Friday, June 21, 2013

Country Threads sampler!

I bet you all knew that Country Threads is having a quilt along this year.  They are large blocks, six inches and twelves inches.  I am setting them together differently than the original design, but love these fun and simple blocks!!  I am not caught up, but will be!  Want to do this too???  click HERE!!!


Have a super great weekend, each and every one of you!!

Julie

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Quilt along, part four!!

 Hi Everyone!!  I have been working on Lori and Randy's quilt along quilt from Humble Quilts and the Barrister's Block blogs.  Please click on their blog names to see their terrific quilts, and see all the instructions to make your own!!  It is such great fun!!  Really the most fun I have had in a long time. I send big thanks to these ladies for sharing their talent and time.   I made the final border based on Lori's idea, but added my own little things too.  That is fun...the designing part!!  Lori once gave me some great advice...make the border of your quilt have some elements of the center of the quilt.  Her quilt reflects that advice, and I used the same patterns that she did for the center, just kind of free wheeled the vine and flowers.  I loved doing this!!  I don't know what the center top will have yet...something...but what??
 A closer view of the corner tulips.  Of course, nothing is stitched down yet...the stitching is the fun part, LOL!!  I tried to use the bias tape maker, but the one I have is very small, so I just took an inch wide strip of green fabric cut on the bias and pressed the edges to the middle of the strip for my vine.
Kathy Schmitz!!  She is such a fun designer...so much fun!!!  I love her stitchery patterns, and am just starting stitching these monthly patterns.  Here is the July pattern.  This finishes at 14x12.  Now the question for you...should I make these into monthly little quilts, or come up with something to make all of the little quilts into one big one??


I love hearing from you!!  Lots of brains out there, and so many good ideas!!


Have a great day, everyone!!!

Julie K

Monday, June 17, 2013

Oldies from the quilt shop!

 Well, I got a phone call from my local quilt shop this weekend. A gentleman's wife had passed away.  He brought in a ton of her quilts, and just gave them to the shop.  The gals at the shop selected some, and then called me to see if I was interested in the remainder.  YOU BET I was!!  I love oldies!!  Above is a familiar double wedding ring.  I think it is from the 1930's, at least is has some 1930's fabrics in it.  It is exquisitely hand quilted...really gorgeous.
 A closer look.  A faded pink background...it is so soft!!
 Unfortunately, all the edges are totally frayed and used up.  It had an additional border around it, and an applied binding turned to the back.  So very soft and pretty...and all used up, except for a pretty thing to show.
 The whole thing...about a full bed size.  Maybe the quilter's mom made this, because it is older than the rest of the blocks.
 I think the quilter must made these.  Hand pieced, all of them...not a one the same size.  There are about twice as many blocks as I pictured  here...1950's??  What is your opinion on age?
 Honestly...this is straight!!  This is as straight as this wonky top gets!  How much fun she much have had piecing this top...I love her free form spirit!!  It will never, ever, ever quilt out...so that must be why she just left it as a top.
 Some of the pretty fabrics in the stars...strings!!  Yummy!!
 And this top...square in a square.  Some old, old plaids in here...our quilter liked plaids!!
 And hexies!!  Lots of hexie blocks.  All pieced with the craziest assortment of fabrics.  I love that...
 Makin' do here!!!  The muslin surrounding the blocks is frayed and I think it is beyond me to salvage these.
Some string stars, with a red large gingham background.  I think I like our quilter of yore!  She was a scrapper...a fun lovin' lady with no rules to bind her...she had never heard of the quilt police!!  When do you think she lived, based on her quilts?  Ages of fabrics, anyone??  I wish I could have seen all the quilts...maybe the gals took pictures...





Have a great day, all!!!


Julie

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

I listened!!

 Hi everyone!  Well, the scraps are just so much fun, aren't they?  I put all the blocks together, and then put this narrow border of red.  I am liking it!!  THANK YOU!!  so much to everyone who gave an opinion last post about what to do with this scrappy top...I listened, and thank you so much for all your input!!  I still have to search the stash for a border fabric.  I also decided to make this a much smaller quilt, for a baby...mainly because I almost ran out of 2 inch squares.  Oh the horror!!  Running out of squares!!  Hee!!  It is not like I could not CUT some, now is it??
 I also put the outside borders on our quilt along quilt from Lori and Randy!!!  I am loving this...it is to be an applique border....kind of a clean slate.  I could applique anything I want!!!  I love the border that is designed for this quilt...but the wheels are turning...who knows what could end up here!!
My poor 2 inch box...nearly empty.  Well, these  squares will definitely breed more, don't worry!  I am sure of it...and I feel good about using some up!  Some of these squares were my mother's fabrics..they are precious to me...now she was a REAL scrappy quilter!!!!  In those days, she did not go to the fabric store...she made do with scraps of dresses, aprons, whatever she could find...and her quilts are the absolute best ever!!



Have a great day, everyone!!

Julie




Thursday, June 6, 2013

Maybe too scrappy? Is there such a thing?

 Would you mind giving me an opinion about this?  It is all from the 2 inch square bin, and the 3.5 inch bin.  Seems like to me it is muddy, or something.  It is better from far away...you know the old saying, "If the quilt looks OK from the back of a running horse, it is OK!"  Or something like that...
Hmmmmm?  I like it better if I squint...




Julie

Monday, June 3, 2013

quilt along part three, with Barrister's Block and Humble Quilts!

 Here is my version of Randy and Lori's quilt along.  I had these four inch blocks on the outermost border sitting around, practically begging to be in this quilt, so I put them in there!!  I love the original border too, but the practical gal who uses everything up won out this time.  The stars are four inches, finished.  I can't wait for the finale!!
 Some things are growing in the garden...a lily.  So fragrant and so pretty!!  These are so easy to grow.
 A gift from last year at Mother's day.  I put the plant in the ground, and it came back wonderfully!!


I hope everyone is having a wonderful day!!

Julie

Sunday, June 2, 2013

Slow Stitching Sunday!!

 I was recently on a road trip...so those hours were hand quilting time for me!!  I am big stitching this plaid one, and decided to make little stitchie stars in the tiny nine patches.  Can't wait for another trip so I can work on this, it is great fun!  Who says quilting has to be just running stitches!?
 I hand quilted this one too, just a diagonal across the patterned background fabric...fun and fast!
And I am still hand stitching this one...I am all the way around the flying geese background pieces now, so just have to add the heart quilting on the flying geese.  I love hand quilting!  Hope you have had some time to slow stitch too!!!

Julie

Hexies, rainbow quilts and plaids!

Good morning to all!!!  Above is a hexagon, for English paper piecing.  My kitten Lucky has discovered them, and decided that they are great...