I finally finished something!!!  This wall hanging is an adaptation of the skinny block of the month pattern that Square Corner quilters did on one of their sew days.   Everything is from my stash except the ribbon that I used to bind it with.

Stasha

I have a tradition of making handmade items for my mom for Christmas.  She brought me this project and asked me to embellish it with beads.  When I asked her how much decoration she wanted, She said, “I dont think you can do too much”  Well I tried my darndest to prove her wrong.

Award winning design!

Quilters: Nancy Lowry, Walt Lowry, Jessica Lowry, and Sara Lowry

This was the first time we ever entered a Contest. We were at a meeting of the Utah Quilt Guild. They meet at the Salt Lake County Goverment Building on 2100 South and State Street in Salt Lake City, Utah on the first Thursday of every month. We love to go because we get to show off our latest works and get some applause and feedback from other quilters. Well this was back in 1999 and they were having a contest. The show to display contest entries was on 9/9/99 and the theme? “Taking It To The Nines”.

Well before we had gone 15 more minutes into the meeting, we had decided to do a quilt based on one of our family favorites memories and traditions, singing in the car. We have been across country numerous times. in a station wagon with 4 or 5 kids.

That's him on the right.

Kids get pretty bored on a trip and so we would sing! We sang hymns, songs we learned at camp and sometimes silly song we would make up. These are some of the happiest memories of my childhood. Since i don’t sing well this was usually the best times for singing. Nobody expects perfect car singing, after all there are too many variables. Is the wind from the windows moving all the music to the back of the car? Who knows the song best and/or started it off? Did your little brother eat too many Cheetos at lunch and is now according to him “just a little bit carsick”? All things to consider when judging the quality of car singing.

The last bottle has been drunk!

Using the Most Sung but probably Least Loved car song or all time “99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall” we designed and created this quilt. Sara Lowry designed the beer bottles and layout. She designed a paper pieced pattern that was approx. 6″ tall. Nancy Lowry (Sara’s Mom) did all paper piecing and sewing, as well as hand painted the pretzels. Walt Lowry (Nancy’s husband and Sara’s Dad) performed quality control and ripped out all seams that were not exactly right. He also sat by Nancy and ironed each piece as she finished with it. Jessica Lowry researched beer names on the Internet, wrote labels on the bottles, and embroidered the words on the border. Wow, what a fun family collaboration!

Sara, Nancy and Walt (Jess had to work)

The quilt show was held at an art studio at 9th and 9th (900 South and 900 East) We won People’s choice and Best Use of Theme. We got a check for $9.99. Of course it was never for the money.

It’s been in all of our houses, but it was Nancy’s quilt. She aggreed to do another for her niece but then realized how much work it was and was going to sell her this original quilt. Sara was so upset at the thought of losing it, she pleaded with Nancy not to sell it. Sara got it as a Christmas present that year.

(This picture was posted on the old site but this is my favorite quilt so I am reposting it in a position of Glory as the first quilt post on the new site. Hope you enjoyed the detailed story.) Below are the up close pics.