Marching Through Time

I seriously can't believe that we're already in March.  Maybe it's due to the shorter month of February.  Maybe it's due to the crazy weather we've been having, which throws me out of kilter.  Or maybe it's just because I'm having too much fun!

First, I want to let everyone know that there will be an exhibit of around 30 of Mom's quilts at the Texas Quilt Museum this summer!  I'm so excited about this!  The museum is in LaGrange, Texas, which is 1 hour 15 minutes from Austin, 1 hour 30 minutes from Houston, and 2 hours from San Antonio.  It's housed in a pair of historic buildings from the 1890s, and is supposed to be pretty fantastic to see.  I haven't been yet, but I'll definitely be taking a trip... or two or three... out there this summer to visit the quilts!  If you're nearby, I encourage you to do the same.

Photo of the Texas Quilt Museum in La Grange

Next, I have a few quilts to show off.  I've been busy, practicing on Carol Ann (my longarm), and trying to finish up some quilts for the Lakeview Quilters Guild show that's coming up in May.  Oh, and speaking of that!  Our shows are every other year, in even numbered years.  This year's show is called "Celebrating Sue" and is in honor of Mom and all of the work and support she did for the guild, and for the quilting profession.  And, with every show, we also have a studio tour.  I went ahead and volunteered my home to be on the tour, thinking that it was Mom's studio, and the show is in her honor, so it's only appropriate.  Boy, do I have a lot of cleaning to do between now and April 14!  There will be eight homes total on the tour, which will be a great variety to get ideas and inspiration from.  Tickets are $15 in advance at guild meetings and local quilt shops, or they can be purchased the day of the tour at the homes for $20.

Back to my quilts now... actually, the first one is just one that I quilted.  But, it still counts!  A husband of a quilter in one of my bees started chemo a few weeks ago.  So, there happened to be a bee at my house, and the group pulled together and made him a fantastic quilt to keep him warm while he was in the hospital.  The top is made from all homespuns in solids and plaids, the back is sock monkeys (!!!), and I must say that the quilting pattern we picked is my new very favorite E2E!  It's spiral pano 001 by Kimberlee Diamond.

Overall view of the quilted top.

Loaded on the machine, stitching away.

Nice view of the quilting pattern.

Who doesn't love some sock monkeys on pogo sticks?!!!

Next quilt on my list is... drum roll please... Mama Bear!  So, last month I finish Papa Bear and posted pictures of the handsome guy.  This month I finished his smaller partner in crime.  She is made using all of the same (but no duplicated) fabrics, just on a smaller scale.  I used the same quilting pattern as the quilt above, just shrinking it down to scale, and I think it turned out fabulously!  You can judge for yourself.  And wait until next month (hopefully) when I finish Baby Bear!  He's going to be so darned CUTE!

Overall view of the top of Mama Bear.

A closer view to see the quilting pattern.

Mama and Papa together, so you can see the size difference.

Last quilt I finished this month is that mini double wedding ring that I wrote about when I finished the top.  I finally dove in, loaded it on the longarm, and did some serious learning about custom quilting.  The main thing I learned is... the laser pointer may not actually be pointed exactly right, which can cause some issues when drawing borders and placing patterns that need to be exact!  I made a whole bunch of mistakes, but I feel like I learned even more.  Most importantly, I absolutely adore how the quilt turned out!

Overall view of the quilted top.

Close-up of the quilting.  Just ignore where I overstitched the colored fabrics.

Great photo of the overall quilting of the quilt.  I love how the rings pop!

Next, I want to share a couple of quilts that aren't mine, and aren't Mom's, but their beautiful quilts that are based on Mom's patterns!  First up, one of her very good friends, Cynthia Clark, made a miniature Hugs and Kisses.  Each of the floral blocks is only 4-inches square.  Remember by miniature Sleeping Beauty from last month?  This is another from the group of us that are miniaturizing a pattern of Mom's for our guild's quilt show in May.  I just love this one!  Those teeny tiny circles are really applique, believe it or not.  She used a hole punch in making them!!!

Teeny tiny Hugs and Kisses by Cynthia Clark.

 Next up, I have an absolutely gorgeous Baltimore Album quilt called Heartsong, by Patty Goodsell in Green Valley, Arizona.  It measures 58" x 58".  The four center blocks are from an original Baltimore Album quilt called the "Elizabeth McCullough Hervey" quilt.  Patty "borrowed" the borders from Friends of Baltimore, shortening and tweaking them to fit her quilt.  They took her 2-years of work, as she stitched in many, many dimensional flowers and added lots of embroidery.  Patty said she loved almost every minute of stitching those borders.  The quilt is entirely hand appliqued and hand quilted.  It recently won four awards at the Tucson, Arizona Quilt Fiesta 2018, including Best of Show, Exemplary Hand Applique, Exemplary Hand Quilting, and 3rd in Viewer's Choice.  Congratulations to Patty on an outstanding work of art!  I am absolutely sure that Mom would have loved it.



Patty Goodsell and her quilt, Heartsong.

Close-up of a corner.  Such detailed work!

Another close-up of a corner.  Outstanding!

Later this month is my guild's spring retreat, so April will bring lots and lots of photos of guild members' work, and tons of inspiration!  Hopefully, I'll find time to finish a few more things to post as well.  Last, but most certainly not least, I want to introduce everyone to the newest member of our household.  Please meet Mr. Wiggles (named by my 10-year old son, Jack), the amazing pug puppy!!!

That face!

Until next month... keep stitching!
Jenny