Design Wall Monday - November 4, 2024

 Good Morning Quilters!

This is the political campaign button I wore when I voted early last week.   The election workers decided that since the Peanuts character “Lucy” was not on the ballot, they would allow me to wear it.  It is probably 40 years old.

I voted early because I am leaving tomorrow (election day) to go on a quilt retreat.  My strong belief that God is in control of everything calms me in preparation for the results in either direction.  Republican or Democrat leaders for four years; we will survive.  God is in control.

Here are a few small patriotic quilts I’ve made in the past to celebrate our democracy.

While at the retreat, I’m sure I’ll be tempted to start new projects.  Please encourage me to say no, and continue on with finishing what I have previously started.  

What are you working on this week?  This past week you had great posts.  Thank you all who participated.  I am looking forward to seeing what you are starting, working on, or finishing now.  You inspire me.  Click on the link below and let’s begin our Design Wall Monday Linky Party.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - July 3, 2023

 Happy Fourth of July!

Here is a picture of the first quilt I ever made, finished in 2002 and named:  God Bless America

And a closeup of one block:

If you want to know more about it, I blogged about it::  (Read post here)

Also pictures of patriotic quilts I’ve made through the years:

All of these were made during the time I’ve been blogging, and if you want any details about them, you could search my blog for “patriotic” or “flag” to get more info.  I do love the American flag.  I may make another patriotic doll quilt this week.  The holiday has inspired me again!

Please join the Design Wall Monday Linky Party below and show us what you are working on.  I love to see what you are making.  And your kind comments and participation in the linkup is so appreciated.  Thank you.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - June 29, 2020

Hello quilters!  Happy 4th of the July this week.  I love flag quilts and have many.  Here’s a link to how I made a replica of an 1862 crib flag quilt.  (Here).  It is in the room with me right now, ready for the holiday weekend coming up:

The zigzag blue plaid quilt is back in Grand Rapids on the design wall.  I put it there and put up more potential columns of dark/light plaids.  I like more contrast as the last light column has, so I may take the first light column apart and add more lights.  I may leave the part I have together as is, but haven’t decided yet, so it’s in timeout on the design wall.  Thanks for all your comments on it.  I love it, but not love-love-love it yet.

The checked small quilt has been all fixed:  I cut it smaller, and after recutting the larger plaid-paying more attention to how the larger plaid runs, viola!  It’s now two doll quilts.  And I like them both!  The larger one is 24” by 27”, with squares that finish at three inches.

The little one is 12.5” by 17.5”, with squares that finish at two and a half inches.    It is a little sister of the larger one behind it:

I still have some scraps left to make another doll quilt with the larger plaid alternating with a white square.   There was more fabric than I thought.

The embroidery is continuing - this week’s basket has one big flower in the middle that is entirely French knots.   I would like to talk to the artist who designed these baskets, as I’ve never seen a flower like this one.  I am thinking of an exotic looking flower such as the passion flower for my inspiration for coloring.  

What are you working on this week?  There were some fabulous pictures last week - thank you all for joining in and linking up.  Can’t wait to see what is happening this week.  I haven’t done anything to change to the newer blogger update, so I will see what happens “in late June”.  I welcome any advice you have.  

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - November 11, 2019

November 11th:  Veterans Day - a day to honor the soldiers who have served our country in war and peace.   I so appreciate those who have served in the military, and reflect on the vanishing number of World War II vets still alive.  As I age, I have a greater appreciation of the preciousness of life, its beauty, its fragility, and the importance of our veterans and their service to the United States of America.   

This week I put the binding on a baby quilt.  Feels good to have another quilt completed.  It is for a charity, and I won't know who will use it, but I'm sure a baby will look great on this patriotic quilt.

I made it quite a while ago, and am glad it is finished and will soon be on its way to a useful life.  Here is the quilt in whole, with a Broken Dishes pattern:

It is 34 in. x 41 in. and is made of 3 inch hsts.  Here's a closeup of the triangles:

 And a picture of the back, so you can see the wonky stars that my long arm quilter sewed into it:

 Lastly, I leave you with Sunday's baking:  Deep dish apple pie:  

It tasted great, and I tried a new kind of apple - but don't remember the name of the variety......one of the joys of being 76 years old.  We live very near an orchard, and I am enjoying the many different varieties that are grown here in Michigan.

What is on your design wall today?  Please show all of us and we will have fun admiring your quilt.  Please link back to this particular post from somewhere within your blog post.  I appreciate it.  

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Design Wall Monday - July 23, 2018

This week I added a striped binding to this doll quilt, in preparation for entering it in the Churn Dashers group showing at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Show next Spring.   I like the added interest of a striped binding, and prefer it to any other binding.  This binding is cut 1.25 inches wide, and is single fold.  Next I must add hanging sleeves on all the doll quilts that will be part of this exhibit.  The quilt is 22 in. by 26 in. with hsts finishing at 1 inch.

I blogged about this quilt  (Here) and (Here) and (Here)  On one of these posts, Karen named it "about a gazillion little triangles".  I counted them, because I'm one of those people who count things, and there are 352 hsts in the quilt.  My granddaughter Sophie was here this week, and she named the quilt "Polly".  I am entering it in the quilt show as "Patriotic Polly".

A close-up of the binding:

Indian Pipes (sometimes called "Ghost Plant") are now in our forest at the cabin:

Info about these plants from the Internet:

Unlike most plants, It is white and does not contain chlorophyll.  Instead of generating energy from sunlight, it is parasitic, more specifically a mycoheterotroph.  Its hosts are certain fungi that are mycorrhizal with trees, meaning it ultimately gets its energy from photosynthetic trees.

A closer picture:

They appear suddenly, often after a rainstorm, and are so lovely.  I am often the only one who sees them.......which is why I am so happy to share their beauty with you today!  Indian Pipes is said to have been the favorite wildflower of the poet Emily Dickinson.

Looking forward to seeing your design wall today!  The link up rules are simple - just refer back to this particular blog post within your design wall blog post somewhere.  Thanks!

An InLinkz Link-up

Design Wall Monday - May 28, 2018

The new puppy has kept me very busy since last Monday's post.  Thanks for all your suggestions on names, and after narrowing the choices down to a few, I had the eight grandchildren vote, and they chose to name her Penny.  She is growing daily, and seems much bigger than she was when she came to live with us a week ago.  I added the middle name Lane, to make her name Penny Lane, in honor of the Beatles song.  

The little quilting I've done is on small baskets.  I'm making baskets that finish at 3.5 inches square, and am using my cheddar stash with a solid neutral.  I usually make four at a time:

I am cutting the background pieces a quarter inch larger than the pattern I'm using, as I found that I was having trouble getting the blocks to finish at 4 inches (unfinished size).  By adding a little to each of the white pieces when cutting, I don't have to make a "scant" quarter inch seam, as I'm not very good at that.  The trimming is so very little, and I don't have to worry about a block being too short.  Have you ever done this?

We used to call it Decoration Day (because we decorated the graves of soldiers) and now the last Monday in May is named Memorial Day, to honor those who have died in active military service to our country.  I am posting a few patriotic quilts that I like to honor this day:

I am sorry I haven't replied to any of your comments this week, please forgive me.  Hopefully, I will play catchup this week.  I have been very busy with Miss Penny, the puppy.  Feed her......play with her.......take her outside.......then nap time (naps sometimes for both of us LOL).  Then repeat everything again....feed her.....etc....much like an infant.

Looking forward to seeing your design walls today.  Please link to this particular post, and not just to the generic blog website.

An InLinkz Link-up

Design Wall Monday - July 3, 2017

Happy 4th of July to those in the United States!  Here's my favorite patriotic doll quilt.

It's 13 inches by 17 inches and each flag is made of three pieces of fabric, 2 striped pieces and one starred piece.  I made it from old fabrics from my Mom's stash, which is why I like it so much.  The flags are 3 in. by 5 in.

I'm on vacation and away from home, so no pictures from my design wall. 

What's on your Design Wall?

An InLinkz Link-up

Design Wall Monday - May 29, 2017

Today is Decoration Day, now called Memorial Day, when we honor those men and women who have given their lives in service to our country.  I will be remembering those in my family who have served our country.  My Dad and many of his brothers were all serving in WWII at the same time.   My memories of Decoration Day, when I was a little girl, were of going to the local cemetery for a memorial service in which my father as a wounded soldier, proudly took part.  

The above pictures are of Madeline Grace Wallace, then 4, carrying flags at the National Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas, May 25, 2012.  She was helping her mother, U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Wendy Wallace, honor the soldiers who died in protecting our freedom.  It reminds me of my childhood, helping my father at the cemetery on Decoration Day.

Here are two of my patriotic quilts:

And I'll close with Sophia Grace and Rosie, with their Memorial Poppy.  We hope you have something on your design wall to share with us today.

An InLinkz Link-up

Wedding Anniversary and Flag Day

Here's a little flag for Flag Day.  It was late at night, and I went into the sewing room to work on something else.  But I saw this on the internet, and made a change of plans to make it that night.  It goes together very fast.

The instructions are on Temecula Quilt Co.'s blog...(Here)   I modified the directions slightly to add a little narrow sleeve on the back left side to hold a stick. This little flag is only 3.5 inches by 5 inches.  It was so much fun to make. The little girls are holding it between them, and will keep it with them until after the Fourth of July.  

Blue part is a nine patch of  1/2 inch squares.  The red stripes are 1/2 inches wide, so it's tiny, but goes together so fast.  The instructions said to only use single fold binding, and I did.  Cut 1 inch wide, it is the narrowest binding I've ever used.  It worked well for this little quilt though, and I think single fold is good for little projects like this one.

The next morning I wandered out in the yard looking for just the right stick to use as a flag pole.  I waved my arms at a deer who was approaching my meager wild flower patch.  They are so tame that it only went a little ways away and stared at me as if to say....."Please go back inside so I can continue to have breakfast on your flowers".

Dee and I are past the half way mark on the 64 blocks of red work, and I've now started on one of the outside borders.  My friend Joan told me that an applique Baltimore BOM that she is working on is sent to her in this order:  4 monthly block shipments, then a border, 4 monthly block shipments, then a border, 4 monthly block shipments, etc......so the borders are not left to the end, as they are a daunting task.  Some people might be inclined to skip making the borders if they were left to make at the end.  So, I thought the same may happen to this quilt, and I cut fabric for all four borders.  I am starting in the middle of one of them.  I made my red work squares slightly larger than the pattern, and haven't cut them down yet, so I'm not exactly sure how long or wide the quilt will be, but I've started in the middle of one:

The border ideas on the internet are plentiful, and tempting, but I went with the original pattern, with a slight alteration to make the stems thinner than originally shown.  They looks like passion flowers to me, so I hope there is passion in me to complete all four borders.

Flag day was not the only celebration this past week.  Our anniversary was Monday, and we have been married 52 years.  We dated for about 5 years before we married, so we have been a couple for most of our lives.  (DH is 73 and I am 72).  We celebrated at home with a casserole (made by me this time) and wonderful strawberry shortcake made with local fresh strawberries.  On Wednesday night, we celebrated again by dining out.  After dinner, we drove to the beach and watched a beautiful sunset over Lake Michigan.  God is so good!  Please enjoy the sunset with us:

Linkups on Friday are as follows:

Confessions of A Fabric Addict Blog (Today she has a link to a one hour basket tutorial) (Here)

Fort Worth Fabric Studio Blog ((Here)

Getting Ready for July 4th in America!

Here are Sophia Grace and Rosie, trying out the little flag quilt.  They think it will do quite nicely to keep them warm and cuddly as they watch the fireworks this year.

It's 13.5 by 16 inches and the little flags are 2 x 3 inches.  I put hanging triangles on the back, so it can be displayed on the wall, if Sophia Grace and Rosie will give it up.

Another little quilt I just finished is made with solid blues and old scraps from my Mother's stash.  I was at the cabin, and started sorting out the blues from the scrap pile, and this little quilt soon came to be.

It's 15.5 by 20.5 inches and the squares are one inch.  It looks so peaceful, and I love the polka-dots and the stripes.

Here is the little blue postage stamp quilt on the doll's ironing board, getting ship-shape before getting packed to go with us.  I have been working hard at getting all the laundry done and all the sheets changed as we get ready to go on a trip.  I always like to come back home to clean sheets, and an empty laundry room, don't you?  

There were 41 replies to the last post for entry into the drawing for the book Patchwork, by Averil Colby.  The random number generator chose Sue, number 28, and I have contacted her to make arrangements to get the book into her hands.  Thanks for all of your kind entries, and I'm sorry that you couldn't all win the book.  (You are all winners in my book.)

It's Monday, and time to check out all the projects at the Patchwork Times blog (Here)

Love Entwined.......The Approaching Train!

It is interesting to watch as we (me included) jump on the train whenever something new hits the quilt blogs.  I saw a BOM being offered for free on a blog (Esther Aliu explains her project here) and it looked interesting, so I read the instructions on the blog, and requested approval to join the yahoo group where the monthly instructions would be issued.
  

While waiting for approval to be part of the group, I kept hearing more and more about it on the internet, from lots of different sources.  When I was finally accepted as part of the group on Yahoo Groups, I looked at the activity measures that tell how active the group is.  This group had 250 new members that week!  Posts per month went from 169 in May to 1302 so far in June!  And June isn't over yet. There are a lot of people excited about making this quilt! 

What is it, and how did this all start?  Well the quilt is a going to be a replica of a 1790 medallion quilt, shown in a black and white picture in an old book, first published in 1958 in England.  "Patchwork" by Averil Colby has a picture (Plate 104) on Page 91.  Here's a picture from Esther Aliu's blog of the page in the book:

 


Esther Aliu is a textile artist who usually designs her own quilts, but is taking on the project of reproducing this vintage quilt.  She says on her blog:

Would you like to make this quilt?  I have created Love Entwined: 1790 Marriage Coverlet to be released as a free 18 month historic BOM.  Everyone is welcome to make it, including groups.  The pattern will be available for free (limited to the block each month) download via the Esther Aliu Yahoo BOM Group only, after launching.  Membership is, and always will be, free.  Why not join us today?

Why am I making it?  Well, I love old quilts, I am starting the Jubliee Year of my marriage, a medallion quilt is on my bucket-list, the quilt name is enchanting - Love Entwined, "Free" always has me at hello, I love to start new projects,.........how can I saw no?  I am jumping on board!

Are you ready for an adventure?

I have a copy of Averil Colby's book Patchwork available to give to someone who is making the quilt.  Please reply to this post and tell me if you are making it, and if so, what colors you are planning for your version of Love Entwined.  I will draw a name from the replies to this post, and will mail out the book after the July 4th holiday.   I will keep the reply opportunities open through June 30th.  

Esther Aliu has a Wednesday link up on her blog called WOW, (Work-in-progress On Wednesdays) and I am linking today.  Link to Love Entwined

Here's my work in progress - the little flag quilt is almost finished.  It measures 13 x 16 right now, before the binding is added.

What adventures are your embarking on today?

Decoration Day, a Day of Remembrance

A sacred day of remembrance to honor those who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.  Thank you to those who have died in our nation's service.  We honor you on Memorial Day.

We cherish too, the Poppy red
That grows on fields where valor led,
It seems to signal to the skies
That blood of heroes never dies.             by Moina Michael
  

This Memorial Day (formerly Decoration Day), I am featuring three patriotic quilts, each decorated with buttons.

The first one is a folk art flag pattern from Jo James.  I don't think the pattern is available now, but this site shows where it was available previously. (Here)  It's 17 x 24 inches.

Second is a cute little mini flag - it's only 6.5 in. by 9 in., and was made by Monique of onlydollquilts.blogspot.com, and was shown on her blog in 2011 (Here)  I really like her blog.

The above two pictures were saved on my computer - I was doing a private version of what Pinterest is all about for many years.  So my home computer hard drive has lots of files of quilts that I like.  Now I save them on Pinterest so others can see them too.  

Below is a small quilt that I started years ago.  It is now just a top, but will be a pillow cover, or a wall quilt.  It measures 16 x 20 inches in unfinished state.  The outside borders may get cropped somewhat when I decide what I'm going to do with it.   It's on my design wall now, so it will remind me to get it completed.  Check out all the other design walls (at Patchwork Times - here).

The beginning picture is of adorable Madeline Grace Wallace, then 4, carrying flags at the National Cemetery in Little Rock, Arkansas, May 25, 2012.  It was in the newspapers on the web last year.  She was helping her mother, U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Wendy Wallace, honor the soldiers who died in protecting our freedom.