Though snails are exceedingly slow,
There is one thing I'd like to know.
If I out run 'em round the yard,
How come they beat me to the chard?
–Allen Klein
Once upon a time, about three years ago, my mom and I started making an escaping bug jar quilt. Every week during that summer I went to her house and we had a sew day. We started with the little paper pieced critters. The snail was first because he is too cute, although an actual snail in an actual garden is anything but cute. He is still my favorite of all the escaped critters in the quilt {Coin and Natural Fairy Frost, Chestnut Moda Marbles}.
Then there's the dragon fly who needed a little sparkle {Aqua and Platinum Fairy Frost}.
And the beetle, who must be from some exotic land {Lipstick, Celestial & Violet Fairy Frost}.
The sticky-tongue frog makes me smile. I Photoshopped an eye on there so he wouldn't be sightless for his big internet debut {Lily Pad & Red Fairy Frost}.
If this mouse weren't so cute, I'd be setting a trap. Instead, I'll just leave him some cheese {Silver, Bubble Gum & Natural Fairy Frost}.
I'm pretty sure quilt spiders aren't poisonous. Better play it safe, though, and keep away from Miss Spider {Red & Fog Fairy Frost}.
Mr. Chameleon is playing it pretty casual, trying to blend into the background. If you don't look closely, you'll miss him {Lettuce Fairy Frost}.
When school got back in session, our Bug Jar Sew Days became less frequent. We scaled them back to once an month and we took turns traveling back and forth. The picture below was taking on our last sew day in February of 2010. We got our jars all cut, as well as the corners for the background.
We keep our fabrics in a storage tote. Whoever travels for our sew days gets to take the tote home and the next sew day will be at her house. The tote has been at my mom's house for more than two years. Yesterday, I went to her house for a sew day, but we didn't actually get to the sewing part. We did get all our background corner pieces marked and ready to sew on the corners of the bug fabrics to make them into jars. And we picked out some fabrics for a cute little firefly, which isn't included in the quilt pattern but was made by the same designer. It is too cute not to include, especially since I have some glow-in-the-dark Fairy Frost that will be perfect for it! The storage tote is at my house now. I hope it will be much less than two years before we open it again to work on our quilts.
5 comments:
So cute! Bugs are so much more plesant when they are made from fabric instead of slime and guts! It is really nice that you get to do something special with your mom too. ;)
First, did you get a haircut? (Says she who has been contemplating going shorter for the summer.) Nice picture of you and your mom!
Second, those bugs, etc. are SOOOO cute!!! Your paper piecing is always perfection (mom's too,if that's some of her handiwork as well). Loved seeing this quilt in the works. Free it from the tote soon!
Such fun looking blocks! =D
The longevity of making this quilt together will provide lots of fabulous memories of wonderful sewing days Im sure.
It's not a sprint- quilt making is more a marathon anyway !
This is sweet. It reminds me of the times when you and I used to bring our projects to each others' houses for project time, while our kids played. Those were fun days. I'm glad you get to share special project days with your mom too, and hope that you can pick up with the tradition again like you used to have it, more frequently. That will be a wonderful quilt someday!
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