Page 20, 20″ x 20″

The most recent small challenge in our ThreadBenders group was another fun one. Each participant was handed a magazine from the library where we meet, and asked to create a piece of fiber art inspired by page 20. I’ve done this type of challenge before and loved the creativity that resulted (to see those quilts click here). We could be inspired by anything on the page: a photo, a color scheme, a word, a ???

The magazine I was handed was MKE Lifestyle. It has a lovely photo of the Milwaukee Art Museum on the cover:

And this is page 20:

I must admit, I wasn’t very excited. I haven’t been a parent of young kids for quite a while. So I set it aside for a few months and then ~ as summer came to an end ~ the idea struck! It was a wonderful summer and was chock full of fun with family, and especially grandchildren. We flew to Washington for Hanna’s graduation in June. Then Hanna and Will came here for a visit in July. These were wonderful days with our grand “kiddos” ~ playing in water, riding around in golf carts at a wildlife zoo, boating at the cottage, celebrating my parents 90th and 93rd birthdays, and still others just enjoying time together.

Perhaps a bucket needed to be tipped over on my quilt with all the memories flowing out! So I gathered my favorite photographs, printed them on fabric, and trimmed them up.

Then I took a photo of a bucket in the grass,

 and laid it all out.

This was going to work! All I needed to do was a bit of repliqué to make the bucket, and the rest would be easy. I always tell the students in my Repliqué classes that it’s a great technique to have in your toolbox for instances such as this. I traced the lines of the bucket to the back of the paper, pinned it in place on my background fabric, and began to Repliqué.

Next the photographs were stitched in place, and it was time to layer, quilt, and bind.

I think memory quilts are some of the most fun ones to make!

Would you like to see what the rest of the ThreadBenders came up with? Click here ~ and ENJOY!