In elementary school, each one of us students gave a silly little Valentine’s Day card to every other student in the class. The idea of fun and silliness is forever linked to Valentine’s Day in my mind.
I’m surprised and saddened to be reminded that, for whatever reason, people feel unhappy about Valentine’s Day. When I stop to consider the pressurized marketing around Valentine’s Day, I can understand their distress.
How about let’s return to the fun, less expensive, less fraught idea of Valentine’s Day? It’s a day of fondness and love, and that love can extend to friends online and off, to a pet, or to a craft you enjoy.
Originally published early in May 2012, this post was titled “Valentine’s Day Quilt Finished!” It’s about a project created with contributions from friends and daughters.
On a Tuesday evening in 2012, at Eva and Ella’s piano lesson, I sewed the last button onto my Dublin Rippers quilting group’s Valentine’s Day Quilt. I tried to sew more buttons on, but when I put them tentatively on the quilt, the quilt said, “Enough already!” Usually, I can find a place to tuck in one more, but all my attempts were rejected.
So it was finished! Yay!
This quilt combines old and new and bits and pieces that will remind me of friends and fun times. Like this pretty quilted heart will always make me think of Peggy. The flower below the yellow buttons is a Twirl Center Rose from Crochet Garden.
These yellow and white applique daisies are from my mother-in-law’s sewing collection. She was a lovely lady named Mary Eugenia Frederick. She went by ‘Gene,’ but we thought Eugenia was a beautiful middle name for our younger daughter, Ella.
Rachel made the fabric flower with the red center. Rachel’s daughter Beth and Eva like to go adventuring together and talk about music. Gail Hughes made the green buttons that serve as leaves for Rachel’s flower.
Three pink heart buttons from Hazel are surrounded by flowers from Crochet Garden: Begonia (lower left), Turkestani Star with a button from Gail Hughes, and Any Color Pinks at the upper right.
For Donna’s quilt, she asked us each to sign a piece of fabric, which she incorporated in to her quilt. The spool charm is from Donna.
This heart, cut out of an antique quilt, is from Mindi. Both green buttons and the crystal topped button on the heart are by Gail Hughes. Hazel’s buttons are the red heart-shaped ones hidden next to the big heart.
This quilt is full of love!
* * *
More Valentine’s Day posts:
Heart-shaped hoof-prints, handmade Valentine’s Day card, and very retro heart, 2013.
Read about the making of the Valentine’s Day Quilt here, 2012.
Ella creates a Valentine’s Day card collection box, 2012.
Crocheted roses, inspired by painter Barbara Van Wyk, from Crochet Garden, 2012.