Friday, May 23, 2014

distressed quilt finish

Welcome to finish it up Friday!
The other day my kids came home from school and announced that they only have 10 days of school left. (We are now down to 8!) That statement MAY have struck a little fear in my heart. I'm kind of looking forward to summer, but I'm also a little scared, to be honest. It changes my schedule drastically and alone time will be a thing of the past. Yikes! The looming deadline has caused me to kick things into high gear in the sewing room. I am trying to finish as many quilts as I can before summer "vacation" hits. Hurray for FOCUS! :)
My latest finish is my distressed quilt. I love how it turned out! This is just a simple HST (half square triangle) quilt. I cut the squares at 4 7/8", cut them once on the diagonal, then sewed all the pieces back together, pairing a light and a dark value triangle for each block. I pressed the seams open, then assembled the blocks together like regular ol' patchwork.
Nothing fancy for the quilting, just a simple stipple. It produces a nice texture, though, and that's what I was after. The 30's print on the binding was from my stash and I had JUST enough. I love it when that happens. I also love how the little yellow dots tie in with the backing fabric. I machine bound it to finish it off.
Most of the fabric is from the line Nana's Pantry from Connecting Threads. I did add a few pieces from my stash as well.
Some of the fabrics were distressed using this method.
The quilt measures about 52" x 64".
I've now made 3 pillows and an entire quilt from these fabrics, so I am done with them. If you would like to win these scraps, please leave me a comment in this post. In your comment, if you have any suggestions for summer fun with kids, I'd absolutely love to hear them! It can be something you've done with your kids, or something that you loved to do as a kid. Only one comment per person, please. (International entries welcome, as long as you are willing to pay the shipping overages if sent outside the US.) Hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend!

Now it's your turn to link up your finishes for the week! Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!

204 comments:

1 – 200 of 204   Newer›   Newest»
Darcy said...

I love how you make this absolutely gorgeous thing and you're like "oh NBD, just HST's" ;-)

piedpiperphoto.blogspot.co.uk just put a fun summer activity calendar up this week that I'm printing!

Kat said...

I love that quilt! Putting the distressed fabrics next to the bright ones just works so well. I always loved to go on camping trips as a kid, even if it was just somewhere nearby by, it's lots of fun.

Anonymous said...

What a pretty quilt, AmandaJean! I remember reading about this long ago, I think I need to try distressing/de-stressing something, HA

Melissa Corry said...

I love this!! So fun!!! It was so wonderful to meet you last week, yippee for airport Meet Ups :)

Anonymous said...

This is such a happy looking quilt. I love that the kids have time to be "bored" and come up with their own activities in the summer. Sometimes I think the children can be more creative than the adults in coming up with fun things to do. I just wish we lived close enough so that other kids my daughter's age could walk over on their own. The social time is what's hardest for me to coordinate.

sonia said...

I love the result! In our summer vacation there's always one day for a water balloons war: two teams, a bucket full of water filled balloons. You can invite your neighbours and team big kids with small kids. Getting wet is funny enough but if you combine it with hiding from the enemy and seeking battle strategies, it is even better!

eva said...

Wow.... usually on any of your give aways, i am somewhere in the 150th comment, and here i am.... the 8th??

anyway...marvelous distressed quilt, i LOVE it.

the scraps??? oh yeah... I'd love them, wouldn't they just look perfect with my stash.

kids summer ideas? my favourite memories were picnics by the beach. nothing better than having fun in the water, and coming ashore to picnic foods, and of course watermelon. ...didn't get much better than that!!!

Dee said...

Simply bright and beautiful! Love it!

Thanks for hosting!

Carla said...

Great quilt and fantastic pictures. Even your stack of fabric looks so cool in the picture. My kids and I learned a great way to keep the house clean over the summer. We would play "go fish" for chores one room at a time. Winner would get a light job like taking out the trash. Loser would have to clean the shower and the middle man would clean the sink. They are in college, but they still talk about it...

Anonymous said...

The quilt is beautiful! I've never used distressed fabric before, but the effect in the quilt is striking.

One of my favorite summer activities as a kid was going on picnics down by the river and walking along the pier. Or sometimes we'd take our lunch to the local park which had a duck pond. Mom usually packed hot dogs, so I was happy!

Just Another Quilter said...

Love these scraps. I am working a version of Bonnie Hunters Rick Rack Nine Patch. If these are at least 2" square, I will take them. Always love your stuff.
Make memories with those kids. Make them laugh!

knottygnome said...

love your quilt! i don't have kids, but I just played with my toddler niece for a couple of days and she was obsessed with making necklaces with beads. sounds like your kids are a bit older though. when i was a kid i loved making friendship bracelets in the summertime. i suppose that just shows how old i am. :-P

Unknown said...

I love the front of this quilt. But I LOVE the fabric on the back. What fabric is that? And I would love the scraps...

When my girls were younger, I would set up a table with just about every craft item known to man, construction paper, Pom poms, markers, glue etc etc. The table was out all summer. When it was rainy out or too hot (Florida) they would come in and do projects (make a mess) to their hearts content:)

Katherine said...

I loved building forts and obstacle courses in the yard when I was a kid.

JoanG said...

Would love to win these scraps. The quilt you made with them is wonderful.
I have no kids, but as a child I remember going on day trips with my parents. Sometimes with a distinct destination, sometimes just a ramble on a road we'd never traveled before with stops at whatever seemed like fun.

Em said...

I'm not sure how old your kiddos are, but we are all about water fun in the sun. A little pool and/or a water table can entertain them for hours!

hellolacy said...

Loving that HST quilt! I used to love sidewalk chalk in the summer. :)

Unknown said...

I love these fabrics & the distressing makes them "talk" to each other so beautifully!

I don't have kids, but I remember the lengthy stretch of summer-- mudpies! Lots of mudpies & time running through the sprinkler. Bliss!

Lisa Boyer said...

Kids can entertain themselves for hours with water! Water guns, sprinklers, water balloons, ice cube races, Slip and Slides, inflatable pools (make them fill it up--leads to water fights). Also, a backyard buried treasure hunt with clues is fun. You make one--then they love it so much they start making hunts for each other. Marble games with taped-together cardboard tubes and trap doors is fun. Making books with peek-a-boo doors with monsters behind them. Box forts. Fabric scrap collage. Card making for upcoming holidays. Popsicle stick towers and bridges (a box of popsicle sticks and glue will keep them building a long time!)

Love your scraps and quilt! I just love the distressed idea. I love your blog--your quilts are so fresh and pretty.

Pat said...

I love your method of distressing. That is a really pretty quilt. LOL at your love/hate thoughts on summer vacation. I guess that would be a huge factor in what you can get done. But everyone says you have to seize the moments as they grow up so quickly. Enjoy your summer.

my2cents said...

I take my boys to the playground and have a picnic lunch!

Suzanne Daniels said...

Beautiful quilt, love what you did with it. My kids are out today, yes today. Thankfully they are at an age where they can look after themselves during the day. Thanks for such a great giveaway.

Bethany said...

Ooo I love those scraps! I don't have kids so I can't help you with that one. When I was a kid I was the one who spent summer with my nose in a book.

Lyndsey said...

I have three preschool aged boys. Every day is summer vacation here! Mostly, I love just eating popsicles outside. Love the fabric and your whole blog.

green23 said...

I know that feeling of being done with a certain fabric. My kids love playing with scraps and making up their own designs and tied together clothing.

Jess (a.k.a. Rosie) said...

Beautiful quilt!! Absolutely love it!!

I don't have any kids, so I'm really no help there. What I remember from my childhood summers though were taking bike rides to the park, having a picnic and playing, and then biking back. It was always a lot of fun!

Dolly said...

That quilt is a traditional BEAUTY ! You're on your own with the kiddies, I'm afraid !

Shelley @ Cora's Quilts said...

Love the distressed quilt - looks fantastic!

Teressa P. said...

Those scraps are awesome! And your quilt it beatiful. It's on my long list of quilts to make one day :) I love camping with my kids. It gets them out of the house and enjoying nature. I'd also suggest pinterest. Usually they have longs lists of fun things to do with the kids for summer.

Julia said...

The quilt is beautiful! I love how simple it is but how extravagant it looks! Good luck with the kids this summer!

karen said...

I have enough of my own scraps, so please do not put me in the drawing, but I do have some suggestions for you.

Summertime suggestions: the zoo (we're extremely fortunate to have a drive-through safari and a zoo near us--10 minutes' drive for one and 20 for the other, so we go a lot and zoo memberships tend to be affordable); the museum (our local art museum does free admission on Thursdays during the summer); the park (some of our parks have splash fountains as well as regular playgrounds); the movies (our local Regal Cinema does free movies twice a week during the summer); the library (our system runs programs all summer long, some are book-related, some movie-related, some craft-related). You can probably tell from my list that we're in a suburban/urban area. I hope some of these help.

Coser Tejer Crear said...

What a lovely lively and fresh quilt! Congrats on a finish!
I always find it useful to take them (my kids) out in the nature. And let them explore. May be make a project out of something that caught their attention. The more in contact they are with nature, the calmer and happier they are as well. Thanks for the giveaway!

Alisa said...

This is super simple, but the game of croquet was a summer staple around here. Also, I would have a puzzle going at all times and of course we would take advantage of the park a lot. Your work is absolutely beautiful and very inspirational. Thank you for the give away chance.

beth said...

Yeah for a finish before summer! Camping is probably one of the highlights of our summer. ;) Have a good one.

Bonnie said...

Love the quilt and would give your scraps a very good home. When my boys were little they loved to make forts in the trees behind the house. We would also go on drives on Sunday afternoons (when Dad didn't have to work). We would go on roads that we didn't know and the boys would take turns tell their dad which direction to turn at the intersections. Lead us to alot of interesting places out in the country.

Shirley said...

I would love to win your scraps. I have been working on scrap quilts and used most of my scraps in the process. Need something new to work with.
Summer fun - water (pool/lake/beach) and a good book.

Jade said...

I love this quilt! I need to do something like this and bust some more scraps. It's perfect.

I could totally use tips in the entertaining three kids over summer department myself, but I'll try. My favorite things about summer were really feelings. Long, long summer days, cold drinks, drippy watermelon, cool shade, happy, and exhausted. I think beach trips and biking along trails in the woods were right up there with playing in the sprinkler and home BBQs. I love summer simplicity and am hoping that some of these memories will be made with my munchkins too. Hoping you have a great summer!!

Kim @ TiesThatBindQuilting said...

I always liked to go to camps as a kid. As a bonus, it would give you some alone time for sewing if the kids are away at camp!

Heidi [Banks of Frog Creek] said...

I love this quilt! Thanks for the inspiration!! I always love sidewalk chalk, water play outside and bike rides!

Karen said...

I love this quilt! So simple but beautiful. Did I tell you I love this quit? Thanks for the inspiration to make one.

Mari Heidt said...

Great quilt! It may just be HSTs, but together they look very happy! When our kids we younger, we used to like exploring the state and county parks. Usually a cheap outing, too!

Veronica said...

I love this quilt! Must try the distressed fabric method.

Lucy | Charm About You said...

That's so gorgeous!! The fabric values look so cool and the hsts show them off so well. The binding and backing are great choices!

Dedra C said...

In the beautiful Pacific Northwest it rains, even in the summer. We craft boats out of cucumbers and float them in the streams created from downpour then jump in the puddles. Good times are had by all.

Carol said...

I loved to ride my bicycle, play badminton with my brothers, make homemade popsicles, and read as much as I wanted--we only had a bookmobile in my small town and I would check out as many books as they allowed me when they came every 2 weeks. Love those scraps!

Sue @ Quilting the Green Star said...

It is the most beautiful quilt and I just want to stop what I'm doing and have a go at making one too. Enjoy your holiday with the children, take a break, sit in the sun together , I'm sure we will all still be here when you have time to come back. Thank you for such interesting blogs and lovely photos.

Carol said...

I love this quilt. Thanks for sharing!
I have 7 children so summer can be really crazy. One thing that I've found works well is to sit down with the kids and write a summer bucket list of things we want to do together. No answers are wrong unless they're out of our budget. Then when we have a day where everyone's "bored," we look at our list, pick something and make it happen.

Anonymous said...

Love those scraps!

As far a summer plans go - lots of time at the wading pool and park, and evening walks are definitely in our plans. I'm also doing some apartment gardening to show kiddo the pleasure to be found in eating something we grew ourselves.

✾Jamie Lee Cooley✾ said...

Your quilt is gorgeous! Meandering is always my favorite way to finish a quilt. I got a longarm earlier this year and although I have done some other kinds of designs on it, I still prefer to meander along...it's like I go into a trance!

Have fun with your kids this summer! I love having all of mine home all day!

Josie McRazie said...

We camp! (A lot!!!) No place to camp... pitch a tent in your back yard! That way if the kids decide outdoors is nit tor them they can retreat to the house! Have a GREAT summer!

Allison said...

congrats on a great finish! love the fun binding choice :)

Crafty Coffin said...

Love the quilt - simple pattern but the differing values is great.

I'm a fan of spending as much time outside as possible - in the pool or sprinkler if it's really hot, in the garden, hiking, wading in streams, etc.

MaryAnn said...

Beautiful quilt. We used to love to read aloud to each other in the summer. The reader gets to choose the book.

ranniroo said...

Summer fun - a photo scavenger hunt! My girls enjoy taking pictures of stuff. :)

snosrap5 said...

My boys always loved to make snowcones. We used koolaid for flavoring.

snosrap5 said...

My boys always loved to make snowcones. We used koolaid for flavoring.

Lynn said...

I love this quilt!
Summer with kids - how about fishing, bike riding, a tent in the back yard for summer sleepouts, reading of course. On the last day of school I would give my kids a box with new art supplies, pool toys, new book or two, some new games. We always became obsessed with a game over the summer: banagrams, skipbo, chess.

Daytona Damsel said...

I love simple bright colored quilts and this fits the bill.

I live close to the beach so summer outings were centered around the beach. As a child my mother would take us early in the morning to the beach for breakfast. She had a Mercury station wagon with the drop down door in the back. Mom would place the coleman stove on the back and cook eggs, bacon and coffee. That was in the good ole days when you could drive for free on the World's Most Famous Beach. Now they do not open the gates until after sunrise and you can't drive most places on the beach, :( You also have to pay to get on the beach in your car.

Terri said...

Art work is always high on the list of fun things to do. A little scrap of wood, fabric, glue, scissors (maybe crayons, too). My daughter made a "LOVE" plaque. So pretty...It's one of my favorite possessions. (Also, appropriate for gifts for grandparents.)Others words can be used, of course.
Hugs

Samantha said...

We're going to try making sidewalk paint - cornstarch, water, and some food coloring. Though my son (who is 5) is convinced that we can't use it on our driveway. He says it can only be used on sidewalks!

Unknown said...

I am LOVING the distressed aspect of this and I am going to be giving this a try! Thank you!

I do not have any children myself; however I remember what I enjoyed and remember a lot of... is putting a tent up in our OWN BACKYARD, we make a bonfire/camp fire and made smores and stayed up late just as we would if we did go camping, but we were at home and it was just always a lot of fun! Enjoy your summer!

Dee said...

Long bike rides, swims at the pool, sleeping in, backyard fire pit hot dog and s'mores!

I love summer and hope your family enjoys this one!

Thanks for hosting every week and I just love this quilt! Beautiful!

Sewing In CT said...

Water balloons was a biggie but that's been said. Lemonade stands, tree houses, secret clubs (catered with snacks and goodies pilfered from the kitchen). I also always loved Legos and Monopoly.

I love your quilt and would enjoy/take good care of your scraps!

Unknown said...

Hi Amanda,
It's Shelley Anderson from Ellsworth Public Library! You had a trunk show here last year (arranged by Julie Belz of the library)and the two of you have hooked me! I'm now quilting, too. I love it and especially love building up my stash! How about taking your kids to the library for something to do???!!! Have a great summer!

curious said...

I love scraps quilts and would be very happy to add to my stash and lighten your a bit. How about a scavenger hunt with the kids and sone of their friends(depending on age of course). You can set it up a day before, divide the kids into teams. Winner gets to choose prize, trip for ice cream or the swimming pool. Ask the neighbors if you can use their yards to expand the search. I did it for one of my daughter's Christmas parties. The kids had a ball in the snow. Good luck. Happy Summer. Sincerely, Paula K.

Soverland said...

Nothing better then new play dough. I remember my mom making it for us and it's a favorite of my kids. Also making cookies is always fun.

Angela said...

We have lots of orchards nearby. Some will let you come pick fruit for a fraction of the store prices. It's a great way to get outdoors. Plus you could teach them to can it all, if that's your thing! :)

Teri said...

I love how simple your quilts are. I like modern quilts, but the traditional evokes more sentiment. Summers for me were all about being outside, doing whatever; playing football, baseball, sliding in the mud, hanging out with neighborhood kids.

Tatc01@comcast.net

Tamie said...

My youngest, the only one still at home, has a job so I don't have to entertain her. But in years past we spent lots of time at the pool, the library, the county park, picnics, local baseball games, the beach (yes we are one of the lucky ones to live here). They also got shipped off to the grandparents from time to time. Sewing camp, cooking classes, you get the idea. Love, love scraps.

Cathy said...

Lovely quilt.

My grandkids like making a Sunflower house. In the dirt etch out a square big enough for the kids to fit into. Have them plant big sunflower seeds all around the square leaving a place for the door. In between the sunflower seeds plant something that vines like morning glories. As the summer progresses the sunflowers will grow up and the morning glories will vine around them and over the top to make a sunflower house to play in. Later in the year you can harvest the sunflowers for the seeds to feed the birds or roast and eat. The grandkids love any kind of gardening project.

SoSarahSews said...

I love those fabrics. Was just telling someone today about how you distressed them! Summer fun with kids? What about painting using fly swatters? Looks interesting but messy. Haven't tried yet with mine.

Cathy said...

Down here, one of the movie theater companies puts on a free kids movie every Tuesday morning. I used to take my kids every week and we had the best time.

Sarah Craig said...

Among all the other things we'll be doing this summer, I will be making a charity quilt with my eldest granddaughter (age 7) - it will be her first! She's excited and so am I!

Julie said...

We like to go for bike rides and have picnics in the park. This fabric is so fun and I love how you distressed it.

Leah Spencer said...

We're planning on swimming lessons this summer.

Barbara said...

I'm sorry, I have no ideas for you and your children over the summer. I don't have children and I don't pay attention to children's activities. I'd still like to be eligible to win the scraps! They would brighten up the few scraps that I have!

Thanks!

LeeAnn said...

I grew up on a farm so we worked all day during the summer, but at night we went camping down by the creek. So short of sending your kids to a farm I suggest a few evenings sleeping outside if your in an area to do that!

AKing said...

Beautiful quilt. My favorite activity as a kid was heading outdoors. Going fishing or camping or just climbing trees. Anything not to be indoors.

Jeanmarie said...

I love the distressed look! I'm nervous to try it because bleach and I are not friends.

I think it would fun for the kids to plant a garden and tend to it through the summer.

Carolyn J. said...

Love the quilt!

My now adult daughter told me that her favorite summer was before she was in 7th grade and I took time almost everyday to read to her. We read children's classics like 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea, etc. She wasn't a reader at the time, but that changed shortly after that and she is now a senior in college with an English major, and she LOVES to read!!!

Enjoy your summer, kids grow up way too quickly.....our youngest gets married this summer and oh how I miss the days of kids in the house!

Elisabeth K. said...

Such a simply beautiful quilt! My recommendation for summer fun with your children is to just keep it simple...after all, it is vacation!

Vicki Lou said...

LOVE the interesting comparison between the original pieces and the distressed ones. I'd LOVE to play with them and perhaps make a grandkid quilt.
Grandpa and I are planning some hikes in the local state park so we can vacation right at home while keeping our bodies moving forward! Use it or lose it!

Lynne said...

Nerf wars are always fun. I love scraps. Thanks for the chance to win some new ones.

April said...

I think this is one of my favorite quilts you've made! It's just so cute and scrappy. One of simple things that my kids (5 and 7) like to do is balloons, bubbles, and a fan. We have a large floor fan and if you put your bubble wand up to the fan it does all the work and produces an over abundance of bubbles! the cat loves it too. Then when they need a break from the raining bubbles I turn the fan to low and point it toward the ceiling and put a balloon or two or three in the current. If you get it just right the balloons will hover mid air. And of course the kids invent all kinds of games that go along with it. Good luck with your summer vacation! I'm sure it will be great. -April@Little Mama Hen

Anonymous said...

I know I'm dating myself here, but my community had a bookmobile that parked at the local strip mall every other week. I LOVED to ride my bike up there and get books. I thought a bus filled with books that traveled from place to place was pure genius---I wanted to be the librarian on the bookmobile when I grew up. I'm sure that if someone had described a Kindle to me back in 1969, I would never have believed them. Anyhoo---I also loved crafts---embroidery, weaving potholders with those cotton loopers, and braiding lanyards. Actually, I haven't changed that much since I was seven, except now I get to use the sewing machine!

Pieced Brain Quilt Designs said...

Awesome colors on the quilt! I feel like you about Summer - my schedule is non existent...

Gina said...

This is my favorite thing you have ever made! It is gorgeous!! For summer fun we like to go to the lake or swim. We live in a warm place so anything cool is fun! Have a fun weekend!!

Michelle said...

I love the whole look of that quilt. It just says home to me.

Rebecca Grace said...

Summer FUN with kids? Mmm, well, my idea of fun may be different from yours... We like to do "Mommywork" projects over the summer. This began a few years ago, when my then-fifth grader's teacher informed me that he had TOTALLY dropped the ball on a huge research project about a country that included multiple essays, research paper, and some creative assignments. We scrambled so he would have something to turn in, but then picked a new country and redid the project over the summer, in the same number of weeks the teacher had allowed for the original assignment, so I could teach him how to break the assignment down and plan so that everything would get done well, on time, without a crazy late night panic fest the night before the due date. Now it's a tradition, and my kids are like, "What's the Mommywork this summer?"

So, for fun, we're going to study French, and quilting! Yay, summer! :-)

Rebecca Grace said...

By the way, I know I'm only supposed to leave one comment for the giveaway, but I forgot to tell you how much I love your HST quilt! Especially the backing fabric. Now I need to go investigate the link to find out what you did to distress your fabric!

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

I taught my kids to do counted cross stitch one summer years ago. It was pretty fun to see what they made! Would love to have some of your scraps! Thanks for the opportunity!

Andi said...

That is a pretty pile of scraps!
I remember marathon games of "War" with my brother...we would lay out about three full decks of cards, snaking through the house, then go back and choose the winners. That and swimming - I love being near the water!

Amy said...

This quilt turned out great! It was fun watching what you, from distressing the fabric to the finished quilt.

For summer fun, on Saturdays, we'd wake up early, get a box of donuts and chocolate milk, and head to the zoo. We'd eat breakfast at the picnic tables out side the zoo, and went in first thing when the doors opened. The animals are much livelier in the morning, and the zoo feeds them early too. The kids loved it.

Linda in PA said...

My granddaughters love to decorate t-shirts using Sharpie markers and rubbing alcohol.
I love your quilt.
Hope you have a fun summer!

ryna_00 said...

I love your blog and quilts.... And this is simple n nice :-)

Sarah said...

Check out your local library summer reading program. Ours has science classes for free, and all sorts of things for those who sign up, including entertainment every Wed. pm (we are in PA, so it may be different in MN). They've had things like magic shows, mobile zoos, etc. We were at the library at least twice a week during the summer last year.

You could also look into YMCA summer programs, or get a membership to somewhere like the Children's museum (I don't know how old your kids are...). Otherwise, there's always going to the lake. :)
I am also looking forward/dreading summer vacation -- I have a 5,7,&9 yr. old. :) -- we will be in MN visiting family.
Thanks for sharing your scraps!
sarah@forrussia.org

Linda Kay said...

Love that quilt and I would love to have your scraps! I'm a teacher, so I'm feeling the opposite of you - summer means MORE time to quilt for me. One fun thing I'm doing with my third graders the last week of school is to make marshmallow flinging catapults - found the idea on Pinterest

Unknown said...

Water play was always a clear winner in our NC summers. Also "cooking camp" with mom at home and starting a business (we got chickens and sold their eggs.....even had Roberts Rules of Order at our shareholder's meeting). You can do that with your kiddos while I sew with your fabric (as my kids are now grown).

Carolyn in NC

Unknown said...

Beautiful quilt! I'd love to add those scraps to my stash! And for summer fun...sidewalk chalk,water balloons,a regular bike ride, wading pool visits, and a daily, regularly scheduled S.Q.U.I.R.T (silent, quiet, uninterrupted, independent, reading, time)...so Mom can quilt. Have a wonderful summer..

Brenda said...

Fun fun quilt; interesting to see the varied degrees of bleaching with the different fabrics. When we were kids (long ago and far away) we used to love to "camp" in the back yard. We made our tents by fastening blankets to the clothesline; made sure we had plenty of padding on the ground; spent days with any of the kids in the neighborhood in our tent reading books and comic books (back in the day they were 12 cents each), often with flashlights. We sometimes fell asleep at night, but didn't always make it through the night as the mosquitoes would get the best of us.

Karen H said...

I love this quilt, and would love to win your scraps! My boys always enjoyed going to the library - they always had some great summer reading programs.

Lauren said...

Love it. Summer reading program at the library! Plus programs at Pizza Hut etc, and the kids decide that reading is AWESOME!

Annilu said...

As in 15 minutes I am leaving for the airport to catch my plane to New York I have not enough time to read the 102 comments in the post. So perhaps my suggestion has already been given: I'd suggest camping in your backyard at the border of this fantastic lake with the kids....just adorable!
And I do not need any more scraps - thank you!

Anonymous said...

Good morning!

My kids love to play in the garden, when it is really hot outside, and they love to play with and in water. They also love to go to the zoo or in parks or to the harbour ...

Oh, and I don't want to have the fabrics. I'm not a sewer, you know? But I love to have a look at your quilts. They are simply wonderful.

Have a nice day,
Smoky

Iris said...

Love the fabric used for this quilt, so definately wouldn't mind the scraps.

One of my all time favourite summer activities is pitching a tent in the back garden and then having sleep over parties.

have fun, how long are they off for?

dorothy said...

School got out today here for summer, graduation is tomorrow. For your kids and summer have you checked your library summer reading programs? I would love to win your scraps I think your quilt is beautiful love the colors!

Jamie said...

A water balloon fight is always a fun way to cool off!

Salty said...

It might sound crazy but my dad used to take us to the cemetery for picnics and I loved it. Not only was it quiet and lush but it just seemed nice to visit all the people who have passed on. If nothing else, maybe bringing flowers for someone you may not even have known is a nice gesture if the picnic thing seems morbid. :)

Jeneta said...

It's funny to think that your kids have nearly finished school. Mine are not even half way through the school year! I love this quilt - the distressed fabrics remind me of shadows. We are about to start winter here, so I am looking forward to lots of snuggly indoor time.

Janice said...

Plant a vegetable garden! Kids love to watch things grow and they love harvesting and eating what they have grown. Love your new quilt!

suzanprincess said...

I love the colorplay in your quilt! I'd also love the chance to get tired of those lovely scraps.... I'm planning to do a HST layout like yours, but made with half a solid color and half random, scrappy strips, so I'm grateful for all the variety I can find.

kt said...

My daughter and I plan to have some crafting days where we just sit together and craft--she has so many craft kits and projects that she hasn't done. We'll each do our own thing, but just be together as we're crafting.

Swedish Scrapper said...

I've been floolowing htis quilt, and the Nana line, so I'm very interested in your scraps! And willing to pay for shipping if I win! My suggestion: building Fairy Houses, in the woods preferably, but the edge of the yard works too. Here's a link! http://www.fairyhouses.com/about-fairy-houses/how-to-build/

margaret said...

this looks anything but distressed to me a wonderful quilt. Enjoy your kids whilst they are young and at home with you, life gets very lonely when you are left on your own

Miss Jamee Quilts said...

this is a really happy quilt! i have been following you for some time, love the things you do. thx for the inspiration. your scraps sure would sparkle in one of my scrappy quilts!

Gamma's Sewing Room said...

This quilt is on my "to do" list.
I'm taking care of a 7 and 11 year old this summer. We plan on swimming a lot after a little summer school in the morning. Don't want their brains turning to mush! Bike riding, fishing and making bird houses in the garage with my husband are on the list as well as checking out what programs they have at the library.

Molly said...

Beautiful quilt, I would love your scraps!

Unknown said...

BEAUTIFUL quilt.... I have a "thing" for the 30s repro prints. :)

Let the kids pick some day trips.... you'll be surprised what they come up with...

Deb Cox said...

Wouldn't winning the "scraps" be a lovely treat. Your quilt is absolutely gorgeous!

Diane Beavers said...

for summer fun I loved making tents; stringing quilts or sheets from the clothesline.
each day we would do one special activity, ie. watch sunsets, catch lightening bugs, silence ourselves and listen to the noise in the city, fix lunch indoors and serve it outdoors, feed homeless persons camping in our neighborhood.

Lynne said...

Love your quilt.
I don't know how old your children are, but I used to do tie dyeing with my two. You could use tee shirts, and or bits of white cotton, (old sheeting). Great waiting to see what patterns emerged once they were dry.

Suzanne said...

I feel the fear only our summer started Thursday afternoon. I am loving your FOs with the distressed fabric. I should read the comments for summer suggestions as I want to keep the "I'm bored" cries at bay.

sewok said...

Gorgeous quilt! HST's are my next project, hope it turns out as well as yours.

Barb said...

For whatever reason, this quilt grabbed my eye and I love it, love the way the distressed fabric turned out. It's just beautiful to me.
Thanks for the chance to win some fabric.

justinemalinski said...

Park and rec sports teams and craft classes were my favorites as a kid.

Thanks for the chance to win. I just found a great fabric place in MN, Crafty Planet. I am surprised that the Twin Cities area does not have more. Madison, WI where I am now, has a lot to chose from.

Susan Holman said...

Love the quilt, the fabric, and the drive to finish!

Summer activity: give each child a Matchbox car and some sidewalk chalk and make a city with roads for the cars to drive around.

They grow soooo fast! My youngest is 17 now...

Kelly Grace said...

Love the finished quilt!!

Summer fun - make your own bubbles and find different things to use in blowing them, ropes tied in a circle, other toys, etc.

Anonymous said...


Your quilt is beautiful and love the idea of distressing half of the triangle square...
Kids are long grown but we loved summer - we always had a crafting area to explore your ideas. We made weekly trips to the library - we all loved books - summer Bible school & played basketball in the driveway - time just went by too fast..
Thanks for the offer of those pretty scraps.. who wouldn't want them...
MaryLou
Fun4Me1249@aol.com

Always In Stitches said...

I love how this quilt turned out. Summers of the past...we lived in a small community where there was a community pool. In the morning I would pack the kids up and take them to their swimming lessons. Rush home clean house pack peanut butter sandwiches and make kool aid and back to the pool. Afternoon we ate our sandwiches and stayed at the pool all afternoon. As the kids got older they would ride their bikes to the pool. I would join them for the traditional peanut butter sandwiches and stay with them all afternoon enjoying the sun, fun, pool and my 5 children. Ahh memories.This week my oldest of 18 grandchildren graduates from highschool. *sigh*

Deairdre said...

So beautiful!
Camping in the backyard and hiking!

SewSewJenner said...

Very cool.

Always In Stitches said...

I love how this quilt turned out. Summers of the past...we lived in a small community where there was a community pool. In the morning I would pack the kids up and take them to their swimming lessons. Rush home clean house pack peanut butter sandwiches and make kool aid and back to the pool. Afternoon we ate our sandwiches and stayed at the pool all afternoon. As the kids got older they would ride their bikes to the pool. I would join them for the traditional peanut butter sandwiches and stay with them all afternoon enjoying the sun, fun, pool and my 5 children. Ahh memories.This week my oldest of 18 grandchildren graduates from highschool. *sigh*

Quilt Fabric Pizazz said...

Gosh, I do remember those days of long summer holidays to fill with children. Much prefer the semester system in the UK where every 3 month there is a term break for a week to 10 days and then the kids are back. So much easier on everyone and the kids are less likely to forget what they have learned.

Michelle@factotum-of-arts.com said...

I love the quilt and it is a fantastic finish. Good luck for the summer vacations - I need to start thinking about them to, I suppose.

Nine Kids and Not Counting :) said...

Your quilt is fantastic. I enjoyed watching the progress and I love the idea of lightening the fabric. The effect is stunning. Really great work!

In the summer I try to do "field trips" with the kids and also "chore time". It gives some structure to the day, and allows me to say, "I took you to the pool, now I need some time to do my thing." It has helped to divide the day consciously into time spent with them doing their thing and my own time. Also "reading hour" is a lovely time for all. Good luck...

Barbara said...

Love these scraps and the quilt is beautiful!

I just got the Ample Hills Creamery cookbook and have been making ice cream with my kids. Ice Cream is of course, the best part of summer, but making your own takes that memory even further. My 6 year old is surprisingly into making it with me! We choose the recipes together- the recipes in this book are especially appealing to children.

Lori said...

I put a quilt ont he linky. I have finished a bunch of quilts. I got confused. I put the wrong thing up. Sorry. Meanwhile, I totally love this quilt you did here- so cute. And I know exactly what you mean- my kids willbe out very shortly. As much as I love them being home, I am also a bit devastated to not have some alone time with my machine.

Nancycim said...

"Camping" in the backyard was a favorite of mine. Going to the library once a week for a new stash of books - that was heaven. And spending a week at Grandma and Grandpa's was always something to look forward to.

ruthshelton10@att.net said...

Very pretty quilt. I would use the scraps for mugs rugs. I have been wanting to make all my friends mug rugs. Me and my grandkids always make things for others ( cards, small sewing projects, art projects etc..

Unknown said...

Lovely summery quilt and I would love to have the scraps! I like to be sure my kids are doing some reading during the summer. (The tendency, of course, is to spend too much time on the computer.) My husband likes to see them outside, even if it's doing chores (like mowing). Some days, a half hour of "quiet time" (each child by himself, reading or resting) right after lunch is good for my sanity. (I have 7 kids, and though they are mostly grown and out of the house, it was great when they were young.)

Cathy L said...

I love the distressed fabrics. I would never have thought of that, and it resulted in a beautiful quilt. I wish I was as creative as you!

Lorna McMahon said...

Wow! This is one sweet quilt. I love the modern vintage style it has. Yes, summer is coming. It's not going to be easy to give up the alone time.... But it will be sew worth it!

u keep sewing said...

As always great blog and information . Love your scrappy
looking quilt.
My kids use to make tents outside, on the fences or trees.
They like to sleep out in the yard and also roast marshmallows on the barbecue .
Seems like it always took more groceries during the summer months.
Have a good one.
Sewing in Montana.

Ann D said...

Our grownup kids tell us that they enjoyed camping when they were little. We had a tent trailer which was a familiar 'home' in the evenings. I think having a lot of time to explore places appealed to them.
What a fun giveaway.

juliehallfeldhaus said...

When my grandsons are here we go on adventures! Just around the farm yard, we check out bird nests, find feathers or a pretty rock then write about it in our adventure book! pictures are nice to add too. Just enjoy having them home they grow up so fast!! I know my oldest is 40 and I'm not sure how that happened cus I'm still young:)

jkrout said...

I love those scraps!!! I always sign my kids up for the local summer movies. Usually afternoons and already out on video but they love the outing.

rrjane011749 said...

I love this quilt!

Dawn said...

We like to take bike rides. We have a great trail out into the country that goes by a brewery. Great spot for lunch!

Carole @ Fresh off the Frame said...

When my kids were young I'd entertain them with water. First they would put on their bathing suits and spend some fun time with "body paint" (washable tempura paint with a dollop of dish soap added). They'd paint their arms, legs, and faces, and have a wonderful time. Once they were done, they would run and slide on a loonnngggg sheet of plastic I'd bought at the hardware store. A generous squirt of dish soap down the center, and a flow of water from the garden hose made it slippery. If they ran and threw themselves into it they could slide for 20 feet! FUN!! Sounds dangerous, but we never had any kind of casualty or injury, even during birthday parties. I learned this trick when I was "city summer fun program" staff one year when I was in university. Have a fun summer! Your kids get out way earlier than our students. Ours are in school until the end of June.

Johanna said...

I have a big craft bin loaded with pipe cleaners, pom poms, Popscicle sticks and tons of other craft supplies. I would get the kids around the table and they would create something.

Unknown said...

I am in love with your fabrics! Thank you for the chance to win some! Where I am from (MA) we have "free Fridays". There is a list of Museums and Zoos that let you in for free on a Friday over the summer! (maybe you have something like that where you are?)
Christine

colleen said...

Yes I'd love to play with your left over fabrics. My son and I loved going to a fish hatchery they had a "gum bowl" style machine filled with fish food for a nickel we'd get a handful of fish food and feed the fish.

NebraskaNative said...

The quilt is beautiful! It was redeeming to hear another quilting mother admit that summer changes our lives and creature habits. Thank you for keeping it real. I get a little manic as the school days draw down. My boys are in a putt putt golf phase so this summer we're going to play all the mini golf courses our city has to offer & decide what's the best on offer.

Unknown said...

I bought my grandson a rock hammer for Xmas. We have gone out together (with safety glasses) and explored rocks in our local area with a mineral and rock guide purchase for 50 cents from a library sale. Note: I bought him a 14oz rock hammer from Amazon.com (cheapest) which is a "real" rock hammer but smaller. You don't actually bash rocks with it, more like you pry or tap with it. Educational & Fun!

Nancy said...

I lved to pack a summer lunch and we would ride our bies o the local park in the morning. Eat lunch and then ride home just in time for a nap!!

Kristen said...

This year we bought the kids some nice journals - Moleskine - and will ask the girls to write in them 30 minutes each day of summer. They can be poetry, stories, comic strips, playwright, or whatever. The pages are not lined so they can use their imagination and let it run free. I always enjoyed writing on nice paper,and even as a kid appreciated it as opposed to the dollar composition books from the drug store. Hoping these journals will be filled to the brim come summer.

Holly said...

I love the look of this!!

Kimberly said...

Your quilt is beautiful!

For summer fun with kids... how about floating down a river in an inner tube and ending the journey with a picnic. Climbing trees and reading books are also great fun with less work for the adults.

Kristen said...

Your quilt is beautiful. I really love it. In the summer anything with water kids love. Fill up a kid pool, water guns, sprinklers. We like to picnic in the backyard and put up the tent to play in. We also try to visit a park once or twice a week for some variety. You can also let them help make dinner and do some baking in the summer since during the school year there isn't much time for that.

Neel said...

Camping in the backyard! Kids love it!

Would love your scraps - have been a big fan of yours for a while now - am currently crocheting a scrap rug per your instructions! Thanks much

vmsparks@msn.com

quiltonia said...

Your quilt is so cheerful, just right to brighten a rainy summer day. Check out the local public library, most offer great activities for children while they're on vacation, plus it helps to keep their minds involved in learning.

SarahZ said...

How sweet of you to share!!! Hands down our favorite summer activities include WATER! Creek, lake, pond, pool...I think you can find some of that in Minnesota!! (where I spent many wonderful summers canoeing etc! at a girls camp near Bemidji :)

LindseyAnne said...

I have a steadily growing pile of '30s prints - would love to win some scraps to go with them.

Jacqueline Frances said...

Hi there,
I would love to win your scraps, and I live in Canada. I am most willing to pay the overage to ship to me. Just send me a paypal invoice!
As for summer with the kiddos, we are very lucky as we live a 10 min walk from a large park and spray pool area. When our kiddo was young, my hubs used to take him there every day. We also love to go camping and have 2 favourite spots, with lakes attached. One area is only 90 mins away and that is great if we have limited time off and I don't have to drive too far. The other place is over 4 hour drive, but it is my favourite place in the world: Summerland, BC on Okanagan Lake.
Nice talking to you,
Jacqueline in Pitt Meadows

Crafty Ashley B said...

This quilt is gorgeous!
I take my niece and nephews to the local river a lot to hang out and explore!

Brittany said...

It is very pretty, and I understand about the summer time coming focus.
For summer fun with my nieces and nephews, I make bubble soap and put it in a lemonade dispense for easy refill, give the kids cups with bubble wands and let them blow bubbles to their hearts content.

dian said...

We live 10 miles from a small town and I never like the "get in the car and run somewhere" thing so for special days, we would work on themes for play. Last years favorite(played many days in the summer) was Pirates. Our land is on a lake and that adds another dimension. All year long we would collect bargain scarves, hat, puzzles, books, etc. The children loved the map making and finding and reburying treasures, scavenger hunts, hide and seek, building lookouts etc that by nightfall, all were ready for a good nights sleep. Large TV or refrigerator boxes come in handy for making ships and hideouts-wherever their imaginations would take them.

We hope to have a go at it again this summer and work in photography and measurements this year.

I admire your quilts and blog and the way you use scraps. Sunday morning quilts is always near at hand for ideas and guides. Thanks so much. Dianne

Susan said...

I just love these fabrics and the distressed method is on my bucket list.
When my kids were small, we would go to the park and play and picnic or the pool and picnic.

Julz said...

Owww love the fabrics! Would love to have your scraps ^.^ ...
For the children - How about a cycle ride somewhere nice for a picnic, bug hunting? Thanks for the opportunity to win your treasures

Patti said...

When I was young, one of my most favorite things to do was build a fort! My dad was a carpenter and we had a few sheets of paneling in the garage. I would drag out 3 of them and lean them together around a big maple tree. Add a blanket to the floor and one for a roof and we were set!

LethargicLass said...

we would take the big rolls of kraft paper and draw a continuing story all down the length of it :) I love these fabrics and hope I win!

Marianne said...

Love your quilt. Sorry I've no suggestions for summer fun with kids. I had only one and she had a best friend her age just 3 houses away! We had a pool also so that helped too.

Stephanie said...

Beautiful work! And I sure would love the scraps! This summer my kids (who are 8 and 11) and I are going to make a quilt together. We are going to do a candy jar quilt!

Seamingly Sarah said...

I'm looking forward to using our new pool this summer and being so close to playgrounds, beaches and neighborhood kids. We moved to our new house in August last year so this will be our first full summer here.

Jacque T said...

A few things I always enjoy with the youngun's is doing drawings outside with sidewalk chalk. I also loved packing a picnic and sitting outside under the maple tree on a picnic quilt. I also just loved going to the swimming pool or beach or a nature walk exploring all the plants, listening to the birds. I really enjoy this time of year.

Aunt LeAnn said...

Love this idea for a quilt. Turn the sprinkler on and let them play. Visit the zoo and feed the animals. Start a garden.

Linda said...

Love the quilt. My girls are grown women now but summers were filled with a lot of simple imaginary play inside the house as well as outside under the deck (deck was off the second story of the house). A box of dress up clothes, craft materials of all kinds, and their imaginations. I just let them play. There were also trips to the library for story time, VBS, swimming pool on post, grocery store trips, walks to get ice cream. Nothing fancy. Just simple, daily stuff.

Unknown said...

I would love to win you scraps.

Outdoor foot painting is fun. We put down large sheets of paper, painted up their feet and let 'em go. Fun!

Di~ said...

Bike ride out into the country, stop by a grove of trees, at the edge of a field by the mooing cows and have a picnic! :) Thank You! Great quilt, I love it and I didn't think I would back when you were distressing! :)

Cheri the Quilting Nanny said...

I am normally not a "liker" of scrappy quilts..but your really caught my eye...could have something to do with HST's being my most favorite square to work with! But kudos on your quilt..looks great! My kids are grown and gone, but today I have my 14 YO grand daughter..she is out in the back lot catching baby grasshoppers..yes, honestly and truely catching baby grass hoppers! We did this alot when she was little and she still enjoys it and she just graduated from the 8th grade...and still does it! So I'd say, be outdoors with them and teach them how to enjoy nature! Thanks for the giveaway, and I'll have to steal you HST pattern idea if I win the scraps! Oh wait.. make a "bug catching" quilt out of them!!!
Cheri
quiltingnanny@yahoo.com

Tina said...

Your post made me chuckle. I remember those busy holidays. One trick I had was if when someone complained about being bored, I told that I was so glad to hear that because I had some chores that I needed help with. I either got some assistance or no one was bored.

Cathyg said...

I really like this quilt. I read the directions for distressing the fabric and had to go back and look closely at the quilt. I hadn't realized the lights and darks were the same fabric. So cool.
Plant a vegetable garden with the kids.

Sarabeth said...

The quilt is gorgeous!
Make a mini-golf hole on the driveway using bricks, scraps of wood, etc. to make obstacles and ramps. For the "hole" you can use a metal can on its side with a rock glued inside at the back corner to hold it down. We did this on our street for a block party and people came up with such creative holes!
--sarabeth

Anonymous said...

That quilt is adorable---I just found your blog through reading "Diary of a Quilter " by Amy Smart. I am now a reader of yours too. I have learned so much from both of you.

lalaluu said...

Just read your post about distressing fabrics. I cannot believe that it gives so much contrast between the pre-distressed and the post-distressed fabric! This is a great way to get more mileage from my stash!

MomMom said...

Lovely quilt!! we are pool for the kids & hand quilting poolside for me folks :)

Barb Neiwert said...

Money was tight when my kids were young, so one summer I made up a list of things we could do in the area that were free or of little cost. I came up with about 30 things, once I got my thinking cap on! And we started marking them off. Didn't get it finished, but sure had fun working on it.

Bri said...

Beautiful quilt! I would love to add your scraps to my collection.... Bwquilts at gmail dot com

mcv1691 said...

I love your quilt and thanks for the link on how to distress fabric - very helpful!
From a mom whose kids are almost grown, enjoy them. They really do grow up so fast. Yes, I remember the crazy feeling when I needed more alone time. No denying that. But try to breathe into it instead of "running away". It really helps.

Kathi Cappellini said...

Ditto your feelings on the kids being home for summer vacaction! The week of Spring Break is always a prelude and then the clock really starts ticking. We have three more weeks here. I am a scrappy quilter and would love to add those scraps to my projects. My best summer tip is an afternoon one hour of quiet time where everyone either reads or rests in their own room, and I sew!

Jennie @ Porch Swing Quilts said...

Summer? Bored jar works for me. It's all over Pinterest . I'm not much of a cruise director mom. They get to do what I did: play, eat popsicles, make ice cream, go camping, swimming.

Becki said...

It was SO many years ago that I was a mom with kids at home for the summer. I raised three (single mom), so there wasn't much extra $$ for activities. Love the idea of a picnic at the park where there's a playground. Check out the library for free activities as well. Get a couple of cheap kites and head to the open spaces and teach them to fly! Good luck. The summers get shorter and shorter--especially this year thanks to our horrific winter. Thanks for the opportunity.

Miggsie said...

Impromptu picnics are one of our favorite summer activities - make some sandwiches and grab some other snacks and drinks, along with a frisbee or a ball, and head to a nearby park or beach. Hope you have a fun summer!

Anonymous said...

Would love your scraps, beautiful colors. Something we did with our kids was give them a set amount of $ and a day each and they got to choose what the family did all day. Had some great memories and what kid doesn't like to be 'the boss' for the day :o)

janie said...

I so love your distressed quilt and would love to make one. How do you decide on the amount of pieces to bleach? I would love to win some. tks.

kim said...

I'm really enjoying following your scrap projects this year. I'm knitting a mat with strips and selvedges, following the instructions in your book. I thought I had a lot but it turns out I need more, haha! No problem, I've got a shamefully large stash.
When my kiddies were young we did ordinary things in the summertime, like picnics and trips to the beach. We live on Vancouver island so beaches are a 15 minute walk away.
Very happy memories :)

Connor said...

What a beautiful quilt. We spend our summer time with library activities, our own "summer camp" one day a week, running through the sprinklers and working in the garden.

Pam said...

Summer fun is always about the simple things for us. Things like the zoo or picnics in the park and playing together. We have the funniest memories of our picnics because it seems like we always forgot the bread to make sandwiches and wound up eating tuna on potato chips. Hiking and fishing at a local park always brings us together!

Unknown said...

What a lovely quilt! I love that you were able to think out of the box and find a new technique - that actually worked!

monica said...

我會完成一條被子,給小孩使用〈每個小朋友都有一條臭角被〉

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