RED SKY AT NIGHT, SAILOR'S DELIGHT

 Whenever I see a red sky in the evening, it reminds me of an old mariner saying, "Red sky at night, sailor's delight. Red sky in morning, sailor's warning." The saying is based on Matthew 16: 2&3 in the bible.  It has special meaning for me now that my grandson is in the U.S. Navy submarine fleet.  I've had this quilt in mind for awhile to honor him and his fellow mariners.

THE STATS:  SAILOR'S DELIGHT, 2022, 32"X32", Machine pieced, machine quilted.

For this quilt I have used the "star sashing" concept that adds another design element to a quilt. I always like the look of those little stars in a quilt, but I now need a break from star points after doing these 200, 3/4" points!  

Here are three of my other quilts with "star sashing"; just different choices of color, fabric placement, and size.

KEEPSAKE STAR, 2001

"SPANGLED STARS", 2015-2022

"KEEPSAKE STAR RELIVED", 2021

LEGACY

 This is the last of the unfinished projects hiding out in my closet! It was a quilt top I made in a class at Quilt Colorado '98 entitled "Mason-Dixon Memories" taught by Marianne Fons. It was a great class about the fabrics and quilts of the Civil War.  We were instructed to bring to class fabrics and an idea using a Civil War era block.  There was some trading back and forth with other class members of fabrics in our efforts to construct quilt blocks under Marianne's tutelage. I loved the class and finished up the quilt top when I returned home, but never got around to quilting it.  Now is the time to quilt up the last of my favorite Betsey block projects.

THE STATS:  Legacy, 1998-2022, 50"x50", Machine pieced on my Singer Featherweight in 1998, Machine quilted in 2022 on my Bernina.

I enjoy quilt history; I enjoyed Marianne's class; and now I finally have my finished quilt to enjoy!  After so many years in the making, I regret only that now my shoulder and eye issues prevent me from quilting it by hand; or at the very least, doing a more condensed machine quilting design.  As the younger generation say today, "It is what it is!"

HOMESTEADING

 I've always loved the architecture of log cabins and wanted to someday own one; but that never happened. That doesn't mean that I wanted to endure a pioneer lifestyle.  I admire my ancestors that did, but I didn't turn out to be an outdoor or make-do, rugged individual.  So, I now live vicariously through log cabin quilts with their many variations.

This is a quarter-log cabin block design. There are so many variations, but this is one of my favorites.

In spite of its small size this quilt turned out to be consuming. I spent a lot of time choosing fabrics, then sewing the 294 half-inch logs.  

Homesteading is never fast!

THE STATS:  Homesteading, 2022, 28"x28", Paper pieced, Machine pieced, Machine quilted. 

My ancestors didn't come west and build log cabins --- not that many trees on the Colorado prairies.  They built their structures out of adobe bricks and rocks made from the available resources.

A picture of my family's homestead is below.  In order to prove up free land according to the Homestead Act of 1862, trees were to be planted on the property.  Notice in the picture my great, great Uncle Asa's effort to grow trees to keep his part of the contract.   The claim was filed by Asa T. Haines in 1882, and patented in 1889.

I'm forever grateful for the time and place in which I am able to live and quilt.

PS:  I have never claimed to be an artist, nor have I ever had any training.  I'm only someone who loves quilts, math, fabric, and to sew.  My creative grandson has had some high school art classes and said this about the quilt:  "I quite enjoy the moments of lapse in color with the black. It feels like a void into the uncomplete."  I said, "Is that good?"  He replied, "Yes."  This proves I'm not an artist -- I don't understand their language!