Blooming

Well I finally have some colour in my garden. It has been a long wait but I think summer is finally here. Just because it says so on the calendar doesn't always mean it actually feels like it here. Now we just keep our fingers crossed that no major hail comes in the next couple of weeks, which is typical. Since I am busy playing in the dirt I am not getting as much sewing done. I can only do one hobby at a time. However, I am working on a quilt for a cousin that is going through some chemo treatments. Hope to work on it more tomorrow, but it is hard to sew when the sun shines!!

Enjoy some of my garden flowers!

Pin wheel

Happy VTT! Suzanne at Colorado Lady hosts this wonderful get together every Thursday. Participants show off there Vintage things. I have been showing off the two loves of my life (well besides my husband and kids) antiques and quilts. Most particularly the quilts made by my great grandmother. This pinwheel quilt is in the possession of my sister. I love the retro fabrics. I recently purchased some new 'retro fabrics' to produce something of my own.
Unlike my great grandmother mine will not be hand pieced and stitched together. These days I like to see the end of project soon after I start it, call me impatient.

Lemonade

I haven't made many quilts from patterns, but this time I couldn't resist using the disappearing nine patch pattern. It was so easy. Again I used fabrics from my stash. I am so pleased with this quilt I almost couldn't give it away. this one is going to my step grandmother who is 87 isn't very mobile anymore so is a lap quilt. The back was a hodge podge of fabrics that was leftover.

On a whirl! Happy quilt

Oh my where have the days gone? I can't believe it is mid June already. so many events and things happening in our family it is really hard to keep track. I tell my kids, "one day at a time" and 'one request at a time, my brain is full!"

However, I have manage to get a few quilting projects finished in between all that is going on, just haven't had the time to blog about them or clean my house.

First is a quilt I made for my sister as she recouperates from surgery (remember I went there last week to help). I started to make her one that that would match her couch, but then decided it was a little dark and dreary and I wanted one to cheer her up, soooo....... this is what I came up with her "HAPPY" quilt for the couch. Made entirely from my stash and pattern from my head. I unfortunately, didn't get the binding on before giving it to her. So when she wasn't sleeping I would take it from her to finish! by the way she loved it!

Absolutely stunning by Genevieve

Well I have just returned from Ontario from helping my sistser recover from surgery. While I was there I was able to take pictures of more of the quilts our great grandmother made. This particular one is amazing. I love the way it plays tricks on your eyes with the different patterns. Any one know the name of this pattern? The black and white contrast is stunning and quite art noveau!
As far as I can tell it is all hand quilted and I imagine hand pieced too. The quilting is amazing.

Even the borders are works of art with the sawtooth patteren.

Everytime I look at it I see a different pattern. I think I would have gone a alittle crazy making this one!

Hope you enjoy looking at this one.. I have more pictures for other weeks but now I am back in full mommy mode and have to get the kids off to school. Today daughter #1 has her graduation ceremony from Grade 9! hard to believe.

Update Oct 11/09: I have found out this is the Iceccream cone block. Pattern was published in the 1939 Kansas City Star newspaper.

playing nurse!

Well I am in Ontario taking care of my sister as she recovers from surgery. she is doing well but very sore. i have busy waiting on her and cooking. made a lasagna and pot of spaghetti sauce today. Chocolate chip cooies, blueberries muffuns & berry crisp the other day. the weather is cold & rainy, yuck. i have been able to sewing bindings on quilt as I keep her company. ihad to give her her 'happy' quilt with the binding not stitched on. so every once and awhile i take it from her stitch a bit more. i got my friends tabble runner's binding on during the 3.5 hr flight (photos to be posted soon). i am keeping busy. Hope hubby & kids are surviving without me ok. i left lots of food & lists! had a bit of Christmas here too as my dad left a bag of 40 fat quarters here that his wife picked up Florida for me. Can't wait to add them to my stash!! lots a pretty pink batiques and other bright florals. time to check my patient!!!

More from Great Grandma Genevieve

I hope you don't mind seeing more of my great grandmother's quilts on Vintage Thingy Thursday hosted by Colorado Lady.

The first quilt is a 'Red Ware' (I think that is what they call it, please correct me if I am wrong) quilt made for my dad, so over 70 years ago. I think the quilting was machined because the stitches are quite even. the Red stitching are various nursery rhymes in a circle in the centre and then around the outside too. when I acquried this quilt back in the '80's the edges were all frayed and torn. So I trimmed them up and made a binding for it. Or course back then I didn't know how to sew a binding on properly so you can see my lovely stitching on the back. I remember having this on my bed when I was a kid! Oh gosh does that make me vintage now???

the second quilt is one my mom had for years and gave to me last summer. She thought maybe I could 'fix'it. It is a wonderful 9 patch quilt. I love the vintage fabrics and its simplicity. This one is definitely hand stitched and well loved. there seemed to be a white fabric that was used with the red patches that has worn away.

while i am at my sisters this week (she is recovery from surgery and I get to be her nurse) I will take some photos of even more our Genevieve's quilts. I know my sister has a few more and my mom has a beautiful appliqued red poppy one that I use to use as a bed spread. Can't wait to see it again.

until then. Enjoy all the other VTT blogs

Update: Oct 11/09 the Red Work patterns are designed by Ruby Short McKim who published them in the Kansas City Star newspaper in the 1920-1930's

In a jiffy

I am working on a quilt for my sister so quickly I don't even have time to make it a WIP. She is going in for surgery tomorrow. I will be going to visit her on Friday and stay till next Wednesday to help her and her family out. (across Canada). I hope my cheery quilt will help her recover quickly. I will try to post a picture tonight. I ran out of thread last night and only have a quarter left to stipplee aaarrrrggghhh. I might be sewing the binding on in the airplane