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!



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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!




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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!




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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer

Indigo Challenge, May Mini and Strings Update

It all started about two months ago when Sandy at My Material Creations shared her vintage indigo scraps with Wendy The Constant Quilter, Janet O. Rogue Quilter, and me :) It was decided we'd do a challenge with the big reveal May 31st.  So here is mine and I'll update links to others as soon as they post.

When I received Sandy's package, I knew I was going to pair the Indigos with vintage shirting fabrics that once belonged to Natalie.

 

I saw this little doll quilt on Pinterest . . . 

. . . and made my own 9-block version which I hand-quilted. I just love the look! It's really an easy block--hsts and four patches. I used 9 different Indigo prints and 9 different shirtings to go along with them. 

The label :)

But I didn't stop there. I went on to make this little piece as my May mini for Wendy's monthly challenge :)

The back is a repro from years ago.

Uh-oh! Then I saw this block on Sentimental Stitches as part of the Cheddarback SAL and I couldn't resist making just one more little quilt. I enjoyed hand-quilting this one, too. 

Thanks, Sandy! I've had more fun using these Indigo scraps!

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Today is also the Linky Party for Lori's String SAL. Check it out!

 

These large blocks are 12-1/2" unfinished. Yikes! What's wrong with this block?? I just noticed it!

I started cutting 2" sashing strips and this is as far as I got. More next month :) 

Enjoy your weekend!

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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer

Eagle Border and Genealogy

The Eagle Medallion top is done :)

I really took my time adding the border. I did one side a day so I could concentrate on those corners.

All the sides were at or close to 61" so I only had to make a minor adjustment or two.

The mitered corners look like this :) 

This is the fabric for the back. Now I need to go to Michaels and use my 50% off coupon for a package of Hobbs 80/20 batting.

***THANK YOU, JANET for sending more of the black fabric for my selvage strings project! I really appreciate it!   

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I nearly forgot about this genealogy binder I put together (more than a few years ago) until I recently came across it while looking for something else. 

  

This binder contains copies of records beginning with me and ending with my great-grandparents.

Within each section are copies (no originals) of all sorts of records: vital, school, census, military, legal, publicity, photos, etc. The record above is a page from my mother's high school yearbook in 1929.

The 1900 census record of my gr-grandparents, Samuel and Irene Bower, NYC. I always transcribed the original record.

The 1906 NYC marriage certificate of my paternal grandparents, Ralph Butler Davis and Maud Hankinson. 

The Civil War record of my gr-grandfather, Horace Davis. I also have a photo of him in uniform.

A letter dated 1862 written by my gr-grandmother, Margarette Edwards Davis, when her husband was away at war. 

A photo of my gr-grandmother Irene McCord Bower that was taken in 1886 at the time of her marriage. 

At the end of each section I include burial info--plot, gravestone, and obituary. It's so easy to get carried away with genealogy research as every bit of information leads to that never ending quest for another piece to the puzzle :)

Have a great week!

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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer

Selvage Strings Update

I've now finished 61 selvage blocks but I'm still playing with the layout. Today is the linky party for the String SAL at Lori's Humble Quilts so make sure you take a look and be inspired.   

 

Since last month Rachel gave me nearly 2 yards of this black print which she picked up on the freebie table at a guild meeting. I think it'll be perfect for these selvage blocks, don't you?  It's Andover Fabrics Jo Morton #2474. If I need more does anyone have extra to share? I'm more than willing to buy or swap. Thanks.

I plan on adding another row so it will be 3 x 4. I haven't done any sewing yet.  

If I can squeeze out a 3" border and 1-1/2" sashing I'd be happy but I won't know until it's time to focus :)

 
In the meantime I bought these two fabrics on sale at Hancock's--paisley for the backing and the stripe for the binding. 

That's today's idea but it's always subject to change, lol!




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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer