Quilting, Blizzard,Show&Tell older quilts

There's been a bit of discussion lately on some of the Yahoo groups I belong to concerning handquilting.......with hoop or without hoop.  For myself, I get better stitches when using  a hoop and I have several to choose from, depending on the quilt I am working on.  This is a Half Hoop I bought in 1989 and have never seen one like it since.  I believe the wood is cherry and it is the nicest hoop to use!  It will hold a small quilt such as this one called "Abbygayle's Scraps" from Jo Morton Club 12.  I can create whatever tension I need for handquilting.  Now about my basting method..........probably overkill, but I like my quilts Flat (use Quilter's Dream Request cotton or wool batting).  First I pinbaste. Having taped the backing tautly (but not stretched) to my table, I then layer the batting (smooth....smooth....smooth) and the top.  Start at the edge nearest me with a line of pins about 3-4" apart.  Smmoooooth and then pin another row.  Repeat till I reach the other edge.  Now comes the "overkill".....I go to the sewing machine and either machine-quilt in the ditch or baste with long stitches.  This little quilt was basted and then handquilted. 

A belated photo of last week's blizzard in this area.....we got it nowhere as badly as some folks did.  I have never seen roads closed around here....rural area with plows out during storm keeps everything open.  My car is not yet dug out but the van across the street (didn't even notice that car in the photo when I snapped the photo) that had been parked beside it was dug out.  I put a couple shovels next to the car just for fun.........the plastic one I've had for 19 years (can't believe it has lasted so long!) and the one on the right is made of wood.....found it in my in-law's barn and kept it as a conversation piece.....bet it was hard shoveling back in the day!  They were hardy folks!!

Walked around the shop the other day, snapping photos of quilts I have made over the years.  This little braid was paper-pieced.

This little Indigo and Shirtings quilt was made to show off the Dargate Indigoes (c. 1830).  The dark indigo backgrounds have very colorful prints.  

This little star quilt was also made from the Dargate Indigoes.

This little quilt was inspired by a Yahoo group quilt of the month......I did only this one because I wanted to demonstrate that large florals could be used in small blocks.  I think these are 4.5".  This quilt was pinbasted and then machine-quilted in the ditch.  Handquilted the squares.  Like to use this combination of machine and hand quilting!!  Gets done sooner!!

This is the back of the above quilt.........Love this fabric!  Might be able to see the machine vs handquilting.

I made this little Schoolhouse quilt a long time ago..... dated 1987 on the back......it is hand-pieced and hand-quilted.

Looks like I must like Square in a Square blocks as I seem to make them rather often!  This one uses Judy Roche's "Sayler Creek" Civil War collection.  I have one that have been handquilting on for several years.....used the Smithsonian Sarah Johnson fabric for that one..........will take a photo soon.

This little quilt was made in the mid 90's, when Jo Morton first started creating patterns.  I carried them in my shop and when I had made a sample and sent a photo to Jo, she would reward with free patterns!!  Love that old brown dot fabric!  The fabric line was a Judie Rothermel pink and brown.....can't recall the name of it right now............can you?  Maybe "Peppermint & Sassafras"?  There was a blue version later....."Blueberries & ..........."?

Another Square in a Square in a Square!!  This one uses Judie Rothermel's first Civil War line from around 2000.  

And lastly, a current project using little 2-1/2" squares of Moda "Candy".  This line is by Sandy Gervais called "Everlasting".  The rows are all chain-pieced together so it won't get mixed up.  When I get the top sewn together, I'll be back with it..........have 3 lovely choices for the border and can't decide which!!!