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As you can see, the quilt was originally made for Barb's dear friend, Mary B. After Mary passed away, Barb thought I might enjoy having it.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

Another Year Older

                                         23 February 2017

Dear Barb,

My birthday quilt arrived and I wish you could see the ear to ear grin on my face. What a happy piece of patchwork to open on a gray February day!

Few things are as charming as pink and blue sitting side by side like this.

I love the elegant bird toile you used on the back. It's quite a contrast to those quirky conversation prints on the front of the quilt. Baseball players and baby faces--What fun!

    

Thank you, Barb. Your birthday quilts always take the edge off turning another year older. 

Scrappy Birthday

I remember visiting my friend Barb's sewing room one time and getting to explore a drawer full of miscellaneous quilt blocks. What fun it would be, I thought, to arrange them like puzzle pieces into various quilt designs.

Well, that’s exactly what Barb did to make this year's birthday gift for me! All the elements came from her stash of "pieces and parts" leftover from previous quilt projects. Blocks of various sizes were made to fit by adding on or trimming as need be.

I’m guessing Barb started with the vintage Shoo Fly block, then added Broken Dishes to continue the classic blue and brown color scheme. When the strip of Flying Geese was too long to fit, Barb simply lopped it off leaving a quirky little partial block behind.

Adding to its "make do" charm is a backing pieced from three strips of chintz. It takes a keen eye to spot the seams. Can you find them? Barb also varied her binding just as a long-ago seamstress might had she run out of her intended fabric.

Lastly, a gentle tea bath gives the quilt its aged appearance. Don’t you love that detail?

Weeks before my birthday, I spotted a vintage bowl on Etsy. "That's just what I need," I told myself. "Wouldn't it look great filled with old buttons, sitting atop a scrappy quilt?"

When just such a quilt arrived, I raced right back to Etsy and bought the bowl. Happy birthday to me!

By the way, here are photos of Barb's actual "miscellaneous block" drawers. Do you see the allure? Wouldn't you love to reach in there and rummage around? 

Thanks for another great birthday quilt, Barb. You always manage to surprise and delight me! XO

The Lincoln Memorial

Hello all! The little quilt was a birthday gift from my friend Barb Vedder a few years back. Thanks again, Barb!

I call it "The Lincoln Memorial,” a monumental name for a miniature quilt, but I like the play on words.

The medallion-style format features Abe at its 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 paid off. Her savvy choices add depth, complexity, and gravitas to the 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 accurate 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. Be sure to check them out!

Incidentally, there's also a connection between our little town of Batavia, Illinois and Mary Todd Lincoln. 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. 

What Goes Around, Comes Around

All I want for my birthday these days is not to be reminded of it, unless of course, it’s with a birthday quilt from, Barb. For that, I’ll admit to every one of my advancing years!

Imagine my surprise when I opened this year's quilt only to find a block I’d sent Barb a few years earlier. “Wait... What?” It took a moment to process that it was beautifully finished and back in my own hands!

The pattern is from Anita Shackelford's book, Applique with Folded Cutwork. My intention was to make four different blocks for a wallhanging, but my hands gave out partway through stitching the first one (darn MS). Our friend Kathy Smith finished the applique for me and I sent the block and remaining fabric to Barb for her birthday.

Barb finished the block with echo quilting, a traditional Hawaiian technique which outlines the applique design in concentric rows of stitching. Her use of silk thread adds a touch of elegance, don't you think? 

Let’s see what fabric Barb chose for the back. It’s a nod to her old New York City stomping ground.

Thank you, dear friend. As re-gifts go, this one's a keeper! XO

Tickled Pink!

Could anything be sweeter than cake and ice cream on your birthday? How about this pink and white confection from my buddy Barb? It's the latest in a series of doll quilts she's surprised me with over the years. 

This Log Cabin variation is Courthouse StepsThese double pinks and shirting prints remind me of French pastries stacked in a bakery window.

 

Et voila!

On the back is a luscious toile depicting Parisienne advertising labels. Ooh la la!

There were birthday treats from other friends as well. Terri baked a tray of mini cupcakes that were moist, chocolatey, and way too easy to pop into our mouth whole. Linda's pink peppermint ice cream was the perfect accompaniment!

Don't I have the sweetest friends? They sure made this birthday special! XO

Pulling Strings

A selvage is the tightly woven edge of fabric as it comes off the bolt. It keeps the cloth from raveling, it serves as a manufacturer's label, listing the company, name of the fabric line, designer, and year of production. 

I don't know how Barb guessed my favorite, but I’m thrilled with the quilt she sent me.

These particular selvages came from reproductions of traditional fabrics spanning 1800-1900, also known as "Civil War Repros."

The backing fabric features cartouches of Civil War battle scenes. 

A big thanks to all who contributed selvages for this project, and of course, to Barb, for her inspired use of them. Thank you for including me in this string of friendship quilts. I adore mine!

Birthday Quilt

My birthday rolled around again, as they're wont to do. I stopped counting the years at 50, so I’m often startled when I actually do the math ~ 56 this year! How did that happen? One of the few good things about growing older is getting a commemorative birthday quilt from my friend Barb.

This year’s quilt is a sweet little Shoofly, adapted from the Pink Lemonade quilt at Humble Quilts.

Barb always selects a surprising fabric for the back, sometimes consistent with the style or theme of her little quilts, but more often than not, something bold, funny, or completely incongruous. This time, it's an exquisite china print.


The quilting is done in one of my favorite designs -- "teacup" or "wineglass" quilting, so named for the household implement used to trace the circular pattern (or your preferred beverage while doing so). Barb gives a good explanation of the proper way to approach this seemingly straightforward design. You might think it’s logical to stitch each circle, continuing one to the next where they intersect. But soon, you will reach a dead end, and have to stop stitching. Instead, follow the gentler curve that looks like elongated pumpkin seeds. This path will allow for longer, more continuous lines of stitching.

Barb, thanks again for the beautiful birthday quilt. I don’t know how long we’ll be able to keep up this tradition. After 50, the birthdays come pretty fast and furious!

Too Much of a Good Thing?

Another birthday, another doll quilt... believe me, it never gets old! Here’s the beauty my friend Barb at Fun with Barb surprised me with this year. It's a four patch variation made of reproduction prints in the chocolate browns I love.

Barb and I have swapped several little quilts over the years, but I never stopped to consider how many other friends she might also be trading with. I'll bet she's made well over a hundred doll quilts by now! 

Enjoy these photos from my personal collection. A few of them I've shown before, but they're even better when viewed en masse.

Barb likes to add surprises to the back of her quilts. Many feature novelty prints, like the fish on the back of the Lewis and Clark Medallion, or sock monkeys on the Puss in the Corner quilt. Kitchen prints grace the yellow and pink four patch quilt.

Each one is a treasure, just like Barb!