Beyond the Cherry Trees 19 and 20

Block 19

block 20

Here are blocks 19 and 20.  It's really hard to wait for the 10th each month for the next one.  Just five more and then the border.

Quilt Turning

 Or is it called a bed turning?  I can never remember.  I finally got most of the guest room cleaned out and thought I'd photograph my older quilts before Nearly Insane.  Since it's going to stay on the bed, I'm doing NI last and leaving it in place.

6-pointed Stars quilt

 The bed belonged, as far back as I know, to my great-great-grandmother Caroline Garrell.  I was told her son, my great-grandfather, was born in this bed in 1862.  

I know when he was born so the year is correct!  I don't know how long she'd had the bed at that time.

He was much older than my great-grandmother whom he married on March 22, 1900. I inherited the bedroom furniture when my great-grandmother died, just before my senior year of 

high school.  I really treasure it and still miss her.  Besides the 3/4 bed (between twin and double in size), I have a Martha Washington table, a wig stand, and a marble-top dresser with jewelry drawers and a mirror.  This was the furniture I used in my room until I got 

married and then my daughters used it when they were big enough.

Now the story of this quilt.  My great-grandparents had three children.  My grandmother was the first, then a year later a boy, and, many years later, another girl, also named Caroline for her grandmother.  This quilt was made for her husband by his mother.  He was born in 1909 but I don't know much else about his family or exactly when the quilt was made.  

From a slightly different angle

The pink print was used in several stars

 

 This red print is deteriorating in most places it was used

 

Three of the stars to show fabrics.  There are two background greens here.

Quilting from the back

If any of you can date the fabrics, I'd really appreciate a note.  My great-aunt and uncle were married in the 1930's but I have no idea if he already had the quilt. 

Winner, winner!

Linda Collins of Quilts in the Barn had a give away for pin cushion patterns and I won one of them!  She had four different patterns and mine is called Folky at Heart, perfect for me.  She also sent wool to make it with - how great is that!!!  It went together really easily and was a lot of fun to make.

Pattern and wool she sent

Pattern and finished pin cushion

I used yellow and green that I had but I really like what she sent.  Thank you, Linda!!!

I finished my Nearly Insane quilt last week but haven't photographed it yet.  I'm working on my guest room where it's going to live and need to finish that first.  The weather has been beautiful here lately so I'm also working on getting my garden in.  Rain is in the forecast for next week so I have to get that done while it's dry.

Meet Gwendie

Artists know the phrase, "Value does the work but color gets the credit."  Gwendie thinks the saying could be said for cats and dogs since I've shared pictures of my dog but never of her.  And she knows the quilts are hers because of my blog name.

Just having a cat nap

These are regular doll buggies.  Gwendie's just a big girl. 

I've been busy hand quilting my Nearly Insane quilt so there are no pictures to share yet.  I'm even behind on my Barbara Brackman Civil War blocks but will catch up when the quilting is finished.

Nearly Insane and Beyone the Cherry Trees - 18

I've been making blocks for my Nearly Insane quilt like I'm, well, nearly insane.  Rather than one at a time, here's what I've finished so far. I think I have 51 blocks in this stack but there may be a few more.  This seems like an obvious scrap quilt to me.  Some of the pieces finish at 1/4" and some blocks look like leftovers that were cut down to finish at 6" - an example is a Lone Star that has the star tips lopped off.

Nearly Insane blocks

I also finished block 18 of Beyond the Cherry Trees  ---

Block 18

This block has been up on the design board for over a week waiting for me to get the camera out.  Sometimes that's the slowest part of blogging.  


I've also been working on clothing for my granddaughter's 3rd birthday.  That girl loves new dresses more than toys and since I also love to make them for her, well, we're a perfect fit!  Pictures to follow . . . .

Civil War blocks

Here's a look at my version of the first nine blocks of Barbara Brackman's Civil War quilt.  The most recent is the upper left.  Let me just say that three doesn't go into nine evenly.  I ended up using 1/16th inches to get it even close.  Luckily, I have a ruler with those marks but it's only 4 1/2".  I wish Omnigrid made one maybe 10" or 12" square with 1/16th inch marks on it. 

I have several more blocks finished for my Nearly Insane quilt.  Some of them are fairly easy, others - not so much, but I knew that going in!  I don't get a chance to sew every day but, when I do, I usually can get two put together.  I try to have several blocks prepped ahead of time and that's been a big help.  There are some of the harder ones coming up so that will be slower but I don't have a deadline. 

I also started a '30's style quilt.  That makes four I'm working on at once - I never used to work on more than one at a time!  I have to say, I'm really enjoying it.

More Nearly Insane

Here are eight of the Nearly Insane blocks I've finished in the last couple of weeks.  I've finished up to block 18 - upper left corner.  I thought it was going to be the  hardest but then I read ahead - maybe not!

There's something about this block I really like.  I think part of it is the fabric.  I don't usually use black and gray or white for blocks but I'm really happy with this combination.