A Labor of Love x 6

My Six Monkeys....

Last year when I pieced together Dad's sports quilt, each of you expressed begged to have one of your own as you ooohed and ahhhed over his (especially that furry minky backing). So I started last spring thinking no biggy... I'm pretty organized, and got Vivie's done in a jiff, and then Monson's just in time for his summer birthday. And then I decided that it would be the best Christmas ever if you all got yours at the same time. Pretty pleased with 1/3 of them completed by summer, I knew it wouldn't be another one of those last minute Christmas projects.

And then the sort of unexpected move happened a little quicker than we wanted... and painting a house and organizing 6 kids into new lives consumed us all summer and fall. So the story goes... as it does with everything with so dang many kids with so many directions to run faster than my legs will take me!

I spent hours...and sometimes those hours turned into days... searching for the perfect pattern and fabric for each of you. Some of you even helped me in that search, not knowing it was for you. Each pattern fits your personality...the ruffles are so feminine like Lexie, Izzie's has a giant 'daisy' adorning it since her middle name is Daisy, McKenzie's intricate quilt was carefully pieced, Monson's reminds him who he is, where he came from, and what he can be, and Brayden's is all for the love of sports as it tells his story. It was like Christmas morn for me every time I'd get a package in the mail from the fabric store to see the little treasures that would eventually become a quilt.

And then I lied to you-- I couldn't possibly wait until you all settled in bed to start creating, because then for sure I'd never finish. So as you reminded me that you wanted a cozy quilt and wondered aloud when your turn would come, I told you they were for the NICU babies/moms. And you believed me. You even picked the fabric and pattern for yours, Kenz... as you helped me design it 'for one of the PSCU moms.'

I hand-stitched the last binding on the eve of Christmas Eve (and when I say 'Eve' I really mean when eve turned into 1:30 am)... pretty pleased with myself with all we had going on with the NICU project, etc.

One of my loves is the art that can be created with a beautiful textile and a needle and thread. I adore fabric and seeing all the little pieces stitched together to become one big beautiful whole. To me, these were more than just quilts I was creating... they are a symbol of my deepest love and awe for each of you.

These treasures were truly a labor of love, pieced and stitched sometimes when I was literally half asleep. On Christmas Eve when you opened your quilts, with each one went a piece of me. Each time you wrap yourself in your quilts, as you feel the warmth, remember the great love that went into each and every piece and always remember how much I love you.

XOXO forever,

Mommie

For those that are wondering, the girls quilts were all done with Amy Butler (midwest modern, belle and/or lotus), Heather Bailey (pop garden & freshcut), and/or Sandi Henderson (farmers market) fabrics. Monson's fabrics are from LDSfabric.com and Bray's is a complete custom piece with patches or fabric of his favorite sports teams. All but Lexie's are backed in a softer than life minky, minky swirl, or soft chenille corduroy, and all are machine quilted for that extra special finish.