Luke’s Quilt

Luke’s twin size quilt–shown on queen size bed

It is so easy to come up with sewing projects for daughters and granddaughters.  But finding things for the boys, especially as they grow older, is a real challenge.

My dear friend, Suzanne Sawko, has always made fabulous things for her four grandsons. Now, she is on a quilting binge and the boys are quite pleased with their birthday gifts.  This one was made for 11 year-old Luke.

Do you see “Luke” in the quilting?

The pieced pattern is made even more interesting by the free motion stippling that covers most of the quilt.

Suzanne personalizes every project she makes for her grandchildren.  At a glance, this quilt is lovely yet still masculine. But there are little private jokes, stories and experiences woven into the the patches that Luke can enjoy privately.

Each grandchild has received a sock monkey from Suzanne, “Mamaw.”  This is a machine embroidered rememberance of his lost monkey.

Years ago, the pink sock monkey Suzanne made for Luke was lost.  He has always suspected one of his girl cousins kidnapped it and they argue about it still.

More obvious personalizations are the many times “Luke” appears in the quilting.

Suzanne has inspired me to start planning quilts for my two grandsons as the get older.

I am so fortunate to have Suzanne Sawko as my friend and sewing pal. We have collaborated on many projects and taught together around the country.  Our friendship extends into every area of our lives, but is richer for our mutual passion for sewing.

Our fairly regular Monday “meeting” is a 4-5 hour lunch, often mixed up with a field trip to a fabric store.  We laugh, swap grandchildren stories and talk sewing, followed by more sewing talk.  It is a weekly creative outlet and a shot of inspiration.

Suzanne is a whirlwind of productivity.   While providing daily daycare for varying combinations of her 6 grandchildren she crochets non-stop, smocks and stitches heirloom dresses and everyday cuties for two granddaughters, refinishes furniture, has huge birthday   bashes for everyone in her family (3 children and their spouses, 6 grandchildren and her husband), paints murals for the children’s playroom, provides  manages to come up with kid-pleasing sewing projects for her 4 grandsons.

I wish you all had a sewing friend nearby for inspiration and collaboration.  Some of you are blessed with sewing groups or family members who sew.  But for those of you who are out there by yourselves, I hope this blog and others can help fill that gap.

I’d love to hear about your sewing friend connections.