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Quilting

I have been very bad about blogging. I was surprised to see it has been almost 3 months. Time is slipping away.

I went to our local Bernina dealer, Hinkletown Sewing to get a new foot for my machine. I saw this bag behind the counter and asked if I could have one. How cool is this!? I love how the handle for the bag is the handle for the machine.

I did a swap this spring with During Quiet Time with her book, Petals and Stems. The idea was to make a top and bottom but don't sew ...

Day 36: Airplane Blanket This family favorite was made for my kids, in the late 90s, from a delightful print of animals flying airplanes.

I found these blocks in a rural antique shop in upstate NY in the early 90s - there was a big ...

 Day #25: Tokyo Life

I made this quilt in 1999, a cathartic project working through memories of living in Japan for a year and a half, in the early 1980s.

Tokyo was indescribably dense, and everything seemed tinier than in the US - cars, furniture, cups, plates, clothes, and especially the people. Most of the women and many of the men were smaller than me - I felt like a massive Barney the Dinosaur, especially when perched on ludicrously petite chairs. Each day, I lumbered through a fascinating shopping street, decorated with strings of artificial flowers. The novelty fabric in the center ...

I made this quilt in the 90s, finishing the work of an unknown quiltmaker.

Recently I shared my Vintage Halloween Economy Blocks on the blog, and I promised you there would be a tutorial. So today I’ll be sharing some information on how I made my blocks, including tools, tips, measurements and basic assembly instructions. This post is not a pattern for a full quilt, so there will not be fabric requirements. But the great thing about the Economy Block is that it fun, easy and a great way to use up your scraps and stash. Let’s get started!

Vintage Halloween Economy Block
Size:
4 1/2” (unfinished);  4” (finished / when sewn ...

I have a weakness for vintage inspired children’s fabrics. They remind me of my favorite children’s books . . . tender stories of sweet boys and girls finding adventures in their everyday lives, learning lessons of kindness, honesty, resilience and even bravery. Every illustration was a small work of art, inviting me to another place and time. It’s no wonder that I couldn’t resist this darling Halloween themed fabric with a vintage vibe.

The focal fabric you see at the center of my blocks is from a Halloween collection by Belle and Boo, which is a company based in ...

When I was a mere youth, in my 40s, I still believed I would live forever, so I bought a lot of vintage linens and embroideries at my favorite flea markets and thrift shops. Over the years, I accrued quite the collection. 
Now, a zillion years older, the pandemic quarantine has given me the time, space, and motivation to stitch some of my best old linens into this new 79" x 82" quilt. Front: 

The center is a spectacular linen tablecloth. I quilted around all the white foliage (but not close around every detail.)

At the center, I placed this ...

Road to California, a terrific quilt show, took place last week, ending on Sunday. There was something for everyone - traditional, art, modern, and group quilts; challenges, guild raffle quilts, and more than a dozen wildly diverse special exhibits. Great classes. Hallway massage. Uniformed Boy Scouts who, for a small donation, watch your bags while you shop. Tons of vendors.

Also, it's next to a mellow, convenient little airport - you could walk from the Ontario, California airport to the convention center. So it's not surprising that this warm and welcoming show attracts 50,000 viewers, plus entrants and vendors ...