OUT with the OLD & IN with the NEW !!

I hope this finds all of you healthy & happily ready to say "goodbye" to 2015 & welcome a new year!  I just know that 2016 will prove to be an onward & upward year for all!

On to the quilting . . . Today I am very thankful for my machine quilters!!  I count my blessings to send my quilts off for machine quilting.  There would be many, many non-quilted tops folded up in my closets if there were no machine quilters close by!  

But now, hand piecing has slowly but gradually worked it's way into my quilting life &, surprising to me, is becoming one of my most relaxing quilting past times.   

ARDCO templates

Friendship Ring quilt

Hand piecing or in other words "Peaceful Quilting"

is my new joy & challenge!  

It all began with the Friendship Ring quilt & ARDCO templates! 

Friendship Ring block from the
Flying Geese fabric collection

        Then I played with more of the blocks in various fabrics of the Flying Geese & Friendship Ring collections.

Another version
of the Friendship Ring block with the
Friendship Ring fabric collection

This block to the left is a scrappy version with a little different fabric arrangement.  

Also fun!!

Patchwork Sunburst with indygo/cheddar
Manassas Junction collection

Playing with the strike-offs from the NEW Manassas Junction collection, I hand pieced a sunburst block!  

18 pieces each of 3 fabrics per block! 

The templates are in a lovely book  "Quilts from The Henry Ford" by Fons & Porter with Landauer Books, publishers.  I simply cut the plastic templates from the pattern & surprise - it worked!!  Went together & pressed flat!  Awesome! 

See the indygo/black/brick red/cheddar Manassas Junction Collection at P & B Textiles/Washington Street Studio/Manassas Junction !!

ARDCO hand piecing templates can be ordered at ARDCO Templates  or contact me at evonnecook@clotheslinequilts.com.

Flying Geese Fabrics look Great in 16 Blocks!

Here we have Little 16-Blocks!  Another quick little quilt such fun to plan & sew.  Of course, the planning is no problem when you just use all the Flying Geese fabric collection . . . and throw in a few favorites from the Friendship Ring collection, too!

Small-size patterns (4 x 5) available now!

Come see me in Houston . . . Washington Street Studio, Booth #754 !! 

So Happy with the new Fabric Collection Manassas Junction!

This antique quilt just blew me away the first time I ever saw it!  The indigo & cheddar just drew me in.

So, of course, we have a brand new fabric collection based on this old quilt & it's showing at market next weekend in the Washington Street Studio Booth #754.

The collection features indigo with cheddar plus black & brick red separately with cheddar!

I am just having fun sewing up some of the strike-offs . . . I can't imagine how fun it is going to be to actually have the fabric to play with.

Don't miss out on this grouping!

Booth #754 Washington Street Studio in Houston!

Remember the Friendship Blocks I was working on . . .

Back in September we traveled to Wisconsin for a long weekend in a cabin way back in the woods. Beautiful place.  So, of course, like many of you, I cannot just sit & do nothing.  So I worked on the Friendship Ring blocks from that collection.

Well, I'm happy to say that the quilt is done & will be on it's way to the booth in Houston this week!  Can't wait for you to see the quilting done by Bernie Gee; it is fabulous.  



Don't you love the feathers in the open areas?? 

Ardco templates are available for hand piecing the blocks.  I think I have graduated to "slow quilting"  or what I like to call it "peaceful quilting" because I am having a great time with the hand piecing . . . something I never thought I would be interested in.  It was just too slow, but I am now enjoying the process, as they say.

You really must try it!  In fact just today I cut some pieces to try hand piecing a Sunburst block.  We shall see how that goes . . . 18 pieces each of 3 fabrics.  

Wish me luck.

A Great Use of the Black & Yellows in Flying Geese Fabric Collection

I simply love yellow!!

And the yellows in the Flying Geese fabric collection are so sweet in this Little Pinwheels quilt!

See it in person in Booth #754 at fall market. Stop & see us there in the Washington Street Studio booth!

Patterns are available now!

Little Pink & Brown Baskets ready for market!

A couple weeks ago on Facebook I showed these little baskets I'd been sewing from the Friendship Ring fabric collection.   They were so much fun.

Now they have made their way into this little quilt, moved on to the quilter & now are ready for the market booth in Houston.  Yes, Houston market is just around the corner again! 

I will be playing around in P & B's reproductions booth #754, Washington Street Studio!  

Come & see lots more there including more quilts from the Friendship Ring & Flying Geese collections!

Mother/Daughter Quilting Duo

Nothing in our quilting world warms my heart more than meeting a mother/daughter quilting duo who truly love to share their passion! And I am blessed to know one of the best !  

I wanted to share this picture of mother Char & daughter Christy Mulyca from Vermont!  These two quilting enthusiasts found me at the quilt show in June; we were all so excited to actually meet in person & at the show.   They share their sewing & their quilting by machine quilting & quilting custom quilts to order.  And Char is working diligently on sewing every one of my 12 Civil War Battle Quilts.

I'm sure there are many other mother/daughter quilting duos out there.  Leave me a comment telling me about your duo & where you are from.  I'll be happy to hear from all of you & I may even pick your name for some free fat quarters of my Flying Geese or Friendship Ring fabric collections.  

Little Whirligigs !!

We've had such fun sewing some little quilts with the new fabric lines!  This one - Little Whirligigs - uses many of the Flying Geese fabrics in all types of whirligigs - just don't know what else to call them . . .  half-square triangles laid out in different ways.    And don't you just love the use of the yellow for the alternate blocks!

I love yellow!!

Much to Learn about Quilt History at VQF!

 Have you ever wondered what your antique quilt has to say?

Well, the Vermont Quiltsearch team explored this question with many individuals who brought their pre-1960 quilts to the show.  The antique quilt experts talked to the audience about the age, patterns & condition of each quilt brought to the afternoon of exploration.

 It was so interesting!

I couldn't believe how quickly the 2 hours flew.  These two experts have examined over 6,600 quilts sharing their knowledge of the quilts brought to them by individuals like you & me.

Too bad they do this only in Vermont since they are on the state team there.

 I will simply show you a couple of the quilts here.  I was so busy looking at the quilts & listening to them, I must have forgotten to take pictures.

When I returned home I couldn't believe how few pictures I had taken.  Sorry . . . 

 This crazy quilt was awesome!  It was full of wools, satins, cottons, all textiles plus the maker had embroidered all the blocks with fabulous threads & stitches. 

Around the outside on the black border beginning in the bottom right hand corner, she had embroidered lovely designs & this message in capital letters, "THIS WAS MADE BY GRAMMA A.M. FARNSWORTH,  AGE 95 YEARS OLD. THIS IS NOT ALL THE FANCY WORK I EVER MADE BUT I MUST QUIT THIS AND GO TO WORK AT SOMETHING ELSE.  WELL CALL AROUND, GOODBY"

In the bottom left corner is embroidered the year 1811.  Unbelievable!!

Winner at the Vermont Quilt Festival, 2015

And here is the winner at VQF - Celestial Sedona by Norma Ippolito of Chester, VT.  She is a good friend of Sue's from Quilting Treasures !  

Celestial Sedona 

In Norma's words, "This quilt features a variety of construction techniques. Building from the center out, it became a three-year journey resulting in the most challenging quilt I have made, and also the most rewarding.  Pattern Sedona Star by Sarah Vedeler Designs.  Quilted on a home machine."

The quilt won Best of Show & the Governor's Award!

Congratulations, Norma, on a beautiful quilt & beautiful work of art!

Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, VT

Take one more trip to Burlington, Vermont with me & visit Church Street Marketplace - a pedestrian-friendly section of the downtown.


As the sign says the "gem in the Crown of the Queen City of Burlington."






So many white steeples!

This "gem" was opened in 1981.












Home of Ben & Jerry's - Peace, Love & Ice Cream!!

Many street eateries . . . 

 performers & artists !!

We especially enjoyed a young lady sharing her violin music.  Wish I had taken a picture of her; a very talented little gal indeed!

Vermont Quilt Festival, 2015 - Essex Junction, VT

Four-Block Grape Applique

 So on we went to the evening preview of the Vermont Quilt Festival complete with Champagne & Chocolates!  Superb!  And add quilts to that - beyond superb!

One building houses the antique quilts; the other all the show quilts with the winners & their ribbons!  Of course, I head to the antique quilts & begin snapping pictures.

I first want to give credit to the VQF booklet which gives these vivid explanations of the quilts themselves.  Words within " " are taken from the brochure. 

I love this Four-Block Grape Applique with its "exquisite applique & quilting, embroidered grapevine tendrils, slightly stuffed grapes, thin vines & stems.  Circa 1850"

Peony with Tree Border

Peony with Tree Border - Many of the old quilts were held for good use only & remain in superb condition such as this quilt to the right.  I was amazed with the colors so bright & true on this one.  Circa 1860  

Prince's Feather with Swag & Tassel Border

 Prince's Feather with Swag & Tassel Border -  This quilt is "believed to be from Maryland & has exquisite, detailed quilting including feathers.  Circa 1850"

Massachusetts Circle Stars

 Massachusetts Circle Stars has "190 small circle star blocks.  From a distance there is an interlocking diamond design in the center of the quilt. Circa 1870"

Close-up of the Circle Stars

                             

Close-up of Scrappy Irish Chain

                                                                  Scrappy Irish Chain -

I think this is very interesting!  "During the last half of the 19th century, there were competitions to see who could make a quilt with the most pieces.  


This New Jersey Irish chain quilt has a wonderful variety of dime-sized pieces.  Circa 1870"

Scrappy Irish Chain

Pineapple Stars Circa 1890

        Pineapple Stars -

"This two-sided quilt has an early 1880's log cabin variation top & a later circa 1890 scrappy backing.  The color placement creates stars when seen from a distance.  In a center block, the maker has placed initials & the year 1882.  Circa 1890"

Come back on Monday & I will show you the winner at VQF 2015!

On to the Shelburne Museum!

A quilter cannot visit Vermont without going to the Shelburne Museum!  That would just not be right!  And enjoy our day there - we did!


The New England atmosphere, architecture, & history draws you in to the beauty of the state.  Just walking the grounds takes you back in time.  


We explored many of the buildings, but, of course, our main interest was the quilts! 

There are far too many quilts in the museum's collection to display them all, so only a few are able to be viewed at a time.  

Of course, that gives us reasons to go back again some day!

So, here is the building that houses the quilts!

The antique quilts are displayed on the walls like pages of a book bound in glass on front & back.

And with every one, I am amazed that they could achieve such beauty & accuracy so long ago with the tools they had to use.

Nine Pinwheels Quilt known to come from Long Island, New York; maker unknown.

Simple, but so intricate in red & green! And the colors have faded so perfectly!

Doesn't this one look just like rows of candy pieces!  

And how did she get those sawtooths around the circles to meet so exactly!  It just amazes me!

 Truly a work of art is this one!

Sometimes I just gaze at a quilt & think "never in a million years for me!" 

I would never get this one finished, I'm sure!  So beautiful!  

Here I took the picture of the corner only in order to see the blocks & border in detail.  

I was intrigued with the colors combined here. A fuschia pink, orange & green - just three colors into repeated blocks - Wow!  Perhaps the pink was red to begin with - do you think?

Another one that I would probably never get finished!  Finished - heck, I'd probably never get it started!  Shall we count the little circles alone - 16 pink + 24 green in each block!

 I had to take a closeup of this to show you the bias plaid little border!  

Isn't it neat what it adds to the whole quilt!

And this Cathedral Window has quite a statement in one of the blocks.   In the center, see the white block with the red hatchet!

Below the hatchet, it reads 
"mother-in-law"  Oh, no!  I'm sure that does not mean all MIL's!  I know some pretty sweet ones.

This last quilt for today is my favorite!  It drew me back time after time.  Maybe it's the colors - my favorites! For sure the gold!

But I think it's the simplicity of the design, too.

This one is also in the museum book "Art of the Needle" by Henry Joyce; Bias Pomegranate Quilt; maker unknown.  What a shame we don't know who made this beauty. 

Place of origin is even unknown; probably made mid-19th century.

The steamboat Ticonderoga is housed at the museum & is open for tours.

I walked through it & enjoyed the experience immensely.  Do not miss it when you visit the Shelburne.

And a beautiful red round barn completely restored to all it's glory.

That's all for today!