What happened to May?

One would think I had dropped off the planet with my inconsistency with blogging.  Remember, if I'm not posting, I'm either sewing or cooking.  Recently I started volunteering at the local historical society; my educational background in art and museum studies makes this an enjoyable afternoon.  Recently I helped set up a display about hydrotherapy practices in the 19th century.  The display was on loan from the Glen Haven Historical Society located at the south end of Skaneateles Lake.  Included in the display were two quilts made by a resident of that area while the hydrotherapy business was in full operation.  Enjoy some of the pictures of this extraordinary trapunto white-work quilt made in 1853.  The other quilt, was a wool sunburst made in 1852.

I could just admire this quilt for hours.  The Lord's Prayer was the central focal point of the quilt. Directly above the prayer is the hand with the downward pointing finger.  Baskets surrounded the center with organic leaves, palm fronds, grape clusters and leaves encircling the perimeter.  Three of the edges are scalloped with grapes in the center of each scallop.

Magnificent, extraordinary and spectacular come to mind when gazing on the work-woman-ship.

My sewing room (a drastic departure from the trapunto quilt) is filled with party decorations for an upcoming landmark July birthday celebration.  My grandson, Adam, will be turning one!  That is a one with an exclamation point;  just how we feel about this little guy.

A few banners being made to highlight the occasion.

Some table cloths and napkins.....which will be used later for summer entertaining.  Nothing like cloth napkins to live a greener life and reduce our carbon footprint.

Also this past month I have realized my secret fascination with the modern quilt designs of Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr.  My friend made this quilt as a college graduation quilt and I quilted it for her. 

The quilt design came from their book, Quilts Made Modern.  My friend changed it up a bit by using a gray background rather than white and saving her scraps so I could sew it into the backing for a little interest on the reverse side.

It then dawned on me that these designers have also designed several projects for American Patchwork & Quilting that have caught my attention.  The February 2012 issue had a quilt "Fabric Fusion" which I have cut and waiting for nighttime sewing.

This will be one of the few quilts I have made where I paid more attention to the hue, value and scale rather than reproduction time period or fabric maker;  this really is a fusion of fabric!  What fun to break free of my prior fabric constraints of time period and focus on color.

I really look forward to my issue of American Patchwork and Quilting to arrive in the mail.  I find myself pulling fabric off the shelves and getting out the rotary cutter when it arrives.  More on my Fabric Fusion quilt when I have it pieced together.

May also brought the blossoming of 400 tulips I planted last fall.  Now my first thoughts were..."400 TULIPS"  ...  "wow"  ...   "this will really fill up the front gardens."   Gardeners out there are probably chuckling with the secret knowledge of numbers of bulbs I actually needed to produce the dramatic impact my mind was conjuring.   I couldn't be disappointed for long though because of their delicate beauty.

....  which faded too soon!  My son told me I need to plant at least 400 tulips ever year to make a difference in the spring landscape!!   

The calendar has turned to June now and I am ready for a beautiful summer.  I have a quilt ready to be quilted for the grandmother of a fallen Marine.   Time to get back to my machine!  More on this quilt later as well as our newest family member.

Meet Indiana Jones. 

Uh oh.....where is the puppy going?

Wedding napkins into a Wedding Napkin Quilt

I can't make excuses about such a lull in my blogging EXCEPT I have been too busy enjoying winter.  I can't believe those are my thoughts, but to have sunshine and no snow has been such a reprieve from our recent bouts of harsh winters.

I am excited to say, the napkins for my daughter's October wedding are boxed and ready!  A selection of thirty yards of different cotton prints from Fabric.com landed on my doorstep last month for the cutting, hem pressing and sewing.  My daughter has selected so many different, sentimental, lacy, graphic and modern items to coordinate with these napkins that I am excited thinking about this very special occasion! 

 

 

There was only one problem with making the napkins; the pile of6" x 18" remnants remaining. 

It is fortuitous (isn't that a lovely word!) the April issue of American Patchwork and Quilting magazine came in the mailbox this past week.  In this issue is a quilt, Sticks & Bricks, which requires 5" x 7 1/2" and 1 1/2" x 7 1/2" rectangles!   (The link is to a variation of the pattern called City Lights.)

I have more than enough napkin "scraps" to make the quilt.

Here are the "bricks and sticks" up on my wall so I can plan their placement.

I'll be able to keep moving them around while I'm sewing on other projects until I think I've got the right balance.  I added a red and a butterscotch solid cotton to break up the prints.

Again, another fortuitous event.....    a valentine came in the mail!!  :)   and on the return envelope was the script for the wedding envelopes.....   How much fun to secretly embroider their names, date, etc into the quilt border with a floss that blushes.  This way it will be in the quilt, but not glaring and overpowering.

 

I had given myself a deadline of February 8th to finish the napkins, so I'm giving myself a deadline of May to have the quilt finished.  The deadline is more than enough time, but I'm allowing for cabin fever and other responsibilities.  Cabin fever could last anywhere from a 24 hour period to several weeks, so I'm allocating the later. 

Now to tell you about my valentine that I found in my mailbox the other day...

I am a kid at heart.  How much fun to open the mailbox and find something as sweet as this inside!  Thanks Sweetpea.  You made my day!

I'm editing this post on March 1st.  The wedding quilt has been finished and I thought I would give you a little peek ...

like I said....   just a little peek!