some progress

This is my newest applique project. It is a wreath inspired by a horseshoe shaped block I saw a picture of on Janet's blog a while back. After "visiting" the picture several times I knew I wanted to make something using the happy flower shapes.
I have spent some time arranging and rearranging the second half of this wreath - and yes the seam ripper has been used. Finally I have a plan! :0) I still don't know yet what I'm going to do in the center - obviously I can't fit it all in - some of it will though I think.

Here is the original block taken from a book of antique Baltimore Album quilts. Thanks Janet for letting me post your picture here! It is such a happy arrangement of flowers, leaves and buds - I find it quite irresistible. :0)

I'd be making faster progress on the wreath if I wasn't making these blocks at the same time. Just this little bit of applique is a bit of a distraction. I am enjoying the process and there is no rush!

A friend of mine went to Houston and she has posted a few lovely antique quilts and some others on her blog here.

Happy Quilting!!

crib quilt

I finished the crib quilt for my sister's baby. No sign of the wee one yet but she's due any day now. I washed it up so it would be soft and a bit crinkly.
My littlest daughter is 21 months old now - she "helped" with a prop for a second picture. :0)
I was away in Vancouver last weekend (my other sister had her 3rd son) And while it looks like winter here, in Vancouver there are still flowers blooming.

I don't know what kind of flower it is and I'm pondering how I would applique it - the petals are interesting.

Happy Quilting!

doll quilt

Carrie over at A Passion for Applique posted about an old quilt made with double knits. It reminded me of this little doll quilt that my Grandma made for me when I was very small around 1972-3.
It is made from double knits, corduroy and velvet on a muslin foundation. It's not quilted and the backing is blue corduroy brought around to the front for binding. The green velvet centers are left over from matching dresses she sewed for my cousin and I. The other fabrics are scraps - some from her clothes that I remember. There is even a couple "poverty patches" in it - strips pieced to be the right length to use. It has been well used :0)

This is what I have been doing with my leader/ender 9 patches. I'm still a bit amazed that I bought grey fabric to set them with. I don't have any grey in my stash at all. But I wanted the 9 patches to shine and this warm grey lets them do that. I plan to handquilt baptist fans all over it. I think the grey print gives it an old look.

And... since I finished piecing the crib quilt I needed a new piecing project to work on. These blocks are from the book Remembering Adelia by Kathleen Tracy. I don't know how many I'll make or how I will set them but meanwhile I'm having fun!

Happy Quilting!!

gift ready to give

Just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving (this weekend) I have this little table topper ready to give to my sister-in -law.
I had so much fun quilting this. I quilted a big target in the center, outline quilted the applique and added berries and leaves in the open areas. I had trouble choosing a fabric for binding and in the end I went with a brown print.

Here is a little close up of the quilting. I learned so much as I hand quilted my last couple projects that I think I might be ready to baste and start on my 4 block applique quilt I posted about here. I also need to get a new applique project started. I've so many ideas its hard to pick just one :0)

Happy Quilting!

ready to quilt

This little crib quilt sure went together fast. I'm going to very cowardly machine quilt this in the ditch. :0) I'm trying to figure out how to piece the backing today. And this came in the mail yesterday! I did a little dance of glee when I opened it and saw the pages and pages of fabulous antique quilts in it.

Now I have so many new project ideas I hardly know where to start!

Happy Quilting!!

fall finish

I'm pleased to have this little hanging ready to put up for fall.
I quilted it by machine. I was happy with the "in the ditch" stitching. I am less happy with the free motion quilting. I realize that I won't get any better at it if I don't practice... To me it looks a bit like a tangle of vines - which could be very appropriate for a pumpkin.
Happy quilting!!

some thoughts about history

I'm all ready to quilt this little hanging now. It was a bit of a rush job - the proportions are a bit off I think and there shouldn't be a red goose so close to the red leaf but...oh well :0)



These are the first 6 blocks for my sister's baby quilt. I think its safe to post it - I don't think she's ever looked at my blog. She wanted the soft green and the soft turquoise - I added the brown and white for some contrast. They are big blocks - only 3 more to make. It doesn't look much like a baby quilt to me but her taste is different from mine (more modern). I hope she likes it! The pattern is from American Patchwork and Quilting Dec 05 issue.

I've been thinking a lot about the Civil War Bride quilt - and enjoying the wonderful blocks people are making and posting on the blog. I broke down and ordered the Treasury of American Quilts so I could look more closely at the original. I have never ordered anything over the internet before - that could be a slippery slope lol. I also really like this Reconciliation quilt made by Lucinda Ward Honstain in 1867. Here it is pictured in the March/April 2009 Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting magazine. So... I'm thinking a bit about stitching a quilt about my own personal history. Not that I've lived through any major historical events in any personal way but... I think I think it would be more meaningful to me and perhaps to my kids. There are a few problems - I don't think my red minivan would look that great appliqued on a quilt block. I think the horses, camels and elephants add so much interest to these 2 old quilts. So I have some more thinking to do. Thanks for reading my ramblings and if you have some thoughts please share them!
Happy Quilting!!