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Thursday, December 20, 2012

UFO Shot Down!! Wagon Wheels West 2 is finished at long, long last. :D

I can't believe this quilt is finally finished. Complete with label!

78" x 98"

It is a twin of one I made for my father, except that this one has the Hobbs Tuscany Wool for batting.

They are an execution of Charlotte O'Leary's "Wagon Wheels" in the same fabrics she used. They were both started late in 2008 after a serious Internet search for the fabrics from shops around the country. The line was already 2 or 3 years old at that time, so it was a little tough to find everything.



I made the quilts as a family heirloom tribute to a straight line-up on our family tree of remarkable people who made the Western pioner trek across the United States in wagon trains and handcart companies. The reproduction fabrics cover the range of those migrations, from 1846 to the 1890s. The flag fabric is easy to pin-point, as the US flag had 30 stars from 1848-1851.


Patty Butcher, my fantabulous local longarmer back in Niceville, did all the quilting except the names that I wanted to add myself in the triple inner borders. She was a real trooper, working with my covered wagon and handcart motifs that I wanted in the center of each wheel block.


To put in the names, I found a font I like, blew it up humongous, and traced them straight off my laptop onto Golden Threads paper. . .


. . . which I pinned around the border and free-motion quilted right through. Worked like a charm!


The names on mine are a bit different from the ones on my dad's, reflecting the branches from my mother's side.  All 16 of my great-great grandparents!



Every one of them made that journey.


Margaret Nebraska Imlay was even born en route on the plains of Nebraska. Can you imagine??? At least it was June, and not January!  I actually have 17 names on mine, because Margaret's mother, born Anna Eliza Coward, was no coward. That's for certain.


As I noted on the label: Here’s to the faith, the grit, the sheer determination these men and women proved themselves with as they went west to find their Zion.


P.S. - Linda made me remember part of these quilts' story, so I'm pasting in my reply:

 You know - I saw the quilt online and instantly got that idea for the names. Once I worked up the broken wheel blocks, though, I *hated* the project!  lol  They were not my colors or style and just made me feel bleh to work with. So they went boxed away for a year or so. Then I felt guilty, pulled them out, cut the sashing, and laid them all out on the floor. And magic happened, you know? They just looked so great together. I'm really glad I set them to marinate for a while rather than giving them away!

~*~*~*~*~


Thanks to these great hosts for superb inspirational link-ups! You should check these places out for more cool projects folks have finished. :D

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Link A Finish Friday at Richard's
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.UFO Sundays on the Free Motion Quilting Project

29 comments:

  1. I just love it! What a wonderful quilt! Congratulations.

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  2. Well done! I love the details - the quilting and the wagon label shape. Very creative Lyn.

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  3. Love all the names quilted around on the border! Great quilt!

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  4. This quilt is incredible! The details and quilting are fantastic, and what a story to back it!

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  5. Fabulous, Lyn, and the quilting is gorgeous!

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  6. This is a wonderful tribute to your family history, Lyn, and an heirloom for future generations. Congrats on finishing it :)

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  7. Absolutely stunning! I love the wagons in the centres - what a great idea. I must try that method for quilting writing - thanks for the tip! Lynne.

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  8. I love the idea with names. Pretty awesome.

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  9. This is wonderful. How courageous they were and satisfying for you to be able to trace your family back like that and to make such a wonderful tribute to them. The search for just the right fabric makes the end result even more special. Thanks for linking up on my blog today. Cheerd, Karen

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  10. Stunning. What a wonderful heirloom quilt and tribute to your family's history. I love the quilted wagons and the way you've incorporated the names of your grandparents. It's a true work of art.
    Kathleen

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  11. What a fantastic idea to add the names from your family. This is an heirloom for sure

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  12. Wow, this is fabulous! I especially love the way you added the names, that's such a special, unique touch. (I also love the snow in your photo... I live in South Florida so I really miss snow at Christmas time!)

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  13. Wow! What a neat idea, and I love how you quilted in the names, and the covered wagon. Indeed an heirloom quilt!

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  14. That's awesome! I love the names on the border, what a perfect touch. And the wagon quilting motifs! And, you know, the fabric and the piecing and everything else.

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  15. WOW! I love this quilt. Great job from beginning to end.

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  16. Fabulous quilt Lynn, such a special heirloom too! Love the quilting.

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  17. What a fantastic concept and quilt - a real heirloom!

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  18. Beautiful quilt, and a gorgeous photograph!

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  19. I love the quilt, but I love even more that you know your ancestors and what they did. That is a wonderful heritage and you memorialized it beautifully!

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  20. Way to go on the finish and the sharing of history with us! What a wonderful orchard to have come from!

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  21. What a great story and a fantastic quilt!

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  22. this is spectacular!!!

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  23. What a wonderful heritage you have! And how wonderfully you honored that in your quilt! It's a very special piece, for sure, and I admire your own grit for seeing it through to the end. Very clever, putting the names on the quilt, and how you got them there! It's an impressive quilt, for sure, and one that I hope will be cherished in your family for hundreds of years. Excellent work, Lyn!

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  24. Really pretty! I especially like the picture in the snow!

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  25. That quilt is fantastic! Awesome!!!

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  26. this is so wonderful, Lynette! So beautiful...and love the reproduction fabrics. Fabulous work/artistry in this.

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  27. I love the quilted wagon on the quilt that is just fantastic. Makes me really want to work on my quilting skills and designs. Thanks for linking up.

    Richard and Tanya Quilts
    Track My Shows

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  28. Hello!

    This wagon wheels west quilt is GORGEOUS! I have been searching for this pattern and can't get anything to come up except a track back to your blog. Where can I find this pattern? The fabrics are rich and gorgeous.

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