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

Once Upon A Time

This story could begin…Once Upon A Time there was a family that moved in to a beautiful Colonial home in the suburbs.  This home was filled with many traditional rooms.  The family of three lived there comfortably and happily for many years. But this is where the fairy tale derails.

A quilter lives in this wonderful 1960s Colonial.  She (meaning me) decided these traditional rooms no longer would house guests tucked into trundle beds or have dinner parties on the beautiful Berkey & Gay antique dining table.  Instead there would be quilting everywhere.  You could imagine a beautiful table cloth perfectly smooth atop the table…nope…not in this dining room.  Instead, at least150 yards of fabric of all different shapes and sizes adorn the room.  (The basement has 100s more too)

The centerpiece on the dining table isn't a bouquet of flowers it is a Bernina sewing machine. Scissors and rulers take the place of silverware and collapsible garbage containers replace serving dishes.  It would be very difficult to have a meal in this room unless you ate from your lap.

Fabric for new design

General Wives fabric from Windham

 I know there are a lot of beautiful pictures on the web of sewing ‘studios’.  I also know there are more quilters out there that sew on their dining room table and don’t have one of those well designed, beautiful ‘studios’.  I say whatever your circumstance, fairy tale or reality, make the best of what you have.  Don’t let your surroundings deter your progress and ability.  I enjoy my work and love sewing everyday – even in my disaster.

Lizzy's Little Quilt

Amy's Choice

Pictured above are my 2 latest Jo’s Little Women club quilts.

Have a great time sewing today.  Hope you enjoyed reading about my ‘fairy tale’ world and looking at the pictures.  Please don’t think less of me for my mess.  I create a lot of quilts in it and from it.  Here’s hoping you can make quilts from your mess too!.

Happy stitching,

Annemarie in MN

Quilts...

The title ‘Quilts’ just says it all.  I love quilts!  My life really revolves around them and the fabric that goes into them.  Every day I am working on them; thinking about them, cutting or sewing them or just admiring them.  Now I am even blogging about them.  How did this happen to me? 

One day in 1988 I got a bug to make a quilt and now it has taken over my life.  Sometimes I feel sorry for my family because of all the quilting ‘stuff’ around…but then I get over it.  I started working in a quilt shop (Glad Creations Quilt Block in Mpls, MN) 22 years ago and still teach for them today.  I have met some wonderful quilters that share my passion for quilting and if they read this they will understand what’s in my head. 

Today I thought I’d post a few quilts that I have made over the years.  The quilts hung in staff quilt shows at Glad Creations between 2004 and 2010.

Improved 9-Patch 2004

This quilt was started at a Minnesota Quilters Conference at least 15 yrs ago.  The class was taught by Sharon Hultgren using template by John Flynn.  Its machine pieced and hand quilted.  I love 30s fabrics!!

Jamestown in the 30s 2009

Andover Fabrics has a great website.  Often they post quilt patterns for their fabric lines.  I really liked this pattern.  It was a pattern to be used with the Jamestown fabric line by Jo Morton.  But obviously I made it using 30s fabrics.  It is machine pieced and quilted.

Wyatt's Lone Star 2010

This quilt is for my son.  He will receive it when he graduates from college…whenever that may be.   The center star was constructed using a printed interfacing foundation available from Quiltsmart.  Machine pieced and machine quilted.

Hope you enjoyed the mini quilt show. 

Happy quilting,

Annemarie

More Antique Quilts!

 Day two of Pat Cox’s Antique quilts...

Patrica Cox and her Feathered Star Quilt ca. 1850

Pat Cox’s display of Antique quilts is in full swing at The Textile Center in Minneapolis, MN.  (Show details are listed in my last blog.)  I am very fortunate to know Pat and have been able to enjoy her quilts for years.  She is a consummate collector and always willing to share her collection.  She really seems to love sharing their history too!  Here are a couple more pictures of her collection. 

Rose of Sharon ca. 1940

Many Trips Around the World ca. 1935

2 Drunkard's Path variations

New York Beauty ca. 1935 (hanging) & Dolly Madison  Star ca. 1920

Marie Webster's design - French Baskets ca. 1920 (my personal favorite!)

I truly hope you have enjoyed this small sampling of Pat Cox's collection.

Happy Quilting,
Annemarie in MN

A Hands On Collection

High everyone!  I went to the Minnesota Quilters' meeting last night to hear Patricia Cox speak about her antique quilts.  She has a collection of around 350 antique quilts.  She brought about 50 with her last night.  The dates ranged from 1825 to 1970.  It was a wonderful night of quilts.  Now here's some good news for you...The quilts will be on display for the next 2 days.  Saturday July 9th (10am-4pm) & Sunday July 10th (12pm-4pm). Pat will be there both days to answer questions (9th 10-12 & 10th 1-2.)  The exhibit is located at The Textile Center, 3000 University Ave. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414.  There is a $3 charge for non-members of MN Quilters.  Many of these quilts will be donated to the Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, NE later this year.  I will post more pictures on my blog tomorrow too.

The first quilt she showed is this Feather Star (it was sold to her with the name ‘Princess Feather’).  Pat purchased it from Mary Silber, Julie Silber’s mother – both avid quilt collectors.  This quilt began Pat’s love of antique quilts.

The Second quilt is an appliqué quilt dated 1872.  It is the most recent of Pat’s antique purchases.

Caesar’s Crown is another beautiful appliqué.  The background is of linen.

This final quilt shows the merging of 2 quilt patterns.  The Double Irish Chain and the Chips-Whetstone block.  The provenance of this quilt  - Slave made & from English settlers.

I hope you enjoyed the mini quilt show.  Please come by the Textile Center in Minneapolis, MN or check back later this week. I will post some more of Pat’s quilts (with her permission of course.)

Thanks…please let me know what you think of the quilts and I will pass your comments on to Pat.

Happy quilting,

Annemarie in MN