Behind The Scenes of Photo Shoot At My Home-Part One

For me, it isn't everyday that my home is photographed for a magazine.  How about never until now!  My family and I were flattered (to say the least!) and excited just to see how all of this would work.  Fascinating stuff, and a very fun way to spend four days!! 

Senior Editor Elizabeth Tisinger Beese &
Design Director Nancy Wiles
Quilt on table is Elizabeth's Prairie Garden~PWSC Journey Three displayed on top of a coverlet. 

We were visited by Senior Editor, Elizabeth Beese and Design Director, Nancy Wiles, along with photographer Greg Scheidemann, and his assistant (and lovely wife).  

This photo shows Nancy fluffing my American Gothic quilt to stylize it for Greg to shoot the quilt and all the samplers that are hanging on the wall you can't see (photo on pg 19 in the magazine).  The Bear Paw quilt on the wall behind the sofa was my first quilt acquisition.  I purchased the top from a fellow teacher at a quilt shop where we both worked long before I knew how to quilt.  I love it so much, I decorated the entire living room around that quilt.  Blues and greens are a favorite color combo for me.    The quilt on the wall behind the blue chair is called A Light In The Window from my Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club ~ Journey Three.

In my family room, things have been moved around a bit to photograph some of my prized possessions, my Three Sisters samplers.  My husband, Ed, bought the three samplers for me for Christmas last year.  I'm still amazed that in over 150 years, the Three Sisters have remained together, and I'll certainly do my part to keep them that way!  Nancy chose to lay them on top of the table for the photo, which you can see on the computer monitor.  (The photo is on page 19 in the magazine. )

This is how the Three Sisters are displayed in my home.  One rests a top a vintage sewing machine drawer that my pal Lynne Hagmeier gifted to me.  I've turned the drawer into a narrow shelf, and think they all make a good nineteenth century vignette.  

Here's how it all looks on any given day.  The quilt draped over the blue chair is Union Blues, and the other is a quilt I made long ago for my family to use, and for which there isn't a pattern.  You might spot our little Yorkie, Bella, in one of her favorite spots in the house, with her head in between the stair rails.  

I love old samplers as much as I love quilts.  I own three with dates in the 1700's, and the rest, nearly thirty more, are all dated in the 1800's.  I have some reproduction samplers mixed in with the vintage samplers on the wall in this room, and repros and vintage samplers are displayed all over the house.  

Also displayed in the living room is one of my all time favorite quilts, Scraps From Home, from PWSC-Journey One.  Love the combo of round yo-yos, and straight lines of the Flying Geese, finished with a soft scalloped border.  Also pictured is the Star Strings Pinkeep, which has a quilt included in the same pattern.  Both are terrific scrap-buster projects!!  

In a vintage treen square wood bucket sits a few things that make me smile.  A star block wool pillow, a QUILT sign, and a tea towel with the sampler alphabet.  I collect lots of things with the alphabet on them!  The items in this bucket are changed out with the seasons and holidays. These little vignettes make me happy, and provide a place to display lots of favorite things.  I'm sure you have those favorite spots, too!

Well, that's all for now.  I don't want to bore you to death!  I'll post more pictures of my home and sewing room in my next post.  

Until then....hope you find some time for stitching and other delights that feed your soul.