Remember when I sent you to look at Evelyne's wall of little quilts ?
Look at her NOV 7th post. Turns out this is a qullt exhibit from her quilt guild she started and it has 30 members. She works entirely by hand. Can you imagine! I was amazed at all these quilts, no I can't read French but I certainly can enjoy these quilts! well after a few emails from Evelyne said she wanted to give me her little rail fence quilt
I was SHOCKED! She wanted it to be for my wall of quilts some day!
The quilt arrived today and it is just beautiful and I am so thrilled and touched that she sent me this beautiful little quilt I will always treasure it.

I love the way it was wrapped with ribbon and a dried flower so pretty I almost didn't want to open it!
Yes I will save the flower too! The latest Quiltmania magazine as well, we won't see this issue here for another month probably. I am thrilled to have this one already. Great issue!

She gave a tutorial on how to make on Nov 10.
look at how little the pieces are!
OH don't the two of them together look great!!!!

Thank you again Evelyne

top sewn together now I just need to make the backing. This one will be machine quilted too many seams and it was made as a utility quilt.

ok admit it when your finishing a quilt aren't you dreaming of your next quilt????

so I couldn't wait I wanted to see something else on the wall!!!!
this was suppose to be done for Christmas this year, our tree skirt quilt. Yes I am making a red and white quilt to use as our tree skirt and then the rest of the year it will be on the quilt ladder or someplace in our home. I can have the top made this week but never be able to hand quilt it before Christmas, oh well do I give up the idea of hand quilting it or the idea of it being under this years tree, 2010 sounds good doesn't it?



As I was cleaning up the strips from the basket weave (rail fence ) quilt I decided I would whip up a little quilt
I love this blue fabric for the borders, a bit bold for me...but it works
my dilemma is if I use this it will be all gone, don't you have pieces of fabrics in your closets you just don't want to use up this is just one of those pieces! Lets see if I can really cut it up and use it.
this little quilt was inspired by a little quilt I saw and can't remember where so if you made one like this please let me know so I can give proper credit.
yes it is just scraps and reminds me of one I made from a Gwen Marston book too with a cheddar border but I truly like giving credit where credit is due...
Getting a jump on my goal of one little quilt a month next year!

Barb has caught the selvage bug, I gave her a few selvages last week and look what she made for me!
isn't' t it adorable!
I love it. NO I am not saving selvages I just keep telling myself that even though I keep seeing wonderful projects made with these...

Barb is in dire need of more of this pink fabric

I am hoping some one out there in blog land can send her a fat quarter or 2 or 6!!!!!
We all know what it is like to start a quilt and realize the best fabric for the design is the one you have very little left of

Will you check your fabric collection and see if you have a piece for her?

you can read her post about this fabric on her blog click HERE!

Laura is once again doing the 25 days before Christmas antique quilts on her blog!
If you love antique quilts you won't want to miss this!



one of my favorite little quilts time for him to come live in the sewing room for the winter
oh look at the bottom see a new little quilt started! another use for the never ending pile of strips
I think I see a lot of little nine patches in my future as well!!!!



and a few pears for a new applique project I will be working on with Lorre.

I love using 2 fabrics for leaves as well
So easy to do, a few pictures how I did these pears I am sure you can figure it out
For leaves I just cut the pattern piece in half and then make sure you add the seam allowance for both sides Fold down the darker color seam allowance from the freezer paper template no need to mark that seam and pin it while the other half template is still on so you have the guide line.

I always lay the darker color on top and thats what I appliqué to the make the pear/leaf one piece
The reason for this there won't be any shadowing behind your leaf/pear.



just peal away the other template and start appliquéing!

Finally all the blocks are made,
now to sew them all together! The quilt will be 75 x 80
It was fun to make this quilt top from the basket in a week, not bad. I admit I had to cut more strips I needed more variety and medium value strips.
As a result the basket has not been emptied :(
Maybe a log cabin quilt is the next, will that use up the strips?
any other suggestions to use up the strips?

The past few months I have been really enjoying seeing all the quilts with stitchery patterns used as blocks
as well as framed stitcherys out in blogland I have been successfully ignoring the urges to make one UNTIL I saw this on Kaaren's blog
I think I will be shopping for red floss today....
Thank you Kaaren for the free pattern!

A wonderful new book to add to your Holiday Wish list !




American Quilts
The Democratic Art 1780 - 2007
by Robert Shaw

A book filled with quilt history , many antique quilts pieced and appliqued for inspiration!
I had pre-ordered this book from Amazon months ago, have to admit forgot about it until it arrived the other day.
I am so glad I ordered it then! Its a wonderful addition to my quilt history book library
First it will live on my coffee table to read the next month or so and just learn all that I can from it.
Study the antique quilts in the book and yes add the sticky notes to pages that inspire me!

This quilt intrigues me
its the medallion , pieced and applique that I just love
Civil War Soldier's quilt 1865


Isn't this one amazing????
never in my life time could I make a quilt like this, it is just so beautiful
unless of course Janet or Deb could draft the pattern for me!



Ok If I ever say I am going to make this quilt you know I have lost it! Maybe my HST swap friends want to swap for this quilt too???


I love medallion quilts, when Penny posted this one I wanted to see this quilt up close and personal!
I am so glad she was willing to share the photos with us. Of course I want to see this quilt in person, just beautiful.
You will be inspired by Pennys blog as much as I am...oh yes I see a Grandmothers Flower Garden in my future now...a medallion quilt ....the list goes on , thanks Penny!
The perfect blog name too!
The Dedicated Appliquist

I just keep sewing those strips together and have to admit the basket is still overflowing
what fun making these blocks has been, its mindless sewing yet I love the result!
Sometimes the simplest quilt blocks turn out so graphic and appealing to me.
Its nice to make a quilt from my fabric collection .
My strips are 1 1/2" cut and the block will be 5" finished.
incase your inspired to make one using your scrap basket!
I cut the strips down to approx 6 1/2" then sewed 5 together
alternating light /dark,yes there are times I did medium/dark
I like the look! I may just have to make 2 of these quilts, one to donate :) then maybe the strips will be used up!
you think? Sorry to say I doubt it!!!
I think I will make a mini quilt using this block as well.
Here check out Janet's quilt she started using her fabric collection and a simple block yet graphic result, yes we have been having conversations about making quilts from our stash and using traditional blocks.
my next quilt from the scrap bin I am thinking little nine patches :)

check out Tara's blog
she has incredible pictures from various quilt shows she has been to lately