How do you spell love?

Piglet:  How do you spell love?......Pooh:  You don't spell it, you feel it...AA.Milne

I feel very loved this month because I had two wonderful trips and saw great friends.

1) a trip to Shipshewana, IN for a retreat with 94 women who all love the Jane Stickle quilt.

2) a trip to St. Louis, MO to visit my best friend, Dee, with a car trip to Paducah to take in the AQS Quilt Show.

Today I'm home, unpacking from my travels, and my heart is full of wonderful memories of people from both trips. 

One funny thing happened on the last trip.  I was just finished with security at the St. Louis airport on my way home, and put on my navy pea coat so I didn't have to carry it any longer.  The sleeves seemed a little short, and also I noticed there was a hole in the pocket.  Upon closer inspection, I determined that it wasn't mine! Dee was on her way back home after dropping me off at the airport and I called her, and asked if she had a navy pea coat.  She said yes, and I told her I might have hers.  She asked, "Does it have a hole in the pocket?"  Yes, it does!   We laughed, and agreed that we would exchange them the next time we see each other.  I am going to mend the hole in the pocket for her, as restitution for swiping her jacket.  Mine is a "tall" size, so Dee will have extra long sleeves to contend with until we meet again.  It is just another funny best friends story that we will share.

The Paducah show was beautiful as usual.  Dee and I have been going there together for many years, and this year did not disappoint us.  We had a wonderful time.  We were only there for a day trip, and we spent the rest of our time together quilting at her house in St. Louis.

Here are pictures from the Rotary Club Antique Quilt Show that is the highlight of the trip for me every time.  I just love the old quilts!  This time they were featuring hexagon quilts.

They were all amazing to me because there is so much hand work involved in each quilt.  The first one is Silk Mosaic c.1820 from Connecticut.  Label said:
Silk prints have been fussy cut and paper pieced into this striking variation.  The hexies each measure 5/8 inch.  From the collection of Sue Reich.

The fussy cutting was unbelievable!  There was either something of interest in the center of each "flower" or the "petals" were of interest....or both!  And they were so tiny!

This next one is Mosaic Diamonds c.1840  Label reads:  This pattern was a mosaic variation that later became known as Field of Diamonds or Martha Washington's Star.  From the collection of Dana Balsalmo.

Next is Peach Flower Garden.  The label had a sad story:  This quilt was made for the upcoming wedding of Abelonia Klein in 1924.  According to her family, the young gentleman changed his mind and the quilt was put away and never used.  

 Lots of pretty fabrics in this one too.  I might not have called the young man a gentleman!   I bet you were thinking the same thing!

Next is a flower basket quilt.  Label reads:  Baskets, Baskets, Baskets  c. 1940

This basket variation was created using period scraps arranged in a flower basket motif with buds and flowers repeated in the unique border.
From the collection of Sue Reich.

I like the hexis used as a border.

Lastly, here' an interesting one.     The label reads: Seven Sisters Variation

c. 1935 Ohio.  This is an unusual variation that incorporates elements of both Seven Sisters and Grandmother's Flower Garden patterns.  The top was pieced by hand and then finished with heavy machine quilting.

You can see why my head is so full of amazing quilts!  And these pictures were taken before I even got to the AQS Quilt Show.  

Hope you have enjoyed this little show of hexagon quilts.  Please join me at Judy Laquidara's blog for Design Wall Mondays. (Here)