A First Time for Everything

 This is my cute cousin Lindsey.

When life is challenging and you really aren't sure how to handle it; you should quilt.  I don't care if you are an expert quilter, or you have never made a quilt before in your life.  I have watched quilts make someone happy, bring them comfort, and make them feel loved.  Making quilts does that same thing.  Lindsey decided to make this quilt for her mom.  She chose a pattern out of a book called "Two From One Jelly Roll Quilts" by Pan and Nicky Lintott.  I love this book!  They have such fun patterns for Jelly Rolls.  By the way, I rarely buy jelly rolls, I usually cut my own.  Lindsey used green, orange, and cream to be able to make the zig-zag pattern.  She then put an 8" border of brown around the edge.  We had some extra pieces, and decided to incorporate them into the back.  There were some puckers and holes that we had to fix, but she did a great job for her first quilt!!

Yellow tiles

 Pieced by Loralee Latham.  Machine quilted by Mama Bear Quilting

When Loralee brought this quilts over I asked her where she found this pattern.  It is so interesting and I have never seen anything like it.  "Oh," she said "I just made it up."  Bravo to you my dear for just "making this one up".  I love the complexity of the design with the simple fabric selection. 

Strips of Happiness

Pieced by Loralee Latham.  Machine quilted by Mama Bear Quilting

Strip quilts are so much fun.  And better than that...they are EASY.  Anyone can make a strip quilts.  Fabric selection in key to making a great strip quilt; like the one pictured above.  If you are thinking about quilting, but are a little uneasy about patterns make a strip quilt.  Decide how big you want it and go to your local quilt shop and they will help you pick out some fabric.  Cut that fabric into strips, sew them back together and BAM you made a quilt top.  You are welcome for this awesome tutorial!

Perfectly Pink

This quilt was pieced by Loralee Latham.  I ADRORE working on quilts that she has pieced.  She is the quilter that actually presses all her seams and squares off all edges.  (Sigh) hopefully someday I can be her when I grow up.  For the machine quilting I used Camille's awesome computer to make the outline of all of the circles.  I then free handed the design in the center. 

Best Experience

 Both easy patterns to make.
M quilt- 14 inch strips with 3 inch white in between.  I sewed all four together.  I then cut it and added the racing stripe that also had 3 inch white on both side.  Sewed 14 inch strip on both sides of racing stripe.  Easy peasy.
B quilt- Used leftover material I believe they are 13x10 in blocks with 3 inch white in between.
Pillows-Leftover material.  No pattern just thrown together.
I love the embroidered initials.  It makes the quilts more personal

      In 2012, I wanted to make my sweet friend a quilt.  It took her awhile to decide that she wanted me to make her son, M, a quilt for his bed.  We went shopping for material and found a pattern that she liked.  Most of the time I get right to making the quilt, but.... the Christmas rush for quilts hit the Mama Bear cave hard and I wasn't able to get to M's quilt.  

After the holidays, I was finally able to get M's quilt done and it turned out so cute.  I had enough material left over to make a quilt for his brother B. The boys share a room so I thought I would make a different pattern that would still match.  After that quilt I thought I would throw in some pillow cases, and pillows too.

M and B have a sister too.  I thought I couldn't just make the boys a quilt, so I quickly whipped up a quilt for their sister A too.  That was a lot of work!!!!!  

I was able to take over the quilts while the kids were home.  Now remember, only M thought he was getting a quilt.  I walked up to the door with all of the quilts in my big blue IKEA bags, and before I could even knock on the door M swung open the door with a huge grin on his face and threw his arms around me!  He was so excited for his quilt.  His mom told me he had asked her about the quilt all the time.

All three kids gathered around to see M's new quilt.  I pulled it out and M shrieked with excitement.  He snatched it up and wrapped himself in it while yelling "I LOVE IT!!!!"  I got a lump in my throat.  It was adorable.

I told M "I have something else for you."  He ran back over and we pulled all of the pillows and pillow cases out.  More excited screaming, more jumping, more hugging.  By this time I was holding back tears.  I was so happy that I was able to make a child so happy.  M had run into his room and pulled all of his bedding off his bed so that he could get the new quilt on.  As he did I asked B if he wanted to look in my bag to see if he had missed anything.  He peeked in the bag and his eyes got wide.  He yanked the quilt out of the bag and saw the big B on the quilt.  He let out of whoop and gave me a hug and followed his brother's example.  He rushed into his room to pull the bedding off of his bed.  

A, her mom, and I were laughing at the boys.  I told A to look in the bag to see if we missed anything and she pulled out her quilt.  "Oh my gosh," A said "I have to go and clean my room so that my quilt looks good in there.  Thank you" she squealed.

M and B had me come and see how their room looked and thanked me again.  My friend, their mom, was thankful and adorable about the whole thing.  I left and cried on the way home because I was so grateful to be able to make someone smile that day.  I have made a ton of quilts for people, and with that I have had lots of different responses to those quilts.  Sometimes I never hear thank you.  Sometimes people thank me and tell me years later how much they still love that quilt.  Sometimes people give the quilt away because it didn't "match" their house.  And sometimes I get to see the pure joy that quilts bring to people.

Meet the Team

 Jem-  Jem is truly amazing; truly, truly, truly amazing.  Jem is the newest member of the team.  She is a Janome Jem Gold.  She is our travel machine because she is so light.  When Jem is in the bear den she serves as my daughter’s sewing machine.  I like the Janome for its travel quality and ease of use.  Hey if a 5 year old can sew on it, I think most people can figure her out.

 Camille- Camille is a HQ Avante 18, and has been with the team a little over two years now.  She is a DIVA!!!  Camille is very high maintenance, and needs lots of love and lots of attention.  We spend a lot of time caring for her and making sure that she is in good spirits.  Camille also doesn’t like to be talked down to.  She has been known to throw off her tension if someone is mean to her.  BUT, the best thing about Camille is that she is so worth all of the drama she brings to the team.  She has quilted hundreds of quilts and has helped enhance the work that so many people have put into them.

 

 Bernie- Meet Bernie!!  She is a sweet gal that has been with the team for ten plus years.  Bernie is a Bernina 1080 that I just can’t rave enough about.  I love her!!!  She is such a hard worker and always does a great job.  We work Bernie hard, and she never complains, never breaks herself, and is always ready to piece any quilt.  I have sewn on several different types of machines, and I just haven’t found any that make me smile like Bernie does.  I can wholeheartedly endorse Bernina as a great sewing machine, (especially Bernie).  Did I say how much I love her?

 Hazel- Hazel  has been a great asset to our bear den.  If you are ever wondering how to kick your quilting up a notch, get an embroidery machine!  Hazel is able to bring a certain personal touch to every quilt she touches.  We have loved being able to put people’s names or initials on quilts before they go to Camille.

 

 Evo- Some people think that a serger is just good for making clothing.  Boy, are the wrong!!  Evo has been a great machine for lots of different quilts.  Her favorite type of quilt to work on is the strip quilts.  I have dealt with many different types of sergers.  This Babylock Evolution is easy to use and lots of fun.

Don Louis Sebastian- Don is our only male machine in the bunch.  Don is a new Bernina quilt edition.  He has some really great features that Bernie doesn't have, but he can't work as quick as Bernie.  Don does really great with paper piecing and scrap quilts.