Thursday, January 16, 2014

My Irish Great-Grandpa Sampler Quilt - My First 2014 Finish!

 
My Irish Great-Grandpa Sampler Quilt is my first finish of 2014.  I made it to accompany the story of my great-grandfather James Lynch.  Each of the twelve blocks represents a portion of his biography, written by my grandmother.  I love the combination of quilting and history! 
 
My wonderfully creative long-armer returned it right before Thanksgiving.  I got busy with the holidays and have just now finished the binding.  
 
I imagined this quilt would be different shades of green with touches of yellow and brown.  But after I made the sashing from alternate 2" squares of yellow and green, it turned out to be much more yellow than I had originally expected.  It's certainly a cheerful quilt! 
 
I plan to use this quilt as a spring tablecloth.  It is cold and snowy here during April and May, so this quilt will make it feel like spring inside even though it still feels like winter outside!  
 
 
The wind and the low sun made it hard to get a good photo outside!
 
 
Have you finished a project this year?  Inquiring minds want to know!
 
You might also enjoy reading my previous blog post Contrary Wife Quilt Block and the Characters in The Healing Quilt, Part II.

40 comments:

  1. oh it beautiful!!! i love the yellow

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  2. So bright and cheery! That will make a wonderful spring quilt. I finished my version of Bonnie Hunter's Celtic Solstice. Only the top so far, not sure when I'll get to quilting it, but just having the borders on this intricate quilt is an accomplishment!

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  3. I have finished two small quilts so far. This is great for me. I had to quilt them and bind one. I have lots more to go.

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  4. Beautiful and so meaningful. What a treasure.

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  5. What great colors and a fabulous finish. So bright and cheery. Just what we need this time of year.

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    1. It is wonderful to work on cheerful fabrics in the winter!

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  6. It is absolutely gorgeous! I love it. And so would your grandmother!

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    1. I'm so very thankful to have such prolific writers in my family!

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  7. I love it! Very cheerful and just the right touch of yellow & green!

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  8. I've been away from the computer for several months & haven't been keeping up with the blogs I had visited for years. Glad your quilt greeted me on my first visit back. I love, love, love it!!! I've been collecting green fabric for some time with the hope of creating an Irish themed quilt.

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  9. The yellows set off the assorted greens quite nicely. This will certainly coax spring into your house. A finish? Come on, it is only 17 days into the year! Well, I did make a small quilted gift for the conference speaker... hardly a very big finish.

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  10. That is beautiful... I love quilts with stories. Don't forget to label so future generations will know the purpose behind this quilt. :)

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  11. I love the combination of quilting and history, too! You are very lucky to have so much information about your past generations. Pretty quilt!

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  12. Love the greens AND the sunny yellows -- what a wonderful Irish story quilt!
    Last week I sewed up a strippy quilt to turn in for Comfort Quilts at guild meeting this month, and last night I just finished the binding on a Valentine quilt -- it's in the dryer right now getting crinkly. So many quilty ideas ... never enough time to get them all completed!!

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    1. I agree with you, Jeanne, that there's never enough time to finish all the quilts I want to make. Quilters are never bored, that's for sure!

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  13. Beautiful cheery quilt! I love the color combination.

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    1. It was fun working with the greens and yellows. I'd never made a quilt in those colors, and it was so cheerful!

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  14. Oh my, Susan, this one is sooooooo pretty!! Cheers me right up!!

    I've been reading your posts - just not taking time to answer! I'm reading along and so enjoying the book club - working on my blogs/quilt too. Will post sometime and let you know!!

    Blessings!

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  15. What a great sample of his life and your heritage. Absolutely love this.

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    1. Thank you, Roberta. I'm fortunate to have such prolific writers in my family!

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  16. What a fabulous tribute to your great-grandparents. I like the colors you used and the blocks that you made are beautiful. It truly will make for a great springtime tablecloth.

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  17. Beautiful and what a wonderful way to remember your heritage. Beautiful colors and the way the sun was dappled on the quilt really gave it more depth and personality. Thanks for sharing. Blessings and smiles, Emilou :-0

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    1. Thank you so much, Emilou. I was disappointed that the sun and the wind were giving me such fits, but the sun does make the quilt look rather interesting.

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  18. Very attractive quilt, nice balance of light and darks.

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  19. What a quilt. Yea you did very 'good'. I have finished two; they needed to be quilted and one needed to be bound; the other was just turned and quilted. They are both small quilts and will be given to hospital.

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    1. I really dislike having UFO's so am always so delighted to finish a quilt, Nancy. Congratulations on your finishes.

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  20. What a beauty! And a wonderful addition to your quilt-story "library."
    (BTW, are there quilt-stories from your husband's side?)

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  21. There are artists on my husband's side, but they are not quite as prolific writers as my side of the family. I do have some letters and other things from my mother-in-law, so that's a possibility for a future quilt!

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  22. Purtyful!!
    So far in 2014 I've finished a lap quilt, fleece blanket and my DD sweater dress. Almost done with my long worsted weight socks.

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  23. The quilt is beautiful. I love the dappled sunlight and the idea of wind on the quilt. It gives life to the quilt which is very appropriate since it celebrates a life.

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    1. I love your comment that the dappled sunlight and the wind both give life to the quilt. Thank you!

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  24. Lovely! Very Spring/Summer. Yes, I made a pincushion for a friends birthday. That is my finish for the year, so far.

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  25. Snow in April & May? Where do you live? It's in the 70-80's in April & May here in San Diego CA. I love your quilt! It does look like Spring!

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