Sewing with Friends

Have had a lovely couple of days sewing with friends Sue and Gill. Or should I say talking, eating, looking at quilts and books. We only seemed to get a small amount of sewing done as it was the first time the tree of us had all spent time sewing together. The whole two days was quilt talk related which was fun and hope we can do it again sometime soon. We normally only bump into Gill at the quilt shows we attend as she lives just over an hour away.

I completed my Christmas tree skirt- very ahead of schedule, I needed to get this done as I will be taking this as a workshop class in September at Cowslip Workshops. I know that once I have come home from Paducah I shall be in the full throws of catching up with the garden and just fitting in my sewing when I can.

The scrap top is an ongoing project and work on making the four patches as and when I get scraps left over from a quilt. It has a piece of every quilt I have ever made in it so is a real mish mash of fabrics but do love how it is turning out, I will probably only add one or two more borders to finish it, we shall see.
I will then have to start another scrap quilt as I don't seem to have made the slightest dent in the scrap box. LOL.
Till next time.
Sue

More photos of the scrap quilt

 

 

 

 

SCRAP QUILT

 
 
 
 

Well this is truly a scrap quilt one that I purchased at Rennigers Antique Fair Mount Dora, Florida.
The dealers had to cover up their tables as it was pouring with rain but I spyed this one through some polythene. It is not a thing of beauty but I bought it for the historical fabrics in it. They have mainly got to be around the 1860's but have dated the Prussian blue block earlier. It was filthy and smelt damp so I went to the Queen Ann's lace quilt shop and bought some soft quilt soap and took it back to the house and put it in the washer on a lukewarm wash. It came out a treat. I could really have a good look at it then and you will see from the photos it is mainly bear paw block with a few surprise blocks thrown in for good measure. Some of the block have so many scrap pieces in them to make up the block. The backing is a 60's polyester sheet and it is tied, I guess somebody took pity on this old top and thought they would get some use out of it.I took pity on it too and it came home with me to good old blighty.

Sue

Breton Doll Crib

 

I can't believe I forgot I had this Breton doll crib. After reminiscing about the Swedish ones I saw at The Festival of Quilts in Birmingham back in 2006. Suddenly a bell went off in my head and I found her( Why am I calling this crib HER) in the bottom of the wardrobe in the guest room.
I bought it at a flea market held at a school in Quimper, France in 2001 for a few euros. We had gone to Quimper for the Quimper Club annual meeting and part of the iternary was a visit to the school who were holding the flea market. QUIMPER COLLECTING is another little sideline I used to have, I say used to as I haven't bought any for years now. It used to be a real thing with my husband and I to go to Auctions and Antique fairs to see what little treasure we could find. I still belong to the Quimper Club and have made marvelous friends throughout the USA through attending a few of the meetings. Its the thing isn't it of getting on with like minds.

Any way back to the doll cribb what happens now. I need to make a little mattress, Pillow and of course a little quilt. I am not very good at Itsy bitsy quilts so watch this space.

Till next time.
Sue, Now looking at her Quimper collection with fond memories of the thrill of the chase.

SWEDISH DOLL CRIBBS

I couldn't find my photo's of the Swedish doll quilts any where on the computer. They have gone off to cyber space. I did however find a blogger who took lots of pictures. If you go to the link and look under August 2006 you will find them .
They are and absolute delight. I WANT ONE!

lilymarlenes patchwork blogspot

Sue

Textile Museum Boras

I flew to Sweden to see my dear friend Linda last autumn , She lives in a beautiful house overlooking a lake and not to far to BORAS- A textile town- On one of the days we set off to investigate the Museum and having read some time ago in Asa Wettre's book OLD SWEDISH QUILTS that the Museum had some quilts we got very excited. Alas the lady on the desk didn't seem to know anything about any quilts. I think this place is run by volunteers and she may not of known what was hidden in the archives. I thought I must have misread the book but on arriving back home, Yes it surely says the museum has quilts. I shall make it a mission the next time I go to contact the museum beforehand to see if they are accessible to the general public.
Well that didn't stop us exploring the museum - They have a huge floor of old mill machinery and on certain days you can see how the whole process of cloth is made. Of course we didn't go on that certain day. Their is also a huge collection of old Husgavarna sewing machine which was really a great thing to see. Asa Wettre put on a fabulous exhibit of old doll cribs and quilts at the Festival Of Quilts in Birmingham a few years back. If I can find any of the photos I will but them on in a later post.

Some Finishing Off

BILLS STAR QUILT


CHARITY FUND RAISING QUILT

Ken & Sue Quilt


Today I finished off a few projects and doesn't that feel good, Basically 2 bindings on quilts and although I finished the top off a couple of weeks ago I needed to put together a backing before it goes off to Rosemary at Frome Valley Quilting.

Bills star quilt I will take with me to give to him when I go to the nursing home tomorrow. I really hope he likes it.
The second one is to be given to the nursing home as a charity fund raising quilt. They have a summer fete in the grounds of the home in June time. I am hoping to find a spot near the entrance reception to hang it so that relatives see it and buy a raffle ticket or two on their way past . I can't remember the name of this block so please ladies help me out here and leave your answers in the comment section. I chose this design because it was quick and easy . My mum really likes it. So you have guessed it I have to make another but for a double bed and in her colours green and lilac. Not my colours AT all and I know I am going to hate working on it only because it is not my colour palette. But hey its for my mum so as they say Hey Ho.

The last one is a quilt I have made for my dear friends who look after Mery when I go away. I know she is in completley safe hands . She probaly has a better time with them as they are the real out door types and she goes in their canoe on the River Wye and also off in the caravan every weekend to somewhere remote where she can run a muck with their dog Ruby.

Sue looking forward to working back in repros asap.

My Welsh Quilt

 
I wrote about my trip to Wales last summer a few blogs back so as we are on a welsh theme at the moment I thought I would show my welsh whole cloth quilt. I love the colour its a real raspberry red and the back is a lighter pink.
I know I have it on the bed (photography purpose only) :-) but I can't sleep under it as it's far to heavy. Its kind of like having a straight jacket over the top of you and pins you down. It is so thick with its carded wool filling, how on earth someone quilted through it I shall never know. It is in very good condition and I do wonder who made it and more to the point who slept under it.
I bought it from a lady who had just moved into our village and had been a textile dealer and it came without any provenance.
I had a wonderful afternoon with her when I went to see the quilts in her collection. It was before I had a digital camera so no photos of her quilts I am afraid.

My motto now is to make more notes about the quilts I come across.
Should also add that I have know idea what it feels like to be in a straight jacket LOL.
Till next time
Sue

How Do I Love Thee

 
 
 
 
Let me count the ways.
My heart mug was from my son a few years ago, The I love you on the blackboard is from Emily my son's girlfriend. It means a great deal to me that they both love, care and support me emotionally. Actually she is the only one that write's on it. When I arrive back from a trip their is always a little welcome home message chalked up and my quilted heart is from my dear friend Sue.
So today I will leave you with Sonnet 17 by Pablo Neruda and is dedicated to my husband who is in a nursing home and who will not know that it is a special day. The devils name is Alzhiemer's.

I LOVE YOU WITHOUT KNOWING HOW ,OR WHEN OR FROM WHERE,
I LOVE YOU SIMPLY, WITHOUT PROBLEMS OR PRIDE,
I LOVE YOU IN THIS WAY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW ANY OTHER WAY OF LOVING.
BUT THIS, IN WHICH THERE IS NO I OR YOU,
SO INTIMATE THAT YOUR HAND UPON MY CHEST IS MY HAND,
SO INTIMATE THAT WHEN I FALL ASLEEP IT IS YOUR EYES THAT CLOSE.

Sue x

HAVE I BEEN HERE BEFORE

 
 

Summer 2009 a friend and I took our holiday in New England, What is it about this place that speaks to me. I have especially fallen for the charms of Vermont and even commented to my husband on our first trip there in 2000 that I am sure I was a Vermonter in a previous life:-) Last summers trip Shelagh and I rented a house Nr Woodstock in VT . One day we headed back to Barnard by a different route - I just had to drive through Pomfret, what a pretty place and the name stuck with me.
Later on in the year at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham UK I headed off to find Fiona's stand The American Quilt Store . Their was Kathleen Tracys book Remembering Adelia , That little quilt on the front spoke to me and I knew I had some of the blue stripe fabric which I had bought at the New England Quilt Museum a couple of years ago. Well what do you think happened when I started reading the book , Adelia Thomas was not only born in Pomfret but she married a Mr Bennett which by coincidence is my maiden name. Could I have been a Vermonter in previous life? I like to think so.
I love applique but am not to keen on doing it, but am happy with my little Remembering Adelia .

Sue

Quilty Presents

 

I love getting quilty pressie's, My PIC ( Partner in Crime) when it comes to fabric has just given me these birthday gifts of a sweet little quilt made with Rouenneries by French General and also the angel pattern by Gail Wilson. I love what Gail does and am now looking forward to a sew day with Sue where we both get on and make these little girlie's .

I also received this lovely country cushion from my friend Jo at Cowslip Workshops. in Launceston , Cornwall. Its a truly inspirational place with Jo being the driving force behind this enterprise. She has a lovely quilt shop, workshop and organic cafe on site of there working organic farm.

When I am teaching workshop's down there it is like I have been on a retreat and instead of feeling tired when I come back home I am on a high. Great location, Great quilt shop, Great organic food and Stephen's home made cider is, Well goes straight to your head :-)
They both work extremely hard at what they do and richly deserve all their success.

Till next time
Sue

More from the Jen Jones collecton

Today I am posting some more of the quilts from the Jen Jones Quilt Centre. I love the scrap medallion quilts and one of the two wholecloth quilts I am posting will be of historic interest to you ladies from the other side of pond. I have wondered how they had researched the provenance of this quilt. I will have to ask when I go to the Quilt Centre again this year. Incidentally it is the blue quilt that was made by Bariah Adam Lewis

Hope you enjoy

Sue

More Welsh Wool Quilts

 
 
 
 

Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre

 
 
 
 

We woke to rain the next day. It does a lot of that in Wales that's why it so lovely and green.

The Jen Jones Welsh Quilt Centre
didn't open until 10am so took ourselves off for a walk around the town of Lampeter. What a lovely small town. lots of individual shops and not a chain in sight.
The Quilt Centre itself was still in some area's undergoing its restoration but when you go upstairs to the gallery ,Well what a site - All those lovely wool quilts just hanging there.Their were other cotton medallion and wholecloth quilts in the exhibition but will show these in another post. I am just going to let you enjoy the photos of these wonderful old wool flannel quilts.