Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Come On Over To My House - Part One

Antique Doll Quilt On New Hanger - Metal and Wood
Welcome!
I thought I would give you a little tour today.
We have been in the new house for four months and I am finally feeling - do I dare say it - settled?

Anyway, WELCOME!

I am frequently asked what I do with all of my quilts. The quilts I make I give away, use in my home and have a few stored for rotation.  In a future post I will share my storage.




This lighted sconce is between two doors in a hallway.
The little quilt easily clips off so I can rotate other little quilts.
Not archival, but I can clip acid free tissue under the clothes pins as needed.
Really cute at night with the light on and the soft glow on the
antique fabrics.


This is my Hexy Stars Quilt in the family room.
You can read more about it HERE.
I made a similar quilt for my son, HERE.
Another space I can rotate quilts.

This is one of many little vignettes in my studio area.
The green shelf is made of vintage wooden sewing spools.
This kitten on the post card is sewing little dresses.
The block and white photo is a couple with a bible and quilt block.
The doll dress is all hand sewn 19th century cotton - lots of detail!
The little dresser drawers have bits of fabrics and sewing treasures.

This is part of the back mud room.
The colorful quilt is opposite a bench and shoe cubbies.
A few times a year, this is another area I will rotate the quilt.
This quilt was used at an AQSG event. 
I smile when I think of friends who worked on that project -
quilts are wonderful memory keepers.


This is a c.1920s printed scarf I currently have in the powder room.
It was printed as a way to raise money as Colonial Williamsburg was 
being restored.  It is in an original frame - the framer left their information on the back.
I was able to research their business.

Another clue is the date of the Colonial Williamsburg mark on the back.
I can also see the fine selvage edge under the brown backing paper.
It was not framed for conservation and I have debated re-framing it.
It is hard, if not impossible to find fabrics today printed
with this amount of detail.
This design is currently being reprinted in sold and is pretty,
however, IMHO not near the quality.


Now, Let's head upstairs...

This has been in all of our homes
since, 1996. 
It is a reproduction - again, very fine cotton.
Reproductions today aren't as fine (IMHO)

In the niche on the left I have one of our tape looms.
On the right, a quilt that just about takes the entire wall.
I love the burst of color!
The neutral wall color is great for any quilt I want to hang.

On another hall wall I have a star quilt.
It doesn't hang as perfectly as we expect today's quilts.
For those of you who visited our Colorado home - this one hung in
the family room on the two story fireplace wall.
Much easier to rotate here!
Nice risk of life or limb on the ladder.
At the end of the hall is a band sampler and antique candle stand.
On top of the candle stand is an antique sewing box.

This is one of the guest rooms.
LOOK - This wall needs a quilt hung up!
Plenty to select from in that stack!
The rocker is an oak glider that was in the nursery
when our children were babies.

This is a guest room.
The hand tied canopy was a purchase decades ago.
We have always loved antiques.
The four poster is a reproduction queen size - very comfy.
I'm entertaining the idea of a suite of bed curtains for this bed.
What do you think?

Another wall of the guest room.
You can see the edge of the en suite. Each guest room
has facilities with a pocket door! Great for company.
The cupboard has a few treasures in it.

Another corner of the guest room.
The sleigh bed is doll size and has a matching wardrobe.
I made this set of bedding about six years ago.
The appliqué pattern is from Electric Quilt.
It was inspired from a Crib Quilts Book.

This is another wall in a guest room.
The quilt on the wall I made almost 15 years ago!
It is a Judy Rothermel pattern HERE.
I used, and still use the ARDCO templates HERE.
I have several sets and have never been disappointed.

Another stair landing in the house.
Velma wants you to notice the bright sunny window.
Perfect for cat day dreaming.
No textiles here, but a few of my vintage and antique
sewing machines.


This is another bedroom.
The medallion quilt was a free to use pattern from a line
of fabric the Virginia Quilt Museum did years ago.
You can read more about it HERE.
I hand quilted mine.
I think it looks nice with the Pottery Barn Bedding.
In some light the wall color looks gray, other times blue.

I hope you enjoyed seeing part of how I live with textiles.
How are you living with yours?
Happy Stitching,
Dawn
Please Visit our Easy Shop HERE.

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Jacobs Ladder Month 18 SVBAQ

I'm linking up to the Shenandoah Valley Botanical Blog - Yes, March is half gone!

The blocks on the blog are some of the most creative to date!
Check them out HERE.
Or, our Facebook Group HERE.

I chose to stay true to Esther's original block but am very impressed with the re-creators who are adding their own flare.

With each block I think of Esther and great talents.
Happy Stitching!
Dawn

Monday, March 6, 2017

Thank You Minnesota Quilters and Minnesota Quilt Project


Right Side of The Room
Thank you Minnesota Quilters and The Minnesota Quilt Project for hosting my presentations and workshop last week.

Many of you asked for photos because you are too far away to make it!
Thursday night I had a full house at the lecture and trunk show on Hexagons.  Because I am local, I was able to bring some quilts I don't often bring out. The guild provided extra quilt stands so it was really like a little quilt show.  Members could see all of the quilts before and after the lecture.



Two of four tables
The room was filled color and pattern!

This table shows a few of the "smalls" and the back of blocks to illustrate techniques.

We hexagon covered quilts from 1830 - 2016 and included Time Span Quilts.  In the PowerPoint presentation - we went back even further!

They were a wonderful audience - and many brought hexagon quilts both new and old for show and tell.





It was very energizing and lots of people took close up photos for personal use. They want to try and recreate some of these "looks" at home.

There was selective cutting of stripes - vertical and horizontal.

Interesting color combinations.

Florals and neutrals.

I think the quilt with the most hexagons I brought was around 6,000 pieces. I need to double check that.

The charm hexagon quilt interested many people.  I think that one is around 3,200 hexagons. CHARM - no fabric repeats.

With many hands, we had it all packed up!




On Saturday morning we transformed the room again with appliqué.

Again, members could view the quilts before the meeting.

There was a lot of show and tell, all great to see!

Another full house, the quilts were left up for members to see after the meeting.





In the afternoon I taught a class on hand appliqué using the back basting preparation technique for needle turn appliqué.

A very talented group of stitchers made great progress on their blocks.  Their enthusiasm was wonderful - they told me they would be sharing photos.
I love seeing the excitement as they embraced a technique new to them and were already thinking ahead to new projects.



Nancy chose batiks for her project


Look what was in my inbox this morning - Nancy finished her block!

She says she was excited to finish, and start on the border blocks. Also, what every teacher likes to hear, "Take care and thank you for being a wonderful instructor"  (used with permission)



Need I say I am floating on air today as I put away quilts?

Have a great week - I hope it includes some stitching time!



Dawn
PS
There was so much interest in the Minnesota Quilts book I decided to give away two copies.
Book Winners:  Ageeth & Barb - I will be in touch to get your addresses.

Our Etsy Shop:  https://www.etsy.com/shop/cwaneedleorder  Link HERE.

Minnesota State Quilt Show Information HERE.