Quilts, Gravestones, and Elusive Ancestors: July 2018

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

July Mini and Flower Gardens

Would you like to hear the saga of July's mini quilt? I had some antique 9-patches that I purchased from Mary Koval years ago and thought I'd try and use them for this month's quilt. But they were all different sizes and the more I looked at them the more I realized they were not going to work.

So I chose similar fabrics and made an entirely new set. I also wanted to use some of the browns that I recently purchased at GSQ.

When it was finished I was really surprised to see how those white squares popped!

I machine quilted diagonally in both directions followed by chevrons in each quadrant which worked out fine. I had marked the lines (on the front) with a Chakoner marker but I couldn't get the pink chalk out of the white fabric so I soaked it in a pot of water with a little Dawn. Some fabrics shrunk in the process so by the time this piece was finally finished it was not what I expected it to be.

I also had a really hard time getting a good photograph. If I 'enhanced' the photo like this one is the border looked more rust than brown.

But I think the colors in this photo are as true as they're going to get :)

On another note . . .

We've been at the cabin again this week for my husband's birthday and had lunch with my daughter at Heaven Hill Farm.

The gardens there are in full bloom and absolutely gorgeous!

Cosmos . . .

Beggarticks . . .

And Sunflowers in the formal garden :)

Enjoy your week!

__________
Copyright 2018, Barbara Schaffer

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Antebellum #6 and Chimney Sweep

Just trying to catch up :)

I finished Antebellum #6 Madame's Star and followed the color placement as shown below in the NJ quilt on Barbara B's blog.

Thanks, Barbara, for letting me use your pic!

I found this cute inking on Pinterest . . .

. . . but my spacing wasn't terrific when I wrote 'Robert Bower' so I may fill in with a little flourish--or something else. Robert is my 2nd gr-grandfather and Phebe's spouse. Remember her from last month?

Here are blocks 1-6. I'll be making at least one more with Prussian blue fabric to try and balance things out.

Did you notice the leaves in this quilt in Linda Otto Lipsett's book, Remember Me? I've been wanting to make a Chimney Sweep quilt like this for a long time so in addition to appliqueing leaves I started making 9" blocks in brown prints.

The leaves are along the edges . . .

. . . and in the corners. Isn't that a great stripe? It's Georgetown by Judie Rothermel / Marcus.

I stopped after 5 blocks and made a small top instead of a large quilt :)

I hope you are enjoying your summer!

__________
Copyright 2018, Barbara Schaffer

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Snapshots of the Adirondacks

We spent the July 4th holiday at the cabin and enjoyed sitting out on the deck. The weather was perfect even if it was a little hot but I finally finished reading Lilac Girls by Martha Hall Kelly. Here are a few of the places we visited . . .

I saw this lovely Purple Flowering Raspberry on my way to the Community Garden . . .

. . . where there is lots of creativity to be found including Buddha's garden.

There are hand-painted plant stakes . . .

. . . and painted rocks that make me smile :)

My daughter and I hiked the trails at Heaven Hill Farm in Lake Placid which is where she now works :)

The main building was once the home of Henry and Mildred Uihlein of the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company. It is now a conference center with beautiful gardens and adjacent community hiking trails.

Love this view!

My husband and I spent some time at the Wild Center in Tupper Lake NY and went on the Wild Walk for an amazing birds-eye view of the Adirondacks.

We were definitely in the tree tops!

Back at the cabin this sunset was the end to a perfect day :)

I have lots of photos posted to my Love the Adirondacks! board on Pinterest. Many of them you've already seen but I like having them all in one place.

Have a great week!

__________
Copyright 2018, Barbara Schaffer