Three Titles for Thursday

I was in Quilt Book Lover Nirvana yesterday for about an hour.

The local quilting guild brought in a book seller to display his wares. A fantastic lot! I browsed while he pulled historical quilting books for me to look at. These are the ones I know I buy as resources. For colour combinations and border inspirations. And for the stories about the quilts and their makers.

This book I plan to read from front to back to discover her quilt story. I know she has a new book out. I figured $5 for the old one was a good deal.

He had several books that were authored or co-authored by Rachel Pellman. This is the only one I came home with as I had never seen it before. And it has quilts like this in it -

This is the book I've started to look at

I have seen a Welsh quilting book advertised in Quiltmania but thought it was too costly to purchase and ship. This one looks very promising.

This is what's inside


This is the quilting design for the following quilt:


I love it! There seems to be alot of PAISLEYs in the quilting designs too which is something I enjoy quilting on my tablerunner.

With Joy,

Sarah Vee

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Three Reviews This Thursday

More than three photos today. This is the newest book from Bonnie Hunter. I won it recently through Pat Sloan's blog. Pat has a radio show now which airs live Monday afternoons. Bonnie was one of her guests. I enjoyed listening to it. Pat has a link on her site to past shows.

A closeup of a partial photo of the bow tie block quilt. I can see this one being very dynamic with the intersecting sashes in black and white.



This is the book my sister gave me for my birthday. Too many quilts that I want to make in here! Great instructions and photos.

I really like how she gives fabric suggestions for EACH quilt. A great way for quilters to expand their colour knowledge. This is how I've learned alot about colour - by looking at what others do and figuring out what I like and don't like.

Talking about colour - take a moment to check out this great post by Wanda about Value. Her blog is a visual inspiration. She shares lots of tips and in progress posts, too.


Lastly today the latest edition of Quiltmaker magazine. I have to admit I bought it for the CD. I'm glad I did! It has great quilting motifs on it and a free quilt pattern that I like. I had forgot that there are quilts by Julie of Jaybird Quilts and Scott Hansen of Blue Nickel Studios in here too. Lots to enjoy in this issue.

Now - back to the sewing machine.

~
With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Progress and Procrastination - 3 Takes

I got the borders on my Charming Tiles quilt top. I'm finding I need a bigger vertical space to take pictures of my quilts - my quilts are growing! This one measures 49 x 60 inches.



My newest library find. It is for painters, but she discusses at great length seeing colour as VALUE. This is a lesson I can translate to choosing fabrics for my quilts. The cool bookmark my daughter bought for me at her school book fair this week (after I oohed and awed over the one she bought for herself first:))


My Procrastination Photo of (last) year! I made this table runner for last Valentine's and STILL have to quilt it. I didn't even sew shut the little gap from turning it right side out. I am really working on getting over the final hurdle of quilting a top. It's something I've always slowed down at. I could count all the quilt tops looking at me to get DONE already - I think I have enough fingers to count them all!
This one I would love to finish for this year. For this weekend!!

Can I do it? Yes. Will I do it? We'll see.

Is there a step in the quilt MAKING process that slows you down?

~
With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Quilting Book Buddies

I've had this book for several years. I hunted it down to work on this quilt -

A Work in Progress picture of the anniversary quilt for my parents. My sister and I each made blocks with sashing and quilted them. I joined them together using the lap quilting method.

Now I'm using it to put my Birthday Baskets quilt together. These two panels are sewn together on the front. I still need to hand sew the back seam - it's pinned and ready for me.

Next book

I won this book by Kay and it has become my go-to book for applique. I used it to make the applique blocks in this quilt


a Picnic Quilt for my latest niece's first birthday.

I'm now using it to try out Back Basting. I'm using this technique for my Mystery Basket block.

In this photo, I've drawn the lines for the basket handle on the back of the background. The handle fabric is right side up on the front of the piece. The pieces were pinned together then I basted on the drawn lines.

This is what the right side of the block looks like before cutting . . .


This is after cutting. Now it's ready for me to stitch down.

I think Orange was the right choice!

Do you have books that have become quilting buddies?

With Joy,
Sarah Vee

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Tip: Take Time to Enjoy Tuesday

I finally surrendered yesterday to the two year old's demands and pieced instead of planned. I got another Lady of the Lake block done, put together my daughter's remaining cousin challenge blocks, made a tree block, and decided I like the reindeer mittens 'up and down' instead of even.

But more than this, I realized an important time tip:
remember to give yourself time to be inspired and renewed.

It helps alot when you have great things to look at.

This is the first time I've looked at the Irish quilting magazine - and it won't be my last! I spied the cover quilt online and was delighted to find the pattern in here! It is a very well laid out magazine with lots of projects that I want to do. It speaks intelligently to the reader - do you know what I mean? It doesn't assume knowledge, but suggests techniques and methods in a way to encourage you - not make you think you have to go back to quilter kindergarten.

Pat Sloan is a regular contributor and doesn't disappoint with this quick, cute, bold, folksy wallhanging.




Here's a delightful surprise I found in my public library. There's not too many books there so I rarely check back on the shelf. This one - is a keeper!

STAR QUILTS: With Patterns for More than 30 Stars, Mary Elizabeth Johnson, Clarkson Potter Publishers, New York:1992. (ISBN 0-517-57418-7)

Here's just a few for today. She categorizes the type of star quilts and then has amazing examples of each. You can click on a photograph to enlarge it. (I took them at night at my cutting table, apologizes for some slight discolourations, but the inspiration is still there!)




The author's inspiration quilt. Made 1810-1825, in either Marion or Selma, Alabama, by a Miss Jones: all cotton, some chintzes, never washed; 82 1/2 x 94 inches. (p.16)





Octagon star from the LeMoyne star. 1885, by Isabella Fleming and Doris Boucher, Paducah, Kentucky: 81 inches square. (p.106)





Providence unknown, possibly Chambers County, Alabama; c. 1965; 55 1/2 x 72 inches. (p.60)

This quilt reminds me of Kaffe Fassett, Sarah Fielke, and Mrs. Schmenkman. It has also renewed my desire to make a red quilt!

One more for today. . .



Bull's Eye quilt, by Alverda H. Herb; Lancaster County, Pennsylvania; c. 1920; 84 1/2 x 85 1/2 inches. (p.84)

This quilt again draws on red, but also repetition to pull in the viewer and to achieve symmetry.

Take time to be inspired today.

With Joy,

Sarah V

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