June Mini

It's mini time again! 

What jump-started me on this month's mini was the vintage basket block from Sentimental Stitches Cheddarback quilt. Anytime I think I have fabrics that are similar to the originals I'm ready!

Here's what I came up with. I think these prints--color and scale--worked quite well. 

I added a few borders . . .

 

. . . and hand-quilted it. I was happy to finally get to use this floral fat quarter for the back.  

It finishes at 17" x 17" . . .  

  . . . and I hung it in the upstairs gallery to enjoy every time I go to my sewing room :)

The Daylilies are really pretty this year. Must be because of all the rain we've had!



Have a great week!



__________
Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer

 

This 'n That

I've been busy working on June's mini and selvage strings but I can't show them to you until the end of the month. So here are some miscellaneous snapshots that I've taken the past few weeks.

I had just finished shopping at Aldi's--the new grocery store in town--when I spotted two egrets in a marshy area near where I live. This was just a lucky shot :)

A Pileated Woodpecker was hopping around on someone's lawn when we were at the cabin over Memorial Day weekend.

It 'snowed' white fluffy seed heads which covered our driveway. 

Pretty flowers on a Catalpa tree.

There's a huge Honeysuckle bush on my walking route and it smells so nice! 

   
This deer and her little fawn were romping around the back yard last week but they must have moved on.

We were in Albany, NY, last weekend for our granddaughter's final dance recital as a senior. This is the interior of the Palace Theater. It's a beautiful building. See more pics here.

I'm thinking it's time to re-visit this UFO and finally add the border :) Besides, I need an evening quilting project and this will be perfect for summer. 

Have a great week!




__________
Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer

 

Small Quilt Exhibit

Last Thursday, on the spur of the moment, a friend tracked me down at the YMCA and asked if I was interested in going to the quilt exhibit in a nearby town that afternoon with another friend. The timing was good and so we went!

The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts in Madison, NJ, was originally the James Library built in 1889 by philanthropist Daniel Willis James. 

The interior boasts 20' high ceilings, 7 chandeliers, 56 stained glass windows, 3 fireplaces, and stencilled and hand-painted brick walls. 

The current exhibit Narrative Threads: New Jersey Quilts & Textiles features several quilts and artifacts pertaining to quilting. Love these madder blocks!

The displays are all behind glass making it a little difficult to get good photographs but this quilt 'spoke' to me right away. It is from the museum's collection and represents an example of a pieced quilt comprised of many small pieces of fabric that are stitched together to make a large quilt. And since this is a 'learning' museum, there are questions on the story cards e.g. "How many different types of fabric can you see?" 

A simple tied One-Patch.

This lovely quilt contains 30 pieced Pine Tree blocks. At the base of the tree trunk on the right are the initials 'JAS.'

An example of a quilt made by a child who was learning how to sew. 

Downstairs this beautiful c. 1830 medallion quilt was displayed high above a fireplace. 

A detail.

This strippy was displayed behind a sheet of clear vinyl which prevented visitors from touching.  

Lots of wonderful early fabrics . . .

. . . and a nice combination of simple 9-patches and border strips :)

Have a great week!




__________
Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer