Autumn's Quilt / Jesus Goggles & Completed Top Hat

 I know it's probably not a great idea to include so much information in one post but it seems to be feast or famine with me.   Perhaps eventually I will be able to complete single topic posts.

This week has been a week of quilting accomplishments both for me and for my friend Debbie in San Antonio.  You can check previous posts to read about the quilts we have been making for Elijah and Autumn, who were involved in a serious automobile accident in early May.  We have been friends with Elijah and his family for probably twelve to thirteen years.

Autumn has brain injuries but is in a rehab facility and is progressing rapidly in her healing process.  Elijah is still not conscious and may be moved to a long term acute care facility soon.  Please continue to pray for these two young adults and really pray that Elijah will become conscious.  You can read their awesome story here: https://elijahandautumn.wordpress.com   Just reading the blog is awesome.  The families have difficult times but are such an encouragement as they continue learning to totally rely upon the Lord.

My friend Debbie, who volunteered to make a quilt for Autumn, has completed her task.  These are signature quilts so that friends and family can write a note of encouragement in the open blocks.  So Debbie left the larger background space open.  We will also provide them with fabric markers for use on the quilts.  Here are some photos of how Debbie quilted Autumn's memory quilt:

Autumn's quilt will hopefully be delivered to her next week while my sister-in-law and her husband are in town.  They will be bringing the quilt with them from San Antonio.

Elijah's quilt is still being completed.  I will be adding some words of encouragement on the inner border and will try to get most of it completed next week.

We are also both preparing a small memory quilt for the mothers of Elijah and Autumn. After reading a post by Elijah's mother, Brenna, this past week, inspiration struck as to what to do with the scraps from his quilt.  The title of the post was Jesus Goggles.  Elijah's parents had been given some devastating news by a new neurosurgeon called in for a second opinion.  She explained how hearing the news brought upon her and her husband, some of the darkest moments of their life.  As the information began to be processed, she received inspiration to look at the situation through Jesus Goggles, or through the eyes of faith that God was in control.  And looking through those goggles brought hope.  After reading this post, I looked at Elijah's quilt, and saw a magnificent sight.  Staring me in the face were:

Jesus Goggles!

I had exactly two blocks remaining from construction of the quilt and they worked perfectly.  So although this portion is a surprise for Mom, I don't think I am in danger of risking the element of surprise and am in the process of hand stitching the binding on a very simple but very poignant:

This wall hanging / runner is about 20"  x 25".  The quilting is very simple with i's and e's.  The words were free motion quilted on Nina in zig zag mode.  I love all that this little memory quilt stands for and know that Brenna will ever remember the grace God has given her to walk this path.

And finally......TOP HAT

I showed Top Hat recently as a customer quilt but had trouble completing it as I worked on a quilt for Elijah.  Top Hat was finished this morning and I love it!  What a lovely quilt.

Here is a close up of the quilting:

The backing was a simple polka dot that blended nicely with the quilt top:

Top Hat is a five yard quilt, one yard each from five different fabrics.  I might try this with some of my stash yardage!

So have a great Thursday and Friday join me as I link up with http://myquiltinfatuation.blogspot.com, http://confessionsofafabricaddict.blogspot.com and http://crazymomquilts.blogspot.com