April Monthly Mini

 Really?? Did I actually think I would be able to get a monthly mini done with all I had on my plate? Time to pick up my fork and dig in! 

 I knew it had to be simple. Luckily, I had made a one of these years ago that I gave away so I already had all of the little 9-patches. Just a little pull from the scrap drawers and voila! It measures 8 1/2" x 10 1/2". Fun!

 

 I’m calling this one, “Second Spring”. We haven’t really had a first yet, but I gave all those little 9-patches a new lease on life so…

 Pick up the trowel and dig around in our fellow mini makers sites for signs of Spring!

Quilting Babcia (Amity Quilter)

Randy (Barrister’s Block)

Cathy (Big Lake Quilter) 

Cyndi (Busy Thimble)

Grace (City Mouse Quilter)

Barb (Fun with Barb)

Gladi (Gladi’s Quilts)

Shasta (High Road Quilter)

Nancy (Joy For Grace)

Joy (Joyful Quilter)

Julie (Julie K Quilts)

Kathy (Kathy’s Quilts)

Katy (Katy Quilts)

Sandy (My Material Creations)

Meredithe (Pomegranate and Chintz)

Angie (Quilting on the Crescent)

Barbara (Quilts, Gravestones and Elusive Ancestors)

Janet (Rogue Quilts)

Tazzie (Tazzie Quilts)

Kyle (Timeless Reflections)

Cynthia (Wabi-Sabi Quilts)

A Quilt for the Easter Bunny!

 

I’ve made many quilts for dogs and I’ve made a few quilts for rescue cats, but I had never seen one made for a bunny until now.

 My friend Karen M. made this sweet little quilt for her niece’s rabbit, “Ivy”. It is so adorable!

Ivy 

Karen used a variety of reproduction quilts featuring bunnies. I’m sure Ivy will love every inch! 

 Happy Easter to all!

 

Cecile and Corinne Sampler sew-a-long

 

Finis! 

 The theme for Cecile and Corinne’s quilt-a-long this year was “sampler”. The rules were that it had to be 50% pieced and 50% appliqued with a minimum of 16 blocks.

 My inspiration came from chocolate (of course). I used the soft buttery yellow of the Whitman’s Sampler and added colors and motifs from a few of my old boxes. 

 

 After all the blocks were laid out, I auditioned several border fabrics. I really wanted a lavender, but I just couldn’t find the right one. 

 

This vintage feedsack in a soft pink “cross stitch” look seemed the best fit. 

I was looking for a fabric with chocolates in it for the backing when I found this – more fitting – cross stitch print in the perfect colors.

It is both hand and machine quilted.

 This is my 5^th year of participating in this fun quilt-a-long. In the past I have donated the quilts to the American Quilt Study Group and the Maine State Museum. For this one, I am trying to find a place that is selling or auctioning quilts to raise funds for Ukraine as it really isn't big enough to be of use to refugees. If any of you know of any such sites, please let me know.

 Thanks Cecile and Corinne!!

Spectacular Day at NEQM

 

I have been wanting to get down to see Barb Vedder’s (Fun with Barb) quilts at the New England Museum since it opened in January. Finally, I was able to free up a day and it just happened to be the same day that the American Quilt Study Group was holding its regional quilt study day. Win – win!

 I knew Barb’s quilts were spectacular. I have seen many of them in person, but to see so many hung so beautifully was truly amazing. I photographed every one of them but I am only going to give you a taste because her exhibition doesn’t end until Saturday and I hope to entice those of you in New England to head down now!

 We took our photo in front of my favorite Barb quilt (although it is hard to choose a favorite!), “My Mother’s Garden”. I have loved it since the first time I saw it and I didn’t even know Barb then. 

 I wanted to focus on her Alice Payne quilt to showcase her talent in reproducing an antique quilt, but in the process making it truly her own. This is the gorgeous original antique made by Alice Payne in the mid 19^th century. 

 And, this is Barb’s interpretation.

Some blocks she made close to the original, and in some, she used Alice’s inspiration and added her own fun little elements to make them truly unique. I was so happy to finally see this quilt in person. 

Alice's eagle

 

Barb's eagle

Alice's block 

Barb's block - bullseye or solar system? You decide. 

 

Alice's block

 

Barb's block - her creativity really shows in this one!!

This quilt is also an inspiration to me. I was with her in Vermont when Pepper Cory showed us this quilt. Sorry, I don’t have a photo of the original, but believe me she took the inspiration and then made hers sing with excitement. I love it. 

 I’m not going to show any more of Barb’s quilts. I will let her share the whole thing when the exhibition ends next week.

 As for the quilt study. There were 21 of us and we all brought the earliest quilt in our collection. I can’t share photos of these quilts because people asked that their photos not be published. The one I brought was made around 1840 but of course I was so excited to see all the other quilts, I forgot to take a good photo while it was all laid out. I will show it another time.

I can show you this remarkable bed hanging that belongs to the museum. Marcus Fabrics made reproductions of many of these prints years ago as part of one of JudieRothermel’s collections. Aren’t these amazing? 

 I was so thankful to be able to ride down with my friend Laurie whom I hadn’t seen in ages so it made the whole day truly complete!

 Hope you all had a lovely weekend as well!