Chicago Quilt Festival

I had a great time last weekend at The Chicago Quilt Festival.  It is smaller than Houston, but so easy to drive to.

I took lots of phone photos, I hope you can see the details.

One of the highlights was a special exhibit by Cindy Rennells, of Cindy's Antique Quilts.

She featured several antique quilts using star blocks.

The green in this one was a beautiful shade.

Hand pieced and hand quilted, the alternated blocks were a glazed bird chintz.

Bird Chintz with Star Blocks

Brown Setting Triangles
Green Binding

Some examples of the bird chintz in the alternating blocks:

The indigo quilt has expertly pieced with basic quilting - a stunning classic.

16 blocks and a HST Border

Detail

Check Out The Last Row

Lower Right Corner Block

Love the Pink and Blue

Clasped Hands

The center block of these stars is

appliqué of two clasped hands

Gloved hands maybe?

So many more great quilts in the exhibit, only

a few posted here.  Thank You Cindy!!

This was one of my favorite hand quilted quilts.

Elegant in all white.

Detail

Yes, it had a well deserved ribbon!

Beautiful hand quilting, crowded area so hard to 

get photos.

Cynthia Collier had a quilt in the Traditional

Section.

Her broderie perse and quilt as you go

method is beautiful.

How many of you started a little house quilt

with Jeanneke?

I did.

My plan is to make a house to represent 

every home I have lived in.

Still a WIP....

Machine Quilted houses

Selective Cut fabrics

Hand Quilted Center

Sue Spargo had a special exhibit with so many quilts I lost track.

The layers of wool, embroidery and embellishments are impressive.

She drew quite a crowd, she did three gallery talks.

Just a couple examples from the numerous

quilts in the special exhibit.

What did I buy?

Another Cutterz ring.

Of course my friend and I got the bling models

Handy for air travel.

I need some practice because I am still getting

a bit more fuzz at the thread end than I like.

They are a Shark Tank business - FUN!

Test Batch

Then there was an ice and snow storm!

Ice in the North Chicago suburbs where I stayed.

At home, they ended up with 22" of snow.

Fortunately, I was staying with good friends and we made the

best of the day hand sewing and - baking pretzels!

Sandy O was the winner of the magazine, I notified her and have not heard back. If I don't hear from her next week I will draw again.

I hope you enjoyed the Chicago Quilt Festival photos.

Have a great week,

Dawn

Charming Idiosyncrasies

Ann's Original Inspiration Doll Quilt

The Summer 2018 Issue of Primitive Quilts and Projects is another great issue!
Ann Hermes, Notes From The Quilt Lab patterned a sweet wool table topper, "Reel Hearts"  and asked me to make an appliqué doll quilt like her original inspiration.

The timing was perfect.  I was looking for a small portable piece to work on during vacation - - a while ago!

I especially like that the magazine not only accepted, but appreciated the "charming idiosyncrasies"of the original quilt.

I made mine with the wide binding, rounded "eased" corners and mismatched heart shapes. I even copied the hand quilting lines.

Those of us who love antique little quilts know it's those "charming idiosyncrasies" that help make them so special.

It is almost harder to make them this way than "perfect".

Ann's wool topper uses hand dyed felted wool.

She incorporated the colors of a summer garden.

Beautiful photography with the bird, threads, buttons and scissors.

Mine is on the right side in green and cream.  The colors of the original 1870's green...or a bed of hostas.

The binding is the widest I've ever used on a little quilt.  It's always fun to try new to me finishes.

The corners on the original were eased into a gentle curve - so that's what I did. Again, new to me.   Each corner is slightly different.

I love it, I think it is not only charming but fun.

I am glad the editors thought so too.

The hand quilting is minimal.

Outlined close to the appliqué. with some larger arcs between the motifs.

The pattern includes the four variations in the heart shapes - you can make your hearts all the same or all unique.

I have an extra issue to send to someone lucky.
Thank you Ann and Primitive Quilts and Projects.

Leave me a comment and I'll draw at random next week.

Are you a wool or cotton maker?

What colors will you use?

Happy Stitching.

Dawn

Spring Travels

I say spring, but I am looking out the window at inches of freshly fallen snow.
Last weekend I was in Kansas at the Heartland Quilt Network. I drove home Saturday night to beat the snow!
I had a nice time.
I met Dawn Heese from Linen Closet Quilts.
Had a quick catch up with Missy Carpenter from Traditional Primitives.
Had a nice chat with Barb Eikmeier of Barb's Favorites and saw the art work for her new fabric line.
I met several other wonderful and generous quilting professionals, all listed on the website above.
Fun!

This Thursday I will be in Chicago for Quilt Festival - Chicago.  Unfortunately there is snow in the forecast for the back end of this trip, so I may stay and extra day if need be.

The good new is I will be back in Kansas May 1.

Blue Valley Quilters Guild - Looking forward to your program!

I am bringing many of my hexagon quilts to Overland Park, Kansas.   There is a lecture and trunk show followed by a workshop.

Maybe I will see you there?




Also in May I am doing a couple programs for the Minnesota Embroidery Guild.  One on Early Girlhood Sewing and a second, by special request, on Lucie Huig Dunnibier.  Let me know if you are interested in these and I can get you details.

May 18 & 19 I will be at Penn Dry Goods at the Schwenkfelder in Pennsburg PA.  An annual event I love.  As always I will fly out a few days early for antique shopping and museum visits.



At the end of May I plan to be in Lincoln Nebraska at the International Quilt Study Center to see the Annette Gero exhibit of wool quilts, "War and Pieced - The Annette Gero Collection of Quilts from Military Fabrics".  Her book, "War Quilts and Quilts From Military Fabrics" is a wonderful resource if you would like to learn more about these special quilts.

Archive photo from 2009

June 13-16, I will be in Saint Cloud Minnesota at the Minnesota Quilters Annual Show.  This year, we
have the AQSG Traveling exhibit of Basket Study Quilts - look for me there.  I will also be giving a lecture on Saturday morning.  The Minnesota Quilt Project will have a special exhibit of Red & White Quilts in their booth to celebrate the 40th Ruby Anniversary of the Guild.  There are all kinds of vendors, classes, exhibits and more at the show.

I've heard from some of you that are getting a hotel and staying for a few days - I look forward to saying hello!


I'll be doing lots of portable hand stitching in the coming weeks.

If your guild or shop is interested in having me visit and do a program(s) for you - let me know I have several options we can make fun plans with!
Happy Stitching,
Dawn