Quilt As You Go

Leah at the Free Motion Quilting Project blog is asking quilters to post quilts they've made using a quilt as you go technique. My friends know that anytime a quilt gets big, I quilt it in pieces, then put it together. So when I saw Leah's post I just had to jump on this one.

The quilt I'm featuring is called "No, But It's My Dog." I made it in 2007 and it was juried into the AQS show in Nashville. It didn't win, and although I was honored "just to get in..." I found myself to be a very bad and bitter loser. LOL!!! It's hard to see from the picture, but there is a little dog in front of the house. When people see the quilt, they ask, "Is that your house?". I reply, "No, but it's my dog!". My dog Mickey passed away a few years ago, but he was very large, white with black spots and very sweet.

The quilt was hand quilted in five pieces: the center medallion that includes the corner appliqued flowers near the house; the two units on either side of the house that include the Carolina Lilies and appliqued borders; and the top and bottom that have the Carolina Lillies and appliqued borders. I used a streamlined version of the method I wrote in my book, Block By Block (That Patchwork Place, 1995), now out of print.

Click on the quilt to see it larger.

Make sure and check out Leah's blog for more quilt as you go quilts.

Till next time.... Happy Quilting!

A Visit to Lincoln, Nebraska

Watch this video to learn some hi-tech ways to analyze old quilts.

I'm going to the visit this place in October when they host the American Quilt Study Group's Seminar. I can't wait!!!

Till next time......Happy Quilting!

New Project

I'm starting a new project. It's a variation of  Wild Goose Chase from Hearth and Home and Ruby Short McKim's 101 Patchwork Patterns, 1931 and Tangled Cobwebs from Home Art in 1933. My version is a bit different from each and adds some extra stars in the sashing. I'm going to call it Hazel Ridge Path because it's a trade with Nick the Illustrator who lives on Hazel Ridge Farm. He used some of my quilts in his book F is for Friendship a Quilters Alphabet and even painted me for the book. He gave me the painting of me at my grandmother's treadle and I promised him a quilt.

This is the start of Hazel Ridge Path quilt. The block in the lower right was my first attempt,
but I thought the triangle units were too small compared to the triangle units in the sashing.
It took me a few tries, but I finally got the math right. The blocks should start going much faster now.

This is the painting I'm trading for the quilt.

Till next time......Happy Quilting

Bed Turning in Birmingham, Michigan - Update

Yesterday was the Quilter's Tea at the Birmingham Museum. WOW, what a day! The tea was fabulous, complete with crust-less egg salad and cucumber sandwiches, fresh fruit, brie, crackers and yummy, yummy scones and sweets. I did "The Briefest History of the American Quilt" and then out came the quilts. We saw quilts from the Museum's collection and show and tell from the participants. I bet we saw over 30 quilts including a pristine 1850s Quaker album quilt from the Washington DC area; a fabulous 1840s framed medallion broderie perse baby quilt top; an 1890s silk hexagon with petal border, where each pedal was individually bound in a coordinating fabric; and much, much more. I was too busy to take photos, but I'm happy to say Tim Latimer from Tim Latimer-Quilts, etc. blog took lots. Check out his blog here: http://timquilts.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/museum-quilts/ . I've been following Tim's blog for a few months now. He buys quilt bits and tops on eBay and finished them with fabulous hand quilting, appropriate to the piece. I also got to me Lisa at Stray Threads blog http://quilltr.blogspot.com/2012/01/winners.html.

Thank yous are in order:
Leslie Pielack, Executive Director of the Birmingham Historical Museum who pulled this fabulous day together
The volunteers at the museum for helping make it happen and for the door prize, a reproduction quilt!
Everyone who came to support the museum and the quilts
And to Tim for documenting the day.

And now for a quilt.....

I brought this Civil War era Nine Patch to the Birmingham
Historical Museum for show and tell.

Till next time.....Happy Quilting

Grand Hotel Retreat

Time to start making plans for 2012 quilting events. If you've never been to a quilt retreat, this could be your year. My recommendation is the Needlework Seminar on Mackinac Island, Michigan.

My quilting friend Jackie Compton is the host and she's arranged a really great chance to stay in the Grand Hotel for a great price. The dates for the retreat, Friday, May 4 - Wednesday, May 9, are before the season gets busy, so the hotel is giving the quilters a great deal.

For those unfamiliar with Mackinac Island it's an island in Lake Huron that doesn't allow cars. All transportation is by horse, carriage and bicycle. But don't worry, you will be greeted at the ferry dock by the staff of the Grand Hotel who will gladly transport you and all your quilting gear to the hotel (no tipping allowed). The Grand Hotel's claim to fame is the world's longest porch and it was the location where the Jane Seymour-Christopher Reeves movie, Somewhere in Time was filmed. The movie even has its own official website, here.  To see more about the Grand Hotel, click here.

Classes will be offered by David Taylor, Sue Spargo and Kim Diehl. Price includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, receptions and trunk shows, too. Click here for the registration brochure with full details.

Tell Jackie I sent you......

Till next time.......Happy Quilting

Bed Turning in Birmingham, Michigan

On Sunday, January 22 there is going to be a Bed Turning at the Birmingham Historical Museum in Birmingham, Michigan. It's not often that museums bring their quilts out, so it's always good to take advantage of the opportunity when it's offered. This is a fund raiser for the museum's quilt collection. The price is $50. There will be tea and treats and everyone who attends will be in the raffle for a reproduction quilt. The quilt will be raffled off only to people who attend the tea, so the odds for winning are huge. I'll be there to talk and turn the quilts. If you come, please bring an antique quilt (or two) for show and tell. There are still a few seats left, so please join us to view the quilts. In these trying economic times it's really important to support those who are looking after our quilting heritage.Call 248-530-1928 for tickets or go to their website at: http://www.ci.birmingham.mi.us/index.aspx?page=1015

And the winner is.....

Remember when award shows announced "and the winner is...."? Now they say, "the Oscar goes to...."
So to be old fashioned, the winner is.....#65, Pat from A Little of This and a Little of Pat. You can find her blog by clicking here. Pat has pictures of two quilts she made for Christmas gifts and the recipients happy faces. Way to go Pat. I'll contact you today to make shipping arrangements.

And a big thanks to everyone who stopped by my blog and left a comment. It's been really fun. And a welcome to all the new followers, too.

Back to holiday cleaning!
Till next time......happy quilting and Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and A Happy New Year, too.

Blog Hop Party 2011

It's time for a Blog Hop Party! Over 250 bloggers from all over the world are participating. Each blogger is promising a give-away to someone who comments on their post. I'm giving away a collection of quilt books from the Michigan State University Museum. They include:

Quilts from the Albert and Merry

Silber Collection

Michigan Quilts: 150 Years of a
Textile Tradition

Great Lakes, Great Quilts

Mary Schafer and Her Quilts

Michigan Quilts postcards

It officially starts tomorrow, December 10 and runs through December 17 (but if you comment today, I'll still include you). On December 18, one of the comments will be randomly selected to receive the books and postcards (sorry, no international shipping). Make sure and click on the logo to find the other blogs and their give-aways.

And now for a quilt...

I made this quilt for my new grand-nephew Charlie. It includes the Cat in the Hat,
the Grinch, giraffes, elephants, birds, and lots of other animals.
It's a snowball and nine patch. It was fun to make and only took me a week!

"Stitched" Chosen for East Lansing Film Festival

 Stitched the film. Behind Every Stitch There is a Story!
 

stitched - Stitched Videos

For all my quilting friends in the greater Lansing area, let's go out and support this film at the East Lansing Film Festival. The film will be shown on Saturday, November 12 at 3:30pm in Wells Hall (on MSU Campus) and at 6:30pm on Tuesday, November 15 at Celebration! Cinema. The Film Festival has not updated it's website yet, but last year the price was $8.50 for Celebration! Cinema showings.Check their website, http://elff.com/ for updates.

The MSU Museum is sponsoring the film and has a limited number of tickets for sale. I'll have them at the Capitol City Quilt Guild meeting October 20.

Till next time......Happy Stitching

Check Out Our New Show Location – Grand Rapids, Michigan

The American Quilters Society is coming to Michigan. Here's a link to all the info. I'm going are you?

Check Out Our New Show Location – Grand Rapids, Michigan

My quilt "No But It's My Dog" was juried into the AQS show in Nashville in 2003.

And here's the dog in question, Mickey.

AQS Quilters Flash Mob Video

Now this a flash mob I could join.

AQS Quilters Flash Mob Video

New Sewing Toys

Last week I went to visit my sister in Oscoda. We did our own little fabric shop hop. I got lots of fat quarters and a few new toys too.

First is a new light for my sewing machine. I sew in my basement (or as I like to call it, the garden level) and it's hard to brighten all the shadows. I found this light at Delphine's quilt shop in Gaylord.

The light is battery operated and is on the end of a twisty coil (I'm sure the twisty coil has a real name, but I can't think of it). You can see the blue spot it creates on my throat plate.

From the back you can see how the coil wraps around the machine and what the light looks like. You can point it anywhere you want. The best thing is it cost $16. Most other lights like this cost $50 and are plug in.

 The next toy I found was at the Holly Hock Quilt Shop in Harrisville. It's a mini ironing board that clamps onto a shelf or table. I've clamped it on to my sewing cabinet.

My sister told me a 92 year old man in the area makes them. Boy, does he do a great job. It's easy to install and very sturdy and stable. I bought a hobby iron many years ago and never used it. Now it works great next to my machine. The iron gets very hot and does not have steam. It's great for small pieces and blocks. My current steam iron tends to chew up fabric in its steam holes. The best part, when I installed the ironing board and thought of my hobby iron, I actually remembered where I had put the iron years ago!

Here's a close-up of the ironing board.

I just love all the tools of sewing. I have tons of rules, scissors (all sizes), thread nippers, rotary cutters, and sewing baskets. The more the better.

Till next time......Happy Quilting!