Tommy Tippetts Preview! Click link below...

http://youtu.be/WQtZC9pPKuw

Today I am going to the Royal Geographical Society to hear Tommy give a presentation with two other friends of his.  Tommy has been made a Fellow of the RGS! Congratulations Tommy!

An article about Tommy...The Alumni Association Newcastle University

Click link below...

http://www.ncl.ac.uk/alumni/news/page.htm?one-man-his-boat-and-the-atlantic-a-chat-with-tommy-tippetts

Presentation Day...

Pentecost - 27 May 2012 10am Service with the Holy Eucharist and Healing. St John the Baptist Church, Kirdford.

The presentation of £750 and the 'Waves for Tommy' Quilt to Tommy and his family, in aid of 'Mind'...  The funds are for 'Mind' and the quilt is for the Tippetts family...

The Family Heirloom Quilt - Waves for Tommy - Ocean Waves design...

Tommy and his father, holding up the quilt...

 

 From The Ocean Rower and The Quilt Lady:

'See you on our next epic adventure! Farewell!' 

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And now for the little miracle given by God to the world of quilting... Watch her pucker up!

Some batting is designed to shrink after you have sewn the quilt together and then wash it - this is done to give the quilt an antique effect/finish.  The quilted fabric puckers when the batting shrinks in the wash... yes, this is a desired effect for quilters who love the whole 'antique quilt' look - like me!

In this quilt the colours I chose mimic the colours of the 1800's, known in the quilting world as 'Civil War' colours/fabrics - of which there are a few 'Civil War Reproduction Fabrics' within my selection. This is my favourite era in quilting history.  The 'Civil War' refers to the American Civil War.  I love this era, not for the war, but for the fabrics and the era, itself.  The simplicity of the time and the way of life, and on the whole, a more God-fearing time, even though it was a tough time.  This is my perception of the era.

For me, Little House on the Prairie (a true story which I grew up watching on TV in South Africa as a little girl) and Quilting, go hand in hand!  I now have the full collection of DVD's of 'Little House on the Prairie' and have been watching an episode every night during the making of the 'Waves for Tommy' quilt, as my way of connecting with the period (the days of the pioneers) and relaxing from the sewing.

Alleluiah!

At precisely 5pm today, Saturday 26 May 2012, the final thread end was tucked away into the quilt batting! Having been washed in the washing machine on a delicate cycle with delicates washing liquid and then spun at 400 then 800 then 1000 - I would definitely from this moment on only spin it at 200 or 400 not more - I then placed it in the dryer on low cotton - then read the batting label which said DO NOT TUMBLE DRY - so ran to dryer and rescued it! Then lay it flat on my banquet style sewing and cutting tables and am praying it will be dry by the morning!

Care Label:  wash on a short 'delicate' or 'hand wash' cycle at 30 degrees no more, spin on lowest spin, DO NOT TUMBLE DRY but dry quilts flat.  When the quilt is barely damp, it can be placed in a dryer on 'air' or 'refresh' or similar for a few minutes to fluff and soften the batting and fabrics - like fluffing up a cushion, no more.

That's that!

When I had tucked in the last thread end, I threw my hands to Heaven and said 'Thank you, Jesus!' as my thank offering, then I shouted down to Paul who was leaving for Evening Prayer: 'It's finished!' - 'Good!', he replied.  Then I phoned my mom and told her the news then I phoned and texted Roz, then I phoned Sally (a dear friend) and said please pray for the quilt - it's in the washing machine - she prayed there and then for it and asked God to protect it.  Then I phoned my mom again to chat a little, and then finally, I celebrated the triumph with a slice of toast with butter and marmite followed by a glace cherry - in honour of my family!  Our favourite snack at home was toast, butter, bovril (I now prefer marmite) and my gran always kept glace cherries in the fridge for baking, but every now and then we could eat one for a treat!

Here's to all mothers! And women who bake and sew! Cheers! I'm clincking my tea-cup against the saucer! Honest!

PS: The dates on the quilt indicate when the fabric was bought and ready for cutting and then when the quilting process was completed. (I felt that tucking in the thread ends didn't really count and besides I needed to sew in the dates first, and then get round to tucking in the thread ends. Make sense?)

Presentation Day!

The 'Waves for Tommy' Quilt and the funds raised from the quilt project will be presented to Tommy Tippetts and his family on Sunday, 27 May 2012 at the 10am service in St John the Baptist Church, Kirdford.

See you there!

Catherine*

Your Mail...

Roz came for coffee this morning, found an envelope wedged in our letter box addressed 'QUILT DONATION', took it out and handed it to me... Made me laugh!

Lunch Club...

Paul and I are so blessed in that we meet with the Kirdford, Ifold and Plaistow lunch club to share lunch with them as and when the diary permits us.  Today, I was asked to bring the quilt with to show and tell the club about it and on doing so was blessed with a generous donation for which I am most grateful.  Thank you very much!  PS: Lunch was scrumptious as usual - no cooking tonight!
Thank you x

Tea Time!

Today, I had a cup of tea at The Vicarage, with Lizzie, Tommy's sister.  We had a good old chat about quilting, history, literature and poetry.  I so enjoyed her company!

Thanks Lizzie for a lovely time! Catherine x

And the quilting is now complete.

All that remains for me to do - tuck away hundreds of little thread ends - by hand!

Out and about with the quilt...

This morning the quilt will be going with me to the coffee morning for showing... Exciting stuff!