Just Call Out My Name...

Louie, I think this is the beginning
of a beautiful friendship.
  ~Rick Blaine, Casablanca, 1942

As we all grow older we have great sadness and great joy in our lives.  I think we appreciate friendship even more as the years go by.  I made this project with a special friend in mind.


I imagined a quilted wall hanging, but since my knowledge of quilting is rather limited, I just forged ahead not knowing really where I was going.  Kind of flying by the seat of my pants, which is how I approach many things in my life.

I started with a piece of natural linen, used Warm and Natural batting, and used a pretty bright blue flannel for my bias and backing.  I discussed color with my resident color expert, my sister Bethanne, and got some good advice.  I drew out a tree with bare branches, a silhouette, and it occurred to me later that this is how Beth paints many of her trees.  Anyway, I like the look of the contrast, so it was a black linen tree.  I used Wonder Under to attach it to the background, a poor choice, but it is what  I found in the sewing room.

                                                                                     

Before attaching the tree to the linen, I placed it and marked where I wanted the quote to go.  I used the new Bernina software that has a new choice of fonts, and used the Run Freehand font.  It is delicate but will hold up as it is stitched out.

                                            A friend knows
                                            the song in my heart
                                            and sings it to me
                                            when my memory fails.  ~  D. Roberts

So I attached my tree with a tiny blanket stitch, then began to cut out and sew down my wool leaves.  Next came the bright blue flannel birds with tiny felt beaks and french knots for eyes.  I tookall 3 layers to my mat and trimmed it up and cut plenty of binding from the flannel 2.25 inches wide, mitered the corners and whipped it to the back.  I finished it off with a little By Bibi label.

I wish I had done some tiny free motion squiggles to finish my design.   I thought it didn't need it but as I see it in my minds eye....it would have been a nice touch.  I hope it will hang in her sewing room next to her hand made treasures.