He was also hooked on paper piecing.
This paper pieced one is the last we worked on together. He was in a hospital bed in the living room and I set up a sewing table nearby and he made the paper pieces while my sisters and I sewed it all together.
This is the last one he made while he was living on his own. Things were getting wonky with him but he cut and pieced every one of these squares. I planned this to just be busy work for him but he managed to turn it into a masterpiece.
After his first hexie quilt he paper pieced this batik beauty of a runner. I was working on one just like it at the time and I can tell you this is NOT an easy pattern to paper piece.
Another paper pieced beauty. I remember always fighting with him over color placement. He was always right. I was always wrong. I did NOT inherit his eye for color.
This one is my favorite. While he was in the nursing home I put this together from all his scraps and leftover hexies. It's become my security blanket.
He didn't always paper piece. Look at those colors.
I could go on and on. There are so many. I remember not being able to keep up with the finishing. He wanted everyone he ever met to have a quilt and I think he met his goal.
Mom would have laughed herself silly at the sight of her bad boy of a husband sitting at his sewing table. She was his inspiration when he found her fabric scraps but she would have been so confused. Even now I have a hard time putting this all together in my head. It just goes to show you that you're never too old to start a new chapter. All you have to do is turn the page. 
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Oh. My. Gosh. Each quilt is more lovely than the last. I hope you enjoyed sharing all these beautiful quilts…the patterns! the colors! the shapes!….because I SO enjoyed seeing them! Thank you, what a blessing to have these works of love and art….great memories…treasures for certain. Thanks again, happy weekend, Virginia
ReplyDeleteSo many beauties!! And, I imagine, so many memories. It's all wonderful.
ReplyDeleteEach of your father's quilts is truly beautiful. I love how they were a "family affair" with your mother's fabric, your dad piecing, cutting, and placing, and you and your sisters sewing and quilting. Thanks for sharing these works of art.
ReplyDeleteHe had a great eye for color! They're all so happy and different! Love them! What a good daughter you are.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful quilts and what wonderful memories they must bring you. I particularly love the last one he did with all the squares. Just beautiful!! I love it when men do 'women's work.' There was a rough looking biker (just as nice as he could be but he looked like he'd rather kill you than look at you) in the knitting group I used to attend. It always cracked me up to see this rough looking guy sitting there knitting amongst the old ladies.
ReplyDeleteThat is such a beautiful assortment of quilts! Your Dad was very talented with his retirement hobby.
ReplyDeleteAll so absolutely beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post!!!!! I love the work your Dad and you did together-precious.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful testament to your dad. And how lucky are you to have a few of his pieces. I treasure the embroidery and knitting I have that my mum did, although the quality of her knitting towards the end broke my heart a little. She had been such a wonderful knitter; she even knitted a cardigan for herself once using pushbike spokes! Towards the end the hands and eyes just didn't co-operate any more.
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