The World Turns Upside Down - Part 1

 

This is my newest art quilt - I didn't start out to make a topical quilt.  I was just playing with some gorgeous swatches.

I have mentioned on this blog before how much I love challenge quilts.  This challenge is another one from the Just Wanna Quilt facebook group.  I looked at these luscious colors, and decided I need some of that brightness and beauty in these hard times.  We each got 2 packets of swatches from Free Spirit Fabrics, and the instructions were “make whatever you want”. 

My plan was to make two little quilt tops exactly the same, rotate one, and cut holes in the top one for reverse appliqué to let the other colors show through.

The World Turns Upside Down - Part 2

 

This is a challenge project from the Just Wanna Quilt Facebook group.  We each got 2 packets of swatches from Free Spirit Fabrics, and the instructions were “make whatever you want”.  I looked at these luscious colors, and decided I need some of that brightness and beauty in these hard times.   

Casting around for ideas, I remembered a set of three little pieces I'd made back in the '80s that I'd also made with 2" multicolored squares. 

Polka Dots!

I made a small polka dot themed quilt as part of the copyright study at Just Wanna Quilt.   The basic question is to find the line between what's unique enough to be copyrightable and what is considered too common (eg., basic polka dots).  (By the way, any and all are welcome to join the project and make all sorts of things.  Visit the facebook page to sign up.  It's a great group, lots of interesting and fun discussions on all sorts of quilt-y topics.)

That may sound all highfalutin (which I discovered is actually in the dictionary and I spelled it right!), but actually I'm just using it as a reason to play with my stash.  You know, always so fun!

So, the background is white satin from a wedding dress that was too badly damaged to be re-saleable, but good in places for fabric and trim salvage.  And the polka dots are reverse appliqué, with machine zig-zag and invisible thread.

All About Love

 

Here's a sweet quilt that came to me carrying this very moving story.

My husband was in a terrible accident 11 years ago and was very close to dying. His church made him a quilt that they put on him when he was in the coma. He loves this blanket so incredibly much. Our black lab ripped parts of it when she was doing that circle nesting thing that dogs do before they lay down.

Embroidered Initials

This quilt dates to c. 1900.  This 4-patch 9-patch combination block would be a nice pattern for beginning quilters.

There are initials embroidered with a tiny stem stitch in most of the blocks.

This block has a previous repair - I can tell because I can see the appliqué stitches and the pieces don't always match up to the old seams.  The initials were covered over.

Here's a tiny patch that I did - I'm excited about successfully manufacturing a two-color patch across a seam!