West River Retreat October 2009

Our Material Matters quilt group had our fall retreat at West River again last month. I didn't get many pictures this time because I only got to attend the retreat on Friday. Although most members sleep over, I usually drive home each night. It is only an hour away. This year when I was returning to the retreat on Satuday morning my car broke down. Right there on the Washington D.C. beltway. I was really fortunate that I was still close to home and was able to coast my car over to the shoulder of the highway without any trouble. But my mechanics don't work weekends and I was without transportation back to the retreat. Still, I had a great time on Friday and got these pictures.

You can just imagine how productive the weekend was when you see what was accomplished on Friday.

Kathy models her beautiful pieced bag she made using fabulous batiks.

Helen stitched some gorgeous appliqué.

René is working on a spectacular Trip Around The World quilt top using the pretty little Singer Featherweight she bought at the Sully show this year.

Jeanne finished this beautiful star quilt top.

Sully Quilt Show & Sale 2009: Part 2

Where does the time go? Does anyone know? I meant to post these pictures back in September! I'm really put out with myself too, because I have now lost the name of the vendor who was selling this first group of quilts. She was so nice about allowing pictures that I wanted to post her name with the quilts.

It was such a beautiful day! These pictures of quilts blowing in the breeze remind me of how delicious the day was. These next quilts belong to vendor Kathleen Weeks (KathleenWeeks@verizon.net).

This last picture is a close-up of a spectacular Friendship quilt Kathleen told me was from the Second Reform Church in Pella, Iowa.

Sully Quilt Show & Sale 2009: Part 1

Yesterday I went to the Sully Quilt Show & Sale with five quilting friends. It was sunny and breezy with temperatures in the upper 70’s to low 80’s. It was a perfectly beautiful day for an outdoor quilt show!

I asked 6 vendors of old/antique quilts fo permission to take pictures of their quilts and post them on my blog. Four said yes and two said no. There was one additional vendor whose quilts I would have loved to have photographed, but they said no in a previous year, so I didn’t ask this year. I don’t believe vendors of older quilts will lose anything on average by allowing pictures of their quilts, and they could possibly gain from the good will created. I understand entirely why a quilt designer may not want photos taken of a design she or he is trying to market, but older quilts are different. The vendors who gave permission to have pictures taken of their quilts were quite happy to do so. I think this generous attitude is more in keeping with the nature of quilts. Quilts are made as a means of expressing and sharing beauty and warmth.

In today’s post features quilts from the booth of vendor Debbie Cooney of Silver Spring, MD.

This is the beautiful quilt my friend Helen bought from Debbie. The quilting on this quilt is spectacular.

Quilts, Quilts, Quilts!

The 2009 Sully Plantation VA Quilt Show & Sale in Chantilly Va. is just two weeks away on Sunday September 13th. At this outdoor show old (and some new) quilts are piled on tables, stacked on shelves, hung on clothes lines, arranged on racks, laid out on tarps on the ground, and draped over fence railings. It is pure joy for those of us who love traditional old quilts. This show has more antique quilts than I’ve seen any other place. Vendors also sell other sewing related antiques, patterns, fabric, yarn, etc., but for the most part the show is all about the quilts.

I took the pictures below at the 2007 and 2008 Sully shows. Unfortunately I don't know which vendors these first pictures came from. I'll try to do a better job of keeping track of the vendors when I take pictures this year. When folks are kind enough to let you take pictures they should receive credit.

These next pictures are of reproduction quilts from Bellwether Dry Goods.

For information about the show check these web sites: http://www.eventcrazy.com/Event/Details.cfm?eID=185209 http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/sully/calendar.htm

Quilts on Barns

I first heard of the National Quilt Trail Project about six months ago when my sister sent me an article about quilt blocks being painted/hung on barns in western North Carolina. What a great idea; they looks so beautiful!

This amazing phenomenon of painting quilt blocks on barns or other buildings has been spreading across the country since 2001. Why didn't I know about it sooner!? It all started in Adams County, Ohio when Donna Sue Groves decided to paint an 8' x 8' quilt square on her barn for her mother, a lifetime quilter. Donna Sue was a field representative for the Ohio Arts Council and suggested that more quilt squares could be painted on more barns in the county. A driving trail featureing the quilts on barns was developed to bring tourists to Adams County. The idea has now spread to other communities and other states with Donna Sue Groves' support. At least 24 states now have some painted or hung quilt blocks on barns.

When I was showing my new screen porch to one of my quilt groups someone pointed to my shed and said "That wall needs a quilt!". It occured to me then that I should hang a quilt block on the side of my shed like the quilt blocks being hung on Barns and other buildings accross the country.

Here is my project.

I've decided to paint a quilt block called “Black-Eyed Susan” (The State Flower of Maryland) on the side of my shed. The colors in this block will match my house perfectly. I have had a Black-Eyed Susan quilt on my to-do list for a long time. Will this count?

"Black-eyed Susan" is a design that appeared in Capper's Weekly, a periodical from Capper Publications, which has published the weekly newspaper since 1879. The pattern is probably a design by Louise Fowler Roote, who wrote her column under the name of Kate Marchbanks from 1927 through 1935.

I found this block and information here:

//http://www.quilttownusa.com/mom/besblock.htm

I’ll post when I have the block completed and attached to my shed. My first obstical is that a 4’ x 4’ board will not fit in my car. My neighbor has agreed to take me along in their van the next time they go to Home Depot so I can bring the board home. I’m not sure yet when that will be.

Take a look at some of the links below to see more quilts on barns. They are beautiful!

These links are some of the first of the many links I found when I Googled "Quilts on Barns" and “National Quilt Trail”.

http://www.randesignscustomjewelry.com/history.html http://www.appalachianohio.org/news/index.php?item=339 http://www.quilttrailswnc.org/carolina-country-article.pdf http://www.ohiobarns.com/otherbarns/quilt/quiltbarns.html http://www.appalachianrcd.org/quilttrail/Barns.htm http://www.barnquilts.com/ http://www.quiltsonbarns.com/ http://www.harrisoncountyohio.org/community/quiltbarn.htm http://ourohio.org/index.php?page=barn-quilts-in-miami-county http://www.greencountybarnquilts.com/ (Wisconsin) http://web.extension.uiuc.edu/kankakee/barn/923.html http://quilting.about.com/od/quiltbarnstrails/Quilt_Barns_and_Quilt_Trails.htm

Scenic Country

This past week I went on a road trip through Kentucky and Ohio where I visited family. Every time I get out on the highways I’m struck by the beauty of the countryside all along the way. There aren’t always good stopping places to take pictures along the major highways so last week I drove some back roads in order to get some pictures.

Here are just a few of the sights.

I love this rolling farmland.

There is something beautiful about an old barn.

What a peaceful place to live.

Another peaceful place.

“American History Through The Eye of a Needle”

While browsing in my local library’s books sale room recently, I came across a wonderful book entitled “Woman’s Day Book of American Needlework” by Rose Wilder Lane published by Simon and Schuster in 1963. I’m sure that many of you are familiar with this book and its companion collection of patterns “Book of Patterns and Instructions for American Needlework” because this set is a true classic.

The author, Rose Wilder Lane, was the daughter of Laura Ingalls and Almanzo Wilder. Laura Ingalls, was the author of the famous “Little House” books.

The “Book of American Needlework” tells the story of the history and development of needlework arts in America. It includes beautiful pictures of examples of American Needlework from Museums all over the U.S. In addition, it provides instructions on how to do each of the needlework techniques covered in the book. There is a separate chapter in the book for each of the techniques listed in the next paragraph.

The companion box of patterns provides “A complete manual, with step-by-step instructions for recreating 176 early American designs in embroidery, crewel work, cross stitch, needlepoint, patchwork, appliqué, quilting, hooking, knitting, crochet, weaving, and candlewicking, plus a special section on rugmaking.” Oh, and these patterns are gorgeous! Many of them could be used with several different techniques.

This set is a real treasure! Anyone interested in traditional needlework should have this book and the companion patterns in their library. You can find used copies at Amazon or Alibris and probably at other used book sites too.