Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Deer Hunter Widow's Weekend



My husband went hunting last weekend, this is where I spent my time.



My girlfriend Laura came over and we worked on machine quilting gift projects for her daughters.



Laura secretly printed her grand children's hand prints in different 4 seasons scenes. She made a set for their mother and another set as a gift their Aunt who's wedding they are in.



We have a Fall tree with hand print branches. A Christmas wreath, (there will be little red buttons sewed on as berries and they all will be finished with binding).



Hand prints Spring flowers.



And fireworks hand prints for the 4th of July.



Another girlfriend stopped by and I cut her some holly branches for her holiday door arrangement, she gave me this wonderful primitive color, candy cane chenille trim.



She always finds the most wonderful trims in Shipshewana, In.



Aren't these great fabric pumpkins? I bought them at Hobby Lobby now 80 percent off.  $4.00 each.

I hope you and your families have a Blessed Thanksgiving.
See you next week!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Chit Chat



Back to my "cutter" quilt from Quilt Camp, after we took our favorite blocks there was a lot left.



We had one friend who couldn't make it to camp so we all purchased her a group of reproduction Civil War era fat quarters and made a cute bag from part on the left over quilt.



Tucked in are the blocks and other goodies and tied up with a twill tape "tape measure" bow.
She loved it. Can't wait to see what she does with the fabric.
(No pressure there Deb!)



This wonderful childhood quilt was made in the early 1960's. Every night when the mother who made it put her 5 children to bed she would work on a quilt for each. She traced pictures from coloring books and hand embroidered each. Her stitching is beautiful.



The little boy is grown now but the good memories of his mother still live on.



The pillow cover with G.I. Joe pictures.
(the brown fabric is the same color as the quilt, photographed in a different room)



What a great man who still treasures it.



The last of the  Fall leaves here are the oaks.



Before I left for Camp I picked some and rolled them up in raw silk with a little bit of rusty metal.
Steamed them, and let them set in a plastic bag.



After a week their now forever printed on my scarf.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Quilt Camp 2013


Last Monday off I went with my girlfriends for a week of quilting. This is around our 13th year.  Up North we went following Lake Michigan until we arrived at the house we rented.
 


A beautiful "cottage" built in 1917.


Right on a lake.


The living room was painted purple, now I'm not a purple person but this worked with all of it's  vintage pieces and art work.


Every bed had a vintage chenille bedspread on the bed, some with doors to a balcony.
 


5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms.


 One cute bathroom had a claw foot tub, which I took advantage of with lots of bubble bath.


The kitchen had a cute farm sink and no dishwasher! But we made it.


Wonderful vintage pieces,


glass cupboards with Fiesta Ware dishes.


A cute porch before coming in the kitchen.


As soon everyone set up the sewing machines got going.


One day we were invited to the studio of Ann Loveless, The 2013 ArtPrize  winner. How great a quilt artist won against Art (paintings, sculptures etc.) from all over the world. She won $200,000. Her studio is located in Northern Mi.


We spent the day shopping at different quilt shops. This is the cutest shop.


Looked like a little hobbit house.


At one store Kay and I bought this "cutter" quilt. Before you have a hard attack, this quilt was in terrible condition, a lot of the fabrics were deteriorated. The fabrics date from the late 1800s to the early 1900's. We paid $40, $20.00 each. Back at the cottage we took turns cutting out our favorite blocks.


This is my group, if you notice not many star points, straight edges or blocks the same size. Too Cute! I'm going to hang them in my studio.


This is Kay's group of blocks.


At night we played games winning fabric strips. I lost but laughed a lot.


This piece was so cute.

OK, the following pictures are a Few of the quilts that were pieced during the week.


My friend had started this quilt and passed away before she finished it. I was gifted the piece and spent 2 days finishing it. After it's quilted I will give it to my son.
The pattern is Burgoyne Surrounded, based on a battle during the Revolutionary War.
The fabric is beautiful, the blue and cream are not solids their a tone on tone, it looks like a jacquard.
The print boarder is a Japanese piece.


Eileen pieced this quilt from a cut up wool skirt.



Mary saw a quilt something like this, she designed her own paper piecing pattern and pieced it with lots of fun fabrics. It will be bigger then this when finished.


I'm not sure the name of this pattern but the quilt turned out beautiful.
Judy pieced it.


Martha made this table runner with mittens on it.


It looked so cute through the windows from the porch.


Martha also made these big mittens to use on her mantle in place of Christmas stockings for the adults. She made all her children and grandchildren stockings.


Eileen also paper pieced these beautiful trees that will be made into a wall hanging.

I sewed most of my Family Tree quilt together starting from the bottom. I still have to add our children's house's into the top of the tree when their finished.
The trunk of the tree will have my husbands and my initials "carved" into it with a heart surrounding them. (Like you see kids carve into real trees, except I will be embroidering them in). There also will be mushrooms popping up around the trunk and maybe a critter or two.
The quilt is pinned to a flannel sheet that's why it looks wavy.


When Judy wasn't quilting she was knitting.


Kay pieced a "Lil Twisted" quilt for her new granddaughter. She was born months early but is strong and doing wonderful.


It rained and rained, the wind blew hard and I lit a fire. I wanted everyone to sing Christmas carols with me but no one joined in so back to photographing their quilts I went.
Martha pieced this gingerbread cookie/ candy cane quilt for her grandchildren. For some reason the fabrics look orange but they aren't in real life.

  • Deb Hardman
  • Allie Aller
  • Jenny Bowker Cairo
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