Happy Holidays

Tin Template, Reproduction Doll Quilt, Vintage Santa Wreath

Treasure Friends and Family

Tape Measure, Needle Cases w/Thimbles, Pin Cushion

Happy Holidays!

We will be back in 2013 with more to share!

Quilts of Christmas Past

Pattern:  One-Block Wonders Cubed (Rosenthal/Pelzmann) 

Did you make quilts for a gift this holiday season?  Perhaps still getting the last stitches in?

I didn't gift anything quilty this year but thought I would share some quilts of Christmas Past...these all live in other homes, so these are old pictures.

Batik Cubes - I enjoyed this so much I made two - one for my son and one for a SIL.  I'd like to make one for me someday.

Roxy has to try and get into all quilt pictures

This is a quilt we gave to my BIL.  He loves to hunt deer and I had a really hard time getting into that theme.  Once again I turned to One Block Wonders (book 1).

The first border is a Nancy Kirk Civil War brown.

The outer border is a birch tree print - fitting for a winter
'deer in the woods' theme.

When I look at it now I would like to move some of the blocks around...but all in all I was pleased with the result.

This is the back of the quilt - showing the deer print before it was cut.

I also made a One Block Wonders quilt with a blue toile and it worked great - that was a graduation gift quilt.  Maybe it is getting time to make one of these for myself...
You can read more about Maxine HERE.

There are many more quilts of Christams Past, fun to review past quilts and compare to where I am today.


Have a great week!

Log Cabin WIP and FREE eBook

Log Cabin Quilt
by:  Mary Jane Ruggles Dickinson (184801925)
Collection:  Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum

A couple friends and I are doing Log Cabin quilts - reproductions of our favorites.  We are at different stages.
One is cutting strips - looking at patterns, one is quilting and ready for binding.  Let's just say mine is....lingering.

This is my inspiration quilt, with happenstance...

I saw it pictured in the McCall's Vintage Quilts Spring 2004.  Little did I know at the time I would be living in Colorado and making frequent visits to the Rocky Mountain Quilt Museum.

You can see the details and vivid color of the quilt on The Quilt Index HERE.

So about my Lingering Log cabin...
This is it - the blocks and all the strips after the movers decided to repackage my project bag.

Not only do they need ironed, but sorted...again by length and color.

I think it will be a snowy day project...

It is an assortment of repro fabrics - many eras - a true scrap quilt.


I also have a log cabin in my collection.  I wrote about it HERE.  I also showed some of the blocks - Proof they were neat at one point!

Thinking of a log cabin project?  Like to look at old quilts?  For FREE?
FREE eBook HERE.
(You do have to register but once you do - all their eBook library is free once you register.)
I'm not sure what I like more - the Sara Miller antique crib quilt picture or the block chart table!  Well, maybe it's Sara's Courthouse Steps with blue centers.  Or...2" blocks for a doll quilt...

Enjoy the free eBooks - and wish me luck ironing!

Workt By Hand Hidden Labor in Historical Quilts 2013

Brooklyn Museum Collection - ca 1840 Accession Number 67.93.5

The Brooklyn Museum - Brooklyn NY has a 2013 Quilt Exhibit:  (March 15 - September 15)


“Workt by Hand”: Hidden Labor and Historical Quilts Organized by Catherine Morris, Curator of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, Brooklyn Museum.

This exhibition is made possible by the Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation.

The museum also has a fabulous online catalog. 

These are just a few of the 144 records in their online collection:

Brooklyn Museum
ca 1830 103" x 104"    T Quilt for bed posts
Accession Number:  49.27
The online file has details photos

Brooklyn Museum ca: 1840-1850   95.5" x 101.5"Accession Number 43.142.3

Brooklyn Museum   ca. 1830-1840   88" x 85"Accession Number:  76.31

Brooklyn Museum67" x 80"  Accession Number:  63.32.44

In addition to the collection database, they have archives of past exhibits including quilts. 

1960 Quilts and Coverlets   Be prepared to flinch a little when you see the quilts roped up by their corners.  Always nice to see quilts photographed in black and white - very graphic.

1984 Curators Choice  Includes color and B&W photography of the quilts.  I also enjoyed seeing pictures of people as they viewed the exhibit.  You will see quilts from the collection photographs in the gallery setting.

I'm thinking a trip to New York might be in the 2013 travel plans!

Could you pick a favorite??  I couldn't! 

Hand Quilting Catherine

Note Catherine's itty bitty reverse applique

I've started my 'winter's work' hand quilting Catherine's Garden.

In this picture you can see one of the flower heads and some of the reproductions done by friends.  Cream and the Amy Butler banana.

I am fortunate to have my floor frame in the family room and spend at least an hour a day hand quilting.

Pattern with applique and hand quilting lines

The quilting lines from our 1855 original antique quilt are on our pattern pieces.   I was able to mark the quilt using my light box prior to loading it in the frame.

I mark with General's Sketch and Wash graphite pencils.

Once I have the 'feature' motifs and outline stitching done, I will go back and add the filler stitching.  I am considering doing the filler 'off frame' and put the floor frame away for the holiday.

outline and motif hand quilting

I decided on a solid cream backing fabric - just like Catherine did.  She used the yellow on her front background.

This is one of the quilted leaves she carefully positioned between her applique leaves.

She was an amazing quilter and designer.

As I quilt I get to re-visit all for the flowers and leaves she designed.

One of my applique friends is making the yellow ground with red backing - Love it!!

outlining the vines and leaves

What a great season to work on...
     several hundred inches of red vines...
     green leaves in numerous shapes....
     and 65 other flowers and leaves...


I find handwork so relaxing.

Roxy - quilters foot warmer

I don't quilt alone. This is Roxy and she likes to keep my toes warm as I quilt.

She's an old girl and sleeps much of the day and loves to be close to me.

We've transferred her into a harness because sometimes she needs a little help getting up.  That's the least I can do for a loyal quilting helper!

Are you are making time to quilt?
Have a great week.

Giving Thanks Along The Front Range

My Front Porch View

If you are celebrating the

United States Thanksgiving Holiday

      Have a wonderful time!

(Mine will include a little stitching)


Best Wishes from The Front Range in Colorado

Seeing Red - A Little Finish

Pattern:  Treasures From Holland
Petra Prins / Quilt Mania

I've been using lots of red...on the walls and in my quilts.

Seemed the perfect time to finish Little Red.

I posted about it last February, (seems like only last month)...  I had completed the top and was considering backings and bindings.  It sat for a while until it spoke to me and a comfortable decision was made.

I ended up using a conversational print shown in the pictures below as the backing.  I used the floral stripe from the sashing for binding.

It is machine pieced and hand quilted.
I used Quilters Dream Cotton and I think it is a little too heavy for my taste.  I'm going back to Fairfield Blue Ribbon on future projects.

Little Red Back with sewing aids

Since I'm on a red kick, I went through some of the sewing goodies looking for red.

Pictured are:
   Sewing Roll - Leather, silk tie about 3"
Ivory wool interior.

   Pin Ball - Red wool, black silk with rick rack trim and hanger.  Did you know rick rack (spellings vary) dates back to the 1800's?

   Sweet grass and red velvet pin cushion

2" x 4"  Shaker Sewing Roll

If you like your red more discreet - how about this sewing roll?

See the red peeking out along the edge?

Amazing what can be packed inside this little beauty.

The inside is lined in beautiful red silk fabric.

Wool pages are embroidered for storing pins and needles.

Three sewn leather pockets store needles.

The 'box' portion holds a thimble and thread spools.

The other end of the roll has a pocket and scissor sheath.

Note the separate lid that snaps over the box area.

I have a few of these in various style I'll share in future posts.

I have the tape loom threaded and have about two feet of tape woven.  Of course I am using some red threads.

I am learning about tension, speed and pattern!  Also reading about tape and loom history.

I will have enough to bind a small doll quilt...someday.

I am working on a longer post about tapes and the looms.

Are you working with anything red this week?  It has me thinking about the holidays!

Have a great weekend!!

Thank You Friends

Signature Quilt from California Friends

This has been a month filled with thoughtfulness from generous friends.

This signature quilt is from my California quilt study friends (Repiecers).  My friend Irene (90+ and still quilting) hand quilted it.

Each block is signed - I will treasure it always!

I am so fortunate to have them as friends and I look forward to seeing them again - soon.

Blue Bird of Happiness pin cushion is from my road trip friend

This sweet blue quilt was a surprise from blogger Doniene.

I first found her blog about her cabin and house in 2011.  'Doniene's 365 Days'.
Many a Sunday morning I shared entries with my family and we marveled at her skill building and utilizing reclaimed materials.  Like this example (click HERE) with solid wood flooring.  Impressive, and she builds furniture!

Blue Bird of Happiness Quilt

For the back of this quilt she used a Blue Bird Flour sack.

These sacks are still being used today.

Read more about Cortez Milling HERE.

What a treasure.  I'm keeping it at my desk where I can enjoy both sides!

She's also a quilter - and a very generous one too.  I hope to meet her in person someday.

Isn't this a lovely quilt?

It is from C. a very special and generous friend.
No blog yet - but she should!

It too is hand quilted and made of vintage quilt fabrics.  It too hangs in a place of honor where I enjoy it everyday.




Moving is hard - but I have the support of lots of friends - and have already met many new friends in my new home!   Thank you friends.

Let's all tell a friend today how special they are...
Have a great week.

Expression of Morris - A Finish

Fussy cut prints, and shading with prints

I have a finish - - My Expression of Morris, (Book by Katie Friesen)

I started it ...well, a few years ago.
It was a class, and all of the rest of the participants did theirs in batiks, as Katie did in her book.  I wanted to stitch with this talented applique group and they allowed me to go my own way with fabric prints.

There were doubters - but I think they came around.  Their batik choices were beautiful as well.  Show and Tell was always a treat.

Same pale blue printed ground fabric used throughout
70" x 70"

The applique is all needle turn by hand, with hand embroidery for some added detail.

It is hand quilted - outline around the shapes, 1/2" cross hatch in the background, and a four petal motif in all of the squares.

I also made two pillow cases to match, even though I didn't do the final border so it isn't bed sized.

There weren't as many William Morris reproduction fabrics when I made it, so many of the prints worked because of the color or repeat.

I enjoyed finding details in the prints, using all prints in the berries.

Katie designed an small insect in each block.   They are very subtle, and another detail I love.

I might add some additional quilting on the leaves, but it is bound and I am calling it complete for now.

These are some of the prints I used in the flowers.

The small sunflower petals include plaids and floral prints of various scale and value.

The lily petals also have floral and stripe prints.

I learn a lot stitching with friends and my applique improves with each project.




Now I'm off to work on a 'newer' project...and I'm oh so OK having multiple projects in the works!
How about you?
Have a great weekend!

Lincoln Road Trip - Getting There Is Half The Fun

Scrappy T Blocks - Love the green backing - hand quilted

 My friend flew into Denver and we spent a few days around Boulder warming up for the road trip.  There were sites to see, shops to visit and plans to make.

We hit the road a few days before seminar so we had plenty of time to leave the beaten path.
We couldn't resist Ogallala, Nebraska.

Let's just say we found a few things there...and got back on the road again.

Special Lily - I should have bought it

We stopped in a couple North Platte antique shops. We admired this Prim Lily, it will probably haunt me forever!

It was really hard to leave this one behind.

Note the little side sprouts on the stem and the pink buds.  Love the little star alternate blocks.

We gave it one last hug, checked out and hit the road again.

Love the use of fabrics

We went to Saint Paul, NE and admired the brick paved main street.  Of course, The Brick Street Antique Mall was a must stop.

We had lunch at the local diner (after putting our shopping in the car) and split the lunch special.
You can justify homemade blueberry pie ala mode when you split lunch, right?

They also had the local auctions listed on a bulletin board - oh the trouble we could find with a longer stay.

There were more stops to make so back on the road we went.  By this point we were laughing so hard about our adventures we didn't want the day to end.

We stayed over night in Grand Island.

The next day was set aside for 3rd Street.
Shop after shop....we lost hours shopping.

I got this charm quilt.
Hundreds of fabrics - no repeats.
Never washed.
Hand quilted.

By this time we had the car pretty full.  Someplace I have a picture taken from the front seat showing the bags filling the back seat.  Yes, we passed up many great things and look forward to going back.

A little charm detail

This charm quilt will keep me busy for a long time checking out all of the fabrics.

Something like 500 prints.

Bound with the backing rolled to the front and machine stitched down.

Each charm is hand quilted outlining the blocks.

Very random color placement.

Quite a few neon prints.

Tape Loom

There are a few treasures I'm not sharing and I don't have pictures of what my friend bought.  What happens in Nebraska stays in Nebraska - Right?
My most exciting find was this old tape loom.
The dealer had it labeled "What Is It?"  
I knew...
I have big plans for this so stay tuned.

Thanks for following this brief summary of our road trip.  It was great fun and I look forward to more great discoveries on future trips.


Don't you think getting there is half the fun?

Seminar 2012 American Quilt Study Group

Cindys Antique Quilts - Bed Turning Stack

It was another great seminar - as if there was any doubt!

I tried to explain AQSG (American Quilt Study Group) Seminar to a friend who is just getting into quilting.  The best thing to do is read it from their website:
"AQSG's feature event is our annual Seminar. Held in a new location every year, Seminar brings quilt enthusiasts and scholars together for a weekend engaged in quilt study. In addition to the presentation of research papers chosen for publication in Uncoverings and a renowned keynote speaker, Seminar offers pre-conference tours, roundtable discussions, study centers, and a poster session, all directed toward the interests of quilt lovers. Other events include a book signing featuring famous authors of quilt history; a live and silent auction of quilt treasures; show-and-tell of remarkable quilts, textiles and related items; an on-site quilt exhibition; and the sale of vintage quilts, textiles and sewing tools from member dealers all over the country.
Seminar presents the opportunity to view quilts from new perspectives, discuss aspects of women's and cultural history, learn the latest in documentation and research, as well as the chance to mingle with authors, quilters, teachers, and quilt community leaders. AQSG's Seminar guarantees a unique learning experience for everyone with a connection to quilts."  

Yes, all that - and did I mention it is FOUR days.

I was a member for years, enjoying Uncoverings (Order back copies HERE) before attending a seminar. I meet so many new friends each year I would encourage you to attend even if you go alone.  There is a Seminar Scholarship - as I understand only one person applied last year!  
I always pack my schedule, I make the most of being there.  You can't do everything - but I try.

Bed Turnings...check out the stack folded at the end of the table.

See more at Cindy's website

Study Centers- New York Beauty 

Click the link to Bill's Blog - more there than I can paraphrase...or do justice explaining

 There are several study center options.

This one was Virginia Gunn's
"Exploring 20th Century Quilts"

Generous AQSG Members Mary and Kate Edgar shared some choice pieces of their amazing collection at the bed turning.

They have a fabulous eye and I hope they do a book very SOON.

The bottom piece is the printed patchwork back of the previous quilt.

Poster Sessions  (One of several)
This picture is from:
Commemorative Chintz
   Kay Triplett, Lori Triplett & Xenia Cord

Summary & Focus Statement HERE 
(Scroll - several of interest)




The schedule goes on...too much to include here.
Next post I'll show the road trip there (with antique stops) and what I bought at seminar.
Please consider attending Seminar 2013 - Sept. 18-22
Charleston, South Carolina

If you've been to Charleston - what was a favorite from your trip?  Mine just might be the Iron Gates.
Have a great week!

The Red Room

I love a room with red walls.  I decided in this house it would be the laundry room.  We replaced the floors and painted this room before the moving company delivered.  It was a luxury to start with an empty room.

I've now been able to add some of my red and white textiles.
The rods are Umbra Swing Arm curtain rods.  I use them to hang coat hangers for some 'hang to dry' items, but also some of the quilts.

This room does not have a window so I have little worry about sun fading and will also swap out the textiles.

Above the plug in is a little vintage crochet hat pin cushion.
I put some vintage pieces on the bracket end of the rods for visual interest.

This is Looking in the opposite direction, the door from the garage.

The Little VIV (Vortex in Variation) is our new pattern - Click HERE.  It's lightly pinned to the wall with tiny applique pins so I can easily take it down.

There are a couple of the redwork samplers in the room.  I love these and have left room to add more to the collection.

The samplers were used when teaching/learning various sewing techniques.

This one has mending in the lower left corner.

Besides the utility (upper right) of button holes and hems, there are beautiful flowers, feather stitches and a monogram.

This one has a ruffle.  It has hanging loops and is filled from top to bottom with techniques.

Here is a closeup of the top band.

This is the other side of the hall tree.  My little quilt from Annie.  So Annie, thanks for keeping me company during laundry!

The vintage kitchen towel was a find my SIL shared with me.  The maker did some embroidery, applique and finished it all off with binding around the entire towel.


The little crochet reticule bag was a vintage find.  It is comprised of very tight small single crochet stitches.

The red fabric is a reproduction Documentary Design (Authorized Adaptation Alsace 1830) from the Musee Des Arts Decoratifs, Paris.  Done by Brunschwig and Fils in 1983.
I only have a yard, and will never cut it - so I have it out to enjoy!




I hope you enjoyed the laundry room tour.
Do you have a red room?