Benjamin Biggs Wedding Quilt officially finished....

Yea!! Another huge project can now be checked off as Done! If you are familiar with Gay Bomers over at Sentimental Stitches, you know how she so often tempts us with BOM quilts that either are taken directly from an antique quilt or inspired by one. I have fallen victim a number of times starting back in 2009 with her Beyond The Cherry Tree. And then in 2014, came the c.1848 Benjamin Biggs Wedding quilt. Another approximately 100 x 100 quilt consisting of 25 blocks and scalloped border, I finished the top in 2017 and just recently received it back from the long arm quilter. After handquilting BTCT, my hands could not tackle another round. As much as I would love to hand quilt each applique quilt, reality takes over.

I would like to thank my friend, Kathy P. who not only took photos of my quilts at a recent exhibit, but also stayed until the close of the show to collect them and take them home where they were kept safe and sound. I had fully intended to go with her, but and dealing with pneumonia and at 74, I am finding it slower to “snap back.” I always like to thank each of you who take time to comment on my little corner of the world as I appreciate your visits so much. Right now, I am behind but hope to catch up and see what you are up to also in the days ahead.

So now, the quilts have been collected and Benjamin Biggs is laid out on our bed...I am so pleased with the way it turned out. The caramel background and accents of dusty blue and the red chintz are soft and quiet...nice for a bedroom...

This quilt was worked on over the past few years, which if you have followed my blog, know, the days were filled with much stress as we dealt with the decline of my Mom and Dad’s health and everything that involved. At the end of each day, I would look forward to some quiet time and work on one of the applique blocks.

I wonder if quilts hold the quiltmaker’s thoughts between the layers and stitches?

So...I think a little nap might be in order...or should I follow these puppies and find out where they are headed? Looking for more friends, Spring or wondering why their other ear is floating above their head?

Happy stitching everyone!

Pat

Folk Art Journey finish!

Back in January I posted a story about a very long ago UFO - you can read about it here...

That quilt has now reached its completion...I had finished the borders and was chatting back and forth with Mimi’s Passions who lives “a few miles” away from Wisconsin and does some really lovely long arm machine quilting. I sent it off mid-February and received it back last week...look at the wonderful McTavishing...and for really close up photos (I have problems getting clearer images) hop over to her POST showing the blocks...the textures she has created really enhance the quilt.

I am so pleased with how everything turned out. This is truly a special project involving 2 quilters in different states and a very gifted group of Hmong immigrants - all working on an antique-inspired American folk art quilt. There are no language or cultural barriers when a group of women bond with needle and thread.

Happy stitching everyone and have a good week.

Pat

March Dolly Quilt Challenge & Books...

...pulling another UFO from the quilting cave to complete this little dolly quilt for the monthly mini quilt challenge from Wendy atThe Constant Quilter...

Leftover scraps from a long ago log cabin quilt - these 2 1/4” pinwheels in Aunt Gracie’s fabrics would be appropriate on a dolly bed for this month. When we cleared out Mom & Dad’s house back in 2015, I kept a few of Mom’s doll accessories and this small brass bed was one of them. It had been a Christmas gift to her a number of years ago and I had made a complete set of bed linens including the tiny redwork quilt to go with it. I can still remember how her face lit up on Christmas morning and the tears that appeared when she read the embroidered inscription on the pillow.

It was my Mom who started me down the path of loving books - she would read to me when I was young and then after I started school, she would have to remind me to come up for air frequently as I always had my nose stuck in whatever book I discovered. It is a generational thing too...we did the same thing with our son and he has inherited the love of reading. The joy of books is one of the best gifts you can give your children...

Speaking of books...check out what Mr. Outback gave me for my birthday...a book that has been on my wish list for 3 years...

If you love vintage and antique quilts and want to identify fabrics used and also learn more about how early textiles were created, this is THE BEST!
Look what I discovered about one of our family quilts...

While it does not necessarily mean my quilt was made that early, it tells me our family quiltmaker must have had a “stash” to work from that included cottons from 1825-1835. I continue to explore the pages of this wonderful book and have found more fabrics that compare with the quilt...no later than 1840’s...it is like being a detective. I should have gone for a degree in textiles, but getting through all the chemistry would have knocked me down...

Books and fabrics...and memories...what treasures!

Happy stitching everyone...

Pat