Welcome, Spring!

Hello everyone! The weather could not have been nicer today for a visit from my friend Terri. It was beautifully sunny and just warm enough to open the windows 

That's the first thing Terri did when she arrived. As a gentle cross-breeze flowed through the house, we let the sunshine settle on our faces. 

Neither of us could recall the last time we spent together. Was it summer? Fall? At any rate, we talked nonstop over lunch and hardly got a bite in edgewise for all the catching up we had to do.

Before leaving, Terri offered to do a little something for me around the house. I knew she had cleaning in mind, butI had other plans. I asked if she'd arrange the tulips she brought and pair them with a doll quilt in a small table-top display. We settled on this simple nine-patch. It's nothing special, just a few random blocks swapped with friends... 

but look how it sparkles when the sun hits it right! You don't even notice the dust!

Terri, Thanks for a wonderful visit. I'm so glad we got to share this extraordinary weather! XO

The Lincoln Memorial

Hello everyone! Yesterday was Presidents Day here in the U.S. and I've got a perfect quilt to share. It's a tiny tribute to Abraham Lincoln made by my friend Barb Vedder.

I've named it "The Lincoln Memorial”, a "monumental" title for a miniature quilt, but I like the play on words.

The medallion-style quilt features Abe at its center surrounded by three deceptively simple borders. According to Barb, “It’s interesting how much the fabric choices matter in small projects. When only a few are used, I find it challenging to pick just the right ones.”

After trying "a gazillion” options, Barb's persistence paid off. Her savvy choices lend a sense of 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 sheer happenstance how closely they resemble the infamous 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 print on the back, an antebellum riverboat scene, is true to the era.

This is just one of many patriotic quilts inspired by Barb’s love of U.S. history and Americana. She displays her quilts and collections throughout her lovely home. Check them out!

Incidentally, there's a connection between Mary Todd Lincoln and our little town of Batavia, Illinois. Ten years after her husband's tragic death, 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 Mrs. Lincoln to earn a prominent spot in local lore.