More Mentoring

This quilt, "Under the Sea", was created during our week-long family reunion at the cottage. My niece-in-law, Aliza, had brought fabrics and requested that I make a quilt for her. I gently declined by saying, "No, but I'll share my know-how so you can make it." After looking through photos of my quilts, Aliza decided on the medallion style.
She had sewing machine skills and learned the cutting and construction methods very quickly. She cut out a 12" sqaure of the focus fabric. Next she learned the technique of sewing irregular strips of fabric diagonally to paper squares. I find this is a fun, yet non-stressful, way for beginners to construct blocks.
Then she had the joy of "playing" with their arrangement on the design wall. I had in mind for her to make a small quilt in which to cuddle her baby. Just the addition of a couple of border strips and a good first quilt would be almost finished. However, Aliza had a large play mat quilt in mind.
Now mind you, this is taking place in a cottage full of people ... 24 adults, 10 children, and 2 babies ... during the 4th of July week ... and I was working like mad to get the quilting finished on one of the memorial quilts I had presented to my nephews and niece (more about those later). It was time to involve the other two quilters in our family.
Diane came up with the next border design. She got the sewing started while Jeanette kept Hayden happy so his mama could work. It ended up with all of us stitching this border together. Aliza, cut corner blocks from her focus fabric and more borders were added until she said it was "big enough". Then we designed and pieced the back.
During the construction of the added borders and the backing, I finished my quilting project and was ready to machine quilt this one. I just couldn't send Aliza back to California with an unfinished quilt, so again I was quilting like mad. The last hour of quilting, Jeanette took over.
The quilt was finished except for the binding at 10:00 the night before they left Michigan. It had only been four and half days, since Aliza had asked for a quilt. I very much enjoyed working with and getting to know this remarkable young woman. She is most pleased with the result ... and the size.

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