Quilts!

I put together this little top this past summer using some blocks that I had leftover. I had with it, what I thought was going to be the border. (it isn't the one you see in the photo) I laid it out the other day with the border fabric and I thought it would make a nice colorful Christmas quilt. It just so happened that very day I made a random stop at a quilt store that is back open for their liquidation sale. I saw this striped fabric almost immediately and thought of this quilt top. I think it'll be a fun happy holiday quilt!! Now I just want to figure out how wide I can cut the borders to miter and use the whole fabric. I can't imagine using this in any other project. What do you think of it? I'll probably have the stripes going away from the fabric instead of down the side like it is laid out.

Here is the adorable label Sue Spargo made for the donation quilts to The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. It could be a little quilt all by itself!

Here are the two little quilts ready to send in. Yeah, I know the one on the right is a wee bit slanted. Well, that adds to the charm, don't you think? LOL That one is all wool with a cotton back and binding. The one on the left is a mix of wool and cotton.

I've had these block finished for awhile too and thought it was time to get them together. My design wall isn't large enough so I laid them out in a spare room. (that's hardly large enough either!) I snapped this quick photo so I could see what blocks need to be rearranged a bit. For some reason I can see these things better with a photo.

Time to get my day started!!

Alzheimer's Quilts

Ami has put quilts up for sale on the The Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative site and one of them is mine! If you want to support a good cause and own a little folk art quilt (designer Sue Spargo)here is your opportunity.
It is #4500 and is called Mercy Me!

Of course there are many quilts for sale, but I'd love for mine to sell.
Thanks so much!!

My quilt has sold to a dear friend whose mother passed away from Alzheimer's 6 months ago. Be sure to look at the other ones!

A Friday Finish!!

I hope you all are not getting tired of seeing Mr. George in varying stages of doneness. I got the final border on this afternoon and I promise you won't see it again until it's quilted and bound.
I am pretty happy at the finished quilt but I know now why I could never be a designer. How do you make a pieced border fit 37 3/4"??? Me either!!!! hahaha

Have a terrific weekend!!!

A Little of This, A Little of That

I haven't had a lot to show of my own, but I have been working on a few projects.

This little quilt designed by Sue Spargo is another one for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. Sue made two adorable labels for me to apply to my AAQI donation quilts. Well, I sent the dancing lady off before I received the two labels so I thought I better get busy and make 2 more. The labels are dated 2009 and that's a perfect goal. The one above is done by hand and I made a wee bit of an attempt to do some embellishing. (OK, a button and some couching!!) I'm working on the second one in the evenings, all by hand. When that's done I'll do a little hand quilting, get them registered and post another photo on my blog.

On a side note, if you don't know about the Quilt Federation SmackDown, where have you been keeping yourself!? Have you checked out the bids? It looks like Hollis Chatelain is in the lead with a bid on her quilt of $2000. All the quilts are amazing. If you can't afford to bid on a quilt how about a donation and a chance to vote on a Viewers Choice? $5 bucks gets you 5 votes.

Blind Man's Fancy has been on my "list" for awhile and here is my practice block. It's full of funky sizes and this one has a few problems, but I think it's a go for a long term quilt.


And these little stars keep getting put aside. Slowly I am getting more assembled.

More Vintage Quilts

We stopped at a few antique malls while cruising the backroads after the quilt show last week. Check out this unusual pattern and look at the wagon wheel quilting!! (Click to enlarge) I love the quilting!! I'm also a sucker for red, white and blue.

There's more cheddar and brown...with blue. Interesting combination, but it works.

The feathered star is another favorite of mine.

Has anybody seen this quilt pattern before? I haven't' checked Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia yet, but I think I will. I thought it was very unusual.

Here's a wonderful string quilt from the 30's. It's so worn and faded, but I could snuggle up with it in a heartbeat.

Instead of taking the main freeways and highways home we took the backroads. It was a beautiful drive.

We certainly wouldn't want to do it any later in the year, as our paved road turned to a small dirt road! We came out at Timothy Lake on Mt Hood. Hubby and I don't get to spend as much time together as we would like so this was a fun and memorable adventure.

Art

The day we went to the quilt show my hubby and I ended up in a salvage warehouse. I came across a whole bunch of these adorable hand painted doors. They were a little big for cupboards and a little small as a door you walk through. Does anybody recognize the language? I figured if I knew what they said I might be able to figure out what they were used for.

Not that I could afford them, just curious.

Here's the upstairs where I saw them. So many things waiting to be recycled into a new home or made into art.

How cool is this? This was displayed at the blacksmith building at the Aurora museum. I'm loving this book! If you have an opportunity to get it from your library I highly recommend it. In it they show a wonderful wool Tumbling Block quilt that was found stuffed in a Aurora colony descendants couch!

Here's my additional 4 blocks from Linen Closet Quilts Vicksburg block of the month.

My Favorites

In one of the little cabins Oregon Coastal Quilters Guild had challenge quilts. Their challenge was to research quilts of the mid 1800's and make a sample completely by hand. This was one that really caught my eye. I think it is a variation on the Poinsettia block.
This next one was made by Mary Glassmeyer. It was either her 4th quilt or 7th quilt! Either way it was very ambitious and beautiful!
Is the quilting amazing in this quilt?! The colors don't do a thing for me, but the quilting is something else!
How about a few berries?
Berries and beautiful quilting.

A Community of Quilts

The quilt show's theme was a "Community of Quilts". The quilts that were a part of this theme were Friendship quilts, Generation quilts- ones that were begun by one family member and finished with another generation and Group quilts.
There was definitely a few quilts at the show that were ho-hum, but it was nice that they had a little story with each quilt, which made each one special and unique in its own way.

Here is another red quilt that I was drawn to by the quilting. It isn't quite a baptist fan but more like swags.


This quilt was made by Emma Wagner Giesy c1850-1860. She was a member of the Aurora Colony.

The quilt hanging to the left is a replica of the original which was a raffle prize given as a promotion for the book, "Aurora, An American Experience in Quilt, Community and Craft" by Jane Kirkpatrick. Lucky lady who won that!

The quilt on the left is also an original colony quilt and the little one on the right was duplicated for the book.

The redwork quilt on the bottom of this photo was made for Margaret Cane. It was well loved and pretty much in tatters. Margaret's daughter made the upper quilt so she could preserve the history of her mom's quilt. I thought the quilt and story were so precious!

I love an Irish Chain. So simple but yet so effective. This quilt was started by one generation and finished by another.

This treadle machine was so tiny I couldn't help but snap a photo!

Aurora Colony Quilt Show

This quilt was called Temperance. I thought it was a Double T but maybe it is the same.

Look at this unique hand quilting!!

The reds were full of meaningful stitching. I liked the quilt from a distance, but loved it close up!!

This old wool quilt was made by a colony member. It is so simple but so charming. I thought it was cute how they had it displayed.

These beds were set up upstairs in a room as they would have been when the Colony was in full motion. The quilts are obviously not as old as the commune.
The main museum. Most of the historical displays were covered with hanging quilts for the show.

The old grist mill. That's a bed hanging out in the background. I'm sure thankful for mattresses!

Woodworkers shop.

And herb garden. It was a beautiful day for a drive and walking through the town.

More quilts tomorrow.

The Geese Are Flying!

I have been making progress this week but it seems very slow. Here are 104 flying geese ready to be trimmed. Because these are fairly small I used this method at Patchpieces. I cut my squares out one day, marked them in the evening watching tv. Sewed them the next day, cut and pressed. The next night I lined them up ready to sew, and today this is what I have!! I still have the rest of the sawtooth star pieces to cut but that should go quickly.

My plans this weekend was to go to Washington state and visit my dad and stepmom and help them around the house. My sister and her hubby were going too. I call it a work weekend. I also prepped some handwork to take. Unfortunately my dad called my sister last night and my stepmom woke up with the flu. I've made alternate plans for tomorrow which include a quilt show!! Woo-Hoo! (although I do hope my stepmom is feeling better soon)

It's a blustery night and high school homecoming. My nephew, who lived with us for several years is on the homecoming court. My hubby is driving him and his princess in and I'll stand in as "parent" of the senior. We are excited for him although it's going to be a cold night!!

Have a great weekend!!