May Modern Mini

"KLM"

I used Moda Grunge White and three different solid blues.

 Matchstick quilting with Ivsafil white 100# thread.

 When I make a white quilt, I use a white backing so there is no shadow problem.

I guess I would call this "controlled liberated Houses".   I changed the quilting from straight lines to wavy lines at the bottom because I envision my houses on the riverfront.

Here is my inspiration.  A photo of my friend, Pauline's, KLM bottle collection and a package of stroopwaffes.

I made sketches of the houses with sizes so they would come out more or less square and straight.

Rich really tried to hold it at the beach but it was too windy.  He loves this one and I will hang this in his home office this week.

It was very low tide so I got some great rock photos.

The main Labyrinth gets larger every year and now there is a new one too.  

In other Mini News~
I won first place in an online contest with my Quarantini Quilt!

You can see all the winning quilts here:  Modern Mini Winners.

You can still make one of your own with my tutorial here.

Thanks to my friend, Wendy of The Constant Quilter, for hosting the monthly mini again this year.  Stop by her blog to see all the participants.

 KLM was on the dining room table in the early morning sun and I love the way the light plays over the surface.

Happy Sunday!
xo

Ballerina Frogs

A little hand appliqued and hand quilted doll quilt from 2002.  When I hung it up I noticed it looked like 2020.  

I made this in my early folk art days.  Note the polkadot leaves, the blue leaves and non realistic flowers.

 I used an embroidered hankie that belonged to my Grandmother, Gertrude Miller Clarkson.

I added some embroidery.  And look!  a heart on a stem like my recent Solidarity Block.    The lettering is obviously hand cut with no pattern.

 Ballerina Frogs on the back.

My friend, Kelly made this fabulous paper pieced quilt.  I love it!

When she offered to share her pattern I jumped right in and you can too by going to her blog here and requesting the pattern via email.

Love these bright prints.  I'm adding batiks and animal prints and several different solid and printed black fabrics.

And this is what happens when you watch TV while sewing.  Ha ha I forgot to flip it before I sewed it. 😝😜

 speaking of TV I watched Hollywood on Netflix and it was terrific.  If you liked Mad Men or 50s period pieces I think you would like this.  Warning - It is naughty and there are some sexual scenes.

It is fictional tale of the Hollywood era that suppressed people of color and sexual preference.  Rock Hudson is a one of main characters.  The wardrobe and set design is luscious.

I found these liberated basket blocks with my African fabrics.  I made these in a Gwen Marston workshop years ago.

 They might make it into this quilt.

I made this Dutch Baby Pancake recently and it was delicious!

 You can find the recipe here.

In other sewing news,  I made this little mug rug for Joyce in NJ.  I used 1" cut strips and surrounded a tiny basket block.

Geeze you'd think I could have centered that back print better.   I hope Joyce didn't mind too much.

I made a 1/8th binding.  The back of the binding is 1/4". 

I hope you had a nice Memorial Day Weekend. 
I'll be back soon with my May Modern Mini.
xo

Solidarity Block

Good Sunday Morning!

I received an invitation from QuiltMania to make a block for their solidarity project.  Please read more about the project on their website here.

They are asking for pink to red quilts blocks.  I knew a house was a good choice because this is where we have been to help the effort of slowing COVID19.

It started here.  I found a FQ of a beautiful pink French Toile'.

 I had to add a little personality to the windows.

I machine stitched the stems (as I almost always do)

QuiltMania has created a wonderful free pattern for this block here with diagrams and size instructions.

https://www.quiltmania-inc.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Block-11-Barb-Vedder-Instructions-and-diagrams.pdf

and templates here:
https://www.quiltmania-inc.us/solidarity-quilt-block-barb-vedders-block/

Here's a few photos of what's been happening around our house.
This beautiful Baltimore Oriole came for breakfast.  He is so stinking cute!

 Our Azalea shrub is really showing off.  We planted it about 4 years ago and it is finally really settled in.

 Nutmeg making a break for it through the kitchen window.  I really do need to find these screens!

The bird feeder was moved to the lower patio and my lounge chair and table are back for the season.  (yes, those are legs!  first outing of the year, lol)

 I took a pretend trip to Italy for cocktail hour.  I have wonderful memories of our trip there in 2007.

 When someone asks me "How are you Doing?"  during this Pandemic I generally feel like this.

This is a photo I posted for a IG challenge.  I'm mad about something.  I am holding my purple baton and I've undone my romper set top.

But most days are good days.  I'm blessed to be home, safe and dry.
Like this~

Stay well
xo

Butterscotch and Blue

Butterscotch and Blue - I Love You.

It is 51" x 70"

A back view.  By the way, I'm waiting for 4 queen sized batts so I can start quilting these.

 At first I used this small tone on tone cheddar print, but.....

"STOP THE PRESSES!!" I found about half yard of this beloved toile'.  Totally worth piecing it to make it work.

The blue prints aren't as interesting as the neutrals but there some good oldies in there.

Nutmeg seemed to really love them, ha ha

I thought about adding a blue header and footer strip, but edited it out.  This is why I always audition ideas.  Because they aren't always good and that is okay.

 Here is my method on making borders so my quilts are straight.  I lay my top border across the middle of my quilt and put a pin at the left and right edge. 

 I do not cut it until it is sewn on, just in case!  You can see here that I did have to piece the border to be wide enough.

Then I move it to the top and and pin the edges first then smooth and ease it to fit.  It works perfectly every time.

I have to give photo assistant credit to my boy, Andrew.   Here he is getting ready to stand on a rock for the shoot. :)

 What a good sport,  he was very patient about me getting a shot of the quilt and bleeding heart garden.  I'm so lucky to have such a supportive family.

Hooray it's May!   Although it is very chilly.

This year I had my hummingbird feeders ready for the first scout visits.  Welcome back Hummers!

Coco and took a stroll in town the other day.  As you can see people are really staying home here on the shoreline in Connecticut.

 The flower boxes and containers are very cheery and I thank the small business.

Comfort food this week was German Potato Salad as a side dish for BBQ Chicken on a Thursday!  There is no reason to wait for the next potluck or get together and everyone loved it

Click this link for the quick and easy recipe.  (not my photo)  I used gold and red little potatoes.  I'm a rebel that way.

Here is a sneak peak of a Community Service quilt that I'm working on.  There is a need for teen boy quilts for Habitat for Humanity.

Have a good weekend.  Please be safe as we are beginning to move around more.
xo