Tablecloth Quilts

I've had quite a dramatic week but more about that later!

For most of our married life, (just celebrated 55 years anniversary!) hubby was in charge of preparing our breakfast. Because our dining room table is quite large when extended, he used to fold the tablecloth in half and just set the end where we always sat. It wasn't easy for him to fold the large tablecloth evenly, so I thought I would make a quilt to fit the half size. I had some left over fabric from the Garden Party fabric range so whipped up this simple quilt and for many years we have used it for our meals.

I discovered that a quilted tablecloth has some advantages over a normal tablecloth, the main one being that it is so easy to lay on the table. Because it has the extra body from two layers of fabric plus batting, it doesn't slip about and the edges don't blow up in the breeze. 

At one stage, I had a whole lot of "leaders and enders" half square triangles, so I made that up into a tablecloth too: 

A few years back I decided I really should try to overcome my fear of free-motion quilting and I made this simple quilt on which to practise. It too became a tablecloth:

When I was designing for Craft Magazines, my "Midnight in the Garden" Quilt with its pretty flower-like Dresdens was published. I made it using the Quilt-as-you-Go method. (Pattern is available here.) I decided that this would make a pretty tablecloth too and took it into use. However, it is not ideal. See those Suffolk Puff Yo-Yos, with a button centre, they are an invitation for a glass to topple over! Tablecloths need to be flat and this design is better as a lap quilt.

Recently when I was searching through my very full craft drawers, I found some butterflies appliqued to fabric. When I made them a few years ago, I wasn't happy with something about them so they were rejected and didn't end up in the quilt I was making. It wasn't difficult to remove them and reapply them to some new fabric.

Then I found eight quilt blocks I had made, using the same fabric range. I had grand dreams of making them into a quilt 'one day'. 

You guessed it - I decided to make us a new tablecloth! A flower was added:

Another flower with a bullion-loop edging, and yes a Suffolk Puff or two (I'm a slow learner, but it's in the middle away from where I would put drinking glasses!)

and a new tablecloth was born:

I quite like the result and enjoyed putting it together and now it gets regular use. These tablecloth quilts are not heirlooms, so it doesn't matter if things get spilled on them. They get thrown in the washing machine and I don't think any of them have stains - not that I can readily see anyway! If you are like me, you will have some quilts made to hang on the wall, others for adorning the beds, some are for giving away to family, others are too precious to use. I am happy to have found a use for these 'ordinary ones', moving them out of the overcrowded craft storage area into the linen cupboard!

My darling hubby had another fall last Monday, the second in eight days. He was taken by ambulance to hospital and thankfully all the tests, scans and x-rays have shown there is no damage apart from a gash above his eye and the frames of his glasses being broken. However, his stay in hospital has highlighted his high-dependency care needs with two nurses needing to get him out of bed, sit him up etc. It has become apparent after consultations with his GP, hospital staff, social workers and doctors, that he can no longer receive the care he needs at home. 

When we trust our lives into God's hands, He sure knows how to work things out!!! In just four days, things have been organised for hubby to leave hospital when he is medically stable (he has an infection or two being treated with antibiotics) and go straight into a room in the local Churches of Christ Aged Care facility for two weeks Respite and then Permanent Care! Aged Care Beds in our local area are, as the social worker said, 'scarce as hen's teeth'. We have had friends wait for months, but in the amazing, perfect timing of our Lord, the right level Room is available in the facility of our choice which is just 12 minutes from home! God is SO GOOD!

As you can imagine, it's been a whirlwind of a week and I seem to have been on the phone almost non-stop, but through it all I have had this amazing peace from God that is beyond understanding. I expected to be a blubbery mess, and yes, it has been an emotional experience, but I have been wrapped in God's love and I just thank Him for smoothing the way and providing all we need.

Thank you to so many of you who have given your support and prayers.

May blessings be upon you all.

Val