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 colorwash 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 cherry tomatoes and basil from her garden. Jean shared delicious peach cobbler (made with real Georgia peaches) and the best blueberry pie I've ever tasted!

Local troubadour, Bill Glaysher, serenaded me one afternoon. Swoon!

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

Bev, a veteran English teacher, volunteered to read aloud to me. Her soothing voice was absolute bliss!

Jim and I even got to attend 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!

Thanks, everyone, for making it such a memorable summer! 

Spring At Last

What a welcome sight... crocuses are beginning to blanket the landscape like a colorful patchwork quilt! From the moment they emerge, their hardy blossoms dance with abandon, as it they're grateful to be leaving winter behind. Aren't we all?

Early this spring, my friend, Deb, shared this photo she took at Flowers on Fargo, a private garden in Geneva, Illinois. Each spring, it bursts into color  with crocuses, tulips, and other flowering perennials. Check out the link above!  

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

I had a birthday recently and with it came this marvelous quilt from Barb. You may recognize it as Midwinter Blues, a pattern designed by Lori DeJarnatt for her 2014 Humble Quilts sew-along. 

Aren't these fabrics exquisite? I've never seen such deep, saturated blues or bold cheddar prints. Double-click photos for more detail.

With all those points and angles, the quilt looks rather busy, especially when high-contrast fabrics like these are used. Barb managed to reduce the visual energy with a couple clever tricks.

First, she chose an all-over quilting design with gentle, flowing curves of teacup quilting create , whilehelp balance all that 

By substituting silk thread for cotton, her machine quilting practically melts into the background leaving just a hint of texture behind.

Barb always chose this lovely patriotic print for the back--"E pluribus unum" or "Out of many, one." 

As you can see, the quilt was originally made for Barb's dear friend, Mary B. After Mary passed away, Barb thought I might enjoy having it. Thanks, Barb. You bet I will! XO

 

If you'd like to make your own Midwinter Blues quilt, instructions can be found on Lori DeJarnatt's  Humble Quilts blog: 

Part 1   Part 2   Part 3   Finale.