The late afternoon sunshine was warm and wonderful - short sleeves and everything!
But don't let the sunshine fool you - there is threat of rain, big rain, coming this weekend and our job at hand (Yes, it involved a bit truck a fork lift and an off loading of roofing supplies!) is to get the new metal roof installed on the Quiltville Post Office Studio.
Yes, the previous leak we experienced a couple of weeks ago was located and patched, all is dry, my light fixture where it was coming through the ceiling has been reinstalled and we should be good - but we just don't trust this roof anymore.
Photo from the turret windows in bedroom 3 at Quiltville Inn next door.
The base liner is all in place - metal going up next.
Laying the metal sheets up top -
These two men of mine are fearless and tireless and I don't know what I would do without them.
So much better than candy or flowers or jewelry - this is how they show their love for me.
They worked until just about dark - they will continue this afternoon, hoping the rain stays away so they can complete their job.
And while that tree limb is in the way in these photos, the upside is that we can SEE through them, where once they leaf out - we wouldn't get a view at all.
While all of this was going on above me - this is what was going on inside:
Pattern writing for Tulip Time!
Release date scheduled for MONDAY!
I've got some tweaking to do still - some things came to me just as I was drifting off to sleep last night - Did I say this? Did I put it in a way that folks could easily understand?
And that photo? I DID get out to the Halsey farm where I had spied those beautiful "perfect photo op" fences on Monday's road hike.
Early early - I was out here at 8:30 am and parked just on the road - going as fast as I could before any trucks/tractors/cars came rumbling down to find my van in the way.
Oh, spring. You come crawling in so slowly - but I'll take it! Now just give us some green, please.
Be watching for Monday's post which WILL include a gift-away of pattern, fabric, and more fun!
Yesterday's IG Quiltfest, Day 11:
Why do you quilt? Is there someone special that inspired you to quilt? Please share in the comments section below!
Today, March 12th, is also a very special day in our family.
It's Zoey's 1 year Gotcha Day!
We have no idea when her birthday actually is, but when getting her the vet said "She is about a year old." So we named her Gotcha Day as her birthday, making her officially TWO today!
Happy birthday, beautiful silly girl! You add so much love to our lives every day and I can't imagine what this past pandemic year would have been like without you.
Friday is wide open ahead - can I even make it to the machine for some piecing time today?
As mentioned in yesterday's post - I've also put my recently released Sugar Top PDF pattern at 25% off along with Rough & Tumble - no coupon code needed! Sale price good through SUNDAY, 3/14/2021. Price reverts back to $12.00 each on Monday, 3/15/2021.
And if you do need a 60 degree equilateral triangle ruler for the making of Sugar Top, there are a couple of those in the rulers, notions and tools category as well.
The sale on Sugar Top started WEDNESDAY along with the IG Quiltfest photo prompt of "Reuse, Recycle, Upcycle." There is no refund if you purchased the pattern before the sale started or after it ends. Thank you for understanding.
I have already placed a large second order which should ship next week. Such a great gift item!
Featuring quilts from my book String Frenzy with fabulous quotes to keep you going!
This tech set is washable, lightweight, and perfect to travel with! The Microfiber Pouch holds a lightweight, foldable Mouse Mat, Cleaning Cloth, and Mini Cling Screen Cleaner.
The mouse mat is textured and a bit "grippy" on the underside to stay put where you need it.
Quiltville Quote of the Day -
Blue Skies quilt from my book String Fling available in the Quiltville Store.
Keep growing! Keep learning!
If there is still another day to live, we haven't reached as far as we can go yet.
( I may be slower than I used to be, but I am still going!}
Have a wonderful Friday, friends!
37 comments:
I didn’t really appreciate all the string quilts that my grandmother pieced from feed sacks on her treadle Singer. I must have 100 tops from her, not quilted because she often couldn’t afford the supplies to finish. I started getting the nesting urge when pregnant with my first child. I took classes just before I retired to learn “the right way” to stitch and bind.
I spent my career as an RN and then later an NP working in ICU and hospice. I dealt with so much death and dying that in my off time I needed to CREATE. I sewed clothing all my life and home decor, but then a nurse I worked with told me about making quilts. She started me off with a rag quilt that I ended up donating to charity, and then it was off and running with pieced quilts. I retired 2 years ago and have made probably 2 dozen quilts in that time. You are right, it's like breathing.
I quilt because I must. Like you, it's like breathing. It brings me calm, it keeps me sane, it gives me time to reflect. Do I make a lot of progress? Do I pump out quilts like crazy? Does that really matter? I quilt because I must.
I was inspired to quilt by my mother. i rememeber setting the frame on chair backs and friends coming over to tie a quilt while we youngsters played beneath the quilt canopy.
"...as lumpy as cold Cream of Wheat." Oh, Bonnie, that made me laugh so hard! Perfect image for what the binding of an old, well-loved quilt looks like!
No one that I know of in my family ever quilted. In the early 70s quilts started appearing in magazines.i was always a crafter, artistnknitter,crocher so I was drawn to the quilts. My first quilts were a set of matching baby quilts for twins. They were made using gingham checks and I cross-stitched their names diagonally across the quilts. The more grown women still have them.
i must have Tulip Time... where does it go on my bucket list? it's so appealing, do i enter to win AND buy it? of course, always looking to have my name show up!!! I started quilting because the Home Ec teacher at the middle school where I worked asked if i could finish her mother's half-done projects. Did not know one single thing about quilting, except it was something the pioneer women did and if all the parts were there i was sure i could figure it out...!!! Books from the library and eventually Eleanor Burns and Quilt-in-a-Day class, and imagine my stash since i was introduced to Bonnie Hunter???? NOTHING (well, almost nothing) is discarded, the scraps keep reproducing exponentially, my personal library, books & patters, (God Bless PDF)(computers/printers) has also outgrown the bookcase, and I'm thinking about donating some of my early quilting books, how tos to a library!!! or six!!! I do not mean to monopolize Bonnie's 'blog' but my enthusiasm and response to Bonnie's encouragement, just take off and here I am... Love to Zoey and happy birthday/gotcha, she's a lucky girl... and so are all of us... for being included in the family... not to forget Lola and the chunky (she got to be a big girl didn't she?) lovely Ivy!!! Cats in Carlsbad, CA
You are my inspiration. I first found you back when you were making Carolina Christmas, I was intrigued and haven't looked back. Everyday you give us something Quilt related to look at, think about or do, thank you for that. The creativity and enthusiasm you have for this hobby (way of life) is constant. We all benefit so much, Thank You!
Happy Gotcha Day Zoey! and many happy returns.
There's not just one person that inspired me to quilt. My grandmother and great aunt were quilters. One day when I was in my 20's I decided I was going to take it up. Started small with a baby quilt for my new nephew. Then several years later I joined a few ladies who were great quilters. We got together in a community center and quilted on a frame that was hanging from the ceiling. Those ladies taught me so much! I will be forever grateful to Mary Ruth McCord (grandmother), Aunt Cora Watts, Jody Gilliland, Marlene Burton, Sandy Burton, Francis Kell, and Lillian Robinson.
I think the first itch to quilt was when I was about 4. My sisters were given a handmade crazy quilt for their dolls. Silks and satins with beautiful herringbone embroidery. I recall sleeping under a very heavy quilt at one grandmother's house. It had been a wool blanket with many layers of fabric over it as each layer began to wear out. Then, in grade 7, we had a museum quilt show come to our school! I wish I had a camera at that time. Beautiful hand pieced and quilted art! In grade 12, my other grandmother made us each a tied quilt using many scraps from her skirts and dresses. After a few failed attempts on my own over the years, I finally joined a small group of enablers ;) The quilter was finally released.
Your early log cabin quilt is absolutely lovely.
Exciting progress on the QPO roof! Give Zoey a scratch behind the ears from me - we've all been entertained by her this past year, too.
The first time I saw French Impressionists at The National Gallery in Washington DC I was transported. The way prints work with each other in some quilts transports me similarly. I also love the process - cut accurately, sew, press just so, look at a precise result but with a crazy mix of fabrics. Just love it.
My first memories of quilting are watching my grandma quilt (after she had fed the chickens and weeded the garden). She would come in, make her lunch and sit down to the quilting frame and listen to her "stories" on the radio. She was the mother of 7 living, who were born in the panhandle of Oklahoma some before it was a state. All moved to California when OK became a dust bowl in the 30s. She was my favorite person growing up and I loved to stay overnight with her and "help" her in the morning. She fostered my love of quilting.
I found some orphan blocks, perfectly starched and pressed, in my mother-in-law's house when we cleaned it out to sell. I took a quilting class to learn the basics so I could "do something" with Betty's blocks for my adult children to remember their grandmother by. Those blocks are still in the box I found them in but I've made dozens of quilt tops and am taking HollyAnne Knight's class you advertised to learn to quilt them myself with something other than walking foot quilting.
I quilt because I must have fabric. Holding sorting matching colors together all are so important to me. I by the time I was 11 had a stack of my own fabric. My grandmother in Michigan made quilts and I had one of my own to use. (yes still have it) My grandmother near by in Texas made clothing and she taught me to make doll clothes (Barbie doll). And then my own clothes. By the time I was in high school I was wearing things I made for myself and many of the rest were made by my Mother.
I made clothes' for my children but did not make quilts till I retired from being a nurse full time. Saved all my scraps from making scrubs so had a bunch of fabric for my first quilts.
I think I must have fabric to live.
I quilt because I love the color and textures of fabric. My heart goes pitter patter and I get excited. I also love to look at complex patterns and secondary patterns as my eye flows over a quilt. I've learned that I love to make things - to create things. At first I thought it would be pottery, but it turned into quilts, and now they're my passion. I feel so lucky and blessed to have been gifted with a passion I can express. You're a huge inspiration, Bonnie!
When I was a tiny tyke (late 1940s to early 1950s) my grandmother who lived next door first taught me to embroider. Then we moved on to simple patchwork. We used a square of cardboard as a template and sewed the patches together by hand. I sure wish I still had that piece. I did sewing/crafty things my whole life but really got back into quilting in the 90s when I discovered the rotary cutter and mats. Now that I'm retired quilting and wool applique are pretty much my entire life.
I am so impressed by how you and your family have worked so hard in your Quiltville buildings! Nobody is afraid of work in your household!
My sister, Charlene Phinney, is my inspiration. She has done wonderful quilting since the 70s (she was a sewer of beautiful clothes before). When I retired in 1999, I decided I too wanted to learn to quilt. I joined a guild when I moved to our retirement home and the rest is history. Not as prolific or as talented as my sister but the calming, quiet of quilting is there. I hope to quilt (simpler and smaller projects) for many years to come.
I learned how to quilt because I love to sit and sew at a sewing machine. I wanted to be more creative than just sewing clothes, as when I was younger, because I am a jeans and tee shirt person now that I’m retired.
I don't remember a time when there was not quilting or quilts in my grandmother's house. She raised me so I was kept busy tracing cardboard templates, filling bobbins, threading quilting needles and occasionally understanding the juicy gossip going on at the quilt frame. As I got older, I was trusted to help with cutting and layout. The first pattern I remember by name was a rainbow version of a Bethlehem Star that my greatgrandmothers pieced as a raffle quilt for the church bazaar. it has been a part of life ever since. In the 80s I moved cross country and found a wonderful quilt guild where I learned about rotary cutting and all the latest tools, books and techniques. I went on to teach quilting and have enjoyed many years of quilting friendships.
I first saw my Grandmother sewing squares together by hand when I was a little girl. Over the years I often thought "someday I am going to learn". My Grandmother was a mom of 16 children and lived in a four room house with an outhouse out back. The kitchen had a hand pump in the big farmhouse sink for water. The kids slept in two bedrooms - one for girls and one for the boys - in beds built on the walls three high on each wall. The main living area had Grandma and Grandpa's bed in one corner along with the wood burning stove and a few chairs. The kitchen table was a long homemade table with benches for seats. I imagine she made many patchwork quilts for all the family. I sure wish I had one of them today. When she passed they all went to her daughters (and rightly so). One day in 2008 my bosses wife told me about a class for beginner quilters. I went to the quilt store, bought a sewing machine and signed up! I have made many quilts since then and made many wonderful new friends there. I too quilt because I must!
I got the "nesting" urge when pregnant with my second child, so I decided I was going to make a lone star quilt. I made a template, traced around those diamonds, cut them out with scissors and hand pieced it. I got to the last point of the star and found out I only had 2 diamonds and needed three. I put it away and now, 24 years and 3 moves later, I can't find it!! I would definitely finish it if I could find it!!! Now that I really can't hand sew, I could probably manage the few seams necessary to sew the last 6 diamonds on the star!!
I always enjoyed any type of craft. I learned to sew on my own on my mothers sewing machine that was in my bedroom. I made my 1st scrap quilt at about 16. It was a puff quilt. I went into the local Fabric Mills store and bought 1/4 yd cuts of tons of different fabrics. I jammed the stuffing into those little squares. It was so heavy LOL! I still have it. My gosh i cant believe that was 43 years ago!!
I retired from teaching bobbinlacemaking and a friend asked me to go a quilt meeting with her, that was it, i was hooked, went home spent a fortune on a new sewing machine and have been quilting ever since. It has certainly saved my sanity throughout the pandemic.
Your answer is my answer also. I started quilting in the early 70's and haven't stopped since. It's the constant in my life that keeps me sane.
My grandmother who I didn't see that much, we lived in different states, she was visiting when I was in my early 20's,she had a quilt with her that she made, I asked her if she would make me one, low and behold maybe a year later I get a package from her with a king size quilt, I remember sitting with it all curled up and realized it was all hand stitched! I treasure it. I had always wanted to make a quilt but had no idea how to, so I signed up for a class, it got canceled due to no one but me signing up, but they gave me the instructions and I bought the fabric and off I went, got the top made and didn't know what to do then, I visted my best friend who lives in Arkansas who is a quilter, took my finished top, backing and binding and she showed me how to finish it. I have now made a about 8 quilts, I work full time so don't have the time to quilt as much as I would like. I still haven't attempted one of yours, I'm saving my scraps and once I retire, look out!!! love your blog and your quilts, you are so inspiring.
I learned to sew from my Mother. She leaner from her Mom and knew how to create her own dress patterns, quilts, crochet and embroidery. My daughter made her own patterns at a very young age. She made clothes for her dolls using paper and glue. She used school scissors.
Looking forward to Monday and the new quilt.
In 1972 I was overseas, sewing clothes for my two little daughters and wondering what to do with the left over pieces which were too small for other garments but too big to just throw out. I ordered a book on pieced quilts and began. Carboard templates and hand quilting. My 1st project, a bag for my mom, hangs in my quilting room. Many steps along the way, learning about a walking foot, then the rotary cutter and joining a guild in the 90s (I still belong). In the early 2000s I made a bowtie throw for a dear friend from my days in Germany who was recovering from breastcancer. We began quilting together and have done three of your MQs, learning so much. She lost her husband, who also quilted with us. Quilting remains a big part of our lives now.
I'm 67 and have been seeing since I was 7 or so, making clothes for my Barbie doll on a treadle machine. My mother didn't want my sister and I to ruin her good machine and bought the old Singer tale for us to learn on. Wish I still had it! I sewed clothing and home goods my whole life until 2016 when my oldest grandson asked me to make him a T-shirt quilt for his high school graduation. I had no idea,had just moved to a new state and asked a neighbor who I knew quilted, to help. She said, come to my quilt group, someone there can help, and I was off and running. Have made 10 quilts since then and now have a quilt fabric stash and a garment fabric stash! 😆
Why do we quilt? Here's my theory - most quilters are women and most women are mothers. We have constantly having to do work that doesn't stay done. Make a bed, it needs remaking. Make a meal, people get hungry again. Wash clothes or dishes, they get dirty again. Clean the house it gets messy again. You get my drift. There's never anything you can say you are done with and won't need to do again. Then comes quilting where when you are done, you are truly done. Great since of accomplishment.
Who inspired me to quilt? My maternal grandmother made quilts but never taught anyone else how to. I would sleep under those beauties when we'd visit. Skip forward to young adulthood and I take a class and am told I have to do everything by hand. I aint got time for that! A few years later (1991) I see a commercial for Debbie Mumm's Quick Country Quilting. I order the book and I'm hooked.
Virginia
(Bonnie's Minnesota look-a-like LOL)
Odd you ask this question as I was just thinking about this very thing as I worked on a quilt this morning. I am a lifelong clothing and decorative sewer but when I retired, I realized I didn’t need anymore clothes and there are only so many curtains, etc., a home requires so I had to find another outlet. I always loved the bright, colorful and sometimes oddball quilt fabric, but would have never sewn any of those colors or patterns into clothing items I would have worn. Quilting is the ultimate solution to scratch the sewing itch while getting to play with various combinations of colors and patterns to produce a one of a kind usable item that will not be disposed of next season when styles change.
I have found over the years that all I have to do is put a needle and thread in my hand and my blood pressure goes down and stress leaves.
Hello Cats, My friends and I spent so many wonderful days going to Eleanor Burns classes. We had such fun times. We drove down from Montclair, Ontario and Alta Loma for the one day classes. Eleanor would put on the most wonderful fun leaning experiences. We all made aprons to wear when we went to the class for sewing with 30's class. We all had so much fun shopping after the class then it was time to leave for home. We stopped at the coffee shop before hitting the freeway north. We were so sorry when El didn't have the classes anymore. I think she started having the classes again some years back but some of my friends moved and our group of 6 dwindled down to 3 and then covid hit and ruined everything as we quit meeting once a month. I love Bonnie Hunter and reading the blogs. I can't wait to get started making the Rough and Tumble quilt. Thanks for the memories of Ell.
My first introduction to quilting was tracing around a cardboard template for quilt pieces that my mother needed. She used my brother and I (we were teenagers at the time) to get her pieces traced and cut. I didn't try it for myself until my oldest son was a teenager. I jumped in feet first and have never looked back. Machine quilter for years. Check. Quilt shop owner. Check. I live it and breath it. Always in stitches, alice
You both said it all especially about keeping me sane.
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