This quilt was made as a gift to my parents in honor of their 40th wdding anniversay in 1983. The colors were inspired by a beautiful Kermin rug in their living room. The center design of hand stitching in each ring was hand drawn; I wanted to incorporate an adaptation of the Fleur de Lys pattern.

My parents used the quilt only for special occasions when hosting hosting overnight guests. However, it did get used as a colorful bedspread in my father's Eskaton apartment the final two years of his life. It is in his memory that I enter this quilt --
Jerry van de Erve 1909 - 2007.

This was the first time that I tried paper piecing. I had had the book for over a year before I tried to sew one of the blocks. The block turned out pretty so I tried another, and then another. It took 3 years to complete the blocks. There are over 3,900 pieces in the center block and triagles. The pattern came from Garden Stars, by Liz Schultz and Stephen Seifert.

I have alwyas loved the look of a Lone Star quilt, so I just had to make one. I named it in the memory of my grandson.

I love Lonni Rossi fabrics, and I found this pattern in a McCall's Quilting magazine. I knew I had to make it! I decided to quilt the individual flowers in the border. It took forever, but I love the results.

When I retired from teaching kindergarten 6 years ago and began making quilts, I decided to make king sized quilts for my 2 daughters and 5 grandchildren (to be given as wedding gifts eventually). This is Quilt #6. I'm avearging 1 large quilt a year. There are 4 more quilts in various stages, so apparently this is a 10-year operation! Let's hope my arthritic hands can continue to cuet and sew.

A major problem in making this quilt occurred when the book I was using called for 24 blocks. When I sewed them together with the sashing pieces and borders, the quilt top hung way off the end of the bed and onto the floor! I had to remove 4 blocks that will be used to make pillows!