"City Quilts" By Cherrie House

This is another cross-post from my other blog. I cross post when I think that my friends who read only this blog would enjoy a book that I post originally on my book blog

"City Quilts" by Cherrie House is new book hot off the presses at C&T Publishing. Since I love quilts that are both simple and make use of solid color fabrics I knew from the beginning that this book would hold interest for me. Having grown up in New York City the photos in the book were quite evocative for me. I think that Ms. House did a remarkable job of designing simple but dramatic quilts reminiscent of every day city living images. Although I love using solid colors I think that the quilts in this book also lend themselves equally well to using prints.

The beginning of the book includes a well done section on the basics - I like everything about this book and am looking forward to beginning one of the patterns. Also included is an excellent section on color choices, a bit of theory and tips on developing your ability to "see" patterns in everyday sights. I have collected quite a quilt library over the years and so there are not that many new books that come out that I truly want to spend the money on to add to my ever expanding collection - but this one is a good bet for your permanent collection! I don't think it will disappoint!

Going on the premise that a picture really is worth a thousand words I have included scans of some the wonderful quilts in this book - and the great photos that led to the creation of the pattern!

" Quilts, Baby!" By Linda Kopp : A Refreshing Take On Quilts!

remember that you can double click on the photos for a better view!

I could use many words as descriptors about this book. Delightful, refreshing, enchanting , appealing -  and, simply, one of the best little quilt books I have come across in a long while.  I was not sure that I would be the best reviewer for this book because I don't make a lot of baby quilts any more. Boy! Am I ever glad I decided to have a look! This is one of those books that screams originality.  The patterns are simple - and simple is a favorite with me - but each quilt also features the addition of something that makes the quilt special, endearing and enchanting.

Just look at some of the names of the quilts in the 'contents' section! Just plain fun! The beginning of the book focuses on a very well thought out 'quilting basics' section. The book is also peppered with great short-cut ideas. A combination of captivating hand drawn images as well as photographs makes reading the directions, for the 'basics' as well as for the quilts totally enjoyable. Quilt directions are beautifully done - exemplars of the quilts are shown  in sketches as well as photographs and you glean information about the special talents of each of the quilt designers featured in the book.

The books contains 12 simple quilt designs - each of which has an added, endearing, element. Folk artsy, colorful, embroidered and unique additions to each design makes these simple quilts stand out. The ideas are, of course, great for a child - but also for the adults in the crowd who look for a touch of whimsy in their lives! The designs are great for beginner's, especially with the wonderful 'basics' chapter to guide them, but also would be winner's for adults as well.

 There are also lots of tips and tricks for applique, embroidery, quilting, bindings and how to add fun elements like small pockets.

 

There are also lots of tips and tricks for applique, embroidery, quilting, bindings and how to add fun elements like small pockets.

This book makes me smile. It makes me want to put more fun back into my quilting. I have always thought that rules are made to be fiddled with (once you know the basics anyway) and this book , I think, proves me right. This is one book that will please quilters of all ages - and I am certain that if you buy it - you will find yourself smiling too!

Time For Winter Flannels

It was time to change to a warmer quilt this week and I pulled this one out. It was an anniversary quilt that I made for a present to my husband in 1999 - and gave it to him 2000. It's called 'Buzzwheel' among other names. We both like using it a lot. It's made from flannels and has a super warm backing of triple weight fleece. We think that it is about as warm as our down comforter - which I generally don't pull out until January - or when it first snows around here! I think that "Lily" agrees - she like this quilt on the bed!

A Favorite Journal Accompanied Me To Festival

Although some folks might think it odd ; I generally travel with two journals. One that is strictly my written (and sometimes illustrated) personal journal & one that I bring along for taking notes on things that catch my eye, observations, thoughts to develop for quilts or felted pieces - that sort of thing. For the Houston trip this was the little beauty that I used to capture those scattered thoughts, and to hold all of the information I needed for the trip. It's a lovely notebook that's available in two colorways from Exaclair. Called the Quo Vadis Robert Le Heros this journal definitely has a lovely European flair. I love the Clairfontaine paper - works great with just about any ink I use in it - including some watercolor washes. Here I am holding up this great journal in front of one of my more traditional quilts at the Houston Quilt Festival 2008.

The other two pieces that I had in the show were art quilts. This quilts, called "Butterflies & Cream" was in an exhibit called In The American Tradition. I can't think of a more quintessential traditional American Quilt pattern that these butterflies that were so popular during the last great depression. I bought the beginnings of these blocks as orphans from Ebay. There were certainly not enought to make the large quilt I wanted from them so I had to dig into my stash of vintage fabrics and construct the new-old butterflies to match the original blocks. Now, I can no longer remember which blocks I made and which were the ones I purchased. I used a bright cheerful yellow for the setting blocks. The batting is an 80/20 cotton batt and the backing is plush fleece. Warm, cheerful and traditional. This quilts is actually my hisband's. I was once offered $1200. for it, but he loved it so much that he "bought" it for that same amount so that we could keep it at home - ans till give me the money I needed at the time. Although I make a lot of art quilts now , it is traditional quilts that I always seem to return to. They brings me peace and make me happy - and there is nothing better to sleep under IMHO!

I think my lovely Quo Vadis journal goes quite well with my beautiful quilt ! Don't you agree?!

Another Trip Down Quilt Memory Lane

Join me in another trip down memory lane! Above is a LeMoyne Star quilt. When i made it I thought it was so dang good. I didn't know that there was a much better way to join the inner points so that they would lay flat. My machine quilting was truly awful - and I thought everyone used muslin as a quilt back ! It looked good enough on a wall - but I keep it now to remind myself to never be too pride-full. There is always a lot to learn no matter where you are in your quilting life!

Everyone, it seemed, had to do a Maple Leaf design. This one is just when I had laid out the blocks prior to putting them together. I didn't usually take photos of much of work back then. It's also odd to look at my quilts - not nearly as much color as I seem to always use now!

I have always love Log Cabin blocks - and I still do. This is the first quilt I made using Log Cabin blocks. I made it during a particularly stressful time in my life - and called it "The Rocky Road of Life" - though I suppose "Streak of Lightening" would not have been a bad title either! It's the first quilt that I used polar fleece as a backing - with no batting. Now I still use polar fleece but I think that using a batting layer works best. It adds some stability and looks much better - and prevents shadowing too. Come to think of it - it feels like time to do another Log Cabin block quilt sometime soon! At least this one showed some lively colors - despite the rocky road I was on !

Quilt Show Day Trip

Yesterday our Guild, Rainshadow Quilting Arts, organized a great day trip to the mainland. Each year the Fidalgo Island Quilters has a quilt show in Anacortes, Washington. This year's theme was "a garden party". We all piled onto the ferry - we did not even have to take the "red-eye" ! The red eye ferry leaves at 6:00 am. When we go for a "Costco run" we have to get up at 4:30 am in order to get in line to be able to make the 'red-eye'. The next ferry that leaves is an 8:05 - and the best part is that this is a direct ferry - so it only takes 1.5 hours to get to the mainland. Since we were not taking cars we all walked on - and that means we got to 'sleep in' on our Saturday! We were also truly lucky that the weather behaved as well. It has been unusually cool and rainy this past week, but Saturday dawned clear and, though there was a very sharply cold breeze ,we all were relieved that it was not raining!

Twenty one of us were met by a luxury bus for the short trip into Anacortes. We were dropped off by the first of our fiber fix stops at Fabrics Plus. The shop give a 20 per cent discount on everything in the store for this event each year - so you can imagine that those of us who are regularly fabric staved exercised our 'plastic' more than usual on this shop-a-holic day! The bus picked us up two hours later at the next fabulous fabric frenzied stop - The Quilt Shop. This shop also offers the discount and always has additional staff on hand to handle the extra textile hoarding that occurs each year.

Of course, many of us HAD to make an additional stop at our favorite mainland yarn shop - Anacrossstitch - for a fix of yarn, gadgets,luxurious supplies like hand dyed threads, books, perle cottons, cross stitch threads etc. This shop just keeps getting better and better. It's a fiber fanatics fantasy land.We are all really blessed to have the availability of such incredible fabric and yarn shops almost in our own back yard.

Next stop - the quilt show ! This year was, I have to say, one of the best years yet. The quilts on display were fabulous - incredible workmanship. One of the highlights of the show is always the Divas fashion Show. The Divas are a branch of Fidalgo Island Quilters that concentrate on wearable art. They are an amazing, talented group & are always doing something interesting. Thankfully my friend, Janet, hauls my lazy butt to their meetings now and then. I am always glad that I listened to Janet because I always have a great time with the Divas. I am so glad that she has accepted the position of being my social 'arranger' - without her I would probably hibernate and never have any fun!

I would love to post some photos of the amazing quilts at the show - but am not sure that I can give proper credit to all of them. I will post some photos of those whose makers names I am certain of though - next time!

Thanks especially to Bonnie, Beth & Claudia who really worked hard to insure that we all had a great care free, inspirational day of fun with friends & fabric!

Vintage Quilts At The LaConner Quilt Museum

The second floor at the LaConner Quilt Musem was dedication to a vintage quilt collection. Perfect for me - since vintage quilts are favorites for me. The fan quilt was truly wonderful. The fan blocks were only about 5 inches and the background was a wonderful 30's warm yellow. It was in excellent condition.

I thought that this Sunbonnet Sue was especially fun all in red. Lots of cute details.

This excellently crafted DWR was made in , I think, 1987 .... it shows amazing skill.

The star quilt below was truly spectacular - thought the lighting left a bit to be desired. I was grateful that photography was allowed at all. This masterpiece was made in 1840 - and it too is in great conditions - just a few age apots and some wear near the center of the star. These quilts were a treat !