New Project

And just like that! I started a new project :)

As soon as I saw this quilt on Pinterest I knew it was one I wanted to make. I love the quirkiness especially the scrappy look and the odd color scheme--purples, blacks, madders, etc. 

I'm working more toward achieving the "look" but not getting fanatical about trying to reproduce the fabrics. First off--purple/lavender. I've had this piece for years so that's where I began. 

 Second--that small scrap of yellow makes this block sing. 

All the pieces are based on 2" except for the cross in the center which is 1". The finished block is 9".

I have a hard time when things aren't balanced especially like that lower right triangle because it isn't black. Such an odd mixture of fabrics.

The first four blocks up on my wall. I'm already on a quest to find sashing fabric :)

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Thank you for your concern about the injured bird I picked up last week. She didn't respond to treatment and was euthanized on Saturday.  

So glad that heatwave is over! We're heading to the shore tomorrow for my husband's birthday :) 




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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer




  

Flicker and Dutch Panel

For some reason I changed my walking route Sunday morning and decided to go the back way along a busy road and I'm so glad I did!

I hadn't gone very far when I saw this beautiful Northern Flicker in the road unable to walk or fly. So I picked it up, brought it home and put it in a box with a towel.

I called The Raptor Trust which provides free care and assistance to injured birds and is located only about a half hour from our house. When the bird was admitted I was told I could check on it after 48 hours. Here's the update and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she will improve:

"The Flicker is still currently in our care. She is suffering from
central nervous system damage with her legs out which means head
trauma or spinal injury due to the impact. We are giving her
supportive care and she is on anti-inflammatory meds. Her condition
is guarded and we need a little more time to see if she can rally from
her condition. Thank you for checking in." 

There are also resident birds on the grounds including this majestic Bald Eagle. Uno was found in Alaska in 1989 with an eye injury that prevented her from being able to hunt. If you are ever in the area of The Great Swamp in Morris County make sure you visit The Raptor Trust :)

 

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Quilting news . . . 

I managed to baste my Dutch Panel quilt while we were at the cabin :)

I bought some new fabric. The two at the top were bargains at the thrift shop and the yellow / green assortment caught my eye on Ebay.

It's not easy finding good greens--or yellows for that matter. But check the selvage on the yellow--Chrome is misspelled Chorme!

We're in a heatwave--are you?

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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schafffer

 

Money Cakes and a Hike

My twin grandchildren turned 16 on Monday. So . . . 

. . . my daughter (their aunt) and I decided to make money cakes for their birthday. First I went to Michaels and loaded up on supplies.

Then we spent several hours rolling and pinning bills to styrofoam bases and decorating layers with flowers and a patriotic garland. 

 

We used 56 assorted $1, $5 and $10 bills for each cake and evenly divided them so they fit into pre-marked quarter sections of each layer. What a system, lol! 

A $50 bill (Grandpa's contribution) and a firecracker were at the top of each one.

 

And it didn't take long for the cakes to look like this!

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On another note . . . 

My daughter and I went for an early morning hike. 

It was a little chilly when we started out . . .

. . . but once we were at the top we warmed up with some hot tea :)

This Tall Meadow Rue was one of only a few wildflowers we saw on the trail. 

Have a great week!




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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer 

Selvage String Update

The borders are on and the top is done! I'm linking up with Lori at Humble Quilts where you'll see lots more creative strings :)

I ended up making 4 corner blocks with some of the remaining selvage strips. This was such a fun project! 

More next month!




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Copyright 2019, Barbara Schaffer

 

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