Road Trip Report

Vicki and I had a great weekend in Iowa last month.  We went to hear the fabulous Julie Silber speak about Amish quilts.  She was a delight to talk with, and her lecture was beyond informative - very engaging.  If you have a chance to listen to her speak, don't pass it up!

We took some time to peruse some shops along the way, and an antique mall.  It was loaded with antique quilts.  Here are some favorites:

This one nearly made it home with me.  Just look at all that close, lovely hand quilting!

When I was growing up, my Mom's set of childhood encyclopedias resided in the bookcase.  When I saw this box, and with the letter J on it, well, you know, I had to have it!  I'm thinking that the inside could be varnished, and doll quilts displayed in it.  It would also make a nice, little bookshelf.

This basket pattern is uncommon, and a good one, I think.

Vibrant bowties, with yummy pinks, reds and indigo.

And another sweetie pie bowtie.

Plan B

I've made some progress on my current project which I'll post about at the end, but there's been other quilty stuff going on.  Jan and I took a short road trip last weekend - stopped at five quilt shops (one in last days of liquidating - $2/yd!), attended a lecture on Amish quilts by Julie Silber and visited the Kalona Quilt and Textile Museum - not bad for a two day trip!.  The shop at left is Inspirations in Hills, Iowa - our favorite - brimming with repro's and beautiful samples.







The Kalona Quilt and Textile Museum includes two rooms of quilts - one English and one Amish.  At right is my favorite quilt from the current exhibit.  This log cabin quilt is c. 1870.  




I didn't keep up with the baby basket July block challenge from Temecula Quilt Co.  I did complete 10 blocks.  I need two more for the setting I have in mind. So, I switched leader/ender project to small pre-cut tumblers picked up at the Chicago Quilt Show - two packs of 50 tumblers (following Jan's lead, as this was her find!).  




I laid these out as they came from the package with minimal re-arranging.  Amazing how the row shrinks as it's pieced.

I finished piecing my 'Plan B' modified Oceans Wave.  My design wall leads down the hallway, so I couldn't get a straight on shot.  I need to pull out the hst I've completed for the back and get started on finishing this one up.  Thanks for stopping by!

Surprises at the Chicago Show

A bit of a late post, but I wanted to share some of my favorite quilts at the recent Chicago Show - yeah, it came back!  It was missed the last couple of years when it relocated to Ohio.
The surprise is that there were many modern quilts, and I was thrilled to see them.  The modern quilt movement is just incredible, in my opinion.  We are witness to an entirely new way of approaching the quilt medium.  It is so fresh, and, I must say, traces it's roots directly to the liberated methods of Gwen Marston.  I truly believe that she broke ground for what we are seeing.  I'm curious as to what you think.
Here are some of my favorites...

 Zinnia, by Lynn Harris of Chelsea, Michigan

 Hugs & Hugs, by Hannah Talecka of Columbia, Missouri

 Tilework, by Elizabeth Harvatine of Toluca Lake, California

 Down Pat, by Pat Budge of Garden Valley, Idaho

Cherry Blossoms #8, by Noriko Endo

Cutest Baby Contest

These blocks would win the 'Cutest Baby Block' in most community Fourth of July contests.  Have you joined the Temecula Quilt Company July Cakestand Challenge?  The block is a bit fiddly, but so cute - finishes at 2"!  Jan, this looks made for you. 

 My blocks aren't perfect, but I'm OK with that.  I'm all caught up - one block a day for the month of July.


In fact, I'm a block ahead.  I had a mishap in placement on my first block and thought I'd use if for the center of the back.  Now, I think I'll use it on the front - give 'em something to talk about.

Who's Your Neighbor?

This doesn't look like much of a quilt block.  But, join a few together and the pattern emerges.  This wasn't the placement I originally planned - a mistake in my sample block took me in a different direction.  Each of the units at left have nine combinations, so you have to know 'who's your neighbor'?  This isn't a quilt to work on while enjoying a glass of wine, but it's not really hard to keep straight.  I'm over halfway done constructing the top.  I've decided to do the original plan (inspired by an antique quilt from the Arkansas book posted about here) for the back with hst's finishing at 2.5".  The top hst's finish at 2".  I'm lovin' the chrome yellow!

Thanks to evening hours, I visited Thistle Bee Quilt Shoppe (featured in Quilt Sampler Fall/Winter 2011) in Goldsboro, NC - a great diversion from work.  The shop is almost totally repro's and has great samples.  Following are a few pics -

Cutting, Cutting and More Cutting

 

 

Long time, no post, but I have actually been busy in the sewing room.  Inspired by Colonial Squares, made by the prolific Keryn, this quilt has been on my mental to-do list ever since she made hers.  My version is a charm quilt, mainly because I have so many 4" swatchs from Vintage & Vogue.  They would send out swatches of all the new reproduction lines on a monthly basis.  (This was probably back in the '90's, and I don't think they still offer this, though.)  Being the weirdo that I am, I prewashed, and dried all of them, then stacked them in a boot box.  I know that you will understand when I say that the box is still nearly full! 

If this design inspires you, be sure to check out Keryn's detailed instructions on putting together an on-point quilt.  I intend to use her method when I begin sewing this together.  Make sure you have time to spare if you haven't been on Keryn's blog - what a feast for the eyes!  Then, check out her twin sister, Mereth's,  blog, Pages from Me.  These girls are so artistic, and make such wonderful quilts!  You will love them!

Back soon with other projects - promise!

Bits and Bobs

Two blocks done from the quilt I posted about last time.  I'm using bits and pieces of my skimpy hotel scrap bin - I think it will make for interesting blocks.  The blocks will be set together with alternate muslin (not this distracting background).   The fabrics in the left block are hard to see - too much sun when I was taking pics.  Here are close ups -   

I've also been working on the Ocean Waves variation I posted about here.  I think I've got all the hst for the blocks sewn.  I need to do a count - I might be short one.  This is the stack that remains to be sewn into four units of four -

And what's left to trim - I've brought these with me to finish up in the hotel this week.  I'm hoping to have this one ready to play on the design wall soon!  Feels like ages since I've made major progress.










Thought you might like to see one of my purchases from my day at Mt Dora.  Isn't she sweet?