Some Blocks for Play

Hi Everyone,

I am so glad that most of this week is over.  It seemed like I had so many obligations, and while most were fun--it is nice to have a day where I don't have to look at the clock and be somewhere at a certain time.  My brain is telling me I should spend it cleaning and doing other chores but my heart wants to quilt (as always.)  It is going to be interesting to see what will prevail! 

I already did some playing in my sewing room this morning.  Check out these blocks.  Aren't they gorgeous!!

Ha ha!  I don't think so!  And they aren't supposed to be.  Next week at guild we are playing Bingo, and these are the "cards."  Instead of numbers, the caller will announce certain types of fabrics, so we are to make ourselves one or two cards--sixteen patch blocks made from 2.5" squares.  We were given the list of fabric types so we could choose from them.  We could use up to 4 of the same type on an individual block.  So, if the caller says "batik," you can mark all 4 batik squares on your card, if you have them!  Some of the other types are:  solids, stripes, dots, hand-dyed, Christmas, leaves, Halloween, shiny (fairy frost, etc.,) blue and white, black and white, text/script/numbers, contemporary (kaffe fasset or amy butler, etc.,) thirties, civil war, paisley,  animal print, children, oriental, and....  Patriotic!  (plus a bunch of others)

These blocks took a little while to cut--I dug through my scrap bin for what was there and then I cut some off of fat quarters.  I cut 2-3 from each fabric and when I had found as many categories as I could (I think I had all but baby) I then counted them out in piles of 16.  I had enough to make 4 cards.  It was fun sewing because  I didn't have to think about matching anything.  The more random--the better.   As they call out the types, we will have candy corn to mark them.  The last game will be blackout (by tradition--you know when you have to fill your card) and the winner of that gets all the blocks!  This may be one time when I don't want to win....   No.  I think a quilt made entirely out of all these squares could be amazing!   Each participant can play with two cards.  I have extra, but I know there will be people who attend who will have not known about it (you had to read the newsletter) or forgotten. 

Now that I've made these, part of me is tempted to make another, more "planned" one.  I could select coordinating fabrics in as many of the categories as possible and piece them in a pleasing pattern.  Hmm.  I think it is going to depend on just what I decide to do today.

I hope your day is wonderful!
JoAnne

Night Guild Presentation

Hi Everyone,

We were very lucky to have two really great programs at guild this month.  The presenter at the night guild was a local man by the name of Steve Albright.  He is a retired city planner.  When he worked, he usually had to travel quite a bit and early on he began visiting antique stores and flea markets, etc.  He quickly realized that if he bought textiles, they were much easier to pack in his suitcase than say, china figurines.  So he began collecting old quilts and quilt tops and fabric.  He is now an expert in old fabrics and restoration.  He admits he does something a bit controversial.  He hand-quilts many of his old tops and finally makes them into a finished quilt.  He hand-quilts beautifully.  Anyway, he brought a trunk show for us.  AND HE LET US HANDLE THE QUILTS!!!

He began by saying that he normally finds most quilters to be really happy people.  (I had never thought about that, but really--it is true!)  He said quilters really like to eat and usually have great food, too.  Finally, he said since most quilters are women, he never has a line for the restroom.  He said none of that ever happened at his realjob! 

Anyway, enough chit chat--lets get to the eye candy!

 

That being said, these first two are antique tops that he won't ever finish and couldn't be passed around as they are too fragile.  I believe he said the brown one above was from the 1840s.  Look at the chevron border!

You can never go wrong with nine-patch, can you?

 

 

Look at this one!  Do you see the problem towards the bottom?  Sigh...  red and white.

 

 

This one was just the blocks when he bought them, and he put them together with the double-pink.  In this case, the double-pink is the old fabric, not a repro.  He found yards of it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess I'm getting lots of nice pictures of the backs of the head of the ladies in front of me, but still, the quilts are so nice!

Look at this double T

 

Now they are coming around to me so I could get closeups.

 

This is that red and white one.  Look at the black polka dot fabric!  I love how far apart the dots are.

 

 

Here is the detail of the strippy one.  That red fabric looks exactly like one from Minick and Simpson!  I have some of it!  Steve quilted lovely leaves in the background.

 

He had several "kit quilts."  I'm in love with this dogwood one! 

Here are the closeup pics.

 

The brown bits look just like chocolate chips, don't they?  Lots of applique!

Details of the quilting.  And below is the backing.  It is a reproduction, from the period of the quilt, which is 1930s, of course.

 

 

Closeups and the back of the flying geese one. 

Pickle Dish.  In yellow.  Be still my heart!

If I'm remembering correctly, he found this as a pair and quilted them both--one with yellow thread, and one with white. 

 

 

Another spectacular kit quilt!  The applique is amazing.

Did you notice the cool scalloped borders?  It reminds me of another picture that I saw on facebook.

 

 

Have a great day!
JoAnne