Damon's Christmas Quilt

I made this little quilt for my dear Damon. Even though I was making another labor intensive quilt at the same time, it didn't phase me much because of how this quilt was designed to be made. It was intended to be an easy block of the month quilt. So having instructions that only allowed me to focus on one portion of the quilt at a time ultimately was my saving grace.

I really like it and think it is completely splendid.

I hand stitched this above tree a few years ago to give to a friend. When I was done, Damon took one look at it and said we needed to make a quilt with. So I kept it but all it did was gather dust as it became forgotten. I was thrilled when I stumbled upon it and thought it was very fitting to use for the label for this quilt. 

The writing on the label reads: 

Damon, Embedded in every fiber, thread, and grain, 

we match, we rhyme, we fit. I love you! 

Clair

And of course, I love Lainey's quilting! Perfect as always.

 I came across a blog where I happened to know the author. She was writing about her husband and his wonderfulness to her. I was thinking, as I read, how much the loving things she was describing of him sounded just like my own husband. I truly am so lucky to have Damon. He betters my life in every way. We have a good, fun, happy marriage with very little fighting. We love being with each other, talking to each other. A friend told me once that she didn't know what she was going to talk to her husband about once all her children moved out. I was grateful at that moment for a husband I love to talk to. Something I also love about Damon is that he is never critical of me or tries to make me feel bad in anyway. I feel like over the years of being married, I have became a better person. But not because I had someone hounding or scolding or passive-aggressively telling me to be better. If I'm better at all, it's because I had someone gently holding my hand, lovingly leading me along. Someone like Damon is rare. He is a blessing that my loving Heavenly Father gave to me.

When Stars Align

 This pattern is called Starstruck! by Deonn Stott. 

I have to say, this quilt has the Clair seal of approval!

I do wish that it had one more dark red star at the bottom. That would have made it perfect-o.

 In the center of each star is a fabric called Toile. Claudia Johnson give it to me and I loved it right away. I had never even heard of Toile and I'm still not sure that I'm saying it right when I speak it out loud. I knew, though, when Claudia gave it to me that it was going to make something beautiful. So when I stumbled across Starstruck! I knew that was the quilt where this fabric was going to spend the rest of it's life.

 When I began piecing this quilt I thought every star would be the exact same, with this (above) red for the  spears, the Toile center and varying creams. I quickly came to realize I was way off and I didn't have nearly enough of any red fabric in all of my sewing room to make this an easy task. And of course I found this out three stars into every red(because I thought the same thing of every red). So, I would then pick a new red, thinking it was enough to make the rest of the stars and then find out I didn't have nearly enough of that fabric either. I would move on to a new red and cream fabrics and hope they would match the others not sure if they did. I honestly couldn't tell. It was a very stressful process for me. Though, I did have enough of the Toile for all the centers and enough of the blue for the little stars. That was a life saver to me, because it meant I could feel good that at least there would be some consistency somewhere. 

My dear friend Brenda Olsen helped me make a lot of these blocks. She really saved me and this quilt wouldn't have been completed if it wasn't for her selfless act of love for me. Really. I couldn't have done this without her. I am ever so grateful for and indebted to her and her dear friendship!

 The ever lovely Lainey quilted and bound this quilt. And she also made the label for me. 

 This backing was generously given to me by dear Claudia Johnson. I was so grateful to have it, too, because this quit is a queen. The second queen I have ever made. Queen backs are killers.

 I love these baskets. I buy them from the Spirit Goat and love that they smell like soap! It the best part. Sometimes I don't love the color combos, but I chose this one because I felt okay about it. I gifted this quilt to a lady named Paula. I don't know her very well and only have spoken with her a few times, though I have noticed and admire her. I always have enjoyed her comments in church. They are insightful and smart. She is good mom. I love to watch good moms mother! Their quiet, good example is a pillar to me. 

 Paula is a true artist. And in a way, that draws me to her because my dad was and artist by occupation. His art meant so much to him. But he was never successful so his art was also a source of sadness for him.  

 I know that Heavenly Father wanted me to make this quilt for Paula. It was a clear prompting. All the things I needed to make it were easily provided for me, from the supplies I needed down to having the help I needed to accomplish it before Christmas. Whenever I am prompted to serve someone in this capacity, it testifies to me of how much Heavenly Father loves and cares for his children, particularly that child. It is so moving and humbling to me that He would ask me to help someone feel of His love through little quilt I had a hand in making. To me, this is special and I hold it dear.