Tonya visit!

My friend Tonya (Unruly Quilter) came to visit and left this "doll soup" on my stove at the Quilt Cottage.  (I know not the most inspiring name but for now it is all I got!)

We did a lot of shopping at the local flea market and now Tonya has more creepy doll parts to play with!

I feel as if I am working on too many projects at once and not making progress with any of them!

Additionally my Goldie isn't doing too well.  She is getting close to 19 years old and very thin.

On the up side I did go to a quilter's estate sale and found a entire fat-quarter bundle of what may be my favorite collection ever!

This is the 1930's Around the World collection from 2005.  I've been searching for the Paris fabric for years now!    It was only $1 for each fatquarter or $3 a yard!  Yes I came home with way too much fabric but I'm not sorry!

Day to play and day to work

My selection for viewers choice...great use of fabric!  A Karen Stone pattern.

Yesterday I took a break from organizing and packing and went to a quilt show with some of my wool-ie buddies.

Susan Edmondson's booth...always bright and creative!

The show was up in Columbia S.C.  Oddly since it was a sweltering 100 degrees out being inside and looking at quilts seemed like a good thing!

Now I know it also sounds a bit crazy to be shopping when I am packing to move...

I didn't buy big stuff...

Some threads and neutrals from Shakerwoods Woolens

Mainly threads...

and a couple yards of Phillip Jacobs that will go well in Florida!

Today it is back to the to-do list!  We are having movers do the majority of the packing and moving.  After the last two moves however I decided that I will always pack and move my quilt collection myself.

If I pack a few each day then the van will be full Monday.

Of course I've been packing a few each day for weeks!

It is fun to unfold and look at each quilt before packing.  So you can see why this takes so long!

The other big project for the day...getting all the cat hair off of the rugs!

It is a nice sunny day with a bit of a breeze.  So good day for getting the fuzz off the rugs then roll them up before Goldie and roll all over them again!

Quilts 4 and 5!

Here is the continuation of yesterday's post on the new-to-me quilts.  Did discover something last night as I was going through photos...all five quilts have a pint print backing.  Different fabrics but all pink fabrics!  Another reason I believe they may have been made by the same quilter.

So here is Quilt #4...a hst on diagonal.  Doesn't it have a great contemporary feel to it!  I think it is circa 1950...

Close-up of Q-4, the grey makes it look modern no?

Like the other quilts it has a lot of pink in the backing!

Q-5 is another simple one-patch.  This one is the smallest in the bunch - 39x57 inches.

I think it is circa 1940.  It has some fun fabrics and a few are in one of the hexagon quilts (another hint they were made by the same quilter!)

Yup...pink backing!  Binding back to front...

Watson is guarding the quilts but also thinks I am spending too much time with them!

We are going to throw out a bag of quilts...

"We are going to throw out a bag of quilts"...that is how the phone call started today.  I have helped this particular store a few times in the past when they were unsure of what they had.  Today the manager had told the guy that they had too much on the floor and to throw these old things out.  So before the tossed them he called...I'm so glad he did!

Q-1 simple one patch, scrappy, circa 1940, restoration done on the border and binding.

Q-1 close-up

Q-1 backing

There are five quilts.  All made around 1930-1940.  All are in good condition.  One has a repair that was done well.  So they aren't museum quality but they don't deserve to be tossed!

Q-2 twin size hexagon

Q-2 close-up

Q-2 backing

I am debating on calling the two twin size hexagon quilts a pair...they are very close in size, the hexies are the same size, and some of the fabrics are the same.   So what is holding me back?  The backings are different and Q-2 has some fabrics from the 1910 while Q-3 is only 1930's fabric.

Q-3 twin size hexagon, scrappy

Q-2 close-up

Q-2 backing

I'll show the other two quilts in my next post!  These don't really fit with my plans for my collection but I couldn't leave them to an ugly fate....

North Carolina Quilt Symposium!

Last weekend I got to spend my birthday at the North Carolina Quilt Symposium!

Me and Pepper Cory in front of her curved piecing sampler

They hold this even every year.  It is a great opportunity to take some workshops, attend some lectures and just hang out with quilters for a few days.  And bonus...there is a quilt show and vendors!

Best in show quilt...the Harry Potter Bookcase!  

Yes I did some damage at the vendor mall...but I'll hold that off for a future post.  Still haven't totally unpacked yet!

I took Pepper's conquering the curve workshop.  Strongly recommend it.  She is a very good teacher.

A 1930's 

and one of Pepper's recent patterns using the curve!

Also attended her lecture on Drunkards Path.  Love how she moved from antique through vintage and then showed her own interpretation of that pattern!  Also love her peppered cottons which I believe are the fabrics in her pattern!  They "play" well with so many other lines like Kaffe and reproduction fabrics.

Also attended a lecture on using the computer for quilting with Mary Ellen Kranz who authored "Blending Photos with Fabric 2."  Another great instructor!

I can see myself using that book soon!

Peace College in Raliegh, NC has a beautiful campus

Finally I took a lecture with Harriet Hargrave on Battings.  No photos...I was too busy taking notes!  What that woman doesn't know about batting is't worth knowing.  I think that deserves its own blog post!

One week until Halloween!

I really like Halloween and though I don't go as overboard as some in my neighborhood I do like to get some decorations out!

This year I went the easy route and just used several pumpkins and lots of mums.  For the entryway I put out a small display of fun Halloween things - including my witches hat stitched up a few years ago using a  Crabapple Hill design.

So no surprise that this week I ordered the new Salem Quilt Guild Mystery row from Crabapple Design!

This design combines embroidery and crayon work on fabric.  It has been a long time since I tried that.  Anyway, it should be a great take-along/travel project!

I also succumbed to another book.  My friend Shannon sat at the same table as me at retreat and she was working on this quilt, Farm Girl Vintage,  by Lori Holt.  It is so stinkin' cute!  My rational?  I have so much 30's fabric in my stash and I really should just use it...(how does that one work?!)

On the "current quilting events" side...I am still working hard on getting things ready for the show.  Only 1-1/2 more bindings, a sleeve, three labels and half a quilt to quilt....getting close!!

While I am on a roll I may just slip this little quilt under the needle.

Was planning to hand quilt it but there are so many seams...

New to me basket quilt

I left one quilt out of my estate sale finds posts last month!

Maybe because it really needed a bath...fast!  (and not because Watson sat on it!)

It was made circa 1930.

I like that the baskets are scrappy.

wet quilt drying out on the deck...

Love that the setting triangles and the 2-3 inch border is also pieced!

There are a few loose seams but it is clean so I can go about fixing those...

The quilting is done in a squared off fan.  The backing is pieced and likely home-dyed.  Binding is back to front.  All the typical characteristics of a "southern" quilt.