Antique Quilts

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When you are a Quilter interested in Quilt History, you also become a Quilt Collector!  Something else to fill every corner of the house!  Can't help myself!  This poor Red & Green Quilt was brought to me by someone who got it at a lawn sale in the Rumford area.  I bought this quilt for the excellent workmanship and exquisite handquilting on this quilt!  The design is like no other I've seen; unfortunately, the reds have deteriorated; however, the greens are in wonderful condition, and such gorgeous prints!  No idea who made this quilt, or where.  But sure would have liked to have known her!!    I have been asked to show more photos of this quilt....too windy to photo outside on the clothesline today so I folded it into fourths and took a couple closeups.  Quilt is 96" square.  The pattern is Carpenter's Wheel and surrounded by an applique border (separated by a narrow 1/4" border).  The reds are disintegrating but the greens have held up very well. 

New Books!

Always new books and magazines to read!  When you are a Quilter who is also interested in the History of Quiltmaking and the Women who made them, you buy every book available on the subject just to see if there is a quilt that you have not yet seen somewhere else!  These two books, huge books, are wonderful!  Photos are often full-page.  In "Quilts Around the World" I found that quilts are made in some form in unexpected places.  This book also delves into history as well as contemporary work "from Alabama to Zimbabwe"!  In "Quilts:Masterworks from the American Folk Art Museum" are 200 of the most important quilts in their collection.....full-page....can see the handquilting!  With books aplenty in my home, I'll Never be bored!!  And another new one is ordered.....the new An Moonen book on Netherlands' Quilts which I am sure will have closeup photos of old European fabrics I've not yet seen!

Small Applique Blocks!!

It occurred to me today that I might get a handle on my WIPs if I had some place to look at them all in one place!  Soooo, I will begin, in no particular order, with these three little 3" Posey Packet applique blocks from Froncie Quinn at Hoopla Patterns in VT.  My Dream in the world of Quilting would be to stay in my sewing room and sew all day.....can't happen right now!  Well, if I can't do that, I would like to be able to make one of these little applique blocks per evening!  I'm too slow.....more like two evenings!  Too, I would like to be able to make just one little log cabin block, one little Shoofly block, one Path to the Civil War block each day......eventually the quilts will get done! Good thing I am a "process person" who enjoys working on quilts every bit as much as finishing quilts!

TABLERUNNER

As if I didn't have more than enough to do today (supposedly a day off!), I put this runner together that I cut out a few days ago.  Just wanted to see it finished, I guess!  Karen Montgomery's "Easy Striped Table Runner" is impressive-looking....especially when the stripes from a Jo Morton fabric matched!  My runner is a little shorter (36" x 16")than originally planned as I cut the angles wrong on the ends of the center!!  Spent the afternoon listening to 50's music and sewing (and a little "organizing" too!)......

FINALLY FINISHED DOLL QUILT TOP!!

This is a little quilt top that I made because I lost the real antique one on ebay.......think it went for about $178!!  I wanted it because it was from Maine, but it was not be.  So I made one........love the simple design!!  Am now handquilting it...........will never be worth the time I am spending on it!  But it is relaxing to quilt in the evening!

Hanging Squash

I grew a few squash plants this summer from seeds saved from a particularly good-tasting squash from last year.  The vines went everywhere and I let them...........one even climbed a tree!  The photo is not too clear, but the squash is hanging more than a foot off the ground!!

PATRIOTIC PILLOWCASE FOR JENI

I made a shop sample pillowcase using an end of Jo Morton's banner fabric.  Then I made another to send to soldier granddaughter, Jeni.  Now, DGD would like me to make 7 more for Christmas gifts for her unit!  Oh what we Grandmothers get ourselves into!!  Looks nicer now that Suzanne rotated it vertically for me!