Thursday 10 May 2012

TGIFF! - Growth Chart Mania

Growth charts for my boys
Welcome to TGIFF!, where every finish deserves a party! This week, I'm very excited to share Micah's growth chart, which I finally finished! Woo hoo! And since I don't think I ever shared the other two, which I finished last year pre-blog, I'll share Patrick and Daniel's charts too.

When I first started thinking about this project, I sketched out a bunch of fun designs geared for young kids. I knew I wanted the charts on this wall right by the garage door, just off the kitchen. It's a very central space in our home so whatever was going to go there needed to last at least 20 years. While my kids might like something cartoonish or kid-like now, they probably won't when they are teenagers or adults so I decided to try the art quilt route and use some of the elements for each of their quilts: earth (grass), fire and water.

Earth/Grass - Daniel's growth chart

Quilting detail on Daniel's chart
Daniel's was done first. It's pieced and appliqué and quilted like crazy. I was trying to do something like Elaine Quehl's hostas, but it ended up looking more like grass. I'm good with that though. I also learned to quilt it or mostly quilt it before putting the backing on because it did go a little wonky in one area.






Water - Patrick's growth chart
Quilting detail on Patrick's chart
Next up was Patrick's chart with the element of water. His chart was the simplest to make, using just two fabrics in water area that have been cut up and pieced so it looks like the ocean (or at least that's what I hope it looks like). The quilting is also very simple.

You'd think the charts would get easier as I went along, but Micah's was the most difficult. I tried using repositionable spray instead of fusible web so that I wouldn't waste so much fabric by making it fusible. However, it was a long time between when I made the top and when I quilted it so some of the repositionable spray wore off and some of the flames came loose. Grrr! I stabilized it by doing some general all over quilting in a flame pattern and then satin stitched each flame down. A pain in the arse, but it looks good and I learned how to get a really good satin stitch point. Just don't look too closely because there are a couple of pleats sewn in. Oops. I then added some free motion quilting spirals as smoke swirls and added some more free motion flame quilting and it was done.

Fire - Micah's growth chart
Quilting detail of smoke swirls
Satin stitch detail
I'm going to be doing a growth chart for my niece. If there's interest, I could document the process and make a tutorial. Yes?

[Edited: I almost forgot! This is my One Week, One Thing Challenge for this month. Thanks Amy for hosting such a fun challenge every month!]

Amy's Creative Side

It's one of my finishes for Quilter in the Gap's Finish-A-Long!

2012 Finish-A-Long

I'm also linking up with Fabric Tuesday for the first time!



Fresh Poppy Design











23 comments:

  1. Obrigada pelo querido oferecimento,eu gostaria muito de fazer para meus netos(casal).Minhas 3 filhas usaram uns que vinham com tênis,eram de 1.20cm,cheio de bichinhos estampados.Meu neto ganhou um que é uma girafa,horrível.Feliz dia das Mães para você.

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  2. Love the growth charts - very creative!

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  3. I love the smoke swirls...what a great effect! Love them all!

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  4. Yes, please! I would love to see your process with these gorgeous pieces!

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  5. Yes, tute would be great! Is there interfacing or are you just relying on the stiffness of the quilting? Is the starting height for hanging marked on the back? I assume the side strip is for permanent marker pen. Lovely idea!

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  6. These are indeed lovely and your process would be very helpful.

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  7. They are incredible!! Yes, yes, yes to a tutorial! :)

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  8. A novel idea, I wish I had done this when my kids ,,,,all over 6 ft ...your colors for each is very appealing....
    Ps. Did my nursing in Ottawa..... Live now in south east Ontario....in niagara wine country..

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  9. Great pieces M-R....I like each one of them...an awful lot of work satin stitching those flames...you must be very pleased.

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  10. Beautiful! Do you write on them? What with?

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  11. You should enter these in the Quilting Gallery's new contest.

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  12. These are all great! I'd love a tutorial :)

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  13. These are incredible. A tutorial would be great!

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  14. BEAUTIFUL growth charts!! Wow - love the quilting so much. You are fabulous M-R. : )

    ...so... I linked up, though I don't have quilts. It DOES involved quilting fabric, so I hope that counts. lol If not, just tell me so.

    Happy Mother's Day!!!
    ~Monika

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  15. Beautiful!!!

    Happy mother's day!!
    ~Monika

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  16. Cool growth charts! Great idea! Thanks for sharing!

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  17. Yes! The growth charts look great :-) I'd love a tutorial. What a wonderful baby shower gift these would be.

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  18. Your growth charts are so beautiful. Beats the piece of paper I have taped to our door!

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  19. What a great idea! A growth chart that can move from house to house and stay with the child for their entire lifetime. How creative!

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  20. EPIC! Those are just so beautiful--you are right to call them art quilts. Also, what a superbe way to remember how they grew, and to recall when they do 'the beanpole' growth spurt! :-)
    Hazle

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  21. Beatiful and unique growth charts! Wow. Love the details on them - the quilting is amazing, M-R.

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  22. What a neat idea! I love how they are so different too. Beautiful job!

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  23. I found this site on Google. It was excellent and very informative. As a first time visitor to your blog I am very impressed.

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