I've been working on this with an infected (and PAINFUL) finger that I kept banging on the machine repeatedly. I started it Friday after I washed the last of the fabric I got for it on Thursday. I really have no idea what I was doing.

I was going to fold the backing over the front and finish the edges that way. But nooooooo.... I was 2" too short of the fabric I had to do that. So I searched here and found a post by Hastings on 'bagging' it. So that's what I did to it. I cursed my self also. There was a LOT of swearing involved in this!

I stitched around the kanji, phoenixes, and dragons. I didn't do much detail, but it took forever to do anyway. It seemed so much easier in my mind.

This is for the guy I write to that is in prison in Florida. (Anyone remember the train wreck thread I started about birthday cards for him about a year and a half ago?:rolleyes:) Anyway he is getting out this Tuesday, the 15th. He goes by Phoenix so I thought I'd do something nice for him to mark the occasion.

I can't get a decent shot of the stitching on the back right now and I'm too tired and sore to figure out how to do it tonight. So get reallllly close to the screen and squint. You may see some of it then. I'll try for a better pic tomorrow.
http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachments/sewing-mamas/64172d1200286415-my-first-quilt-d-mn-thing-done-phoenixquiltdone.jpg
I can't for the life of me get the full size back pic up.

It's lovely! But I already told you that :D

I love it :D

Beautiful - I'm sure he will love it!

lovely! I'm sure he will love it!! great job!

What is the image? A print or applique?? Either way, awesome quilt!!

What is the image? A print or applique?? Either way, awesome quilt!!
It's a print. I just stitched around the images. It still took a lot more patience that I ever thought I had. :p

Thanks for the compliments :)

Very nice! :D

I guess I missed the thread about this before. I am super curious. How did you get in touch with him and do you plan to have a continuing friendship now that he is getting out? I have long had a strange interest in reading to prisoners but haven't done it yet. I think I may in my retirement years if that sort of thing is allowed. Cool quilt! - Josie

That's really gorgeous Steph. What an awesome gift :)

This is the best picture I could get of the stitching on the back. I took it outside and tried. It's snowing, so that's what the specks are. I had to get the camera a few inches from it too.
http://www.amitymama.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=64178&stc=1&d=1200321512
I did the entire back like this. This is just one of the phoenix's head.

Steph, that's amazing.. and what a cool gift to celebrate his release!

my son saw this and now he wants one! wanna make another?

I guess I missed the thread about this before. I am super curious. How did you get in touch with him and do you plan to have a continuing friendship now that he is getting out? I have long had a strange interest in reading to prisoners but haven't done it yet. I think I may in my retirement years if that sort of thing is allowed. Cool quilt! - Josie
I 'met' his mom on another message board I sporadically post at. She was commenting in a thread that she wish someone would write to her son so that he didn't feel that he was alone. So I PMd her and asked for his info if she didn't mind me writing. I was already writing to one other prisoner at the time so I just added another. Then a few months later I added another. Now that Phoenix getting out I'm back down to two. One is in for 35-life (CA 3 strikes) and the other is in for a hell of a long time, don't remember how long off hand.

I do plan on still being his friend now that he is out. I'm not interested in anything more than a friendship with him and he knows that and accepts that.

my son saw this and now he wants one! wanna make another?
I think I need to take more of my crazy pills before I do something like that again anytime soon :p

AWESOME!!!

Thanks for sharing. I found a website to write a prisoner if anyone is interested: WriteAPrisoner.com Homepage Prisoner Ads and Photos (http://www.writeaprisoner.com/)

I am thinking about doing this but dh would probably flip out!

Thanks for sharing. I found a website to write a prisoner if anyone is interested: WriteAPrisoner.com Homepage Prisoner Ads and Photos (http://www.writeaprisoner.com/)

I am thinking about doing this but dh would probably flip out!My initial Penpal I found on PrisonerLife.com - Networking Prisoners, Prisons and the Worldb (http://www.prisonerlife.com) I chose farthest away, last likely to be released, and in for a 'lesser' thing. (Some write what they are in for on their ads, some states you can read all about the offender on the DOC site.

I like that sweety. GREAT job!!

What an awesome job you did with the stitching! Very very nice.
and I hope your finger is better now!

incredible!

That's amazing! Great job!

What an awesome job you did with the stitching! Very very nice.
and I hope your finger is better now!

Nope, not quite as painful, but still really raw and sore. Alternating coating it in icthammol (drawing salve) and soaking in soggy arnica flowers helped it a good bit. But I let it go way too long and it's going to take a bit to get better since I generally heal slowly anyway.

Thanks for the compliments. :)

I still haven't heard anything from him. But I'm sure it's crazy there, and he wants/needs to spend time with his family. I should be the last thing on his mind right now. I will definately post an update once I do hear from him though.