.  I cut the white pieces too small, so there is no room for the seam allowance.  I still have the baby blankets that I’m working on & the broomstick lace, which is nearly completed.  I should have a Finish Photo of that posted later this week.

Have you been following the Traveling Stash?  Jen from The Quilty Home is about to send it on to Mama Spark’s World soon.  I’ve enjoyed checking out all the fun people who’ve been swapping stuff out of the stash.  Take a peek, and maybe you can win a visit from the Traveling Stash too!

Next on the A & J To Do list was a trip to Hobby Lobby with my 40% off coupon to get some batting.  Hopefully I’ll have time this week to get them layered & basted.  I plan for the quilting to outline the letters and then follow the grid outside the letters.  Once I have that finished, I’ll decided whether I want to add stars or something inside the letters themselves.  I have two Winnie The Pooh receiving blankets that I picked up at a church bazaar.  Those will be used for the backings.  Maybe I will even get these finished over the weekend!

In other news, the first BOM was posted this weekend.  I made my fabric selections today & I will post a picture once I get my block made.  I am excited about it.  For one thing, this is my very first BOM ever – & for another, I have a stash of fabrics some friends gave me for Christmas that I hadn’t figured out what to do with yet.  I think they will be perfect for this!

I think this is a great idea & I’m excited to participate!!

Here are the rules:

1. I will make a little something for the first 3 people that comment on this post. It will be a surprise and may arrive at any time in the next 365 days (yes, a year).

2. To sign up to receive a gift from me you must play along too.  Share the giving love on your blog by promising to send a handmade goodie to the first three people that comment on your blog post.

3. You must have a blog.

4. After commenting on my post, you have to post this (or similar) on your blog to spread the love.

I don’t know if three people will even get around to commenting on this, but I will say that if you find this post 6 months from now & only 2 people have bothered to comment, you can still be commenter #3 & get a random goodie from me!  When you comment, I’ll email you & get your address & then you should get something from me sometime within the next year.

Sound good?  Want to participate?  Leave me a comment & as the rules say, if you’re one of the first three, I’ll get your contact info, & mail a hand-made goodie to you sometime within the next year!

Traveling Stash @ SewRuffHaven

Left over squares @ BarbsCreations

100 blog post giveaway @ StitchinTime

Surprise Sharing Giveaway @ IQuiltScarletAndGray

Surprise Sharing Giveaway @ MayLifeOnline

I had planned to make some real progress today, on the two baby blankets I needed to work on.  Instead, my boss called me at about 8:30 this morning because of an issue with work.  So I spent about twelve hours on that, & didn’t have much time left over for baby blankets.  I did manage to get a start on cutting the pieces though.  One blanket is for a boy & one for a girl.  They are cousins & were born one day apart from each other.  I have a set of neutral colors I plan to cut into 6 inch squares for both blankets. But the pieces here will be used to make 4 patch squares which will be organized into the shape of an A for the girl, & a J for the boy.  They will be very simple, but I think they will turn out cute.

Ale-8 was my photographer today!  He got a nice camera for Christmas from his grandparents.  I think he takes pretty good photos.    I look forward to checking out what everyone else has been working on for the sew in!  Leave me a link if you posted anything, I want to make sure I don’t miss any!

Come sign up and join in the fun!!