New Jo Morton fabrics!

In addition to Jo's new "Sweet Emilie" and "Elizabethtown", more new fabrics are in the works!  A line of just Reds for this summer I think!  Love that Toile!!  And then in late fall, there's more!  "Crimson Bouquet", a red/green line with lots of cheddar and yellow!!

New Fabric Alert!!!!

OMG!!!  Can't believe the fabric I was shown today that will arrive in November...the whole line! Andover is printing JOHN HEWSON, one of the first American fabric printers in 1770's!!!  The Urn even has the snake handles! 

Half-Square Challenge

From Jo Morton's Little Women Club, this is my version......wanted to do a little study of madders and shirtings instead of the pink/brown that Jo did....not that I don't like pink/brown!  Also made my blocks 2" instead of the 1-1/4" so I would have a larger quilt.  May do another with the smaller blocks but very scrappy with leftovers!  Probably wishful thinking!  So busy this time of year preparing for the two summer quilt shows that I do, plus this year, my friend and I are co-curating Maine Quilt Heritage shows for both MaineQuilts2011 and New England Quilt Museum!  Anyway, back to the HST Challenge........The quilt, batting and backing are ready for layering so I just turned the backing over to lay the quilt on so the batting would not show in the photo.....that created a dilemma!  I had not intended to attach a border and now I think it looks good with a border!  Oh what to do!  I'd have to cut another larger backing........don't really want to do that....well, I'll just add a piece if I decide to do the border.  I first pin-baste my quilts and then either machine-quilt (in the ditch) or machine-baste for handquilting.  This one is likely to be machine-quilted in diagonal rows as that is the only "ditch" I have.....I pressed open all the other seams.

An afternoon's Work

Doesn't look like much was accomplished, but it was fun while listening to a audiobook from a favorite author!  Chose the fabrics for the next little quilt in my shop's Jo Morton Club.  My twelve little 3" stars will be brown and tans. Made two of those just to see how they look!  Usually make more than I need in case I don't like one or one doesn't come right.  Then, made another 3" star of a slightly different style from "Country Threads Goes to Charm School"...there will be sixteen of these using an older Civil War line of Barbara Brackman's....."Climbing Jacob's Ladder".  Made another log cabin block.......MANY MANY MORE to go before I have enough for my quilt!  Sometimes I just feel like making one tho I usually chain-piece about 36 at a time!  Also in the photo is my "Leaders and Enders" project of a 25-Patch of 1" squares.....started putting pairs together to make Fours and then I will just add either a colored square or a muslin (Jo's "linen-look" from Crimson & Clover) to one end and the rows will be ready to construct the blocks!  This project is inspired by a quilt in Judie Rothermel's "Reproduction Quilts from the Civil War Era".....probably won't make it exactly like hers!  Don't we often change patterns to suit ourselves!

Another great New Book!

I love Hand Applique and hope to get back to some soon and this book certainly provides inspiration!  "Beautiful Botanicals" makes me itch to get going on a "Tree of Life" quilt that I have had in the back of my mind for years..........found just the right "bark" fabric for the tree!  The florals can be a combination of applique and also broderie perse.  Look for fabrics like those in the photo with the book that will lend themselves to gorgeous flowers whether using the whole flower or just elements of it to make your own creations!

Quilting Hoops

A while back there was discussion on one of the Yahoo groups about quilting hoops.  Seems like it takes forever to find time to update this blog!  I like a 16" round hoop if working in my lap and also have a Homestead Hoop on a stand (29") that I haven't used for a long time as I haven't quilted any large quilts........too busy making the small quilts!  The "Lizzie's Tents" from Carol Hopkins Designs is in a Half Hoop that I have had for about 22 years! It is excellent quality cherry wood and I haven't seen them advertised in recent years.  Love the little wavy lines stencil for borders.......use it a lot!  The white lines are from the SewLine pencil that will easily come off when I get to it.  I quilted the main body of the quilt with an oval frame about 12" x 18" that I also got about 22 years ago.....seems like I don't have to move it so often as I do a round hoops!

I also like this little Q-Snap hoop (11" x 17") for little quilts.....easy to get just the right tension for handquilting!  Using a split wool batting in the little 4-patch  .........so easy to quilt!