The Lincoln Memorial

Hello everyone! In honor of Presidents' Day this year, I'm sharing a special birthday quilt made by my friend, Barb Vedder. It's a tribute to Abraham Lincoln that I call "The Lincoln Memorial." Sure, it's a "monumental" name for a miniature quilt, but I like a good play on words.

The medallion-style format features Abe at the center surrounded by three deceptively simple borders. According to Barb, "Fabric choices really matter in small projects like this. When only a few are used, it can be challenging to pick just the right ones."

After trying a "gazillion" options, Barb's persistence finally paid off! Her savvy fabric choices add depth, complexity and gravitas to an otherwise simple design.

I wonder if Barb had Ford's Theatre in mind as she auditioned fabrics, or was it happenstance how closely they resemble the scene of Lincoln’s demise?

From the rich red carpet 

and brocade upholstery...

to the heavy swag draperies of the Presidential Box, the similarities are striking!

Even the riverboat scene on the back is true to the antebellum era.

Of course, this is just one of many patriotic quilts inspired by Barb’s love of U.S. history. Her quilts and collections are on display throughout her lovely home. Check them out!

Incidentally, there's even a connection between Mary Todd Lincoln and our little town of Batavia, Illinois. Ten years after President Lincoln's assassination, Mary was deemed mentally unstable and committed to Bellevue Place, a rest home and sanitarium just blocks from our house. Her stay was brief, a mere four months, but long enough for her to earn a prominent place in local lore. To this day, the Batavia Historical Society has an exhibit devoted to Mary Todd Lincoln, including the very bed she slept in while staying here.

Originally posted 2/16/2016.

   

A Perfect Morning Pick-me-up!

I love a good cup of coffee in the morning. Brew it strong and serve it hot with a splash of milk and spoonful of sugar. What could possibly make it better?

How about adding a colorful patchwork mug rug? It's like a pick-me-up for your morning pick-me-up!

My friend, Mary, made this postage stamp version for me exclusively from scraps. Each vibrant square finishes at a mere half inch! Isn't it fun? 

Why not make a mug rug for yourself and see if it doesn't “perk up” your morning routine? There are plenty of ideas and tutorials online, most beginning with a basic quilt block. They make great gifts too.

*Originally posted June 19, 2015.

Strawberry Preserves

Hello everyone! Can you believe it's September already? I've been so focussed on this summer's project that I feel like it's still July! Some of you may remember this mid-century inspired doll quilt embellished with a vintage strawberry. I first posted about it here.

Motifs like this are typical of the 1940s-50s when they adorned household linens such as tea towels, tablecloths, and napkins. I added calicos, polka dots, and gingham checks for vintage charm and bordered the quilt with a whimsical retro-style daisy print from American Jane. 

                        

The top itself was finished years ago but got set aside when I gave up doing handwork. That was that, or so I thought until I pulled it out this spring to show my friend, Ruth. She was so smitten that she not only deemed it worth finishing, she offered to do it for me! How could I refuse?

As you can see, she's quite an accomplished needlewoman! Ruth suggested using perle cotton for the quilting which was something new to me. I like the subtle luster it adds to the design.

 

What started as a means of preserving a bit stitchery ended up capturing the essence of summer itself. I couldn't be happier with the result. Thank you to Vicki Haninger for her inspiration and to Ruth, of course, for seeing the project to fruition. 

Strawberry Preserves

15” x 17”

2019

Scenes of Summer

Hi everyone. How was your summer? Mine was filled with extraordinary moments shared with extraordinary friends, like Wanda Hanson of Exuberant Color, who surprised me with one of her signature batik color-wash quilts. Isn't it stunning? Read more about it here. 

Of course, visits from quilters are always welcome, especially when they bring "show and tell." Here's Sheila with her Sunflower quilt and me with Wanda's Zig-Zags.

Jenny graced us with fresh-picked basil and cherry tomatoes from her garden. Jean shared a delicious peach cobbler, made with real Georgia peaches, and the best homemade blueberry pie I've ever tasted!

Local troubadour, Bill Glaysher, serenaded me one afternoon. Swoon! I even got a copy of his CD.

Which enabling friend helped make this online purchase? I couldn't resist getting a few new American Jane fabrics in summer hues.

Bev volunteered to read aloud to me. If you've never heard To Kill a Mockingbird read by a veteran English teacher you don't know what you're missing!

I came across a new quilt book too. Gwen Marston's The Magic Forest features her small tree quilts some of which I've been lucky enough to see in person.

 

Jim and I even attended a bridal shower hosted by friends, Mark and Linda, for their daughter and son-in-law to be. What lured us out on a 97-degree day was the promise of mango mimosas and eight different kinds of cake. Believe me, it did not disappoint!

Thank you dear friends for making my summer so special! We certainly made some great memories, didn't we?  XO

Spring At Last

Earlier this spring, my friend Debbie shared photos from Flowers on Fargo, a private garden in Geneva, Illinois. Each year it attracts locals and visitors alike, first with crocuses and tulips, then with other flowering trees and perennials. E sure to check out the link above. 

I've always liked the crocuses bestof The moment they emerge, often while there's still snow on the ground, their hardy blooms seem to dance with abandon like they're grateful to be leaving winter behind... and aren't we all?

   

crocuses blanketing the landscape like a colorful patchwork quilt. 

Perhaps it's the colors that drew me to this vintage Dutchman's Puzzle quilt. Do you suppose the maker had crocuses in mind when she pieced those purple triangles or was this just a popular color scheme in the 1940s?

All those triangles

poking through a bed of white

to dance their way across a quilt

sure look like crocuses to me!

Wishing you all a happy spring & summer!

Midwinter Blues

Hello everyone! I had a birthday recently and with it came this marvelous quilt from Barb Vedder. You may recognize it as Midwinter Blues, a pattern designed by Lori DeJarnatt for her 2014 Humble Quilts sew-along. Double-click photos for more detail.

Aren't Barb's fabrics exquisite? I've never seen such deep, saturated blues or bold cheddar prints. All those patchwork points and angles could make for a "lively" quilt, especially when high contrast fabrics like these are used, but Barb managed to reduce that energy with a couple clever tricks.

First, she chose gentle curves of teacup quilting to draw the focus away from the angular patchwork itself.

Second, Barb reduced the impact of the machine quilting by swapping her standard cotton thread with silk in a neutral gold color. Look closely and you'll see how the stitches practically melt into the background leaving just a hint of texture behind. 

On the back is a patriotic print with the phrase "E pluribus unum" or "Out of many, one," or as I prefer to interpret it, "Out of many pieces came one fantastic quilt!"

Barb originally made it for our dear friend, Mary Borst. After Mary passed away, Barb thought I might enjoy having it since Mary and I had been college classmates and good quilt friends as well. Thanks, Barb. You bet I will! XO

 

Instructions for the Midwinter Blues quilt are still available on Lori's Humble Quilts blog: 

Part 1,  Part 2,  Part 3,  Finale.

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful!

Hi all! If you live outside the purple zone on the weather map you may be unaware of how bitter cold it is here in the Midwest right now. Current temperatures are in the single-digits with wind chills of -25° to -40°. That's breathtaking cold! Bone-chilling cold! FROSTBITE COLD! Needless to say, we're hunkered down for the duration.

In weather like this, my husband keeps his "expeditions" to a minimum, braving the elements only to trek down the driveway for mail or to shovel us out... not that we're going anywhere. Every time he opens the storm door it whines in icy protest as if to ask, “Are you sure you want to venture out today?”

I'm keeping warm with a cozy new quilt that my friend, Mary Conley, made. "The blocks might look familiar," she whispered as she placed it in my lap. Indeed they did. They were red and green nine patches I'd abandoned years earlier!

Apparently, Mary saw more potential in the blocks than I did and rescued them from the giveaway pile at quilt group. All these years later, they look fresh and new in a jaunty on-point setting. Mary's choice of homespun plaid sets the blocks off nicely too.

The red homespun backing makes it even more inviting!

Thanks again, Mary, for your wonderful surprise. Whatever plans I may have had for these blocks, you've far exceeded them!

Happy New Year everyone and best wishes to you all!