*News Flash!*

Remember these two quilts??

. . . My Inking Journey made while participating in Barbara Brackman's Antebellum BOM in 2018 . . . 

. . . and Chimney Sweep with Leaves my version of a favorite quilt in the book Remember Me by Linda Otto Lipsett?

Well, the *News Flash" is that both quilts are in Barbara's new book Divided Hearts: A Civil War Friendship Quilt by C&T Publishing. Thank you, Barbara, I am truly honored! 

My blocks with inked drawings and names of my gr-gr-grandparents appear throughout the book. Here is one.
 

And there are instructions for making a Chimney Sweep quilt like mine :) 

In addition, contributors Denniele Bohannon, Becky Brown, Mark Lauer, and Patricia Styring made some awesome quilts so when you have a minute go to Amazon and take a 'look inside' this beautiful book. Be inspired!   

Enjoy your week!



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Copyright 2020, Barbara Schaffer

 

May Mini and Memorial Day

Three years ago . . .

. . . I put these patriotic pieces up on my design wall but they just weren't coming together.

Then a few weeks ago with Memorial Day in mind I took them out hoping that something would click the second time around.  
  

I pieced the back by matching the motifs and top-stitching the seam . . .  

. . . then quilted it from the back. 

 

And this is what it looks like on the front.

I can't tell you how good it feels to finish this little piece! Thank you, Wendy, for your monthly mini inspiration!

This Memorial Day let us not forget Pvt Walter D. Carle who died of wounds in WWII. He was only 21 years old and is buried in Restland Memorial Park, E. Hanover, NJ. 

Enjoy the holiday!




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Copyright 2020, Barbara Schaffer

 

Deacon Blocks 29-32

Lots of applique this month!

With this month's blocks completed the first 4 rows at both the top left and bottom right are now done!
 

Three challenging appliques and a broderie perse.

 29. Attributed to Hannah Anne Reeves

 

I'm sure some of you still have a scrap or two of that early Smithsonian green print!

 30. Attributed to Lydia Ann Homer

It always takes a little time to get in the swing of appliqueing the block I'm working on. This time after I finished the center wreath, I appliqued the top right pink leaf/petal before adding the other two and realized it wasn't centered the way it was supposed to be but I chose not to re-do it. I did much better with the other corners.

31. Attributed to Susan B. Haines / Rancocas

This is the original block with a lengthy sentiment in the center . . .

. . . and this is mine. I totally changed course from the original :) All the blocks in this quilt are set on point.

 32. Attributed to William G. Deacon

This block was definitely a challenge--and time-consuming. I finished it in the nick of time--yesterday! The next set of blocks is available Friday at Sentimental Stitches. Check out what other goodies Gay has to offer on her website. So many projects to choose from!

On another note . . . 

My daughter and I hiked Sunday morning in search of wildflowers in the snow. We saw this Red Trillium . . . 

 

. . . and Saxifrage. So sweet among the moss :)

That's it for now. Enjoy your week and, hopefully, warmer weather with lots of sunshine!

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Copyright 2020, Barbara Schaffer

 

  

Aww, So Cute! Plus . . .

Spring is just about here . . . 

I was out for a walk on my way to the Community Garden . . .
 

. . . when I saw my S-I-L after he had just captured these little guys hiding in the shed. My heart just melted. So cute! 

An early-blooming wildflower, Coltsfoot.

I put quilts on the beds where my granddaughters sleep. I'm really looking forward to seeing them soon :)

Last week when it snowed the mountains were glorious!

I managed to make a few masks and drop them off at Town Hall. I discovered that sewing the ties was so much easier if I used a Bias Tape Maker tool. Wow, what a difference!  

Enjoy your week! 




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Copyright 2020, Barbara Schaffer

 

April Mini

I wasn't sure if I'd make a mini this month but after I saw a little quilt in one of my favorite books it all came together quickly. 

This is my go-to book when I need some little quilt inspiration.

And this is the quilt that caught my eye. 

I still had some Churn Dash blocks from Barb V's swap and pink fabric that I had picked up at our guild a couple of years ago. That's all I needed. It's 18" x 24".

I thought those zig-zags added a little interest :)  

Even found a piece for the back that was just the right size.

The label :)

 

And here's how it looks on our table with a lovely Hyacinth from my good friend in NJ. Thank you, Renee!

Wendy will be posting her monthly mini soon so take a look and be inspired. You can always join in on the fun!  




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Copyright 2020, Barbara Schaffer

This 'n That

This morning we woke up to frigid temps, howling winds and 2" of snow!  

But just the other day I spotted this beautiful pink cluster of blooms along the driveway.   

What a pleasant surprise!   

I've been doing a little Adirondack decorating. The Bohemian Waxwing watercolor was painted by my granddaughter when she was in high school. She's now an art major at U Delaware and like everyone else is taking online classes from home.

I collect bird nests when they've fallen to the ground. The one on the left was actually found under our canoe.  

I'm making good progress quilting Dear Daughter :)

Sunday morning our daughter and her husband took us on a trail with a beautiful view of a meadow and Whiteface Mountain.

Another view.

A BIG black bear with an important message :)

Take care!




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Copyright 2020, Barbara Schaffer


 

Deacon Blocks 25-28 and River

I started this set of Deacon blocks in NJ and finished them in NY :)

It was really important to me to continue making these blocks during our move as I didn't want to fall behind. So far so good!

25. Attributed to Sarah Kemble

I spend a lot of time prepping! Each one of those red rays was appliqued separately unlike the yellow ones in the center which were cut from one piece of fabric. Interesting!

26. Attributeed to Anna W Coles / N Jersey

Last fall I bought a yard of this red fabric for a $1 at the local thrift shop. It looked like a "good" red to me at the time and it worked out just fine. 

27. Attributed to Sarah Ann Kemble

Talk about a challenge! I did both machine and hand piecing and the center is as good as it's going to get. When I finished the block it didn't lay flat so I re-did the corner squares and edge triangles by cutting them a little larger. 

I used motifs from these two oldies for the broderie perse block. The blue is Moda's Material Pleasures "Coral Garden" Tulip Vine by Terry Clothier Thompson and Barbara Brackman and the one on the right is a repro from the Oakland Museum. 

 28. Attributed to Mary S Haines

I fused all the pieces . . .

. . . and finished them with a small zig-zag stitch.  

Now that we are in the north country everything in our little town is within walking distance. The view on my way to the post office :)

Please stay safe!

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Copyright 2020, Barbara Schaffer