4th Birthday Portrait Quilt

   Traditionally, I make a small quilt birthday card for my grandchildren to go with their gifts. Since David's birthday is near Christmas, I use materials I find on hand since time is crowded.

    I found a sketch I had made of David using a marker. It looks as if I may have traced over a photograph which I had enlarged. I made two copies on my copy machine and scanned them to fit a size 8 1/2' x 11" sheet of paper. Of course I used a printable fabric, not paper, of that size to print the line drawing.

     Next, I ironed Wonder Under to the back so I could laminate the fabric with the drawing onto a background. Mistake #1. I had wanted to embroider the lines with black thread but this is not easy to do once fabric has been laminated. I learned that other people use invisible ink for their embroidery lines. Mistake #2. I had used up the Cars fabric, our theme this year. In a hurry I settled for Batman and numbers. Later I found Cars fragments which I laminated, cut out and stitched around. Mistake #3. You can see through the white fabric, but it shows how colorful David is. Mistake #4. It was late. I forgot to change the thread for the binding. It looked messy so I further messed it up more with puff paints. I was distracted listening to Tom Wolfe's new book Back to Blood. But I think the card is lively and cute. I dried it on the radiator and added a cupcake.

      I love it when David says, "For me, LinLin?" I say, "Yes:" and he adds, "Oh thank you, LinLin! My quilt," and hugs it. Most of the time, to get done all I want to do, I can't worry about "perfect."

Bill's Batman: a birthday present

     Monday is Bill's birthday. He is a collector and has not forgotten that I (he thinks) gave away his Star Wars what-evers when we moved to London or he left the nest for college or to get married. As a child, Bill had numerous super hero action dolls whose costumes he cut, taped and painted to make authentic. I have a box of his improved, over-loved figures and would never part with his handiwork.

     Christmas came and went, but I had bought the book Scandinavian Stitches that featured a quilted container to hold collections. I also had some neat Batman (one of Bill's favorites) fabrics. Today, finally, I made what I could: a stuffed (not very successful but grandson might like) Batman, a little quilt (just trying to improve on the figure...maybe granddaughters will use w dolls), and HOORAY, the container. Joe and I may go buy a proper pretty box for Bill's collections, but I often enjoy making gifts, whether wanted or not.

click to enlarge photos

     The base and sides of the container are quilted (by machine and hand). I made bias tape for the top and bottom edges with a little tool from JoAnne's. Note I embroidered the flight of the bat signal which had been fused on and stitched.

      If you want to see a clever and artful Easter solution, check the container as a nest filled with birds (could be eggs) after you scroll way down on the Scandinavian Stitches book site at Amazon after you "Look Inside."

P.S. Synergy is amazing. The Yale Alumni Magazine arrived today with this cover: