You know the saying, "Life is short, eat dessert first?" Wise words...so with that in mind, we're starting with the dessert quilts first...quilts so yummy that you'll want another taste look...
This is small, maybe 30 x 30-inches but what it lacks in size it more than makes up for in amazing. This is Deborah's quilt - an "art" quilt, which is totally different than a bed quilt...oh I suppose one could have an art quilt on their bed but then rolling over onto thousands of little beads might not make for the best night's sleep! Deborah was a charter member of our quilt group - then after a dozen years (?) she left us to go to work...truly our loss. She has now returned and we are thrilled!!! Deborah lived in New Orleans for many years, and she made this quilt after hurricane Katrina hit - it speaks volumes. It's covered with thousands of beads and French knots. So. Dang. Amazing.
Those lines that look like hand-stitching? They ARE!!!! Deborah said she used the thread as "a paint stroke"...stroke is the right word, as I about had one when I saw this and thought of the hours and hours and hours of love that went into this quilt! I think Deborah said this quilt was in a show, as well it should be!
Haha! I love this picture...I believe those are Stephanie's cute toes! This little ditty was on Helen's coffee table, so cute, hope y'all had a happy 4th!
Deborah calls this Starry Night, made in the tradition of Aboriginal art from Uluru, Australia...my oh my...each circle was hand-cut (Deborah likes using cuticle scissors for cutting the tiny circles) and hand-stitched with little, tiny stitches! The background fabric did not have circles on it...those are all hand-stitched, too! I know...W O W...just W O W. This quilt was displayed at the Museum of History and Industry in Tacoma.
Let's all give our eyes a rest from the little, tiny, amazing stuff and feast upon this amazing quilt, which you've seen before, but now it's all done. Stephanie made the top from scraps...turned them from trash into something wonderful and then backed this quilt with the most fun fabric. It's from IKEA, she purchased it years ago and would love to have more so if you have any in your stash that you'd be willing to part with, shoot me an email! Love this, perfect fabric for a perfect quilt.
Another one from Deborah. All hand-stitched. Every little colorful thread. I have no words. Oh wait, I do...freakin'-fabulous.
Remember Tesselations? This is one of those, made by Mary. There's a trick to making a tesselating quilt, because each block has a piece that fits into the next block...I never learned the trick, for probably obvious reasons, but we'll stick to quilts and not my I.Q. This is so dang happy that I feel the need to remind you that we have now passed the Summer Solstice and are speeding fast towards fall...don't put this quilt away Mary, Fall will be here in 82 days!
Just look at this...every little stitch...and the border, with free-flaps of fabric (try saying that 3 times fast!) This is another Deborah quilt, hand-cut, hand-layered, hand-stitched with metallic threads...hands down fabulous.
This is the back of Deborah's quilt - those are all threads - I took this picture because the back of her quilts are more interesting than most of the fronts of mine! Now, here's the front:
My head is reeling...how does one even think about making something like this...and then does it?!? Another circle quilt from Deborah...she has a few more (hundred) circles to sew on, by hand, before she calls this one done. Now after seeing a few of her quilts can you understand just how happy we are that she has rejoined our group?!? Yay for us!
Helen showed us this beautiful blessing gown that was made for her granddaughter. Helen appliqued the name and date on the dress as each child was born/blessed. Anne in 1994, Abigail in 1996, Isabelle in 1999 and Eliza in 2004. Now a great-granddaughter has been born and her name will be added to the dress when she is blessed! Isn't this a wonderful heirloom/tradition?? The quilt the dress is on is an oldie-but-very-loved-goodie. Helen brought it out to show Deborah, who taught our group many years ago, I think in 2003, how to make those little 9-patch blocks in a different way. She'll need to reteach us as I'm sure we've all forgotten!
This is a tablecloth that Helen purchased a while back. It was tea-dyed and embroidered and probably made in China...but what a wonderful and simple cloth this is!!! We talked about how anything can be embroidered around/on a piece of fabric - family sayings, names, Christmas or Easter quotes - would make a great gift!
This is another Helen quilt - don't you just love the binding and the inner border fabric? This is what I love about Helen's quilts - they are usually a simple design that is made interesting by color/fabric choice...it's really a talent of hers!
Every now and then Helen likes to show us that she can make "sweet" quilts - she doesn't always make wild and crazy...we believe you Helen! This is beautiful and sweet!
Can't you just picture this quilt folded over the back of a white wicker rocking chair on the front porch of a Craftsman's home? Or on top of a picnic table in the backyard? It just screams ol'-time 4th of July to me! Terry made this beauty. Terry brought in her latest purchase...she recently became the proud owner of a Featherweight machine, "born" in 1955 and named Carrie Augusta! Naming your sewing machines is a thang. I failed to get a picture of Carrie Augusta but she's a real beaut!
I also failed to get a picture of Diane's Stars and Bars quilt and Marsha's latest baby quilt...in my defense it is very hard to talk, eat and snap photos all at the same time! Another great meeting, another great show! Summer has arrived in Seattle and not a minute too soon...time to get out there and enjoy it before the clouds roll back around!
