The Ferrari Abstract Quilt for Brad

Brad, when I had you fill out your list of favorite things in March of 2010, one thing you wrote down was that your favorite car was a Ferrari F40.  I found this picture and thought it was beautiful!:





I wanted to make a quilt to represent your love of cars, especially this car.  I mentioned it to Papa and he said he would like to design something for me.  He came up with a couple of designs and we chose one together and that is how your quilt was born!

After he designed it, he gave me all the dimensions and then it was my job to figure out how to put it together.  One of the first things I wanted to do was to find the best way to recreate the Ferrari logo that you see in the picture by the outside mirror. 

First I tried printing it on my computer but it just didn’t give it the piazza that I wanted.  So, I started looking for official Ferrari patches to iron and sew onto your quilt.  Of course I found some on Ebay. 

After my third purchase of patches (just wasn’t satisfied with the first two purchases), I found the right ones!  I think they definitely add to your quilt.  That was my new thing on a quilt – to add patches to it.  I ironed them on then sewed them as I want them to last a long, long time!

The other thing we had to decide was what color to make the back.  Papa thought something that looked like leather to represent the inside but we just couldn’t find anything that was right.  After I got the quilt top completed, I took it to the fabric store and decide on a Bright Yellow to represent the other color that you see on the body of Ferrari’s.  

The quilt wasn’t too hard to put together, just a little tricky with the red fabric, prewashing and keeping my fingers crossed during the washing after it was completed that it would not bleed onto the white fabric.  I found some sheets that you put in the washing machine as you wash the quilt that is suppose to capture all the extra color and it worked!

I stitched in the ditch with Red cotton thread for the top with yellow cotton thread in the bobbin for the back (you will see a little bit of red thread on the back that came through).  I finished your quilt on July 30, 2011 (Katie’s Birthday!). 

I was really excited to give it to you, which I did on October 22, 2011 while we were visiting you in Boise.

We hope you love it!!!  We think it is really a cool quilt, definitely one-of-a-kind – totally thought up by your Papa!  You will not see anything like it anywhere (unless someone copies it!). 

Here is a list of Brad’s favorite things as told to me in March of 2010: 

Number:  15 - because that is when I get to start driving

Season:  Summer

Sport:  Baseball

TV show:  The A-Team

Color:  Forest Green

Animal:  Bearded Dragon Lizard

Subjects at school:  Math and PE

Car:  Ferrari F40

Movie:  The First three Star Wars (4, 5, 6)

Dessert:  Chocolate Cake with Choc. Frosting and Ice Cream

Food:  Spinach

Other things I like:  Twinkies, Game boy

Author or types of books to read: Diary of a Wimpy Kid--Papa would think these are funny too. And Mystery

Book of Mormon figure and why: 2000 stripling warriors because they were brave and blessed not to be killed

Bible story: Noah's Ark

Favorite place to go: Hobby Shop

Someday I'd like to: Get a cool car

Anything else you'd like to share with me? I love you

I love you too!!!

One of our favorite things to do is to go to the park with the kids when we are visiting.  We took this picture of Brad.  What a good looking kid!!!

  

Here is an updated list (October 2011) of additional things Brad likes:

Riding ATV's, Cars, Riding Bikes, Official Nerf Champion of neighborhood, launching rockets, playing games, trains.

Brad, I just want you to know that I had a lot of fun making your quilt.  I'm glad you like it.  I also want you to know how much I love you.  You have always made me so happy.  Being the first grandchild is a very special spot!  It also means you have your sisters, brother and cousins looking up to you.  I am so proud of you and the good example you have been thus far to them.  I hope you will always try to choose the best things and have a happy life! 

I wanted to include this picture of you at the Golden Wheel with your ice cream sundae!  You look so good in your white shirt.  It is very neat that your dad has continued the tradition of taking you to the Golden Wheel fter General Conference Priesthood session, just as Papa's father took  him.  Iit is exciting for both Papa and I to watch you grow and progress.  We are very proud of you that you are worthy to hold the Priesthood and look forward to seeing you accomplish many great things in your life. 

Love, Gramma