The Red One goes to China

Photo by Pearl Yee Wong

My quilt, The Red One will be traveling to China as part of the exhibit, The Sum of Many Parts: 25 Quiltmakers in 21st-Century America. It will start traveling this summer. There will be a catalog with the exhibit, so that's cool too. The Red One is a charm quilt. Every fabric is the same shape and size, but each one is different. This quilt was completed in 1999 and contains 604 hexagons. The edge was knife-edge finished after the quilting was completed. If you follow this link, http://www.quiltindex.org/basicdisplay.php?kid=1E-3D-13A8, you can see the fabrics a little closer by using the Quilt Index's zoom tool.

The fabrics were collected over a period of many years starting in 1985 when we started the Capitol City Quilt Guild's first small group. We met at Georgia's house and called ourselves the Charm Group. We now meet at Daisy's each month. That's over 25 years of quilting and friendship, pretty cool.

I've made some tweaks to my blog layout. I've separated my blogs into two groups. The first group is the Block Exchange Blog Roll and are made up of blogs from my friends in my small groups plus Pepper Cory, who taught many of us when she owned a quilt shop in East Lansing, Michigan. The other  blogs I enjoy are in the list below. That moved my favorite feature, The Daily Puppy after the blogs.

A big thank you to everyone who's helped in my transition to my new blog address and welcome to my new followers. Your support means so much.

Till next time.....Happy Quilting

Behind the Scenes Tours

I celebrated National Quilt Day by giving four tours of the Michigan State University Museum's collections center. I brought out 16 quilts. Here's four of the quilts I shared. To see the full record, click on the link below each quilt.

Album top c1860, quilting 1961

Pinwheel Flower, c1860. Possibly slave made.

Railroad Crossing c1860

Album quilt, c1860

To learn more about Behind the Scenes Tours at the Great Lakes Quilt Center at the Michigan State University Museum, go to this page: http://museum.msu.edu/glqc/collections_tours.html.

Till next time......Happy Quilting

New Name, New Address, Same Blog

Hello to any of my quilt friends who have found me. I've been asked by a quilt shop in Virginia to stop using the name Quilt Doctor. Apparently they own it. Who knew? Anyway, I'm not all that attached to the name and for me it was just a joke, so I'm complying with their request. This means I had to change my address for my email and blog. So, if you're reading this, you've found http://bethdonaldson.blogspot.com/.

I'm sure my readership will drop off for awhile until people re-find me. If I'm listed on your blog roll, thanks and please change it to my new address, http://bethdonaldson.blogspot.com/.

Hopefully this won't cause too much trouble and I'm sorry for any inconvenience to you.

And now for some quilting news. I've got some more blocks done on the Hazel Ridge Path quilt. To see the full story, go to this blog post, http://bethdonaldson.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-project.html.

 
















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

The 1864 Belfast Flag Quilt

If you've ever wanted to go to a quilt history lecture, but couldn't get there, or your guild never hired a quilt historian, watch this video. It's about a Civil War quilt from Belfast, Maine. It features a lecture by Independent Quilt Historian and New England Quilt Museum Curator, Pam Weeks. It's also has great insights on how to do quilt research. Enjoy!
The 1864 Belfast Flag Quilt from Belfast Community on Vimeo.
Pam has recently authored a book (with Don Beld) on pot holder quilts, "Civil War Quilts" and you can purchase it on Amazon.

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

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!