Today is the Day.................

I am going to write a post!  Have been telling myself that each day a week or so and other things seem to get in the way!  Been diligently working away on my Potholder Quilt for the Maine Quilt Show the last weekend in July.........This Old Italian (Snowflake, album, whatever name you want to call it!) was one of the easy ones as I already had made a quilt with 3" blocks from a paper-piecing pattern that I had drawn.

These are the Colors used in the original.....turkey red and orange......can't call it "cheddar"!  Whoops....I see this block is not really finished......8 triangles have been appliqued  on the points of N-S-E-W!

This was a funny little design.....purely someone's original fantasy!

This should have been easy but I made units that turned out to be slightly too small......made new ones and then picked up the wrong ones when I put it together the second time.....third time was right!!

Love this little 4.5" sawtooth star which is the center of a block surrounded with half-square triangles.

When I was at my friend, Judy's, home in Belfast last week for our monthly antique quilt study, she laid the blocks I had in various stages of completion on her rug so I took the opportunity to take a photo.  You can see the bright red/orange star that now has the red triangles in place.  These are actually enjoyable to draft and make .....just don't like feeling pressured.....no one's fault but my own.....should have been piecing more last winter!!

First row is sewn together!  Takes me 20-3- minutes to whipstitch one seam........need to get sewing faster!!!

 Have you heard of Linda Collins' Sew-Along making these Pyramid blocks?  She has developed templates for both Hand-Piecing and Machine-Piecing (rotary cutting) and I have them in my shop.  This is a photo of the antique quilt in her collection.  Her Facebook page about the quilt can be found here.

My first practice block......just Had to take the Time to make One, but I will refrain until the Potholder is DONE!

Had not planned to use yellow for the alternating triangles, but when I ran across this old Smithsonian fabric "The Rising Sun" in the shop attic, I think I may try it......long way off tho!

Now a mish-mash of photos I took just because............

Love Canadian Geese and several pairs have visited as they always do during the migrations north/south but none ever stay for more than a day or two!    Love seeing them paddling gracefully around in the farm pond and I would LOVE for them to have babies to watch!  Next best thing is webcams!

The cows are very happy to be out in the pastures eating green grass and laying around all day!

Sally, our Maine coon who was dropped off here in the fall of 2001,  spends her days laying in the sun, tho she is still a good hunter......but I've thoroughly discouraged her from stalking my birdies!!  Plenty of rodents around here to keep her happy!

My Mother's and now mine, favorite flower............lilacs that fade too soon!!  Enjoy them while I can!

Potholder Quilt Update

Last block finished yesterday.  Just counted them and it is #19 ......Almost Halfway there!  Feeling the anxiety of approaching deadline!!!  Consoled by the fact that the hard ones are all done and the easy ones can be made in a sitting!    But I have to stay focused when I itch to start a couple new things And start handquilting my Colonial Medallion!!   Ended up making this block differently than I originally planned.  In the first photo, see the 4 hourglass blocks surrounded by triangles?  That's easy enough.........keep going...... 

But, I happened to glance at the picture at an angle and another idea came...........It is diagonal rows of half square triangles!  One of my Favorites!   Went together like a dream after making a drawing to figure sizes.  Just noticed that now it looks like a Pinwheel surrounded by 2 rows of triangles!

Someone asked to see my Colonial Medallion so here it is.......half of it anyway while it was still a top.  The center is the John Hewson panel reproduced by Andover of a printed panel he did in the 1790's in Philadelphia.

Until next time..........should have the first row assembled........I'm slow at whipstitching!

Catching Up

A few of the 6" potholder blocks that I am working on for the Antique Exhibit at the Maine Quilt Show in July.  We are making small quilts inspired by antique quilts.  The block on the left was just finished, the block in the middle is ready to quilt, and the one on the right is ready to bind.  I try to keep blocks at various stages so I will always have something to work on!  Time is getting short and I have a ways to go, BUT the hard blocks (except for one) are done and I have only easier ones left.  Row 1 will be done soon so I can sew it together and make it feel like I really am  making progress!!

My zigzag quilt (for want of a better name), similar to the Mystery Quilt shown in my last post about our visit to Old Sturbridge Village.  The  Mystery to me of how to put this together may have been solved!  Kim O'Mallon sent me this link after my posting last month.   If anyone tries it, let us know how it worked out! 

http://www.mollyflanders.blogspot.com.au/2013/07/a-modified-y-seam.html

Got this new book recently "Treasures from the Barn" by Linda Collins from Australia.  She has patterned many quilts from her antique collection, and they are Wonderful!  Highly recommend owning this book!

Love these three quilts!  The brown fabric squares in the quilt below was reproduced by Moda around 1998 by Sharon Newman.  I have it in a burgundy red ...do not remember if there were other colors.

Will Always Love Medallion style quilts!!  Linda made a halfsize copy of this Medallion using Mary Koval's fabrics that is gorgeous!

And, of course, small pieces and many different fabrics in one quilt are another Favorite!!  

New fabrics have finally started arriving!  Di Ford's Giggleswick has been delayed a month.  But I do have two new Judie Rothermel lines: "Old Sturbridge Village 25th Anniversary" and "Macie's Journal". Also bolts from "Provencale" by Kathy Hall from Andover, based on a very early scrap of French fabric that is so boldly colorful you'll find it hard to believe!   Also have "Sourthern Exposure" by the incomparable Edyta Sitar!  And, oh, can't forget "Ville Fleurie" by French General.....gorgeous reds and purples!  Think we were told back in our childhoods that red and purple did not "go together" but I think you will see that they indeed do!!!  LOL

I will get the new fabrics posted as quickly as I can on the shop Facebook page!!

https://www.facebook.com/thebusythimble

Quilt Study at Old Sturbridge Village ---Additional Photos

Just when we thought ole man winter was done with us, he came back with a parting shot!!  But, snow is beautiful to look at as long as you don't have to drive in it!!  When we woke up to a "whiteout" Sunday morning, we were glad Wendy picked a motel close to OSV!  I must say, tho, that Massachusetts roads were very well plowed and ready for traffic!  Old Sturbridge Village is lovely any time of year and I highly recommend anyone interested in 1830's history timeline visit there!  I hope they will host another American Quilt Study Group meeting again.......they have 237 more quilts for us to see!

First quilt was this Stunner.....an 1808 Mosaic......just look at that border fabric!  Love it!  Reminds me of a fabric in the also 1808 Joanna Southcott quilt which Andover Fabrics reproduced a few years ago.  Need to check that out.............I should mention here that I was using a new camera (Canon Powershot) that I had acquired about 24 hours before using it..........did not even know how to turn on the flash......a good thing because we were not supposed to use it!  I was amazed at the available light photos when I saw them (need to learn to wait for it to focus as you will soon see!)  Should have spent Saturday night reading the manual instead of sleeping!   Got another camera to learn to use too!  Wanted a slr digital with extra lenses so I could get CloseUps of my birds!  And fabrics too!  And, oh yes, my family too!  New babies coming to practice on!

A simple Double 4-patch quilt made amazing with that Pillar Print border circa 1835.

The shaded  ombre fabric was nicely reproduced in one of the "Old Sturbridge Village" lines.

 I could have stayed there all afternoon taking fabric pictures!!

Center Medallion of Embroidery with a wonderful Wide Border......a ladies pocket has been incorporated in the top center of the center panel.  Made by Nancy Newton about 1825-50 in Marlborough NH.        

A closeup of the border fabric ....the peach color in the photo above is truer color.

This is the reproduction of the above wide border from the "New England Quilts from Old Sturbridge Village Curator Aimee Newell"...sorry I failed to include it previously in my original post!!

A 4-block Applique about 1850 from Massachusetts.  Perfection!

In one border corner the green leaves had turned to blue from fugitive dye........did not matter .....did not take anything away from the magnificent quilt.........we Quilters of today need to keep that in mind!

They saved the Best for Last..........as if that is possible!  I have seen this quilt before and could spend Hours Studying it!  Took over a dozen photos but Blogger might not like me to use too many!  Plus, the new camera photo pixels are Huge compared to my old Canon Sureshot (I dropped it one too many times........could have cried..........had it for a long time!)

The variety of fabrics is fantastic...........over 12,000 pieces in the tiny blocks!  You will be amazed at the next photo after this one!

I guess Susanna Howard began to run out of fabric as she pieced one triangle with about 1/4"-3/8" squares!  Karen Dever's finger shows the contrast! 

This is the backing/binding that was also reproduced in the "New England Quilts from Old Sturbridge Village by Curator Aimee Newell"    whew!  long name!

And here is the blue reproduction from Aimee Newell's OSV line.

 Bed Hangings made from a reproduction fabric  in one of the earlier "Old Sturbridge Village" lines by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Brothers. 

Another set of bed hangings made from reproduction fabric.....isn't it scrumptious!!!  Think it might be from a Windham line "Shenandoah"........anyone know for sure?

 Ending with this Mystery Quilt, at least it is to me, in that we cannot figure out the construction process.  Lots of partial-piecing maybe?  I have one that I am about to take  apart, but if someone knows how it is done, let us know!!!   At first glance it looks like a braid quilt but it is not the common one we are used to seeing!  I failed to take notes on this one....will check "Northern Comfort" to see if it is in there.  If you don't already own this book in your quilt book library, I recommend it!

This Study Day was enjoyed by all who attended!  Was able to meet Cynthia (WabiSabi blog here) and Barb (FunWithBarb blog here)......wonderful to talk face to face after reading their blogs all this time!  Thanks to Wendy Reed (ConstantQuilter blog here) for driving for us (Sue, Laurie and me)!  For long-range planning, the American Quilt Study Group annual seminar will be held in Manchester, NH in the fall of 2017!

Random Generator Husband picked #16 which is "traditional quilter"......send me an email with your address and the box will be on its way!  Sorry there are no more samples but I am glad that at least one box in my attic has been emptied!! 

Giveaway of One Last Box of Samples.........................

One day recently when I just wanted to "SEW", I finished up these 92 Railfence blocks that were just waiting for the last log.  Have been making them as my Leaders/Enders (when I wasn't making 8 quick half square  triangles as Leaders/Enders)........ need 596 for a  72" x 72" quilt quilt and this brings me to  435....... One more round of 161 and I will have enough!  That is, unless I try it on my bed and think I need 78" x 78" which is about what I make for my own bed quilts.............

Would love to handquilt it,  but I have my Colonial Medallion basted and waiting for me!  And, I feel that I have to hold off on Anything/Everything except making the potholder blocks for the Maine show exhibit this summer.  Have only 10 finished with 30 to go.  However, all but one Hard One is done and I SHOULD be able to make up for lost time with the easier ones.

Think I will make little doll quilts like this and then assemble them into the whole Quilt.  

Jo Morton's new line with Moda, "Gratitude" can be seen here!!  Won't be getting it until August so this is just a Tease!!!!

http://storefront.unitednotions.com/storefrontCommerce/search.do;jsessionid=EB4D676FAD0EE82EE209D0AA55519DF7.storefront8080?searchType=keyword&keyword=gratitude&emailAddress=#!

New fabrics recently are Dargate Vines from Margo Krager..........luscious as always!  Some of  the Dargate Ploychromes are on top!

Don't the half yard cuts look beautiful all nice and neat in their crate?

I have one last box of fabric samples remaining......you know the drill.....just leave a comment and my Random Generator Husband will pick a number and we will see who wins!  Sorry I cannot send them out of  USA..........overseas postage has increased greatly!

Winner of the current box of fabric samples is....................................

Ann in PA , also known as quiltfeather!  Send me your address and I will mail them Monday! 

This afternoon in the shop,  I gave away a bunch of fabric sample packages to a young 14-year-old who likes to make little quilts.  And my FL granddaughter has picked up sewing clothing again!  Nice to know younger people are interested!

Guess it has been far longer than the week or so I wrote in my post!  No excuse/reason.......time just gets away from me............and, I keep forgetting to ask my husband to pick a number!  There you have it!  Looked for some photos to post.......could not find anything new.....no new quilt "finishes", no new fabric (but there is lots coming!), weather here is mild and springlike.......hardly had a winter!  That's ok.....last winter's experience will stay in our memories for a Long Time!! 

 I save all the photos my granddaughter sends me of my little great grandson who is now 4 months old!  Each month she takes a photo like this....same position in the same place but with a new number on his shirt!  Nice Idea!  Wish I had thought of it many years ago!!