Old Toolboxes

Hello Everyone,

I have a "thing" for old toolboxes.  Whenever I find them, no matter what condition they are in, I usually buy them if the price is right.  I never have enough fabric here at the cabin.  I'm always longing for something that I know I have at home.  Prior to this trip, I filled one whole toolbox with fat quarters from home. I'm going to turn this glorious collection of misfits and scraps into glorious blocks for the Civil War version of Summer's Blush.  I can tell from this pictures that I didn't bring many greens....oh well, I just won't be making many green blocks this week.

I already had this toolbox here with fabrics for an Autumn quilt.  Occasionally I've dipped into this batch when I needed something, but I really need to add to the box.  I think in my effort to tidy up my sewing room, I'll divide my fabric and bring part of it up here permanently.  But the issue now becomes, where to put it once it is here.  I think another pie safe is in my future!

Joe always has all of his "tools" here at the cabin.  I'm always carting my "tools" back and forth.  The budget doesn't allow to have two Bernina's!  A vast selection of fabric is one of my "tool"s, my color crayons for me to create my quilts.  Lucky for me Joe understands!  He doesn't complain when he has to carry the heavy Bernina through the ice and snow for the umteenth time.  Or the bags (and I do mean bags) of fabric back and forth along with my basket full of quilting supplies.  I think I'll keep him!  (I haven't asked him to cart my 12 foot Handiquilter up here......I do know my limits and space constraints.)

I hope you all have a wonderful day and week playing with your quilting tools.

As always,

Lynn

A Vintage Christmas

Hello Everyone,

One of the best things about working in a quilt shop is seeing the fantastic quilts completed by our customer's. This beauty, and I mean beauty, was made by Helen from Stockton, CA.  The picture I took, doesn't convey just how gorgeous this quilt is!  This is a Bunny Hill design called Vintage Christmas.  The quilting was done by Victoria from Creative Quilts in Galt, CA.

There is incredible detail throughout the whole quilt from the design, to the applique to the quilting.  I swear I could hear this sheep baaing!  So lifelike and cute!

Makes me want to start another project to have for Christmas next year!!!  Oh dear, here I go again....and the kit is for sale at the shop too!  

I'm so glad that I was at the shop today to meet you ladies and see THE QUILT!  Beautiful, just beautiful.

As always,

Lynn

A Different Spin on Summer's Blush

Welcome to the New Year Everyone!

After spending four days with the six grandkids and grown kids at the cabin, it is time to take out my earplugs and get back to my quilting!  All quilting ceases when the little kids are around....Grammy is busy playing.  Now to another kind of play....quilting.  Remember, quilting should be relaxing and fun, not stressful.  If you find yourself getting stressed over a particular project, it is time to put it away and work on something that you enjoy.

I'm teaching Summer's Blush next month at the shop, so I thought I would make another sample in a different colorway.  So many quilters can't picture a quilt in fabric other than the picture on the pattern or the sample on display in the local quilt shop.  I like to make my store samples in different fabric.  Every quilt shop has it's own unique style.  One pattern may sell well in one shop but not in another one.....unless I've supplied a store sample that is completely different.

This version will be incorporating black and many primary colors from my stash.  There will be lots of Civil War fabric, plaids, checks and some brights.  I make sure that every petal is just right, with the design on the fabric centered on the hexagon paper.  The attention to detail will pay off in the long run and it doesn't require much more effort.  The whole process is FUN!  I whipstitch three flowers together, make some leaves with the starch method, then applique the little bouquet to a setting triangle,

I love making the hexagon flowers.  I don't have to think too hard.....maybe that's why I like making them.  They are portable and travel back and forth with me on our trips to the cabin.  These little flowers are just bursting with color on my cutting table.

Here is the original Summer's Blush in Fig Tree & Co. fabric.  The new Summer's Blush is going to be the exact same pattern with an entirely different look!  I can't wait to put some of my blocks together drawing from the colors that I've used in the flowers.  Making a quilt twice is also a good check and double check on my written directions.  Writing a quilt pattern isn't nearly as much fun as making the quilt!  (And it takes me longer to write the pattern than make the quilt!)

I don't have my border fabric yet.  I'll wait and see how the quilt top "talks" to me once I have the top together.  How about you?  Do you start with your border fabric first?  Or wait and know that you will find the perfect fabric eventually.  I'll know it when I see it.

Have some fun this week and pull out a UFO and start working on it.  Quilt a few minutes each day and you'll be amazed how much you'll have completed by the end of the week.

As always,

Lynn