Threads Of Feeling

The postman bought this lovely book today . Its called Threads of Feeling and produced to accompany the Exhibition at The Foundling Museum in London. It is somewhere I have never been and although would like to go just can't seem to fit in going to London for the day at the moment.
It is written by John Styles and on the back cover it says . When mothers left babies at London's Foundling Hospital in the mid-eighteen century , the Hospital often retained  a small token as a means of identification , usually a piece of fabric.
In the book it shows these small tokens left with their child. You can read about it here http://www.foundlingmuseum.org.uk/exhibit_temp.php- Their is also a slide show showing the textiles. http://www.threadsoffeeling.com/
It is a fascinating insight into textiles and the sad lives of women who were so poor they were driven to give up their  babies in hope they would have a better life.

I have also completed Civil War block 5  Kansas Troubles apart from that I  have done very little as after a course of antibiotics  can't seem to shift the chest infection I have had since December . Its back to the Doctors for me in the morning  as I would really like to be back on par as soon as possible.
One other thing I don't know how it has happened but I seem to have been voted in the top 50  best quilting blogs by the Guide to Art Schools. Click on the  link at the top of the page to see other fellow bloggers who are on the list. All I can say is my dad would be proud!

Civil War block 5 Kansas Troubles

Red and Green Quilts 3

 

 

 

 

Here are the photo's of the last four red and green quilts I took at the Vermont Quilt Festival in 2009.
It really did make for a magnificent exhibition and wish I hadn't left my catalogue in the rental car - I would love to read up about all these beauties I have posted over the last couple of weeks.
Enjoy.

Civil War Block 4

Barbara Brackmans Civil War Block 4 completed- TEXAS TEARS.
I really enjoyed making this block and also like how the fabric combo's turned out.

Midnight Stars and Collage

 

 

I couldn't wait to finish HUMBLE QUILTS Midnight Stars quilt along.
For me these small quilts give me the opportunity to try fabric choices that I wouldn't normaly use . I have had this lovely indigo setting fabric in my collection for at least 7 years and after seeing how good it looks I am sad that I only had a fat 1/4 of it . I just had to cut this fabric anyway I could to get it out . Lori's instructions for the blocks were just perfect and it went together a dream. Thank you Lori for taking the trouble to share this with us. I really love this little quilt.
You can learn a bit more about Indigo's by hopping over to Cottonopia Blog.

Now you all know I had a birthday on Friday- Once again thank you for all your good wishes, But hey look what I got from my PIC . One of VIRGINIA COLES miniature quilt collages. I have always admired her work from these far off shores and can't quiet believe I own this wonderful little bit of quilt art.
Big big thanks to you Sue.

The Winner Is

Thank you all so much for leaving Birthday Wishes for my blog and actual Birthday. I had a lovely lunch with two of our oldest friends and as the  weekend is not yet over I will be celebrating again tonight with my son and DIL to be( I love putting that) and with long standing  friends tomorrow.
I did have a very very nice gift from my PIC which I will show you later.

Main reason for this post is to say  after leaving out the names of those who didn't want the patterns. We used the  random number selection  and  Margie my friend picked number 14 which turns out to be Marion. Congratulations Marion can you leave me you email address through my profile and I will post them off to you in. the Netherlands.

Have a great sewing weekend wherever you are.
Sue

ONE YEAR OLD

 

Yep, Can you believe it my blog is one year old today.
Quite a milestone and if you had told me a year ago that I would have made so many friends, had followers and had so much to say I wouldn't have believed you. Well perhaps I would have believed the bit about having too much to say :-)

So today is just a little giveaway of some of the patterns left over from when I closed my shop - The Pumpkin Patch.

If you would like to enter just leave me a comment and I will pull the winning number on Friday which is my real Birthday which are coming round far to quickly these days.

Sue 

All Sorts of Everything

Klosjes 9

Civil War Block 3 Seven Sister

Lori's quilt along

Add caption

Its been all go here this week doing a little bit of this and a little bit of that.

I am late again with Klosjes post as I believe you are supposed to post these on Saturdays. Hope the Klosjes police are not out there to fine me. 

This weeks Barbara Brackman's Civil War block is Seven Sisters . As I am not a real hand applique girl I have used the smallest size blanket stitch on my machine and then altered the stitches down even smaller. Don't get me wrong I love the look of hand applique but am not mad about doing it.

The 3rd thing this week is Lori's quilt a long which I know lots of you are partaking in - and for those of you who are not  this is where we are so far.

Finally I may of mentioned before that our quilt group has an exhibition in April . I still have lots of work in progress .  The last photo is a medallion quilt and  the centre panel formed part of a kit which I purchased from Petra Prins back in 2005. After a while I decided not to make the kit  and have used some of the fabric  in this medallion quilt. In the large centre star section I have used IRISH LINEN  and I am liking the mix of using the different fabric mediums together.

I will post the last of the red and green quilts this week as I know from the comments you have all enjoyed seeing these beautiful quilts.

For now it's back to the sewing machine.

Red and Green Quilts 2

More Red and Green quilts for you to enjoy.

Red and Green Quilts

Their were lots of posts around in the festive season of Red and Green quilts
I have been going through my photo albums and found lots that I took of of vintage red and greens quilts at the Vermont Quilt Festival in 2009. I can't tell you anything about them as I left my catalogue in the hire car when I gave it back so you will just have to enjoy the eye candy.
I have quite a few so will post the photo's over the next few days.
Enjoy .

Saturday Stitcher's

Claudine's Little Women Quilt

Amanda's Applique  Block

Suzanne's lap quilt for her mum

My Klosjes total for this week 12

Barbara Brackman block 2 Saw Tooth Star

Today the Saturday monthly stitcher's have been here in my studio . We have been trying to think of a suitable name for this group . I cannot print the name's that have banded around today but at the end of the brain storming effort we are no further forward. So for the time being it's the Saturday Stitcher's

I have to show you Claudine's quilt which is called Little Women. Pic Sue started this class at a local quilt shop and Claudine has entirely hand pieced all these 4in blocks. I love the little stamp basket block- Just remember this is a 4 in block. It is divine as is the whole quilt.
Amanda was working on her applique block which again is one of Sue's designs and Suzanne was finishing off a lap quilt she has made for her mum. Sue was hand quilting her beautiful applique  quilt which when it is finished is going to be her family heirloom. I will post this when it is complete.So Sue you now have to finish it!

As for me I  have been sewing  binding on my scrap quilt, I  am always surprised how long this actually takes.
My klosjes total for the week is 12  .
I have also started Lori's quilt- a-long for a little doll size quilt which I shall post a little later on.
This evening I  made my Barbara Brackman Civil War block 2 Sawtooth Star. I made sure everything was correct on this block  before posting after my first effort on block 1 -  I didn't  want to make another complete fool of myself  :-)

Happy Stitching
Sue

Oop's Catch Me If You Can- Block 1

Catch me if you can. Well you wouldn't have caught mine as I had flipped a HST if you look at the previous post.
I was just about to shut down for the night when Shannon emailed to let me know what I had done- I wasn't offended at all just pleased a fellow blogger was their to spot my mistake- Like I said more haste less speed.
Thanks Shannon.

Weak Willed

Just 4 Klosjes

Block 1 Catch Me If You Can

After a lovely  New Year with friends they have now left me and it's back to normal life, Whatever normal is.

Today was getting back to sewing projects. I kind of made a resolution not to start anything new until other projects on the go were finished but as you can see I have started the new Barbara Brackman Civil War Quilt. Now you know how weak willed  I am .
I kept thinking well its only one block a week I can manage that along with other things. Surely I can !

I went through my collection of fabric and found  some civil war one's to work with
( I say COLLECTION as apparently this is how we should refer to them rather than STASH. ) I like that word  as I didn't feel half as guilty going through it :-)
The 1st block  is called Catch Me If You Can.

I haven't posted Klosjes for a while and have only managed 4- not so good, but I do have lots cut out in the box ready to take to the nursing home to sit and sew whilst DH is fast asleep. I hope I make good progress with these again.

So having taken up the reigns again  let the 2011 sewing season begin.

Happy stitching  to you all in 2011