Various Quilts Given as Gifts
Healing Hands Quilt
There is a helpless feeling when one is told that a family member has been diagnosed with cancer.  When I found my brother, Roy, was to be treated for cancer in his throat, I did the only thing I could; I made him a quilt to lie beneath as he recovered.  I contacted family members and asked them to trace their hand and send it to me.  The hands were traced on to one large sheet of muslin and embroidered with red thread.  Each person's name was written next to their hand.  The border is a series of flannel patches and the quilt is backed in flannel.  It was my first attempt at machine quilting such a large quilt, but I wanted him to have the quilt when his treatments began.  This was the fastest made quilt I have ever done...two weeks from start to finish.  Whew!  (Mar.6-20, 2000)
        Update March 2005.  My brother is doing well and is now the grandfather of a baby boy, Carson Vanella, and a baby girl, Ashlee Fipp. :)
Sammy's & Molly's Quilts
Sammy's and Molly's mom, Katy Schrum, generously gives scraps from the dresses she makes for her daughters to my friend, Pat Llapitan and me.  We decided to return the favor and make a quilt for each of the girls using the scraps from their dresses.
To the right is Molly's quilt and below is Sammy checking over her quilt (given March 23, 2001 just in time for her ninth birthday!) with Katy pointing out a certain fabric and Pat looking on.
Pat made the pieced squares in each quilt and I made squares using applique.  We each pieced the borders and put together a top.  I machine quilted each and Pat finished them off by attaching the binding and the labels.  
We had extra of the border so we inserted it into the backing.  (below right)
Josie Chambers' Quilt
Buying a first home is always exciting!  To help fellow Team Success teacher, Josie Chambers celebrate the purchase of her first home, I gave her the quilt pictured above.  At left she is just opening her gift.  (March 2001)
The quilt is machine pieced and machine quilted.
When my longtime best friend and quilting buddy, Bonnie, reached a milestone birthday it was time (November 2001) to give her a special quilt.
This table runner has paper pieced flowers appliqued onto squares that are then set on point and connected with a sashing.
I hand quilted it.  The border was quilted from the back as the pattern on the front is so 'busy.'
The photo copies (on the back) of our many fun times together over the last 25 years were printed on an inkjet printer to fabric that had been treated with Bubble Jet Set 2000.
 Bonnie's Birthday Quilt
This wallhanging was made for my daughter-in-law, Julia Greenfield, for her birthday, April 14, 2005.  

Thanks to Kitty Pippin of the Annie's Star Quilt Guild for the pattern from her first book.
 Julia's Birthday Quilt
When I saw a panel print at Windy Moon quilt store in Reno, NV I knew I needed to buy it and make it into a quilt for my son, Adam, and his family since it was the colors of their living room.  I cut out the various individual photos from the panel and machine appliqued them onto flannel squares.  Once squares were sewn together the entire front was quilted to a fleece backing without a batting.  It made for a nice couch 'throw.'  We gave it to them for Christmas 2006.
      Update March 2008.  Roy is still cancer-free and has two more grandchildren...Lilly Fipp and Ryley Vanella. :)
As the 2007-2008 school year drew to a close (as well as my career ending), I needed to thank Joan Hasek for acting as a special education long-term substitute in the same room I occupied.  For her I made a table runner as a reminder of our year together.

For the dedicated, hard-working Team Success paraprofessionals, a small wall hanging for each of them with photos and word lists of thanks.

    Elaine Helmick,    Brenda Linton,    Cheryl Nagy,     Pam Parker,      Anita Koehler
This wallhanging was made for my dear friend, Kay Keen.  After seeing her newly painted bedroom (with a space on the wall that would be perfect for a quilt!) and being inspired by a new fabric at Morning Star Quilts (store in Paradise, CA), I just had to make this quilt.

I used the tips and hints I learned from a class I took from Jeri Boe this last summer in Sisters, OR to cut and place the fabric squares.  The three dimensional flower in the lower left corner was inspired by the works of Melinda Bula. 
Kay's Flowers
details of stitching and quilting
October 25, 2008
Farewell Gifts
Rays of Hope and Love
Morning Star Quilts quilt store sponsored a challenge in the spring of 2009 and this was my entry, using batik fabrics supplied (sight unseen in a brown paper bag).  All quilts were donated to cancer patients receiving treatment at a local facility.  I was lucky to donate my quilt to a friend whose daughter had been a student of mine.
  I had fun making the quilt using techniques I had recently learned ...fabric stamping, foiling, sewing with metallic thread, and reverse applique.  I quilted in words of 'LOVE' and 'HOPE' in reverse so they could be seen from the back while under the quilt.
'HOPE' from the back
(left) foiling and metallic thread in the rays from the star
(left)'Love' and 'Hope' stamped on the fabric 
(below) reverse and traditional applique
(above) happy recipient
My prayers, love and hope are with you.