Sweet Land of Liberty link up!!

 Here is what I came up with for month five, for my Sweet land of liberty sampler quilt.  This is a quilt along, freestyle, by Lori of Humble quilts.  That means that most of us don't have a pattern, LOL!   Please see below for all the amazing quilts being worked  on!!  I made hearts, instead of the dollies in the original quilt.  Going with my heart, there...hehehe!  Really, since I am a open heart recovery nurse, you just KNEW some hearts would creep into this quilt, didn't you?

https://humblequilts.blogspot.com/2018/05/month-5-sweet-land-of-liberty-linky.html

 Now for the not up to date part, at least not yet...see that big blankness over on the left side?  There is supposed to be a lovely Lady Liberty applique there.  But, you see, I have not the talent to draw her correctly, so instead of fussing around with her any more, I just left it blank until I can make something that fits in there properly.  ONWARD!  That is my story and I am sticking to it, LOL!  Maybe it will be her, and maybe something else that goes there...

This quilt is my favorite, favorite color...next to pink, maybe.  Anyway, I love this color!  I sorted out all these strings and anything that might possibly go with it, and made this quilt top a couple of years ago.  I recently got it sandwiched and the outside quilted, so I could bind it!!  Yes, I do things out of order sometimes....and it is perfectly OK.  The reason I did this is so I could take it on road trips with me, to hand quilt, and not have it frazzled on the edges.






Have a super day, everyone!!



Julie

Dearest Boy; Goosey Goosey!!

Good morning, everyone!!!  This baby is my block for the  album style quilt, "Dearest Boy".  I added some little flowers on the edge of the star, and embroidered the bow outline, but did not add the embroidered wing yet.  I love her! She has lots of attitude, and speaking of that, have you ever had an encounter with a goose?

My sister is much older than I, and she was living on a farm with her husband, that had a pasture with a brook through the middle.  She kept geese there, gray geese, much like this one.  As children, we loved to play in the brook, but were terrified of the geese in the pasture!!  They would chase and chase us, and if they could, they would pinch you with the sassy yellow beak!  Youch! Later I found out that they had nests in the long grass by the brook, bubbling through the pasture.  No wonder they were touchy about three little girls playing about!! 

I love this darling above, though, and she seems to be a little more like a duck...so cute!!




Please see Cathy's blog here, and see her goose!!


https://wwwbiglakequilter.blogspot.com/2018/05/dearest-boy-block-1b.html


Please see Karen's blog here, and see her goose, too!!!

https://karen-logcabinquilter.blogspot.com/2018/05/the-goose-and-medallion-center.html?showComment=1527684590696#c6556350146573843751

Pattern information:  I pasted this from Karen's blog, so you would know how to find the pattern, if interested.

Karen says:


"The pattern designer, Jean Cerbone,  is again able to sell the pattern set for "Dearest Boy".  It is available through Etsy here.  The price is $36.00 which, compared to some album style quilt patterns, is very reasonable."


Thank you, Karen for that information!! It is nice to know that the pattern is available again.







Have a great day, each of you!!


Julie

Happy Memorial Day! Lots of antique quilts!

 This quilt top was given to me by my sister, and she attributed it to my mom.  It is not mom's, but maybe my grandmother's.  It is 1930's vintage, happy and fun!!

 Each butterfly is blanket stitched down with embroidery floss, two strands.  There is an embroidery flower that the butterflies are attracted to, in the middle of each block.

 This quilt top is so, so fragile.  The fabrics are gossamer thin, and the seams are coming loose in places.  It is all hand pieced.

 Each corner looks like this.  Torn almost evenly off, like maybe it happened at one time.  I will not be able to finish this one up, because it would not withstand any handling at all,  but I will ALWAYS admire the fragile beauty and joy that was very evidently put into each stitch!!

 Happy Memorial Day!  This butterfly is for Memorial Day...don't you think?  It is perfect!!  I salute all those fallen soldiers who have given so much to me, including my very life and freedom.  Thank you!!

 This next quilt is the oldest one in my collection.  Betsy Chutchian, a well known quilt historian and author, took a look at this one, and she thinks it is probably from 1860.

 The workmanship in this quilt is the very best I have ever seen.  All pieced and quilted by hand, it is quilted about 16 stitches per inch.

 I cannot show the tiny stitches as I would like, but it is truly amazing.  Some of the reds are shattered, due to the unstable dyes, with heavy metals in them, as I understand the fabrics were made with in those days.   It is a treasure, and was given to me by my Brother in law, coming from his family.

 This is a double wedding ring that I bought, I think for a paltry 20 bucks or so.  It has done it job admirably!!!  Very worn out, it has served and kept many a body warm and comforted.  I honor the unknown maker.

All the edges are like this...see where it was pulled on?  That is why I like those pull borders, even on the simple quilts I make today.






Happy Memorial Day!!  I will be commenting back on your blogs to thank you for commenting on mine, until blogger fixes this problem of the comments not coming to our e-mails...hopefully this is temporary.




Have a super day!!!




Julie

Please inform me?

What is going with blogger? I am getting no email notifications when people comment.  Will this be a temporary situation?

Thanks!

Applique!

I recently completed the fifth block for Linda Brannock's "Flowers" quilt.  I added the striped hearts, inside the pink hearts.  I like the little yellow circles...they pop out there!! It always kind of surprises me what I come up with, from the scraps, as I never really have a cogent plan, LOL! The leaves were a challenge, but I hope I am getting a little better with every applique piece I attempt.  The journey is where it is at for me...how about you?  Is it really all about perfection at the end, or is it a fun effort along the way for you? Is it the creativity, or the fabric, or the actual sewing?



Have a super day!  Happy Memorial Day weekend..."All gave some...some gave all."  I honor each of those brave soldiers who lost their life, and gave the ultimate sacrifice, for my freedom!!




Julie

Blocks for this day.

 I got a few more blocks done for the Temecula Sampler, that I mentioned yesterday.  The right bottom block was supposed to be a crazy block, but some of the muddy colors crept in, so I will re-do that one.

 Our Bonnie has a really fun block going on in her latest column, "Addicted to Scraps", in Quiltmaker magazine.  I saw that Randy, at Barrister's block, is making some.

 I found two copies of the magazine at Joann's, so I am giving them away.  Just leave a comment if you would like to be placed in the drawing for one of them.

Tomatoes from the garden are ready....pretty color, don't you think?



Have a great day!




Julie

A wee bit of progress today!

 Temecula Quilt company is having a sampler quilt along.  I have cut out all the blocks and am making tracks!  Today, I made the above blocks.   If you would like to sew some fun and easy blocks, they are posting one every Friday.  The link is below.


https://temeculaquiltco.blogspot.com/2018/05/1880-sampler-sew-along_18.html

 I changed the middle block, as the dark green seemed a bit too muddy or dark for the rest of the blocks.

 Tell me, if you will, what would you do with these?  These were given to me, and are English paper pieced with 1/2 inch hexies. What you see here is all there are of these; eight of them.

 Also in the packet were these, made from quarter inch hexies!  They are itty bitty!! Any ideas???

In the same little packet were these blocks.  I see them as signature blocks, and as you see, one is smaller than the rest.  Maybe this quilter gave up, when she realized the block was smaller, or maybe the whole thing just lost its shine for her.  I think I will make another one of the bigger size and use them somewhere.  They are fun blocks!!





Thread!!   Someone recently said to try Signature 60 three ply thread, so I ordered some.  It is so, so thin, and snaps easily.  But, my sewing machine loves it!!  I will use it up.  My big time favorite is Aurifil.  What is your favorite thread?  I have some old spools of dual duty I am trying to use up, also.

Also, what is your best needle for hand quilting, and what thread do you use?  Thank you so much for your advice and wisdom!!





Julie