A trio of Hamsa quiltlet gifts

Three weddings among our small religious school staff during our year with "Peace Love & Music" theme gave me the challenge to make something special for these friends.  The gifts were commissioned by our Religious School Director and would be given from the entire Religious School Staff.  Something alike yet different was needed as well as something incorporating the Judaic charms that Marna gave me.  My ideal goal was to create original pieces that would be well-loved by each of the three newly married couples.   Months of pondering lead to the idea that was shared in the post here and the finished pieces are below.

This first Hamsa quiltlet of Peace, Love and Music was made especially for Sarah and Michael, the first couple to marry of the three.  The fabric used for the hamsa is the same that I used to applique a dove on my block for their wedding chuppah.

 My dove block is on the farthest side of the chuppah - in other words, you can't really see it in this photo...

so here it is or click here.

 The beautiful bride Sarah and her Mom Cathy smile in anticipation.

One serious groom Michael is focused during the ketubah signing.

The second Hamsa quiltlet of Peace, Love and Music was gifted to a journalist Michael (another different Michael, of course) and his bride Rachael.

   

I loved using this newsprint fabric for this wonderful couple whose wedding was a lovely outdoor setting in Central Texas.  Purple was also a prominent color in their wedding and reception.

 Such beautiful smiles by newlyweds in love!

Cutting the cake is always a fun time at weddings, and moments captured on other's smart phones is the new normal.  Do you see the purple kippah?

The third Hamsa quiltlet of Peace, Love and Music is in orange, the favorite color of the groom Matt.  I hope his bride likes it as much as I do -- it may feature my favorite quilting too.  Note: I only quilt my smaller pieces, such as these which are approximately 15" x 18".

 Their wedding was small and intimate amidst the trees in the Houston Arboretum.  I do not have any photos of their small wedding and reception, so will share a favorite from last summer, when the groom Matt was traveling in Israel as a chaperone for a group of teens from our religious school (a group that included my sons).  I think he does like orange!

These three quilts were a joy to make for my friends.  They were finally completed and gifted to the couples in June, after the school year ended, though a sneak preview was shown during our closing school luncheon for the faculty.

I've missed the linky at the beginning of the month (again) but this is for the final linky for the month of June in "A Lovely Year of Finishes" ... sigh.  However, it's never too late to finish something!

Join this monthly challenge group "A Lovely Year of Quilt Finishes" at any time.  In the first few days of the month, you post your goal for the month, then in the closing days of that same month, you post your successful completion.  It's that simple.  To keep it fun, there are prizes awarded randomly - woo-hoo!  I am linky #64 on the completion posts.
(Is this a perfect number?   Eight-squared - I love playing with numbers, don't you?)

Once a pair of shorts ....

 The original pair of denim shorts once worn by my teenage son is destined to be re-purposed into something new and different.

 

I began by removing the metal zipper -- isn't un-stitching a joy?  

At least when it is not undoing something I have just stitched together!

 

Andy says "can I be in the picture too?"

(Why did I think I could take photos with the jeans on the floor with Andy in the house?)

Besides taking out the metal zipper, I also took apart the inner side seams.

Now to figure out how to do the next step.... or maybe I should start of deciding what part of the shorts will be the front and sides .....

Oh, did I mention, I'm planning to make a new totebag?

I had intended to finish it to swap in the September Totebag Swap that was held with the Houston Modern Quilt Guild (HMQG).  This is the funky kitty fabric that I plan to use as the tote's lining (do you think Andy will mind?).

This is one of my "starts" for September, one of my NewFOs. 

I do confess that I love the challenge of starting something new each month?

Stay tuned as I aim to finish my jeans-kitty totebag in October as part of my "A Lovely Year of Finishes" Challenge!  I hereby declare that this is my goal for the month of October.
Click here to see the others (I'm #25).

This is a fun challenge aimed at finishing projects and achieving goals.  It is helping me to select and then focus on one project each month (once I've selected one to finish!).  Please join in if you'd like to.  It is very easy.  Here's how:  decide your goal for the month and declare it publicly, with a link on the Lovely Year of Finishes Goal Setting Linky Party (open the first seven days of the month).  Then work like crazy to achieve your goal and post your successes to the Finishes Linky Party (during the last seven days of the month).

To make it even more fun, a few lucky finishers win prizes! I know, because I won a prize in August from Thimblepies Quilty Supplies!  My prize was four 1-yard cuts of lovey fabrics (they remind me of 30s Reproductions) and two packages of rickrack.  Thank you Jane Holbrook!

I also started (and finished) this sweet dove block for a friend's approaching wedding.  Click here to see my dove before I autographed it.

Does it count as a NewFO if I finished it?  (answer: Yes, it does!)

Click here to see the other NewFOs started in September, 2014 (I am #20).

My dove

Mazel Tov to Sarah and Michael!

This sweet dove block is one I've made especially for Sarah and Michael,  two dear friends.  It will be one of many blocks made especially for them in honor of their fast approaching wedding.  All the blocks will be stitched together to make their wedding chuppah.  It promises to be one of their first 'family heirlooms' to be treasured for years and years and years.

One final touch is for me to sign it.....