AN AUSPICIOUS BEGINNING

About 15 years ago, I bought these twelve different brown and white fabrics at some quilting event -- possibly at the International Quilt Festival in Houston.  As I recall they weren't that expensive, but I guess I've been saving them for THAT perfect quilt project.

I learned years ago that there is not a perfect quilt, so I decided today not to wait any longer.  I figure an imperfect quilt is better than no quilt at all!

 I discovered the pieces were mostly stamped on the back with interesting information about being designed in England for the Da Gama Textile Co. in South Africa.

After all of those years in a box, the process has begun.  I washed and pressed the fabric; began thinking about a possible simple design; and searched for a companionable fabric to help showcase these unusual fabric designs.  And, I decided to make a table runner.

I'm ready to go.

Sometimes, a start is as momentous as a finish.

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

STORING THE QUILTS

My real passion for quilt making began in the 1970s.  My first intention was to just make enough quilts to cover the beds in our home.  But, that is not where it ended.  Soon, I was asked to teach some classes which required some class samples.  More quilts were needed when I began publishing patterns in magazines.  Then came the writing of books, trunk shows, lectures, and gallery shows --- all requiring more quilts.  All along the way, I held onto all the quilts because you can't do lectures and shows without quilts to view in person!

My most asked question is where do I store them????

This is my favorite: An antique wardrobe with glass doors in my dining room that holds 63 of my smaller (under 60" square) favorites.

 I'm so familiar with each and everyone of them, I can see just parts and visualize the full quilt enjoying them each day.

 We have UV protected windows in our house, so I don't worry about fading.  I try every six months or so to refold and rearrange the quilts in the cupboard.

And, here is the UGLY storage; the quilt closet that stores the large quilts, the antique quilts, the family quilts, the utility quilts, and the manuscripts for my books.  I'm thinking I can get rid of the book manuscripts and stack more boxes of quilts.

 Only one bed in the house currently has a quilt on it.  My mother-in-law hand quilted this whole-cloth quilt for us in the 1980s.

My favorite antique log cabin quilt hangs on the wall in another bedroom. 

This is not the end of the storage issue -- I haven't shown the sewing room which has the 'stash/scraps' closet.  Plus, there are baskets full of UNQUILTED tops, which are much easier to store.  That's my lame excuse for not getting around to quilting them!  Oh, and I forgot the buffet that holds numerous quilted table runners.

Do you have quilt storage problems, too?

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

JUNE'S THROWBACK THURSDAY

With so much interest in mini-quilts recently, I thought I would dig out this mini for June's Throwback Thursday.

GOSLING FLIGHT

I made this in 1983; it is 10" x 12", and is machine pieced and hand quilted.  I haven't made a mini since then.

However, I've been thinking about doing another.  I'm sure my piecing skills and fabric choices have improved.  Let's hope so!

I'm joining the following:
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Quarter Inch from the Edge for Throwback Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

I REALLY MUST STOP

Yes, I really must stop making tops.  They are starting to pile up in the basket of ones that need quilted.  I've never been much of a machine quilter; so, consequently, I've never really learned.  Until arthritis, bad eyesight, and old age set in; I always thoroughly enjoyed hand quilting and would like to continue, but it is a slow go!

   

At any rate ----- here is the latest top finished:

Sixty-three little medallions in a 'strippy set'.

I had been wanting to use some of Moda's Grunge fabrics as I think the colors are scrumptious and I love the slight variation of pattern.  So I used a navy blue and a teal from Moda for the setting strips.  Also, I'm enamored with the name, grunge.  That sent me on a long internet search; and as expected, it led me to all of the Grunge Bands of the 1980s.  But, I was looking back further than that, and found nothing.  When I was in college in the 1950s, we would call our outdoor, hiking clothes "grungies".  We would wear our "grungies" to go on "woodsies" in the Colorado mountains.  Is anyone else that old and remembers that word?

Just a little off-subject------

I really do love this quilt, and want to hand-quilt it.

This is the wild fabric I have chosen for the backing.

So, hopefully, after the month of May quiets down; I can get it basted and sit in front of the air conditioner this summer and hand quilt.  No more "woodsies" in my "grungies" for me.  This is as wild as I get.

I'm joining the following:

Quilting Readers Garden for WIPS Be Gone Friday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish It Up Friday

Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making

Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for May's Scrap Problem Party

MAY'S THROWBACK THURSDAY

This month for Throwback Thursday I thought I would show you the first quilt I had published in Quilter's Newsletter Magazine way back in March 1984 ---- my, that was a long time ago!

Here it is as it appeared in the magazine.  It is a traditional quilt done in the 'strippy style'.  I think that it is funny that they included it in the "Modern Quilting" section.  Compared to today's modern quilting movement, there is nothing modern about it.  

The quilt is queen-sized, machine-pieced, and hand-quilted.

Times certainly have changed in the quilting world, but some things remain the same.

I still like a strippy-set quilt, but today they are turned horizontally and called a row quilt!!!

I'm joining the following:
Quarter Inch from the Edge for Throwback Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
A Quilted Passion for Whoomp There It Is! Saturday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

HERE'S A HINT -----

It's been snowing like crazy; plus, I've been trying to stay out of the way of workmen remodeling our bathrooms.  It is a win-win situation as I get to hide out in my sewing room.

I'm getting close to the finish of setting my Little Medallions into a quilt top.

 I'm ready to put a border on it.

Next week ---- hopefully, the finished top.

I'm joining the following:

Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday

Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making

Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

THE LAST OF THE MEDALLIONS

The last couple of days I have been sewing up 19 more little medallions that I had cut recently while organizing my scraps.

That brings the total up to 62 4" blocks.

Which means I have used more than 180 different fabrics from my stash bins.  That is not even making a dent --- I'm guesstimating that I must have over 2000 different fabrics accumulated over the last 40 years in those bins.  In my defense, some of those scraps are no bigger than 3-4 inches square each.

How did that hoarding habit happen????  Over the years, my purchasing mode of operation has been fat quarters. I always preferred 4 different fabrics rather than a yard of one fabric.   When I would travel to quilt festivals, etc., I set a budget and would buy as many fat quarters as I could ---- enough years and quilts equals a lot of scraps.

This has been a fun project for me as it really feeds into my love of fabric design, color, scraps, and fussy cutting.

I have an idea for setting these medallions together --- hopefully soon for my next blog post.

I'm joining the following:

Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday

Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

Quilting Readers Garden for WIPS Be Gone Friday

A Quilted Passion for Whoomp There It Is! Saturday

Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making

Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday

Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday

Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday

STASH BUSTING

Slowly, I'm making headway on my many bins of scraps.  I'm still working on my boxes of greens; plus I opened that old box marked 'paisleys and plaids'.  I've discovered more fabrics that cry out for some fussy cutting to make small medallions.

 I've made 15 more medallions.

 And, now have a total of 43.  

I'm getting anxious to decide on a setting option and a color to hold it all together.

My goal is about 60 of these 4 1/2 inch squares.

I'm sure I have at least 15 more boxes to go through -- slow going as I'm trying to sort, press, and refold.  Then I get distracted and make more little medallions!

I'm joining the following:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
A Quilted Passion for Whoomp There It Is Saturday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday

APRIL'S THROWBACK THURSDAY

For Throwback Thursday this month, I thought I would share three of my paper quilts.
Occasionally, I like to use design skills I've learned from my quilting experiences to work with bits of paper.

This paper quilt is taken from a fabric quilt I made called "Mother's Kitchen".

Rather than make a fabric quilt to commemorate a trip, it is much more efficient to make a small paper quilt. 

I've made several paper quilts to celebrate holidays.


More of my paper quilts can be seen by clicking here.

I'm joining the following:
Quarter Inch from the Edge for Throwback Thursday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

NATIONAL TARTAN DAY - APRIL 6TH

On National Tartan Day, I'm sorting through my plaid scraps. There are more than just these few yet to be uncovered.

I've always been Mad for Plaid -- today would be a good day to start a plaid quilt, if only I wasn't knee deep in other projects.

Happy Tartan Day!

I'm joining the following:

Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday

Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making

Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday

PROGRESS ON THE SCRAPS, MORE LITTLE MEDALLIONS

I'm making some progress on sorting, pressing, and refolding the fabrics in my myriad of scrap boxes.  I've plowed through several boxes of reds, blues, corals, pinks, teals, and browns.  Now, I'm working on the yellows and golds.

 And in the process, I've come across lots of fabrics that I thought would benefit from some fussy cutting to make little 4-inch medallions.  See my original post on making these little medallions (here).

 Since I last posted, these 14 medallions have been added to the pile.

I now have a total of 28 -- a good start on a small quilt for when I finish this sorting extravaganza.

I still have so many boxes ahead of me.  Up on the top shelf, I see a box marked 'paisleys and plaids' that I know hasn't been opened for years.  I'm anxious to get it down, as I bet there will be some great fabrics for fussy cutting medallions.  

However, not next week as I must get back to working on photos; my penance for having so much fun playing with fabric!!

I'm joining the following:
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Patchwork Times for Design Wall Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday

FOCUS, FOCUS!!

One of my goals for 2016 is to conquer the 125-year's worth of photos I've been entrusted with for the next generation.  

I have 15 of these large media boxes, plus 10 years of photo files on my computer that need to be reorganized.  

This year I'm committed to accomplish some sort of order.  BUT, if I work on them too long, I go batty and buggy-eyed!

I NEEDED A DIVERSION.  So I've decided that I will work on the photos one week, then alternate a week working on sorting out my fabric scraps.

I've been quilting seriously since 1976 -- that's a lot of scraps.  I have some organization with most of the scraps sorted as to color in bins; but many fabrics have gone astray and found a home in the wrong bin. 

I need to go through every bin, refold, sort, etc. etc.  

For a someone who loves fabric, this can be more fun than looking at photos.  Once again, however, the problem is focus.  NOW I HAVE ANOTHER DIVERSION -- when I see a particularly enchanting fabric that would benefit from fussy cutting, I cut four half-square triangles.  Then at the end of the day, I sew up a couple of 4-inch medallion blocks. It takes eight half-square triangles to sew a medallion, plus some colorful fabric to contain the square since the half-square triangles are often cut on the bias. 

Is this the start of a new quilt?

Now this week I'm back on the photos.  (But, I just want to make little medallions!)

Focus, Sally, Focus.

I'm joining the following:
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
A Quilted Passion for Whoomp There It is! Saturday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts  for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday

THROWBACK THURSDAY MARCH EDITION

It's Throwback Thursday week again -- 2016 is really flying by!!  Be sure to check out Quarter Inch from the Edge for the monthly TBT event when we get to show quilts from our past.

This quilt, entitled World Without End, was made in 2004; and was included in two of my books, "Traditional Two-Block Quilts" and on the cover of "Terrific Two-Block Quilts".  It is 36"x 36".

When I made the quilt, I remember struggling with choosing a border fabric.  Then I saw this fabric.

The design of the fabric was a perfect size with some fussy cutting to help extend the block pattern into the border.  It was nothing like I imagined.  Sometimes, a fabric just finds the quilt!!!

I'm joining the following:
Quarter Inch from the Edge for Throwback Thursday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
A Quilted Passion for Whoomp There It Is! Saturday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday 
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday

DEAR JEANNE QUILT TOP FINISHED

I finished piecing the last quadrant of my 'Dear Jeanne' sampler quilt.

Here are my favorites from this week's blocks:

Twisted Star

Dance Recital

Family Circle

The Family Circle block has the names of our four generations with the middle name of Jeanne.  There will be room on a label on the back to add names if and when there are more little ones with this special name.

Here are all 64 blocks put together.  All 64 blocks are shown individually in the Dear Jeanne page under the heading above.  Just click here.

Now what?  I should get it basted soon, and start hand quilting it which will then probably take many months.  But, for now, 'Dear Jeanne' and I need a little break from each other.  
For one thing, my sewing room is a mess with red, white, blue, and brown scraps -- there is a desperate need to regroup!!!!

I'm joining the following:
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday

BOX OF NECKTIES AND A FREE PATTERN

Recently a friend gave me a box of neckties -- 70 of them, mostly silk.  She wondered if any of my quilting friends could use them.  The fabrics are really pretty.

 Another friend whose daughter makes beautiful crazy quilts was the first person I thought about.  The daughter also teaches middle-school sewing, so she is excited to receive them for her personal and school sewing projects.

 I pulled out 16 of ties for my use, as my donor friend said she would like a little something made from the ties as a remembrance.  I thought I would make her a pillow or a tote bag.  Does anyone out there have other ideas or experience sewing with ties?

Speaking of gifts, for Valentine's Day I made my granddaughter two cat-eye pouches from the free pattern offered by Thread Riding Hood.  Click here for link.  These were fun projects with their little windows to showcase appropriate-to-the-recipient fabrics.  They are the perfect size for cosmetics, markers, or a phone, etc.

My granddaughter loved them -- now her mother wants one.  They were very inexpensive as the fabrics were from my scraps, and my only added expense was $3 for the two zippers.
Be sure to check out the Thread Riding Hood blog.

I'm joining the following:
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday

A MONTH'S WORTH OF PROGRESS

I've been moving right along working on my Dear Jeanne quilt for the last four weeks.

I've finished the upper right quadrant of the quilt --

When I finish the lower right quadrant, I can complete the quilt top ---

Only 16 more blocks to go!!  I'm sad that I'm getting closer, as I've enjoyed working on this quilt so much.  

It's not the prettiest of quilts, but has been a challenge to size all of my block patterns to 5 inches.  My brain needed the exercise.  I have plenty of quilts that I have deemed more attractive, but this one is close to my heart because of conquering the challenge.

Here are a few of the blocks from the third quadrant that are my favorites:

All 16 of the new blocks are shown on a separate page -- click on the title, 'Dear Jeanne Blocks' under the heading at the top of the blog.

I'm joining the following:
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Quilting Readers Garden for WIPS Be Gone Friday
A Quilted Passion for Whoomp There It Is Saturday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday

THROWBACK THURSDAY

For the month of February's Throwback Thursday, I thought I would go way back to the beginning of my quilting life.
When I started 1st grade my mother went to work in town; so during vacations and after school, my grandmothers stepped in doing child care.

The question was always what are we going to do to keep Sally busy.  We tried crocheting, tatting, embroidery, cooking; but nothing really took until they got out the sewing machine.  Sewing and quilting was the answer.  

Below is my first project doing patchwork -- not really a quilt, because it was tied and not quilted.  I made it for my favorite doll, Jerry.  There are some pretty wonky four-patches and a few tucks in the sashing, but not bad for the first try of an 11-year old!

I remember I was not happy embroidering my name, age, and date on it; but my grandmother insisted that I label my quilt.

I'm so happy she made me do it, because I now know when I first fell in love with quilting.

When I wrote my first book, "Keepsake Signature Quilts"; I dedicated it to my grandmothers -- they taught me so much.

I've experienced 65 years of the joy of quilting!

The child's rocking chair was a Christmas gift to my grandmother Billingslea when she was 2 years old in 1901.  She gave it to me in the 1980s -- a treasure I love along with my first quilt.

I'm joining the following:
Sew Fresh Quilts for Let's Bee Social Wednesday
Quarter Inch from the Edge for Throwback Thursday
Crazy Mom Quilts for Finish it up Friday
Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop Friday
A Quilted Passion for Whoomp There It is! Saturday
Love Laugh Quilt for Monday Making
Cooking Up Quilts for Main Crush Monday
Quilt Story for Fabric Tuesday