Diablo Valley Quilter Trip #3

I pose this question…Is it a bad thing to buy jewelry that goes with a quilt?  I didn’t think so when I purchased this little bobble at Cottage Jewel, Danville, CA.  It was made in the 1920s or 30s and is pot metal and rhinestones.  Love it! 

Here are some of the repro fabrics that I picked at the some shops Suzi and I visited.  Boy, she sure knows here way around the area!

Now for the antique quilts.  My collection of doll quilts is growing rapidly.  At the very first store I found all three pieces pictured and I just had to have them.  Two are true doll quilt and they fit all the criteria.  The other may have been started as a pillow but could have been used as a doll quilt.  The two with pictures on them are made from Cigar Silks and are perfect.  What a find!  The crazy quilt has a few shattered silks but all in all in pretty good shape. 

CS Doll Quilt close-up

Cigar Silk Doll Quilt

Cigar Silk Pillow or Doll quilt

CS Doll Quilt or Pillow close-up

CS Doll Quilt or Pillow back side

Crazy Doll Quilt

I am so glad I found these little quilts before my lecture so I could show them off to the Diablo Valley quilters.

Happy quilting,

Annemarie in MN

Diablo Valley Quilter #2…Shop-Shop-Shop!!

If the teaching and lecturing wasn’t enough there was the shopping…and lots of it!

Suzi was my tour guide to some wonderful shops.  My money visited these shops and decided to live with most of them.  We quilt and antique shopped our legs off during all of my free time.  Truthfully, when I wasn’t earning money I was spending it!

I will post pictures of the shops and then maybe in a day or so I will post a few pics of what I bought.  You won’t want to miss the antique quilts I fell in love with and brought back to Minnesota. 

First stop, In Between Stitches, located in beautiful downtown Livermore, CA…This quilt shop was bright and cheery.  It was voted one of the “Top 10 Quilt Shops” in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine.  There is plenty to choose from to make just about any quilt on the planet!  I loved their selection!

Next stop - One of Suzi’s favorite picks, Wooden Gate Quilts, located in Danville, CA…In this shop you will find a wide variety of contemporary fabrics and a pleasant welcoming staff.  Cyndy R. teaches some wonderful landscape classes.

Christina, Cyndy R., Suzi and Marby (0wner)

Thursday – Class day.  My class of 20 students met at ThimbleCreek quilt shop in Concord, CA.  Roxie and Joe Wood (owner)s were friendly and inviting.  This is a large store with a great selection.  They were very helpful throughout the day and I want to send them a big thank-you!  This shop will be carrying my Quilts Remembered pattern line.  They are also in American Patchwork & Quilting magazine as a "Top 10 Shop"!

We also made a stop at Sew Many Quilts in Tracy, CA…A smaller shop with a very nice staff that greeted us at the door as if we had shopped there forever.  Sorry no pictures of this one.

Now on to the Antiques...Suzie and I stopped at several Antique shops.  I left money at all of them.  I will have more pictures to follow of my purchases. 

Blue Door antique in Livermore, CA was the 1^st antique shop we stopped at. This is a crowed store with lots of treasures.  It is a digger’s paradise.  So much to see but be careful when you turn around the surroundings are very tight.  Well worth a stop.  I found a couple little items there to start off my day. 

I wish I lived near this shop…Cottage Jewel in Danville, CA.  WOW, I have never seen such a collection of vintage jewelry, a true treasure trove!  I was in heaven!!  Suzi and I looked around for an hour, so much to see and admire.  Owner, Marcia Harmen, is so knowledgeable you can see why she shop has been voted "Best Antique Boutique". I did walk out with a vintage pin that I will show in an upcoming post.

Olde Towne Antiques Mall in Pleasanton, CA is a shop you will need hours and hours of time to spend looking.  I loved this antique shop.  A friendly helpful staff and well organized displays.  I bought 3 doll quilts there.  Pictures to follow. 

As you can see my trip was a whirlwind…a fabulous time!

Hope your day is as wonderful as can be,

Annemarie in MN

Diablo Valley Quilt Event...Post #1

Tom and Suzi

What a wonderful time I had lecturing and teaching in California!  Last Tuesday I reconnected with Suzi Dillinger, a friend from years past.  I met Suzi many years ago when she owned of Patchwork and Pinafore quilt shop in Rochester, MN.  She now lives in Livermore, CA with her husband Saint Tom (sorry, inside joke).  They have a lovely home and are very gracious hosts.  During my stay Suzi and I visited many quilt shops and antique shops besides the teaching and lecturing.    

Before I show you the pictures of the shops, store and assorted $bootie$ I want to express my thanks to the Diablo Valley Quilters for inviting me to come to California.  Wednesday after a good night’s rest I was off to meet the Diablo Valley Quilters.  There were well over 100 quilters in attendance.  They were there to hear my lecture called, “Tell Me About Your Doll Quilt.”  Suzi gave me a lovely introduction and I was honored by all in attendance, even a couple of nationally know teachers came to hear the lecture (Sally Collins and Diana McClun).  Diana and I had a nice chat reminiscing about visit to Minnesota for one of your MQ quilt shows.  Some of the quilters brought props for me to use with all of the quilts…thank you again!!!

Pre-1900 doll quilts

ca. 1930 doll quilts

1900 doll quilts

Next day…Thursday was class day.   I had 20 students in my class room at Thimble Creek Quilt Shop in Concord, CA.  Learning, and of course some fun, was had by all.  Everyone was working on the same quilt…Laura’s 1870s Cradle Quilt but their fabric choice varied from sweet pastels and 30s to historic civil war in style.

Laura's 1870 Cradle Quilts 

Just the beginning of the Cradle Quilt

Lyda and the beginning to a row

Look for installment 2 of my CA trip in a couple of days...

Happy Quilting,
Annemarie in MN

 Chris with her beginning of the Cradle Quilt