First, let me apologize for not posting in 2 months!!  I can’t believe I’ve been so lax.  However, the laziness hasn’t extended to the sewing room.  I’ve been quite busy there!

It is Bravo time!  I posted last year about the books written by my son’s fourth grade class that I bound for them and was sold at the children’s art auction.  This year I decided to help them make a quilt.

First, I had them vote on a theme. I offered them houses, silhoettes of themselves, lego heads, monsters, and emoji.  The overwhelming majority (22 out of 24) voted emoji.  I was so glad.  I think it was the easiest pattern of all the options I gave them.  I sent in a template of a circle inside a square with instructions that they can go outside the circle, but not outside the square as they design 2 or 3 options for me.  I also told them “NO POOP EMOJI!”  Because, you know of course one of them asked.

The emoji came flooding in.  They were all recreated as true to the original as I could by machine applique and hand embroidery.  The results were fantastic.

When I had finished all 24 and sewn them on to their squares I brought them to the class.  I would hold up the design and then the quilt square and they responded so enthusiastically.  I was surprised they were so excited.  They applauded and cheered for the donut.

The plan was to bring a sewing machine to school and have them each sew a piece of the quilt.  On the day we were to start I received a call from the school nurse that my son had fallen in gym class and had a huge bump on his head.  He and I wound up at urgent care for the rest of the day, and then he was home with a concussion for the rest of the week.  He’s back to himself now, but since I had to turn the quilt in by February 14th, it threw the plan to have the kids sew it out the window.

Here it is in all its glory!

I was so unsure of my fabric choice for the sashing, but it looks great.  I’m also extremely pleased with my rainbow binding.  And the piece de resistance?  The label the kids made.  They each signed a piece a fabric that matched the back of their emoji and then I sewed them together in the same order as the emoji were.

And don’t you just love the backing fabric?  Isn’t it just perfect?

The auction is online this year and goes live in about a week.  I can’t wait to see how much it goes for.  Honestly, I’m really curious just to see what they put the starting bid at.

Coming up soon on the blog…

I have been busy.  I’ve been 3D quilting, which means I have a lot of bags and pouches to show off to you.  I also have a pillow pattern to put up and a free picnic blanket tutorial. There’s also a blog hop I will be participating in during April, and I am part of a row by row pattern  called “In My Neighborhood” hosted by QuilterChic.  I will be the designer for August.

AND

I’ve been quilting my Tula Pink FANDANGO quilt, so there will be one more Tula Tuesday with the finished piece soon!!!

It’s all just so exciting!

Lovingly,

Lissa