Stash Hash potholder quilt update

 I finished this outer border of my latest "pot luck" potholder quilt some weeks ago so I guess it is time to post an update. I have had so much fun digging through odd blocks and piecing then together. This is the second potholder quilt I have made in "strips" as opposed to block by block. I learned a lot more this time and am really looking forward to the next one. In fact, I have already started another potholder with the "leftovers" from this one. I think I should name them all "Sourdough" as they just keep going and going! 

Front

 

back 

 

We've had the wettest summer in recent history which has allowed for lots of indoor stitching. Now if I could just open my laptop once in a while to post all my progress... 

Hope you have had great quilting time too!

Thank you Cyndi

 While visiting my friend Cyndi (The Busy Thimble) a few weeks ago, I spied this beautiful appliqued block on her table. "how is it that I have never seen this one before?", I asked. She said, "They were not really my colors, in fact they are more like yours, here, take it". After I picked my jaw back up from the floor, I thanked her profusely and took it home.

I bought the border fabric at Cyndi's shop about 20 years ago and have been trying to find the right quilt to use it in ever since. Voila! 

I'm still trying to figure out the "big stitch". I think I am getting better - the border stitches are twice the size of my regular quilting (in the center), but I know they should be larger still. Will keep trying! 

The colors are reminiscent of 1850's Lancaster, PA, but it looks great in my 1950's decorated kitchen! 

Thanks Cyndi!!

Quiltmania Mystery Quilt 2023 - step 4

 Well, almost all of step 4😏 

I am enjoying working with these wonderful Dutch reproduction prints and I love Susan Smith's applique designs.

 

 

 

 

A little outdoor stitching on a calm day. Lately it has been too windy to stitch outside!

I am however a bit puzzled with the measurement directions for the vines (with attached hexagon flowers) so I will hold off that step until I see what others are doing. I am a visual person! My mother was lefthanded and therefor claimed she couldn't teach me to knit. I now know lefthandedness was not the reason! I just don't follow directions well. 

Hope you all get a little outdoor stitching time too!

Maine Quilts 2023

 No excuses for my bad blogging, I'm simply going to move forward without another word about it. 😏  Our statewide show (Maine Quilts 2023) was (in my humble opinion) the best in years. The reason being, there were two special exhibitions that were close to my heart.

My friend Sue Rivers curated a show of our friend Judy Roche's antique quilts and it was spectacular. They were truly amazing, but these are my two favorites. 

 

I just adore both of them!

 

I would love to reproduce both of them. My dream is that when I am long gone and people see my quilts, I would want them to say, "Oh what fun, I would love to make that one!"  

And, speaking of reproduction quilts, the other special exhibit was a room full of the wonderous reproductions of Hortense Beck. She was a remarkable woman who reproduced many (some famous, some not so famous) antique and historical quilts from private and museum collections. And... she didn't start quilting until she was 60!! These were my favorites.  

 

  

 

 

 

 

You can read more about her online, she was simply remarkable!! 

 

And, for more news... Here is my friend Barb (Fun with Barb) with her outstanding chrome quilt. Many of my friends cornered me at the show and said, "I thought this was a Wendy Reed quilt!". I wish it was!!! 

 

And here she is talking to someone about her "Chernobyl" quilt. This was inspired by a Jen Kingwell pattern. Barb is great at using her quilting to tell a story. This one gives me goosebumbs! This woman was fascinated as was I. 

and this was one of my entries: "Petaluma" was made using Dawn Cook-Ronningen's (Collector with a Needle) patterns called "Fig Leaf and Flowers". I rarely use patterns, but Dawn's fabulous patterns of her antique quilts are superb. This one was in Houston last year so it had until this year to be at Maine Quilts. It is a very patient quilt. The little wool hand means it was hand quilted. I counted them this year and there were 37 (out of over 400 quilts). I am now anxious to see if next year brings more or fewer hand quilted entries. When I first started quilting (before the dawn of time), machine quilting was frowned upon. Oh my how things have changed! Some of today's machine quilting simply blows my mind!

 

And, here is my friend Meliss' quilt sporting her first ever ribbon. It is a Jen Kingwell pattern using 19th century reproductions. Just fabulous!! And, hand quilted! 

And, speaking of Jen Kingwell... She was the speaker for our Friday night banquet and I would have to say that she was the best one I had ever heard. When she started talking about how she was technically challenged and really didn't like using the computer and how she preferred hand work over the machine, I thought perhaps we had been separated at birth. She was so humble and gracious, thanking those who helped her get where she is today in the quilt world. I really enjoyed her. 

The best part of the show was (and always has been) seeing all my quilty friends. A few of them got a little weepy while saying, "It is so good to see you looking so well"! I was so sick last summer, I am just so thankful to be returning to my old self. Now, if I could just get back into Blogland...😊

Have a super day!!!