A Vision to Remember

A Vision to Remember: custom rag quilt, ruffle curtain, toddler bedding, car seat cover, rag quilt pattern, flannel, cotton fabric, baby blanket, valance, diaper bag

[avisiontoremember]

Our kids have begged for years for us to build a treehouse. 

The only problem is that we didn't have any trees big enough for a treehouse. We built our home 11 years ago and have struggled with growing trees as it is. But even with 11 years, a tree in Idaho isn't going to big enough or strong enough to host a treehouse. 

So my husband dreamed up this beautiful (un)treehouse. 

The basic specs: 

Posts are 12" square. Platform is 10 feet off of the ground and measures about 12 feet on each side

We didn't use any plans. Dillon is really good at having a plan, drawing it out, one step at a time, and executing it.

We painted the platform before proceeding with building the walls. We figured it would be easier to paint now instead of trying to trim out with the walls on. We also painted the underneath part of the platform and around the edges. But not the pretreated posts.

First walls are going up. If you see that cute little vintage metal slide behind the platform. We used the slide stairs for the ladder to get onto the platform, and attached the slide to the other side to create a "Playground"

 Next walls going up. Doorway. Check. Window boxes will be going in the next steps

In the middle of building, Dillon missed a box jump at Crossfit and landed on his shoulder and broke the shoulder blade. This made for some interesting building, and lots of me lending my (not as useful) muscles to the project. But we both powered through and are so proud of what we were able to build. 

Window boxes and wall sheeting up next.

The inside wasn't as pretty as...you know..we would like. So a quick coat (3 coats later) of barn paint inside, with all hands on deck (even the 2 year old). It turned out beautifully 

Front almost done. Just needs a little bit of trim. If you look in the doorway you can see a sneakpeak of a fun feature we added to the treehouse. 

Railing coming up next. Gotta make it safe for the kiddos (and adults!)

We used metal tubing and angle, welded together to create one very strong rail. 

The weathered wooden fencing that we used on the railing (and as the surprise inside) came from Dillon's grandpas fence that was torn down. I love that there is some sentimentality involved in the project. Great Grandpa's fence, Grandpa's hands helping to build (in the hat below), and dad. All working together to create something lasting and beautiful.

Railing done, and it has the nephew's approval. Slide and stairs have been attached.

We just have a few more finishing touches. The project took all summer, plus a broken bone, and a few scrapes and bruises. But we are in love

Just needs a little trim work and the door

 Now for the surprise. After getting the inside all painted...we added a fun detail to the ceiling of the treehouse. The wooden fence from Grandpas...we screwed to the ceiling. I love the detail and that little reminder of him. 

Treehouse is all done. Completed with our favorite American symbol...the US Flag and our cute barn quilt. 

I love the metal slide too. It came from an old school down the road from where we live. It's gotta be over 100 years old and still loved by many

Front shot! Love the detail of the railing, the trim, the slide. I just love how it turned out. It was a hard project, but worth every minute of it.

We added a couple little embellishments underneath. A plastic culvert for climbing through, and an old tire we found down the field abandoned. 

  Make sure to checkout our matching chicken coop made out of pallets. You won't want to miss it!

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[avisiontoremember]

​check out our newest releases crib quilts, baby blankets, quilts for everyone in our shop at avtrboutique.com

Check out the video on our YouTube channel 

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We have had many requests over the years for kits for you to sew your very own rag quilt. We have listened and offer a wide variety of kits in our supplies shop (avtrfabrics.com)

 Below is a small sampling of our most popular quilt kits. Make sure to check them out. 

Clicking on the pictures will take you directly to the quilt kit on etsy. 

  More quilt kits are available by going to our supply shop on etsy

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Washing a rag quilt can be so daunting. If you've heard the horror stories, then you've heard that washing machines have been destroyed. Dryers have burned to the ground. Laundromats have banned all rag quilts.

 (all the above are EXAGGERATIONS! and a bit silly)

But, in reality rag quilts shed.  A lot! 

But we have come up with a few simple steps to help with the shredded lint. 

Give your quilt a quick shake before throwing it in the wash.This will get rid of the fibers already falling off. I would make sure to shake it somewhere you don't care if you end up with flying fibers. Outside, in a garage, in the living room followed by a quick vacuum. Whatever works for you

Throw it in the washer with other things. I like to wash with towels. I also like to do a rinse only to start with. Just to get the quilt wet. This also helps with clogging the drain pipe. You'll remove most of the fibers in the dryer.

Throw it in the dryer with wool dryer balls and a couple towels. The balls and towels help to remove more of the lint and to catch it as well.

Check your lint catcher OFTEN. In a 60 minute dry time I check 2-3 times. More if its a big quilt. 

Rewash quilt if you want to wash with detergent, followed by another dry time. 

After 2-3 wash/dry cycles your quilt shouldn't shed too much anymore. 

I often am asked if the quilt will shed past the sewing and the blanket fall apart. I personally use this quilt daily, and have for almost 10 years. I love it. I even added minky to the back of the quilt so its perfect all winter in cold snowy Idaho. It is still going strong. No holes. No falling apart. 

There may be types of fabric that will shred past the sewing, but I wouldn't recommend using it in the first place. It is most likely a very thin or loosely woven fabric to begin with. But in making rag quilts since 2009 professionally, I haven't had a quilt fall apart due to shredding past the seam

  https://ift.tt/9Mjl31O

[avisiontoremember]

You've created a beautiful rag quilt by picking out the perfect fabric, it's clipped, it's washed and dried (using our tips and tricks), but now it is out of the washing machine and dryer and it COVERED in fuzzy little lint pieces. 

 Gah! No fun right?

Nope! You've got this. It's easy.

All it takes is a lint roller. 

So quick and easy. It picks up those annoying little fibers.

They are pretty cheap. They can be found at the Dollar Store, Amazon, Walmart. I am sure you could even find them at your local grocery store!

 Now a word about lint rollers. We use them a lot. I have found these lint rollers to be my absolute favorite for everything lint roller worthy

     These lint rollers come with a handle that is more like a paint roller. It rolls smoothly and lasts through all 12 of those refills, plus many more. My only grief is that I have tried to purchase just the refills, but haven't found a place to only get the refills and not the handles. I've got quite the stockpile of handles these days but they seriously last forever and are such great quality. The lint roller itself is sticky enough that it picks up the fibers, but not so sticky that its hard to roll. 

I highly recommend them!

 Now a word about this video. Its a quick one. Around 1 minute. It walks you through washing a quilt from start to finish, including the final cleaning of the rag quilt with a lint roller. So if you're only interested in the lint roller part, head to the last 30 seconds or so.

    Affiliate links included. Thank you for supporting our family business <3

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[avisiontoremember]

Have you every wondered how to finish a rag quilt? We hope that this post you will find helpful in finishing a rag quilt edge.

Rag quilts are a fun and unique type of quilt. They are quick to assemble, and do not require quilting. There are times though that I like to change up the way I finish my rag quilt. Some of these methods are not standard for finishing a rag quilt, but they can make adding minky to the back much easier.

 Adding minky to the back or a traditional cotton/flannel quilt back is another way to finish the quilt. We use the inside out method and then top stitch around the edge of the quilt to create a beautiful edge. For more info check out this blog post on adding a minky back to a rag quilt

The traditional, and easiest, way to finish a rag quilt is to stitch around the entire perimeter with a 1/2'' seam allowance. Then clip the outer edge of the quilt, just as you have clipped the seam allowances. This is the method that I use the most, and is the standard way to finish your quilt. If you want this type of finished quilt to be more than a lightweight quilt, then make your quilt with the batting layer

This is also a fairly common way to finish a rag quilt. For this method, fold the outer edge of the quilt 1/2'' over the front of the quilt, and then topstitch 1/4'' from the fold. You can clip the 1/4'' seam allowance or leave it to fray without clipping.

You can use the traditional way to finish a quilt, with binding, for a rag quilt. This method will give a you a nice, clean finished edge like a regular quilt.

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Typical quilts are made by first creating a quilt top, then by making a quilt sandwich that includes the quilt top, batting, and backing. Rag quilting short cuts the quilt top assembly and creates the quilt top while sewing the backing and batting pieces at the same time.

You have several different options for the middle layer.

Warm and Natural Batting

Warm and Natural batting will give your quilt a really nice weight. If you choose to use this as your middle layer, you will need to cut the batting pieces 1'' smaller than the bottom and top layers so that the batting doesn't show in the exposed seams on the top of the quilt.

You will not be able to use batting for patterns like the Flying Geese, the Hourglass Pillow, or the Arrow Quilt because as you are assembling your quilt you will be cutting sewn pieces, and then sewing them again. Your batting would show in the exposed seams.

If you use Warm and Natural for your middle layer, you must quilt each and every one of your fabric sandwiches. If you don't, the batting will move around and ball up in your quilt when it is washed. One easy way to quilt the sandwiches is to sew an X in the sandwich from point to point. But you can quilt the block using any quilting technique.

Examples of sewing squares together before sewing the quilt together: 

X from corner to corner

Quilting like on a quilt over entire block 

 Straight line quilting

Flannel Fabric for Rag Quilt Batting

For the middle layers in my quilts, I prefer a coordinating layer of flannel. The flannel will add color to your quilt in the exposed seams, while still adding weight.

Cut the middle layer the same size as the bottom layer. This middle layer works well for the quilt assembly method where pieces are sewn together and then cut to make different shaped blocks. Quilts like Flying Geese, the Hourglass Pillow, or the Arrow Quilt will be perfect for flannel middle layers.

Another reason I prefer flannel for the middle layer is that it keeps the cost of the quilt down. Flannel costs about half as much as Warm and Natural batting.

Below is a quilt I made with black flannel batting, red flannel back, and kids pajamas as the top of the quilt. I loved how it turned out.  It was very warm and snuggly!

 I used the easy peasy rag quilt pattern for the above quilt. It can be found in our rag quilt pattern shop on etsy.

  https://ift.tt/AcsBOGF

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Once your quilt has been sewn and clipped, you will need to wash it.

A LOT of little threads will fall off your quilt at this point. Those threads can wreak havoc on your washing machine, especially newer machines. To avoid this problem, run the blade of a butter knife across the seams to help start the fraying process before you put the quilt in the machine. Take the quilt outside and shake it vigorously. This will remove many of those loose threads.

  If you plan on quilting and binding the quilt, you will need to clip and wash the quilt.  Then you will quilt and bind the quilt to finish it off. 

I have a basic washing machine that doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles, and it has held up well and I wash several rag quilts every week for the last three years.

Another option is to wash the quilt at a laundromat. But make sure that you butter knife your quilt first and shake it off before washing the quilt there.

When you dry your quilt, many more little threads will come off. The lint filter will catch a lot of them, and you will need to clean it several times during the drying process. I also like to throw an old towel in with the quilt. The towel helps catch those loose threads, and it helps dry the quilt more quickly.

We created a quick little video that shows our process of washing quilts. It is simple and quick. No bells or whistles

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[avisiontoremember]

Threading needles can be one of the most frustrating parts of sewing. Right!?

But I have found a couple really simple tricks that help when I am trying to thread a needle. They work EVERY Time

Needles have Front and Back - If the needle is being stubborn and not threading...turn the needle around and try to thread it from the other side. 

Wet the needle NOT just the thread - Out of habit I always stick thread quickly on my tongue to get it damp. But it makes all the difference when I do the same with my needle.   

Give the end of the thread a quick trim - If the thread has any kinks, fibers, or other small things on the end it will prevent it from easily going through the eye of the needle. Give that thread a quick trim, even if you trimmed it and wasn't successful in threading the needle once. 

Have you given these tricks a try? I bet ya that they work 1

 This works for sewing machine needles, yarn needles, quilting needles, embroidery needles, and every other needle imaginable to man kind.

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[avisiontoremember]

Seam allowances and rag quilts are a funny topic among avid rag quilters. There really is no right or wrong answer when it comes to answering this age old questions.  But there might be a right answer for you!

Let me help you decide which seam allowance is best for you.   

  How to Determine the Best Rag Quilt Seam Allowance

 Fluffiniess vs hiding fabric - the width of the exposed seam allowance will partially cover up the fabric underneath it. But rag quilts are also known for the fluffy exposed seams. If using a small block, reduce the width of the exposed seam (the seam allowance) to allow for the block to be more visible (for example a 5 inch block with a 1 inch seam allowance will only show about 3 inches of the block. Versus a 5 inch block with a 1/2 inch seam allowance will show 4 inches of the block)

Clipping the Seams - the width of the clipped seams also lends to the how fluffy the exposed seam is. Clip 1/8th inch apart from each other for a very ragged effect, or clip 1/4 inch apart as the picture above is. 

Type of Fabric - if using 100% cotton fabric, the exposed seam will really fluff up a lot. Cotton frays, which is exactly what is wanted for rag quilts. A wider seam allowance will be great with 100% cotton fabrics. If using polyester, minky, or other fabrics that don't fray as well, a smaller seam allowance will be best. 

I personally use (and prefer) a 1/2 inch seam allowance. Especially because of the skinny rectangles I most often use in quilts. It allows for more of the rectangle to be visible. 

I also prefer it over a wider one, as that is the perfect width for the scissors that I use to easily open up to, the clip the next spot. 

These are the scissors I personally prefer (and a post about all the ones I have tried)

In 2021 alone, I sewed and clipped over 200 quilts for A Vision to Remember (also known as avtrboutique.com)

  For all of the majority of those quilts, I used the Easy Peasy Rag Quilt pattern with a 1/2 inch seam allowance.

As always, please let us know if you have any questions by emailing me at [email protected]

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[avisiontoremember]

The type of fabric you choose for your rag quilt is very important. The frayed edges, and washing the quilt AFTER you’ve assembled and BEFORE using it, make rag quilting very unique. So here are a few tips on choosing the right fabrics, and why. 

To choose the best fabrics for rag quilts, or to see if you have the right fabrics for your rag quilts here are a few characteristics of good rag quilt material: 

• 100 percent cotton. Cotton fabric frays. Polyester fabric does not. If you want your exposed seams to fray and get really fluffy, then you will want to choose 100 percent cotton fabrics. How do you know if the fabric is 100 percent or not? Look at the top of the bolt for the fabric content. If it says 100 percent cotton, you are good to go. If you love a fabric that is not 100 percent cotton, it will be ok! But keep in mind that wherever that fabric is in your quilt, it will not fray. The flannel underneath it, and the cotton fabrics surrounding it, will all fray and get really fluffy. But the non-cotton fabrics, especially polyester, will not. This includes Minky, fleece, and broadcloth fabrics. They will not fray at all, but if you don’t mind that your exposed seams are not fluffy, then go ahead and use these fabrics. If you REALLY want a Minky back to the quilt, check out the best method for adding one. 

• Softness. When I am snuggled up under a quilt, I want it to be soft and cuddly. When choosing fabric in your local quilt shop, make sure to get a feel for the fabric, and not just the looks of it.

 • Colorfast fabric. I can’t tell you how many quilts I have ruined over the years because I bought a cheap fabric, thinking I needed to save a buck, then saw that one fabric bleed into all my other fabrics after my beautiful quilt was sewn together and washed. Red fabrics are the worst! But I will tell you my little secret for avoiding the dreaded fabric bleed: Buy designer fabrics. Riley Blake is my favorite, but you can also use Cloud 9, Moda, Art Gallery, Windam Fabrics, Robert Kaufman and others. They are all amazing quality, but more important, when I’ve used these fabrics, they have never bled. Not once. 

If you are shopping in a big box store and find the fabric that you can’t live without, give that fabric a couple of good prewashes before you put it in the quilt. After the quilt is finished, throw in a color catcher when you wash it, especially the first two or three times. 

 • Flannel or cotton? Contrary to popular belief, flannel fabric is not the only fabric one can use to make a rag quilt. Flannel frays amazingly well, but quilting cottons also fray pretty darn well too. For all of my rag quilt tops, I use a combination of flannels and cotton fabrics for the top layer of the rag quilt. I actually prefer to use only cotton fabrics for the tops of rag quilts. Flannel fabrics that have designs on them seem to look dull after a few washes, and begin to look not as bright as the rest of the cotton fabrics in the top of the quilt. I’ve seen flannel fabrics (especially discount flannel fabrics) begin to look very worn after being washed only a handful of times. After putting in all that time and money to make a beautiful quilt, I would get discouraged if the quilt began to look old after using it only a couple of times. So I try to stick with quilting cottons for the top of the quilt.

For the back of the quilt, I use solid flannels. I’ve found that the majority of the time, even inexpensive solid flannels hold their colors and don’t fray or peel as much as the flannel prints. Plus, flannel solids are available in a huge assortment of every color of the rainbow, with many colors in between. My absolute favorite brand is Robert Kaufman for flannel solids and we carry them in our online fabric shop.

• Quality. I am sure you’ve heard a million times that it is best to buy designer fabrics from your favorite quilt shop. I tend to lean to this opinion. I have made so many quilts over the years, and the quilts with the designer fabrics from the brands we all know and love have held up the best. But, I have also found some very beautiful, quality fabrics at the big box stores, and these also have held up through the years. When you are choosing fabrics, take time to run each fabric through your fingers and make sure it feels nice. Look at how tight the weave is; if it is loose it will not hold up very well. Hold the fabric up to see how well it drapes. If it is really stiff and doesn’t drape well, then it probably will not be comfortable to snuggle up with.

Choosing the right fabrics for your rag quilt is very important if you want a long lasting quilt to treasure for yourself or to give to a special person, especially when you put so much time, effort, and money into making such a unique and beautiful quilt.

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[avisiontoremember]

Isn't the best gift from a small child, a handpicked bouquet of wild flowers. Even if they're dandelions! They're so bright and cheery and sometimes make the most beautiful carpet...even though they're weeds

That is why we created this fun wooden bouquet holder for all wildflowers and dandelions. It will be a favorite each year to pick a special flower selection for a special mom and grandma.

https://ift.tt/3nN80pN

[avisiontoremember]

I don't know about you, but about the middle of January (now that Christmas is over) when the cold settles in the frozen tundra of Idaho, I start to not want to EVER leave my house! Like Ever...

Reading a book has definitely helped me to chase away the winter blues over the years. There isn't much better than snuggling under warm blanket (our favorites can be found in our shop) with a good book.

This winter, I have been taking advantage of our small town Public Library. For it being in a teeny tiny trailer, they have done an amazing job of stocking it to the gills with wonderful books for everyone in the family.

But when I read a library book, there can't be any of my lazy book reading ways...like folding over the page corner, laying the book upside down to hold the page, or finding whatever is nearest to me to hold the pages open til the next time I am back to reading.

 My solution....These beautiful chunky paper clips! They have been so wonderful to use as bookmarks. They don't fall out easily, they are really quick and easy to insert into the pages whenever I am needed elsewhere, and they're cute! 

They are also the perfect gift for another reading fanatic. Perfect to hold your favorite recipe in the recipe book. Or marking any other page, or keeping a stack of papers together. 

Even though I make them in our cute little shop, these are one of my most used things in my house. I really love them that much!

I am a historical fiction kinda reader. I like to feel like I am learning something while also just enjoying relaxing and reading, without having to think too much. 

My guilty pleasure in reading lately has been regency romance novels. Amazingly (and thankfully) there is an entire sub genre of good, clean, love stories. Deseret book, Cove Fort Publishing, and others have many of these types of books.

 Sarah M Eden has got to be one of my absolute favorite authors in this genre. She has a couple series that have been amazingly spun of 2 different families. But those series also intermix with its characters and stories. Along with the series there are a few standalone books that also can be read alone or together with the series. I have read these series several times and have even bought the books...cause they really are that good! There are so many nuances of little things that I pick up on each time I read them.

The first is the lancaster series  along with the Jonquil Brothers Along with these series she is starting another series called the Gents which also goes along with the first 2 series. 

One of my biggest pet peeves, when reading novels, is that the characters begin and end. With these series that Sarah has masterfully crafted, we are able to learn and grow with each of the characters as they build throughout the series. Each book focuses on a different main character, but the other characters are consistent throughout all the books. I love it. My 15 year old loves the series just as much as I do. 

The best part...I don't have to worry about her reading things not appropriate to her age and experiences. Plus, If I don't want her reading those things, then I probably shouldn't be reading it either.

  https://ift.tt/33pUxga

[avisiontoremember]

With valentines day right around the corner, we are on the hunt for the perfect cards for Valentines Day! I don't know about you, but it is always fun to come up with a unique styled valentines day card 

The puzzles come in a large variety of styles and each one can be personalized with a name, date, or any word that you would like. If you have custom requests make sure to let us know by messaging us on etsy, or emailing us at [email protected] and we will get your custom request take care of!

The puzzles are so much fun to color with markers or paint. They are perfect for classrooms, for gifting to parents, grandparents, siblings, teachers, or anyone else you can think of! 

I especially love the idea of gifting to the special someone for them to leave on their desk for those that come visit to take a minute to put it together. 

To purchase yours please visit our etsy shop or our website

https://ift.tt/3JLp8Ws

[avisiontoremember]

Keepsake quilt from clothing. A labor of love made to last ❤️ https://www.instagram.com/p/CQrCfycrtPB/?utm_medium=tumblr

[avisiontoremember]

Sports baby rag quilt. Drop and emoji 👇🏻 with your fav sport https://www.instagram.com/p/CQGeqeRr6I-/?utm_medium=tumblr

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Love these shabby pillow shams 😍 making up new colors today...what colors would you like to see? https://www.instagram.com/p/CNnKSyurz_4/?igshid=jwhvci8mr2if