Spring Quilt

For Spring this year, I decided to bring out a quilt made by my mother and display it on my piano.  I thought you might like to have a look--up close and personal.  Here it is...

Here it is displayed

This pattern is called "Dresden Plate" and requires a little skill to get all of the elements on the block.  Mom was a whiz with difficult patterns and always loved the challenge.  This was her first quilt in this pattern, but then she made two more--one for my sister and one for my daughter.

Now, if you are like me, you'd like to see the details of the quilt, so I did lay it out for you to see it in it's natural state--on a bed.

I did use the quilt as a bed covering for a while and had a blue toile bedskirt and pillow shams that I made to go with it.  That was quite a few years ago and I don't have any pictures of the room.

The quilting was hand-done by a group of Mennonite women.

I was into bows at the time and requested them in all of the corners.

A closer look at the fabrics used.

And, then, as a reward for reading this far, I wanted to share a picture of a painted piece of furniture I recently spotted and thought was reproducible for those of us that paint our existing pieces to update them.

The style of the piece reminded me of many older pieces I've seen and I thought it was totally charming.  I wish I taken a picture of the price tag for you.  It was in a furniture store in Lawrence, Kansas called Winfield's.  I love to go in and just browse their wonderful displays when I am in town.  I was there to watch a KU basketball game.  They won, of course!  Rock Chalk!

Thanks for reading.  Till next time...

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A Stunning Quilt

I went to a quilt show Saturday that was put on by the local quilt guild and saw many beautiful specimens, but ONE quilt was phenomenal and that is the one I photographed for you.

Let me just say right off, I was attracted to this quilt like there was a force pulling me to it--I'm not kidding!  My reaction stunned me and I am still trying to figure out why.  Here is the beauty in full repose...

The machine quilting was the best I've ever seen, and the quilt top was hand-appliqued, with the exception of the triangle inner border.  Both of these components are very time- consuming, especially, when done at this level of expertise.  The next few photos will show the detail of the quilting, but first notice the symmetry of the piece...

If you need a point of reference in the quilt, this section is at the edge of the flower, just above the inner border on the right side.

This section is toward the very bottom of the quilt, below that inner border.  Those scrolls are so delicate and perfect and the stippling is the smallest I ever seen.  Did you know that in stippling no lines are ever allowed to cross?  Think about that for a bit...

This section is again inside the inner border on the left side.  Concentric circles within the quilting of another pattern...brilliant!

This section is in the middle of the entire piece, below the center flower.  Have you ever seen such quality in a quilt?  I just wanted to take this prize home and cherish it forever.  I seriously think I could stare at it for an extremely long time--like years--and appreciate all of the work and thought that created it.  I would give thanks daily to have a quilt of this quality in my collection (which I still have not shown you, but I will one day!).

I especially wanted to give proper credit to the hands, time and talent that gave my heart such joy.  Who knew that an Aunt bringing a young girl a silver thimble from Mexico would plant the seeds of such beauty.  Thank you Aunt Dolores for inspiring such talent and thank you Ann McColey for nurturing your talent and sharing it and thank you Jan Hutchison for such exquisite quilting.  If this quilt ever needs a home, I will decorate a room around it!

Thanks for reading and enjoying such things of beauty with me.  I was so excited to write this post and show you this quilt.  I appreciate each of you more than you know.

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Quilts, Quilts and More Quilts

Do you like quilts?  I love them and I love to look at them, inspect the workmanship, the fabrics, the patterns...you get the idea.  

Each April in Kansas there is a wonderful sale, The Mennonite Relief Sale.  As a part of the sale, there is a quilt auction and the night before everyone can get an up close and personal look at the quilts that will be auctioned.  Of course, I was thinking of you and wanted to share this spectacular event.  The images of the quilts are from the Kansas MCC Mennonite Relief Sale website and I provided the link here if you'd like to see more quilts.  I took pictures, but theirs were better...why mess with better?  Enjoy the quilts.

                   This quilt measured 84" x 94", was hand quilted and sold for $650.

This quilt measured 95" x 100", the pattern is "Steps To The Stars",

was machine quilted and sold for $1000.

This stunning quilt is hand embroidered, hand quilted and measured 97" x 113"

It sold for $2,300.

This quilt pattern is "Cooked Road to Emma Creek".

It measures 107" x 120", was hand quilted and sold for $5,500.

This quilt is called "Queen Ann Star", is 82" x 100"

and took four people FOUR YEARS to hand quilt!  It sold for $8,100!

The picture, obviously, doesn't do this quilt justice.  It was amazing.

This one is "House and Garden", measures 95" x 117", is hand quilted and

sold for $1,300.

This pattern is "Split Rail", machine pieced, 77" x 90"

It sold for $200.

A hand quilted "Triple Irish Chain", 90" x 109"

It sold for $500.

A hand quilted "Bargello" quilt, 98" x 108"

It sold for $1,350.

"Angel Fish", 60" x 97", hand quilted.

Sold for $1,100.

 Tuesday was my son's birthday.  We went to his apartment with a cake and and trunk-load of presents.  When it was time to light the birthday candles, no one had matches.  We did the next best think and lit the iphone lighter and pretended.  Happy Birthday to a great son!

Thanks for reading, or in this case, looking.

Hope you enjoyed the quilt show.

Till next time...

Linking Up With
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