Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you have all have a fun and relaxing one.

Here are a few Christmas quilts that are scattered around our house at the moment.

All were made many years ago.

Santas made by Val Carr and sitting on a coffee table in the family room

A Primitive stitchery sitting on the dining room table with candles.

A wallhanging in the lounge

Two quilts over a hall stand at the bottom of the stairs in the hall.

Patchwork of the Crosses

Oh yes I did get back from Houston!

I just don't know where the last month has gone.

It has been busy at work catching up with everything and planning how are 

we are going to sue all the project sand ides that i picked up in the USA.

And of course a few days after I got back we had Festival of Quilts -

 the big quilt show in Auckland each year.

But I have been busy stitching my POTC. It now has five full rows attached and 

these are the first three blocks for row six, which may be my last row.

Maybe because I need to look at it on the bed again once that row is one and 

see where it comes to and what it looks like.

There is a chance it will need the seventh row!.

I am finding it good to add the four red squares onto two of the sides before 

adding it on to the bigger piece of the quilt.

Back soon with more blocks and maybe even some new projects!

Hexies in Houston

There were several hexie quilts in the Houston Quilt Festival Show and 

of course they caught my eye. The range of different settings was great to see.

This first one was in the Miniature Red and White section of the Show. 

This was made by Ellen Carter from Texas,  USA.

The hexagons are tiny and don't you love the fussy cutting of the white prints.

This quilt was made by Isabelle Museau from France.

It is a full sized quilt. I love the richness of the red in this quilt.

It is hand pieced and quilted

This next quilt was made by Cecile Lacoste and she says this layout is known as Honeycomb Mosaic.

Today I head home from Houston.

We have the Auckland Festival of Quilts this coming weekend so I hope to see you there.

More of Mary Koval,s Collection

Here are some more of Mary Koval's Antique Quilt Collection that were on 

display at the Houston Quilt Market and Festival.

This next quilt has fabric from the 1830s - 1850s. Isn't the blue border 

an interesting addition.

These next two are unusual as black was not often used in the 1880s.

This one is really interesting with the pre-printed calendar on it.

Mary hadn't been able to find out anything much about it.

It is dated 1881.

There have been so many stalls selling antique or vintage quilts.

Mary had hers in the Exhibition as well as having a stall.

And I haven't bought one!

Mary Koval's Antique Quilts Houston Quilt Market

While at Market I did a floor talk with Mary Koval. She collects and sells antique

quilts and had a collection on display in the Exhibition area.

She is standing in front of a quilt that her grandmother and mother made. She called in "Grandma Buddy Quilt" and they made it in 1940  while living in Kansas City, Missouri.

It was made for everyday use and was sent out to be quilted which cost US $7.50.

 I found this one (below) featuring toile really interesting. 

The toile is a 1790 copper flower print

She has called it "1840 Garden Applique".

As Mary description says " it is an interesting design with long stem flowers in the

 centre and falling leaves randomly placed," 

.

Look a the borders - Mary told us that it was reasonably common for a quilt to have 

a border "left off" like this. Yes it was planned. This quilt was designed for a specific 

bed in a specific room and the side with no border was obviously to go against 

the wall so didn't need a border as no-one would ever see it. And the quilt is 

directional so would not be able to be turned around. The quilter was not 

going to waste expensive fabric. 

             

This is part of another one (below) of her collection also featuring toile. 

She found this one in New England.

I have realise that I didn't take enough photos of her quilts so I will take more once 

Festival opens tomorrow, Back then, Robyn

Quilts at Houston Quilt Market

Quilt Market in Houston finished yesterday and wow what an amazing experience that has been. As everyone has said it is just so big.

Day One was Schoolhouse and this is a day full of 20 - 30 minute presentations.

You can only get your book listing all the sessions about an hour before the day starts, so 

there is then some frantic reading and choosing. which session you will go to. They go all day and I did a session in every 30 minute time slot from 10.30am until 6.00pm, It was

incredible so much to take in - I hope my notes make sense!

There is just so much to tell you, but I will start with the Red and White Quilts display 

in the exhibition as that was the first thing you see as you walk in the door.

This is the stunning display of red and white quits was inspired by the "2011 Infinite Variety:

Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts: that hung in New York. In the photo below you can see how high they are hanging - look a the lady viewing them, This whole display makes such a dramatic centre-point of the Exhibition area..

Now for some quilts closer up.

 Sorry this photo is a bit wobbly as the quilt was catching the breeze - it is made with jsut squares,

There was even a  red and white Dear Jane Quilt.

And closer up.

And walls of miniatures.

Back soon with more Market photos.

Garment District New York

This morning we took a stroll around the Garment / Fabric District of New York.

We started on the corner 39th Street and 7th Avenue where there is (whoops was) 

an Information Centre serving the Garment District. This has since closed but look at 

the bronze statues there.

And the famous big button and needle,

So we wandered around the area and found lots of specialist fabric shops.

No quilting style fabrics though as they were are fashion fabric stores.

But we did have to go into the famous Mood Store and I did buy some ribbons there.

Then it was on to M and J Trimming which is a really comprehensive ribbons, 

braids, trims, etc shop. This had been recommended to me by Gaylene and 

it didn't fail to impress. Basically wall to wall ribbons and braids.

Mark was up the ladders provided getting down narrow velvet ribbons for me.

There were more shops like this but none as well organised and comprehensive as this.

But I guess lots had closed as there were empty shops in the area and some of the 

shops I found on the internet were no longer there. A sad sign of the times.

Maybe sewing will stage a revival!!!

Patchwork of the Crosses Made in New York

Another great day in New York and time to finish one more Patchwork of the Crosses block.

It has been great to have enough light to sew in our rooms at night.

This is the second block using that fabric that is in the centre.

It is not as dramatic as the one below which used two rows of that fabric.

I have one more planned using this fabric so I will start that one next.

Ground Zero Quilt

Today we visited Ground Zero in New York. 

This has to be the most amazing experience - as you get such a feel for the tragedy of  9/11. The Memorial Museum is huge but still manages to portray the feeling of the individual people's tragic stories. It has to be the most moving museum 

experience I have ever had.

And in amongst the display are two smaller quilts and a huge one. 

This one by Tomoko Hayakawa is one of the smaller ones on show.

Look closely and you see the Twin Towers outlined over the Dresden Plate blocks.

The background fabrics are alternated.

   

The information provided said: "Inspired by the Aids Memorial Quilt Arts Educator, 

Drunell Levinson conceived a September 11 Quilts Memorial that would bring

together the work of artists from around the world. Within the first year after 9/11 

she had received 94 quilts. Over the next two years the quilts - many using 

he Twin Towers as a focal point -  the Twin Towers - were displayed 

throughout the United States and in Japan."

The border fabrics were obviously Japanese and I think the link to that is

the architect of the the Twin Towers was Minoru Yamaski. He had created the 

tallest buildings in the world. They were completed in 1972.

I believe they rotate quilts on display. If you are ever in New York this

Museum has to be on your list of places to visit.

You can read more about her project  on:

https://www.911memorial.org/tribute/the-september-11-quilt-project

Patchwork of the Crosses Made The U.S.A.

During  almost a week of travelling in America I have got one Patchwork of

the Crosses block finished. I am happy with that progress.

I have been meaning to use this centre fabric for a while and I do like the effect 

it has produced, even though it is not one of my favourite colours.

I loved the print design and had seen it work so well in other peoples quilts.

Back soon -  I think I might find a Patchwork Shop in a town we visit tomorrow!!!!