January Journal Quilt 2006

"Their Hearts Grew Four Sizes That Day"
January Journal Quilt

This month's Journal Quilt focuses on the birth of my best friend's baby, which brought back memories of my own daughter's birth13 years ago. When I saw the delivery room photos-- their very first family pictures--I was struck by the joy on their faces and by the similarity to our photos, and to the photos of every happy family upon the birth of a child. That intense joy, those overwhelming feelings of love and pride, mixed with wonder and disbelief-- that is really what connects us a"l.

I decided to demonstrate the "connectedness" using the family photos framed by linked hearts. The heart on she right is outlined in bright pink, which is Betsy's signature color, and filled with light blue to represent her son. My heart is outlined with neon green, one of my signature colors, and filled with pink to represent my daughter. I printed the family photos on cream colored fabric and cut them out with a pinking blade rotary cutter to make them look like old-fashioned photos.

I used the raggedy reverse applique technique, which I saw on Simply Quilts. I also used scattered seed beads in pink,
blush and perriwinkle blue to convey joy and add sparkle.

Next month, I'm considering doing a portrait quilt of my husband, focusing on his love of the outdoors--and his total misery upon being trapped inside all winter long!!!!!

a star is born

My best friend has produced a beautiful baby boy! I'm sure that I'm prejudiced, but he really is beautiful and absolutely perfect, despite what the doctors call "advanced maternal age." For those who can't interpret that, it's doctor-speak for "having a baby when you're so old, most of your friends are already thinking about having their tubes tied."

New Mom Betsy and Baby Ian are doing fine. I think Proud Papa Eric may pull through too! And soon Ian will be the owner of a very colorful, star-covered quilt (see photo from his mom's baby shower, above) that's about 500 times his size, I just need to put on the label and binding. I am really looking forward to being a crazy, doting honorary auntie!

Seeing my friends begin this mind-boggling journey into parenthood has made me think back to my own child's birth! My "baby," Caitlyn, is now 13 1/2, and just about as tall as I am, but when I look at her baby pictures, I can remember all the feelings of love and fear and joy and overwhelm-ed-ness that were coursing through my veins and dancing non-stop through my head! I think this will be the departure point for this month's Journal Quilt!

I've already begun by printing some photos on fabric. I printed out the delivery room family portrait from Caitlyn's and Ian's births, both in color and in sepia, and we'll see where that takes me!