Library Envy

 
 
I have a wonderful local library.  It never disappoints, but the modern structure can't compete with the North Adams Public Library in MA.  The mansion was the home of Sanford and Eliza Blackinton from 1869 thru 1896.  In 1897 the mansion was purchased by the city for the public library and opened the following year. 
 
Wouldn't you love to checkout a book and settle in the parlor to read the first few chapters? 
 
 

 Libraries are great places to visit on your travels!

How cool are these stacks!

 



 

 Just up the road I ran into another sweet library - the Gilbert Hart Library in Wallingford, Vermont.  The library was given to the Town of Wallingford on July 25, 1894 by Gilbert Hart.  It is built in the Neo-Classical style.  The foundation and lower walls are rock-faced blue marble and the upper walls are terra-cotta buff brick.
 

 

 

 
Another great parlor for reading!
 

The view looking out the front windows in the children's room.

A close-up of the front exterior.

 

 

 I've found some great Halloween inspired photos to share from my recent travels to Charleston, SC; Stow, VT and Deerfield, MA.  All the tombstone art is from the 19th century.

 

 

 

The sun wasn't co-operating, but this one was very cool.

 

And so you don't feel cheated by no quilt content (and as a reward for sticking with me 'til the end), I spied this sweet string star crib quilt in an antique shop stop.  Sorry to say it didn't come home with me.

 

 

 

H a p p y   H a l l o w e e n ! ! !

Sundew

On the way to the AQSG seminar in Charleston, I stopped at the Lexington County Museum (SC).  The applique quilt at left was a show stopper as you entered the quilt display room.  The applique quilt to the right in the following photo seems to be a more primitive rendering of the same design.   Notice the quilt hanging on the left - this quilt was made by two sisters with obvious difference of opinion on design choice.

The same applique design was on display at the Charleston Museum.  The placard at the museum identified the design as Sundew, a carnivorous plant.  The design appears to be indigenous to Lexington County, South Carolina.  My pic from the Charleston Museum is blurry due to the glass barrier, but want to include for your comparison.

I've recently been collecting some older quilts that have asked to come home with me - this is a new endeavour for me.  The following Bear's Paw quilt was a BD present to myself.  How can you abandon an old quilt, unloved, in a drafty antique mall?  This quilt whispered 'Halloween' to me - I was sold!

Jan and I are doing a 'pick up' from the quilter next week.  I have another for 'drop off'.  Chipping away at the long list!

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Anyone else having trouble with Blogger?  Finally had to use an alternate browser.  I still can't update the 'On the Nightstand' section and Jan can't upload pics.  

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 -