Ohana Means Family

Last spring, I had the idea that I would make each of our children a quilt for Christmas.  I made this Jelly Roll 1600 quilt top with our middle daughter in mind.

Then the six month contract Dave had been hired for was cancelled after little more than two months.   The quilt top got folded and placed in the bottom of my suitcase and traveled from place to place with us for the rest of the year and in turn made the trip with us to Florida for the winter.

One of the things I’ve discovered since our daughter’s diagnosis is the incredible feeling of helplessness that can sweep over a parent. To keep myself busy and to feel like I was doing something, anything… no matter how small, I decided to finish that quilt for her as a surprize.

We sent it off by Express Mail last Monday. Now that she has received it, I can show it to you.

I hand embroidered the words Aloha, Hope, Love and Ohana through all layers of the quilt.

I used the beautiful Hawaiian fabric I mentioned in this post for the back.

The quilt was mailed inside the matching tote bag from that post, as well.

After the quilt was washed and dried, I attached this label.

I wanted her to know that her Dad had helped me make the quilt too.  He helped to get the quilt top, batting and backing ready to quilt. He made all the meals during that time.

When my shoulders and neck ached in protest from doing the hand basting and then maneuvering the quilt while doing the machine quilting and then again while hand sewing the binding to the back, Dave provided much needed massages so that I could push through and get it finished to send to her.

I’ve decided to call the quilt “Ohana Aloha.” It is my hope that whenever she needs to feel us near that she’ll wrap the quilt around her and feel her family’s love for her.

I would be so pleased if you chose to share by clicking on one of the buttons below!