A shared treasure

The above quilt is one my neighbor just gave me. She is a darling lady, 83 years old, and her father was a doctor. A patient of the good doctor gave him this quilt instead of payment sometime in the 1950's. (Can you imagine trying this with your doctor these days?) Does anyone have an idea how old this quilt is? Or the pattern name? I believe it maybe 1930's? What do you think, all you quilt historians out there? My neighbor lady is in the process of worrying about her estate. Her son (only child) does not want any of that (old stuff) she has in her house. Her home is completed furnished in antiques from France and Germany. She has more amazing old quilts, but she does not quilt herself...she is a needle pointer. She just knew I love quilts and said she wanted to give me this one. Wow!
This is the block. Hand appliqued and hand quilted.
A close up of the border quilting...the lines are very dark where the quilter marked them. The quilt had never been washed until today, and she said she washed it so she could give the quilt to me. Wish she hadn't, but it is so sweet and soft.
More spools...my basket is getting about 1/2 full, and you know when the basket is full, that is how big the quilt will be!


Skip the next part if you are not interested...not quilting stuff.
****************************Nursing Notes*************


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Thanks for reading the nurse's notes...I love my patients, and this was I can remember some of them better in the future.


Have a terrific day! I so enjoy talking to you all!!


Julie

Slim pickins...

HI all: It has been slim pickings as far as quilt stuff goes this week...overtime, and just no time to quilt. Next week? Hope it is better!! I have been hand quilting this little quilt below...I love this, it is just a blast.
This one, you may recall.
Pieced a couple tiny nine patches, 2 inches finished. Threads and all...in all their glory!!


Hope everyone is doing great! Take some quilty time for you!


Julie

Pieces and parts...

I have had some time to piece today...and these blocks got 10 more added to the total. I don't know if I will set them together like this, but I do like the secondary design that is formed.
Tiny, tiny nine patches! I saw a quilt at a quilt show that was made from these little nine patches...if I made 5 or so a day, in a year, I would have enough for a quilt. They measure 2 inches finished.
What would a piecing day be without some spools? I made a few this AM...my box is filling up! When the box is full, that is how big this quilt will be. Very scientific methods, I know.


A few ponderings:


I have been so restless lately, as if a big change may be coming, kind of like a quiet before a big storm. I wonder what it is...do you have feelings about things like this, and if so, would you share? Probably just goofy...but it makes me wonder.


Work is unsettling lately for sure. Many changes...many, many. I would like to know about your woman's intuition! Do you have a story to tell??


Julie

Make-do Memories Challenge!

Lyn of Bluebird Quilts challenged us last fall...to take a number of her antique hexagon blocks and make something of them, using vintage or re-purposed fabrics. Above is the quilt I created out of four of the blocks. In many of my books of 1930's quilts, black was used as an accent, so this is what I came up with. First of all, the blocks were quite fragile and needed to be stabilized. Then I blanket stitched them down, then made the top....but! There was one block left...what to do??
This was so much fun! I used nothing but fabrics from the stash, and made a little flower scene...spring is here in Texas, and we are enjoying the sunshine, as is little Miss Flower above!
Even the inch worm and the butterfly are smiling in the sun! I hand quilted this quilt, with yellow sunbeams.
Aren't the fabrics so pretty in the 80 year old quilt block?

Thank you Lyn, for this challenge, I had great fun completing these quilts!!

Julie

Strings

The string blocks look really different, don't they? This is with the block borders and plain sashing...the sashing material is from the back of another quilt. It has lots more borders, according to the pattern, but I may not make all of them. This quilt has been cut out for ages, so count this one on the UFO finishing list!!


Julie

Oh, the strings! Heartstrings Helpers!

OK, Lyn comes in first place! Lyn from Bluebird quilts is a heartstrings helper. A group of us early in the year agreed to make a string quilt for Heartstrings sometime during this year, and Lyn finished hers in record time! Isn't it so very pretty? I know someone will be so very blessed and pleased with this quilt. How is everyone else coming along???
I too am working on string piecing...this one started long ago, and its time has indeed come! I am liking it so far, it will look quite different when finished. This is not the one for heart strings, but inspired by Lyn, that one is in the works too.
Good help is easy to find! Small packages just come right up to your door...see the cute doggy above! She was a stray, but now she is ours to stay. Pretty washed out picture...lots of contrast with a very light carpet and flash!
What is a day without a few spools...I am unable to do spools on Saturdays, because either I am working or I am off with dear husband, so I guess weekday spools is the answer for me!


Hope each of you has a wonderful day!


Julie

Klosjes!

Above are the blocks that Joan sent to me, as our exchange blocks. Her block are 5 inch, and mine are 3 inch. I absolutely love the fabrics she chose!! Thank you, Joan...her blog is here. You will love her quilts!

Many quilters are engrossed in the spool making that is going on around blog land. A very nice blogger, Joan, and I saw each others spool blocks and she suggested a swap. We were able to have them ready to exchange in less than 24 hours! That was fast and fun! Above are all the spool blocks I have made ( and Joan has made for me) so far. I have a long way to go in order to actually have enough for a quilt, but love these so far!! Sorry about the poor picture quality.


We actually had some mailbox drama in this last week! We have a neighborhood e-mail listing and chain, you know, for information about what is going on around our little neighborhood. I saw on the e-mail that a lady in a white car was actually going around stealing mail from mailboxes, and our street was hit! I was just praying that our mail did not get stolen, because I hoped the quilt blocks were not taken! They weren't...and a neighbor who spotted the thief actually ran her down and called the police, and she is sitting in jail right now, charged with identity theft and resisting arrest, or some such thing.



Hope you have a wonderful week! I am so sorry for our neighbors getting their mail stolen(the mail is being returned to them), but... aren't you glad the quilt blocks did not get nabbed??




Julie

Transformations!

Here is our new little dog...please, please scroll down and see her picture when she first came to our door. After much coaxing and lovings...here she is all dolled up. Rosie (named by dear husband) appears to be a pure poodle! She is such a little doll. Housebroken. Good watch dog. Darling and affectionate. Hmmm, wonder why she was dumped?? She has made herself right at home, as you can see.

A package for Joan! Please see her blog at www.shelbystitcher.blogspot.com. We are both making spools, but hers are 5 inch and mine are 3.5 inch. So we swapped! How cool is that...and here are hers, ready to go.
These are many of the same fabrics...except Joan, I did not send you a lime green one, somehow I don't think that would fit into your thimbleberry palette!! LOL! I cut out...one million more. Well, maybe not quite, but enough to keep me sewing a long, long time.
When I get my very sophisticated, fancy container full...then I will say "Enough" and make the quilt.


Weight Watcher update....


I have lost right around 11 pounds now. I am in a smaller size! And that is good. Maybe I can actually (gulp) wear shorts this summer???



Have a super week!

Julie

News of the day

Happy Easter Weekend! I finished the above pillow from Kaaren's First Friday Freebies...just in time for Easter. I colored it a little...that was fun!
These are the small collection of tiny pillows I am doing...one for each season, perhaps? I love them a lot, thank you dear Kaaren! Please go visit her at www.thepaintedquilt.blogspot.com.
Are you doing the Jelly Roll Quilt Along? This is my progress so far...it is strange for me to actually use fabrics already cut and that someone says coordinates together, but I have to admit, it is so much fun!!



***************Doggie Update*********************************


I have not said a word to dear husband about the dog except for "Are you going to keep your doggie?" I wanted him to want her too... The stray dog from last post, I mean...well today, he said, "We might as well keep her, she came to us and sought us out!" So I took her to the vet and left most of my money, and then we are going to groomer in the morning to leave the rest. Hee! Just kidding, I am really excited about the new family member! I will show a picture when she is all groomed and you can actually see her sweet face.



Julie


Have a blessed Easter!!