Handmade quilts have stories. They often have stories around them telling about the people that made them, contributed to them, gave them or received them.
This is the first installment of a new series on my blog called “quilt stories.”
This quilt is a gift from an Aunt to her niece who is due to arrive next week. The aunt contacted me to make a patchwork quilt that looked more of an old school style with random fabrics on it in mostly girl tones. The aunt also inquired about memory quilts from clothing. She said she had some old clothes of her mothers that she’d love made into a quilt. She also said that her mom had passed away a few years back. I wrote back that I’d love to include some of the grandmothers clothes in the baby quilt I was making for her. As Auntie went through her moms things she found some embroidery squares that were made years ago. She sent them to me to include in the quilt. Grandma won’t get to meet her grand daughter, but this very loved little girl will get to know something of her grandmother through her baby quilt.
What an honor for me to be included in the process of pulling together these generations of this family at such a treasured time as the birth of a new family member.
First Ballet Lesson
First time writing his name
Being a mommy…pretty much the best gig EVER!
Oh how I love going to my grandmothers house. The smells are familiarly soft, it feels comfortable. The generous love my grandmother has given me radiates in my mind every time I picture that big white house on the hill. But, you know, that sweet house filled with memories, does not a family make. Family is much more, it is people.
In the very same way, the church is not a place. It is a people. A people who love one another, encourage one another, pray for one another, proclaim the good news and relieve suffering of those around them.
We experienced church as family for the first time. The people of God gathered together living on mission. Our lives looked different, our marriage was different. Everything changed because we were part of this family, this church. God used it and we had no choice but to change. During those early years and since Drue Phillips wrote songs for us to sing in worship to Jesus. These songs were a result of the work God was doing in lives. Drue’s life, our lives, the lives of those around us. He recently recorded those songs. No Choice But to Change is a beautiful telling of our story and the story of so many others.
This is a part of our story. Our history. Really it’s HIS-story. Check out the music and hear the beautiful story God is writing.
Stay tuned… because His story is still being orchestrated in our lives, through our new community here in Southern California.
Oh yeah, this is why…
Taking GOOD photos of your own children and your own products is not an easy task to combine!
I just love a new year! I’ve revamped and refreshed my fabric selection for my personalized quilts. All quilt sizes now have loads of fabric available! Don’t stop there though, you can ALWAYS contact me for custom fabric requests!
Here are the new fabrics available: 
GIVEAWAY#1. $30 TRACYBUG CREATIVE CREDIT: Go Like TRACYBUG CREATIVE on Facebook. Find the story about the giveaways: Tell me there which fabric is your favorite: GIVEAWAY #2 $50 TRACYBUG CREATIVE CREDIT: Then Share the link on your timeline about the giveaways. When I reach 300 Likes I will give $50 to a random person that “shared” the story.
Merry Christmas to me. Treasury and Tutorial
My grandmother told me once that she had one picture of my aunt that a relative took that she cherished. She said it was the only snapshot of her daughter as a small child. She said money for film and developing pictures was very hard to come by. We are so privildeged, goodness! My children get bored of having their picture taken and often forget to listen to me say “smile.” But, oh do they love to snap the camera! I often find loads of crazy pictures on my phone.
A few weeks back Natalie was snapping pictures and she got one of me working on a personalized baby quilt.
Then the baby asked to come sew with me. Of course I put her on my lap and away we went.
Last year at Christmas I had a customer contact me asking if I could make a quilted stocking from pieced fabric. She told me that both she and her husband were given pieced quilted stockings as small children and they wanted their new daughter to have one to love and make memories with for years to come as well. After she sent me a picture I offered to use some vintage fabrics from Aunt Mildred’s Stash. Several months later she contacted me about making a quilt from her daughters baby clothes. She had two specific ideas for the quilt. 1. that the top was made entirely from her daughters clothes and 2. that it be a twin size.
When I offered the same personalization as the baby quilts she agreed.
The top is made entirely of her daughters baby clothes. The larger pink area behind the name is her daughters sheet. Even the binding is from a cute smocked dress set!
I snapped a lot of pictures along the way maybe one day a tutorial will come of it!
Putting the tree up = kids almost as excited as Christmas morning. 
And Natalie’s Christmas List:
Top Left to Right:
Barbie, scotch tape (girl LOVES tape), drawing or construction paper, a notebook, and new paints.
I know this might surprise you but I love to sew. You know what I also love….sewing with friends! My dear friend asked me to help her learn to sew. She brings over her machine and we make things. We talk about babies, husbands, homemaking and Jesus. It’s beautiful…
Just before Thanksgiving she came over and we spent the day making stockings. She helped me get my families stockings all cut out and ready to go and we finished up a set for her.
Hop on over to the Gospel Homemaker and see her handmade quilted stockings.
