This post is going to be a little too mushy for my liking, but I can't help it! Alison Jean is one of my oldest friends from middle school. We played basketball together, took all of our art classes together, painted projects in college together, went to several Christmas Eve services together, I was able to baptize her 5 years ago, and she is the friend who got me into my sewing/quilting obsession! To say I owe Alison would be an understatement. Alison and her mom (Debbie) have been the people I give all the credit to when it comes to teaching me to sew, follow a pattern, & spending hundreds (actually thousands) of dollars on fabric!
Couldn't narrow down the pictures I liked of us, so I just thought I would post them all :)
Alison is getting married in August! I am so excited and can't wait to celebrate with her. Because she taught me how to sew, I wasn't planning on making her a wedding quilt because she is so much better than I am.. but after talking to her, she made it seem like she has never turned down a quilt, so I figured I would try to do something special for her. She introduced me to my passion of sewing & quilting so I wanted to somehow give her a quilt that could translate how much it means to me.
I am not one to sit on projects for very long. I like to get to work and spend several hours at a time working on them--which tends to be hard with a 14 month old running around and trying to also spend quality time with my husband. Alison's quilts are picture perfect. She really creates perfect quilts, so its absolutely terrifying to gift her something knowing she will be able to pick it apart lol. Anywho, I decided to try something new for her and I hope she likes it!
My best friend Avery gifted me a quilting book that has 100 modern quilt block patterns as well as quilt patterns in it. I am hoping Alison doesn't have this book so she will be surprised with this pattern! Since I learned how to quilt from her, we tend to sew using similar patterns and with similar fabric brands!
I decided to pick 56 different modern quilt blocks out of the book and follow one of the quilt patterns. I wanted to do a scrap quilt for Alison because I knew she would recognize a lot of the fabrics I used and they are my favorite to make. This is my second scrap quilt I have ever done and I enjoyed every moment. Sifting through all of my scrap materials is so fun! Below are pictures the finished quilt, Gannon loving the quilt, and close ups of the quilt blocks that I have specific memories tied to Alison.
The red & pink fabric is from the first fat quarter box I ever purchased that Alison introduced me to.. & thats when I caught the fabric bug!
Both of these fabrics I bought for the first quilt Alison and Debbie taught me how to sew! It was a kitten quilt. Me and Alison met up at Satin Stitches after work and only had 30 minutes to pick out fabric for an entire quilt and I ended up only getting 1canoe2.. I loveeeeeeeeee this fabric so much!
I picked out a few of these gray fabrics with Alison at Material Girl in Centralia. It is now closed, but Alison and Debbie took me there & I fell in love with the store and fabrics that were carried there. We made several trips together to Centralia to get some awesome fabrics & see Meredith! Miss that store so so much! If only Ashland would open a fabric store.. :)
The pink color is Moda grunge and I loveeee grunge. I have so many grunge colors and its because of Alison! The kitten fabric is also from my first fat quarter box I purchased because of Alison, so I had to throw some kittens in the mix.
The white flowery material I purchased at Material Girl with Alison and her mom. It was part of a pattern that taught you how to make a makeup bag with a zipper. I bought the fabric & pattern, went back to their house and they showed me how to make the cutest bag. I made a few of them but decided 3D patterns weren't my favorite thing in the world and went back to quilts. The dark purple I purchased in a different trip with Alison to Material Girl as well!
Last but not least is another favorite block of mine.. it includes 2 1canoe2 fabrics. 1canoe2 is one of my favorite quilt brands that Alison introduced me to and they are created & designed in Mid-Missouri!
The gray fabric on the back & bordering the quilt blocks is Kona. Alison introduced me to Kona solids when we went to JoAnn's one time together. I now only purchase Kona when needing a solid color.
I definitely think Alison is to blame for all of the money spent on fabric and quilting the past few years but I am so thankful for it! Quilting is so special to me & I wouldn't have been able to do any of it if Alison and Debbie didn't give me the opportunity to learn alongside them!
From giving me all of my bruises at basketball practices to going to each others weddings, I am glad we have these lifelong memories. We've been through a lot together and I just hope that you will be my forever quilting buddy! Can't wait to see you get married in less than a month! Thank you for everything you've done for me.. & all 3 of my quilts I own that you & your mom have made me!
And for everyone else following along, make sure to check out Alison's quilting facebook & instagram: Redheaded Rita! She will hook you up with all of your quilting needs that I can't when this wedding is over :)
Love you Alison Jean!
