Wednesday, August 28, 2013

A Bookshelf for My Sister ... no, for Me

For several years I saved fabric selvedge pieces that had names and designers that sounded like they could be book titles. Examples: "Garden Tales" by Tracie Lyn Huskamp; "Annalee" by Jane Dixon.

My plan all along was to make a quilt to give to my sister, thinking she would want to hang it in her bookstore. She does have a quilt spot behind the cash register.

Finally this year I found two big chunks of fabric on sale. They were good options for the book shelves and frame. I have been working on the quilt this week. It has been a lot of fun, but also a lot of putzy work. I managed to finish the main part, and I love it! I decided that I want to keep it, because... I just do. I will definitely let my sister borrow it for extended times, to hang in her shop, but I'll want to get it back.

Here's what I have done so far:


I have more ideas in mind for how to finish it off, more additions that will improve its believability as a bookshelf. I can't wait to see it as a completed quilt!

My sister didn't know I had this in mind for her all these years, so I don't think she'll mind that I will keep it. After all, I'm saving her the problem of storing the quilt when she doesn't want it on display. Aren't I a great sister??

17 comments:

Tracey in CT said...

This is gorgeous, Carol! I would want to keep it for myself, too! I think it is very thoughtful of you to keep it for her when she doesn't have it on dislay. I really love the touches of the cameras on the shelves!

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

You are not only a great sister, but a great designer. I love this idea and I would have a hard time parting with it too if I had made it.

Pam said...

Wow, I LOVE this!! What a neat idea, and beautifully executed. Love the giraffes in there, too. :)

Anonymous said...

What an amazing quilt! The details are so fun.

Mystic Quilter said...

What a great quilt - love the selvedges for the spines of the books, would never of thought of that!

joe tulips said...

This is fantastic! I would want to keep it too! Yes, your a great sister. May she just needs a mug rug with the leftovers.

Nann said...

Clever, clever! I've forwarded the link to the ALA BiblioQuilters group....and I will regard my bag(s) of cut-off selvedges in a new light.

kt said...

Oh my! What a wonderful quilt; now I have to go upstairs and look at all the selvedges that I have been saving. We just had a floor to ceiling bookshelf built on one wall of what should have been the dining room; something like this would be perfect!

Thanks for the inspiration!

Quilter Kathy said...

This is awesome..what a creative idea!

Carol E. said...

Thanks, everyone. What nice comments! I did have fun making this one.

KatieQ said...

I know I couldn't give this quilt up. It's wonderful.

Gunilla syr och skriver said...

Your bookshelf-quilt is beautiful!

Helen said...

Such a great idea for using selveges. It's a very charming quilt. I can see why you wouldn't want to give it away.

Dar said...

You are so clever and your use of selvages has reached new highs for me. I save selvages and have made several quilts and items from them. However, I love your idea for using those resembling book titles for a book shelf quilt. I may have to copy the idea on a smaller scale for my sewing room. Your added objects on the shelf make it more believable too.

Inés - Trapitos de colores said...

Enhorabuena ¡¡ me encanta tu libreria. Saludos desde Sevilla

martine said...

this is such a nice idea and I'm going to save the selvages like you did to make my own library quilt.
I love it.

Linda at Roscoe's Ma said...

THIS is AMAZING!!