Short and Sweet...Small and Crazy!

I’ll make this post short and sweet.  I wanted to post some close-up pictures for my Jo’s Little Women students of our latest project called “Yankee Doodle”.  The quilt is designed by Jo Morton.  This was a challenging quilt.  Not only are there 56 or 57 – 3/8” diameter hand appliquéd circles in the center (small and crazy – right?), but there are a whole lot of stars to appliqué too!  This quilt took approx. 50-60 hours to complete.  I have no idea if that is really slow or very fast; I’m just glad it is done. 

The selection process.  Auditioning 90 fabrics for the stars.  Close-up of star applique.

Star center and close-up.

Me and my Yankee Doodle at Glad Creations, Quilt Block - Minneapolis, MN

Finally,  this cabinet has been passed down in my family.  It is over 100 yrs old and a cherished part of our family.  In the storage below you can see approximately 70 or so small quilts from the Little Women Club.  

Enjoy and happy quilting,

Annemarie
www.QuiltsRemembered.com

So Many Quilts

Last Tuesday was Jo's "Little Women" club at Glad Creations Quilt Block.  We had lots of show and tell and lots of fun.  Here are some of the quilts and highlights of the evening...

Debbie, a past employee of Glad Creations and a prolific quilter she says she gets so much done because she eats lots of fruits and veggies.  She's a crazy hard worker and does perfect work.  Below is some of her handiwork. By the way...she likes to make two of all her small quilts!!!

Jane also brought  several wonderful quilts.  She likes taking Jo's patterns and re-arranging them to make bigger quilts or sometimes table runners.

Back side of one of Jane's quilts.  See the star fabric, it really cuts up well on the diagonal.  (So sorry the picture of the front side didn't turn out well)

Jane's "Raspberry Swirl" rendition

There were several examples of "Pottery Shards".  I gave each of my students a square of the 'ladies' fabric to include as an alternate square.  It's the gold one that looks like ladies faces in a row like a film strip.

Also, a few "Raspberry Swirls" showed up.

It was a really nice night!  Thanks to a great group of quilters!

Happy quilting!
Annemarie
www.QuiltsRemembered.com

Two Months - Lots of Quilts!

Thursday night's display - Antique ca. 1860s President's Wreath hanging for a back drop.  

July and August proved to be very exciting and interesting quilt months.

Minnesota Quilters asked me to present my 'Christmas in July' lecture for their July meetings.  It was a new lecture full of helpful hints on holiday quilt making, color and decorator secrets.  I had a ball and everyone in attendance had fun too.  Here are a few pictures of my quilt displays for the meetings.

Close-up of President's Wreath and decorating

Marie Webster kit quilt hanging as back drop

Close-up of bed topper made by Gladys from Glad Creations Quilt Shp

Preview of Sandy Klop's class for August (quilt pattern name:  Pretzel Party).  On the table charm pack for MN  Quilter's Holiday Brunch Challenge

Last Friday night I was very lucky to have had dinner with Sandy Klop and my friend Laura.  We ate at Tucci Benucch at the Mall of America.  The food and wine were sooo good and Sandy’s stories were fantastic.  Then on Saturday morning I attended the Minnesota Quilters meeting to hear Sandy’s lecture and see her 'American Jane' trunk show.  She is a pattern and fabric designer; her company name is American Jane.  Her website is http://americanjane.com/.   She brought 4 huge suitcases full of quilts!  Each quilt was enticed me and made me want to go home to sew.  I listened intently to Sandy's talk about her background and her stories of where she's been.  She spoke on how she became a designer and her current work with the Moda fabric company.  It was a VERY INTERESTING evening.  I enjoyed her thoroughly!  Hope to see her at Houston Fall Market!! 

Sandy and me.  This is my (unfinished) redwork quilt she designed.

Oh My Stars from American Jane

Name ? 

Learn to Play by American Jane

Merry-Go-Round by American Jane

French Fox from American Jane

Happy quilting,

Annemarie

www.QuiltsRemembered.com

Another Jo's Club Night

Another Jo’s Club Night

It has been so hot in Minnesota with more 90 degree (and a couple of 100s) days than I can remember; not unlike most of the country.  Luckily, last Tuesday night the heat broke and in the upstairs classroom of Glad Creation, Quilt Block the wonderful ladies of Jo’s Club got together to share their quilt work of the last month. 

We always start with cookies and coffee but lemonade or ice tea would be a better choice for our hot summer meetings.  Then the laughter begins.  Someone always gets us going and we have a really fun time.  I’m sure anyone downstairs shopping or working is jealous of our good time. 

There’s loads of creativity and talent in the class. 

Here are a few pictures from the night’s show and tell.  Take a peek at what they’ve done!

The new quilt for July 2012 - "Raspberry Swirl"

Mickey's "Pottery Shards"

Sharlene's 2-color version of "Pottery Shards"

Jane added sashing to "Pottery Shards"

Jane's "Pottery Shard" table runner 

Debbie's version was a copy of an antique doll quilt I brought in paired with the "Pottery Shard" quilt block.  Below a close-up.

Shirley's "Transferware" top

Lynnette was in process of quilting her "Glimmers" quilt

A slightly larger version of "Framed" by Lynnette used 3/4" size squares instead of 1/2" size.  Quite a difference in person.

Mickey with her beautiful Jo's quilt.  Absolutely lovely!!

Julie brought in a quilt just back from the quilter.  The quilting was to represent a river and  it was EXPERTLY done.  I hope you can see the pebbles in the background. 

Some very nice small quilts from Lynette.

More of Lynnette's quilts she bought at a Minnesota Quilter's small quilt auction. 

Happy quilting,

Annemarie

How I Spent My Summer Vacation

How I spent my summer vacation…

I had this wild hair…I thought a quilting road trip was in order.  So I called my partners in crime (or in quilting) and said “we need a road trip!”  Well I didn’t have to twist their arms.  Friday we loaded up the car with our map, cameras, shopping lists, sturdy totes and of course our credit cards. We got in my car, cranked the AC and headed south to Iowa. 

Our first stop was Garner, IA at Country Threads.  One of my all time favorite quilt shops.  If you have never been there it is a MUST VISIT!  An old converted chicken coop is the main quilt shop.  Then there are two other out building; a traditional red barn with sale patterns and another building with loads of civil war repos.  We spent hours in the repro building.  Shopping can be sooo exhausting!  With our tote bags over flowing we said goodbye to the honking geese, the cats and a very special foster dog named Tully (I really wanted to bring her home).  If you can’t get to Country Threads you can subscribed to their newsletter called the Goat Gazette.  It is chalked full of interesting articles, fabric and kit offerings and the occasional yummy recipe.  What a great start to our day.

Inviting entrance to Country Thread, complete with barn quilt art

Ann, my partner in crime and a Country Threads employee Jan - such wonderful taste in  attire.  They may have been  separated at birth???

The Civil War fabric room

More Civil War fabric and kits

Just half an hour away from Country Threads is our next stop…The Quilted Forest in Forest City, IA.  This shop is quite different from Country Threads.  Bright and full of light this shop offers tons of kid fabrics, 1930 repros, a large selection of patterns and an entire section devoted to Halloween.  What a great place to pick for a contemporary quilt.  One of my partners in crime did very well at this shop.  She even used up a frequent buyer card and received a gift certificate to be used at next visit.  Oh, I forgot to tell you there is a delicious ice cream parlor in Forest City and on a hot day that was terrific!

A great collection of 1930s fabric

Black and white fabric galore

Heading north now and back over the border into Minnesota we took I-90 to Hayward, MN and The Calico Hutch.  It had been a long time since I was there.  The shop had changed a little since the last time I visited.  More fabric, more samples and just MORE of everything, it was total eye candy everywhere you looked.  I got into a little unexpected trouble in the ‘wool’ room.  I bought a nice kit for a Christmas project (and my buddies followed suit…monkey see, monkey do I always say).  Now I just wish I could buy some time for making the project. 

Class room at the Calico Hutch.  Wall to wall quilts and fabric eye candy.

My new project from the book I believe by Art To Heart.

We had a wonderful time together.  I hope we get a chance to do it again real soon!

Happy travels!

Annemarie