We had a couple of old friends quilts show up at our meeting...it was great to see them! Of course, we had new quilts, too...just enough to inspire us all to get busy!
This is a Helen original...stunning in it's simplicity! It's been copied and pawed over for years...Helen doesn't use patterns, nor does she make them, she just sits at her machine and sews up whatever she feels like...which is why us mere mortals are so in awe of her and her quilts!
Helen brought in her quilt as an example of a quilt with star blocks - she also brought in the blocks above. Our quilt group is going to have a sew day for American Hero Quilts on Friday, May 11th...we are in need of 9 1/2-inch star blocks (they will be 9-inches when sewn into the quilt)...if you'd like to make a few for us, feel free! We need any combination of red, white, cream and blue...but nothing with metallic threads. Send them to me and we'll put them in a quilt for AHQ that will be given to a wounded soldier or Marine! (We're also accepting donations of any red, white, cream or blue fabric!)
Above is another whole-cloth-French quilt from Ardith...look closely at her fabric, it's Winnie-the-Pooh! She just got this quilt back from the quilter (Terry of Stitchophrenic Quilting) so it isn't bound yet, it's as sweet as anything that grows in the hundred acre wood!
This is the other old friend who showed up...another one of Helen's quilts. It is all raw edge - sorry about the blurry picture, I was trying to get a close up so you could see all the charming embroidery!
This is called a Granny Square quilt...it may look easy, but it's deceiving! There are a lot of little triangles in that quilt! (I detest triangles...working with them, I mean, they are so dang tricky!) I love Helen's use of fabrics...I always find myself thinking, "I would have never done that but it works!" And it really does work!
This is a close up of the borders Helen used in her quilt...interesting, fun, dramatic, charming...you supply the word and it fits this quilt!
One last "Helen" quilt...and this one surprised us all as it's not what we normally see from Helen...a black and white rail fence that is backed with yellow and black...really fun and fresh...just like Helen.
Barbara belongs to another quilt group and her other group had a cake-block exchange...these are some of the blocks she received - they are so, so cute! All of them were pieced, but not paper-pieced...you know what I mean.
I love the bright happy colors they used! Some of the blocks have embellishments that have yet to be sewn on - I'm excited to see how Barbara uses these blocks!
A few months ago it was Kareena's turn to receive blocks from us. She had each of us sew her a block made with scraps from another quilt - this is how she put them together. It's a rather big quilt - so soft and pretty. It's pretty amazing, especially considering it's all from left-overs! I think she only purchased the white fabric. I love how crisp this looks...crisp and clean!
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American Hero Quilt Sew Day!
If you live in the Seattle area, you're invited to come and help!
Bring your machine and sewing supplies
Friday, May 11th, 10:00 - 2:00 at the LDS Church on the Plaeteau, 922 - 216th Avenue NE, Sammamish
You can email me for directions or if you have any questions or if you'd like to DONATE RED, WHITE AND BLUE FABRIC OR STARS!! ([email protected]) But we'd really love to have your help!
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