Back from the Abyss

It's been difficult to find time and discipline to return to blogging.
My quiet blog in NO way reflects that life has been quiet.
In fact, this has been the busiest and most exciting few months I've experienced in many years. Rather than catch you up in one long "Run On" of words & photos, I'd like to just begin again with today....

The first block I've made for this quilt is 4A Pine Burr.
I discovered this pattern through my blogging friend Karen - Log Cabin Quilter.
Several other blogging friends are sewing along with her including Cathy, Julie and Carole.

I started with the middle rows of the quilt because my 7 year old grandson is anxious for me to make Bovina the Cow. The Cow is what drew me into this quilt initially. My grandson & I have a special ritual. Once a week we drive down a long country road passing a field of 4 white ponies and then a dairy farm. He is always eager to count the baby calves and comment on how they are all growing. This is our 2nd year monitering the herd that he has grown so fond of.

3B (untitled) is a Grove of Trees.
I chose to back baste needle turn this block. The directions tell you to cut 8 individual tree trunks to form the circle. I opted for an easier approach. I used a traditional applique' fold & cut method to create a smooth 1 piece ring of tree trunks. I started off with a square of freezer paper and folded it into 8 sections. Then 1 drew one trunk between the folds and cut it out.

The center of the block has a tiny embroidered wreath. Mine is about the size of an American Quarter.

And the final block I've completed so far is block 3A Darting Minnows.

At this point, I would like to join in with Karen and the group participating in the Dearest Boy Sew Along. I will begin working on the same blocks they are making. In addition, I will try to catch up over the next few months on the blocks they've already completed.
If you'd like the Dearest Boy pattern by Jean Cerbone you can purchase it on her Etsy page HERE.

every quilt tells a story.....

Experimenting with Broderie Perse type Applique'

Gay Boomer of Sentimental Stitches is offering another free sew along. A Re-do of an endearing vintage signature quilt she is referring to as "Dear Daughter".
I tried to resist, really I did... but alas I'm now diving in head first.

There are a great many circle blocks in this quilt - possibly to represent Love Eternal or maybe even Wedding Rings. Women used their own fabrics and style to come up with ways to adorn the Circle signature blocks they made for the quilt recipient.

Not all of the blocks are Circles... here are my versions of Blocks 3 and 6.

These were quick to choose fabrics for.
But the Circles -oh those blank circles.
What ever shall I fill them with? I ponder longer than I sew.
Thankfully, some ideas are starting to come to me.

EARLY SPRING

THE VINEYARD

If you'd like to join in - visit Gay's page HERE.

For curious minds - here is an official defination of Broderie Perse:
It is the art of cutting out fabric images, arranging and sewing them back together onto a background fabric to create an entirely new scene. It was common in the 17th century to pin or baste the raw edge elements down and then use embroidery stitches around the edges to neatly secure the cut outs into place onto the background fabric. Today many quilter's are using needle turn techniques to achieve a similar look.

every quilt tells a story....

Block Swaps with Friends

CHURN DASH blocks: This swap was hosted by Barb Vedder of Fun With Barb.
There was a time limit on this swap,approximately 8 weeks to complete and mail off your 6 1/2" churn dash blocks. (they finish at 6")
The Reproduction fabric group each made 66 churn dash blocks to send off to Barb for swapping. When my swapped blocks arrived - I couldn't believe it - there were no fabric duplicates. How cool is that?

I love Barb's block swaps!
Her directions are very clear, her tutorials are fabulous and her swaps are FUN!

FRIENDSHIP STAR blocks: This is an ongoing swap I am involved in with a group of quilting friends. We've agreed for now to swap blocks each month for 1 year. This is the start of what the blocks will become.

The blocks are only 3 1/2" and will finish at 3" square once sewn into a quilt.
After swapping, we trim the corners and add our background fabric triangles to create the 4 corners.

This is NOT the method used in the pattern instructions, but works for our group because we are all using different background colors.

The Quilt we are making is a pattern design titled Among Friends by Primitive Gatherings.

I've already collected 56 blocks from our monthly exchange.
It sounds like a lot, but the quilt design requires more than 500 of these little stars. This will be a long term project for sure.

every quilt tells a story...

Quilt Museum visit

Day 3 of their visit - Petra, Judith, Laurie, Patti & I headed off to the VA Quilt Museum. It was a blustery cold day with just a few snowflakes teasing the sky.

We immediately warmed up once we were all inside.
Gloria Comstock (the Museum's curator) was happy to take Petra & Judith on a behind the scenes tour of the Archives room and explain how each quilt is carefully processed and documented.

A very special quilt had just arrived... created by a cousin of Abraham Lincoln.
Would we like to take a peak at it resting downstairs in the vault?
Why yes of course we certainly would!
And Petra was even allowed to photograph the quilt.

Off to lunch and a visit to Patchwork Plus quilt shop.

Petra purchased some fat quarters of 1800's reproduction fabrics.
As soon as we arrived back home she began mixing them into her own collection of Dutch fabrics. She said "these will make for a wonderful scrappy quilt" and knowing Petra's work, I have no doubt it will be gorgeous!

It was a very exciting day!