The Circa 1880 Nine Patch Quilt

The Circa 1880 Nine Patch Quilt by Pam Buda ~ Photo by Aaron Leimkuehler

I am anxious to share more details about my new Circa 1880 Club.   The Nine Patch quilt above is the main focus of the club.  It has over 500 blocks!  

Did you gasp?

Fear not!

Making the 500 + blocks needed for the quilt is very doable in one year's time.  (Nobody said you have to make it in a year.  I promise there are no Nine Patch police around!)  I have worked out all the kinks and have making these blocks down to a science - I promise!  All my hints and tips will be shared when you're at club meetings at your local participating quilt shop and through a private Facebook group.  

Still thinking it's not possible?  If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know I keep myself pretty busy.  I was on a mission to make this quilt and I had to find time if I was going to get it done.  So, I made a commitment to spend one hour each morning, 5 days a week to making the blocks.  Sometimes I did less.  Sometimes I was able to spend an entire Sunday.  It all worked out.  At first, I wasted a lot of time and knew I had to work smarter, not harder, and over a few weeks, developed a system that enabled me to make a dozen blocks in about an hour.....and YOU can too!!  

This quilt is an heirloom for sure....I call it my Hour A Day Heirloom.  It's done...I really made it.  It's not a UFO!  All from one hour a day!  

To gain a larger variety of scrap happiness in my blocks, I asked six friends to trade blocks with me.  We all agreed to a set of trading rules and stuck to them.  We didn't make strict timelines to trade because we're all busy, so we traded whenever we had about 25 blocks made.  That helped to be able to work at your own pace.  A big reason my Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt is so wonderful is because of them.  So, it's time you know who they are!

My local (in Illinois) friends are Debbie McClarence, who is my co-worker and right hand.  

Karen Schultz of Elgin - a dear friend and founding Prairie Women's Sewing Circle member who I have known for many years and adore.

Becky Carpenter of Montgomery - another dear friend and founding Prairie Women's Sewing Circle member - friend to Karen as well...and super talented quilter and antique lover like me!

My out of town trading friends are:

Janet Olsen of Logan, UT ~ super talented quilt maker and maker of extraordinary pies!  Janet writes a wonderful blog called Rogue Quilter.  She inspired me with her beautiful work and makes a lot of small quilts I love.

Wendy Reed of Bath, ME - I met Wendy several years ago when I taught at the Maine Quilt Show.  I knew immediately we were kindred spirits.  Wendy knows so much about nineteenth century fabric and makes the most amazing repro quilts.  She also has a blog...The Constant Quilter which you should check out.  Wendy is hosting a monthly sew-along to sew all twelve projects in my Vintage Patchwork book!  How fun is that?  Click the link for her blog to read more.

And....last but certainly not least is Cyndi Black, owner of The Busy Thimble quilt shop in Litchfield, ME.  I met Cyndi at the same time I met Wendy.  I was very lucky to visit The Busy Thimble shop on that trip and immediately fell in love with the shop and Cyndi.  Like Wendy, Cyndi makes amazing repro quilts.  She also writes The Busy Thimble blog which I'm sure you'll enjoy.  

Fussy Cut blocks using Circa 1880 Fussy Cut template.  Photo by Aaron Leimkuehler

One of the best parts about making these blocks is fussy cutting motifs for different parts of the block.  In the photo above, you can find the word Union in the block center and the same block has a little flag in the corner square.  My quilt has lots of fussy cut surprises.  Many of them came from blocks I traded with my friends.  Each month I was amazed at how many fabrics I received that I never saw before.  Their stash has so many new-to-me fabrics and now I have a piece of them in my quilt.   So, so cool!!  

I L*O*V*E fussy cutting fabrics for lots of the quilts I make.  So much so, I have designed a new set of fussy cutting templates that make it so easy peasy to cut just about any size motif you like.  The new templates are also making their debut at market and I will be anxious to share them with you when I get back.  So...stay tuned for more fussy cutting news!

The quilt is set using Marcus Fabrics Aged Muslin which was absolutely perfect in recreating the look of the antique quilt.  It is a very special fabric - not your ordinary muslin in that each and every yard is hand dyed.  No two yards are the same which gives it the perfect aged patina.  It also shows the quilting stitches beautifully.  

Speaking of the beautiful quilting....my quilt was quilted by oh-so-talented Valerie Langue who owns The Quilt Merchant in Winfield, IL.  Val...you truly outdid yourself!!  

I also designed 26 new fabrics for the club and a new backing fabric designed especially for the Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt!  I'll tell you lots more about them soon.  

In the meantime, I'd better get back to packing for fall market.  I have a lot to share while I'm there.  In the meantime, give your sewing machine some love today!   It misses you!

Prairie Women's Sewing Circle Update

Ada Blaney c 1848 Nebraska - used with permission Nebraska Historical Society

As it is said….all good things must come to an end. 

I will not be releasing any more Prairie Women's Sewing Circle Journey patterns. 

The natural cycle in the quilting business is all about "what's new", and it's time to move on to a new adventure.  I have thoroughly enjoyed every moment of creating the PWSC club, and it has brought me the opportunity to meet many, many wonderful quilt shop owners, and so many thousands of gracious, talented quilters who have all shared my love of nineteenth century living, antique quilts, and our make-do heritage.  I am forever grateful for all of the sharing between our kindred spirits!

There is so much to look forward to in the future with new and exciting opportunities.  My creative soul will always be anchored in the nineteenth century, and I will continue to look for ways to incorporate American history into future projects. 

My Prairie Gathering Quilt of theQuarter program has four historical stories of how women "gathered" together to bring lasting change in our country.  Click here to find a quilt shop near you offering the Prairie Gathering program.

 Then, there's my new pattern series, "Tokens of the Past", with Gathering In Red as the first in the series, which continues with Civil War reproduction doll size quilts that are very do-able, affordable projects that give you the option of using my new 10 inch Prairie Gathering precuts from Marcus Fabrics or choosing your own fabrics.

And, I am happy to continue creating new and exciting things for your quilting pleasure! 

Prairie Women's Sewing Circle Journey patterns will continue to be available to quilt shops that are continuing with club meetings. 

Thank you so much for your support of the Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club.  It's been a wonderful journey!!!

Introducing ~ ~ Journey Five!!

At last!!!!!  It is with great pleasure, relief, and excitement that I introduce the quilts for... 

Journey Five of the 

Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club!!

Easily one year in the making, you can imagine how thrilled I am to show you the six new quilt projects and the new bonus project!  

The first and largest quilt is called The Freedom Quilt.  It features an original block and a great mix of fabrics from both the Pin Money and Prairie Woven collections.  I think the block kinda looks a little like a Mariner's Compass.

Next is a quilt called Pleasant Prairie.   Aren't simple little quilt so much fun to make?  Pick a beautiful border fabric, then choose coordinating prints and sew this up in no time! 

The third quilt is called Hope Chest Relics made from three of my Pin Money fabrics.  Oh how I love the antique Carolina Lily quilts in their red, green and white glory.  This little quilt honors that tradition.

The fourth quilt is called Something Blue made from two more of my Pin Money fabrics. Recognize this quilt?  It's a smaller version of my larger Settler's Puzzle quilt pattern, which at the moment is only available if you take one of my workshops!

The fifth quilt is called Square Dance. The block is old and not often seen, and I love it.  Love the name, too....Crazy Ann!

The sixth quilt is called Emma's Sewing Basket.  I made a few changes to an old block and set it on point with the zig zag setting.  Love, love red and brown together!

Can you tell what the historic stories are about from the quilt names?

For the bonus project, I must admit it took some time for me to decide on what to do.  It was time to introduce a new shape to work with while club meetings were going on.  So many choices!

If you're like me, you've no doubt noticed on blogs, in quilt shops, and especially Pinterest...they are loaded with images of the awesome Lucy Boston: Patchwork of the Crosses quilt.  I must admit, I was very taken with the wonderful fussy cutting blocks I was seeing, and inspiration struck!  I decided to work with elongated hexagons and played and played until I decided on a simple, striking design for a block.

Here's what I came up with.....

I deliberately used two neutral shades for the quilt setting so the hexie blocks and border would really shine through.  

Oh, did I have a grand time making these hexies!  Now, I like a fair amount of hand stitching, and in the past have hand sewn all the hexies and the quilt together.   A fine task when you have a lot of time, but I never do, so....this time, I used the glue stick.  I figure if the glue stick was available in the 1800's, the prairie women would have given it a try...so what the heck!

Winds of Change is the name of this quilt.  Change was a constant thing in the lives of Prairie Women, and they had to adapt to all kinds of different situations....which as we know is a difficult task, especially when we're older.  What you can't see in this photo is the glorious quilting.  My pal and quilter, Ronda, out-did herself on this quilt.  Sometimes, I like having "open space" in a quilt where the quilting can be the focus instead of more pieced blocks, and I got just what I was hoping for!

After completing the top, I handed it to Ronda so she could work her magic.  Then, I left for Washington, D.C.  While I was gone, Deb (my pal who works with me) picked it up, bound it for me, and dropped it off with my photographer, Dan.  I brought it home and enjoyed it for one hour...one hour....then boxed it up, along with the other six Journey Five quilts, to send to my local quilt shop, The Quilt Merchant.  They are hanging in shop in case you'd like to stop in to see them.  (By the way, I'm teaching Journey Five at The Quilt Merchant starting Saturday, October 12th!  We'd love for you to join the fun.)  I'll try take some good pictures (emphasis on the "good pictures" part as you know what a poor photographer I am) of the quilting on the Winds of Change quilt.  It's fabulous!

After working on a gigantic project like this for the better part of a year, it is a true cause for celebration when it's finished.  The patterns and Shop Owner's guides have been printed, and I'm just waiting for the color covers to arrive from the printer.   Then....I can ship Journey Five to all the shops that have been patiently waiting!  (I'll be doing a happy dance on the front lawn!!)  

If you like what you see and are interested in joining the fun, ask for The Prairie Women's Sewing Circle  club at your favorite local quilt shop!  The Journey Five patterns are only available from a participating shop!!   

Thanks for sharing in my celebration!  Wishing you very Happy Stitches....off to do a happy dance.

Journey Four is Finished!!

 

Yippee!!! I'm doing a dance of J.O.Y. because Journey Four is completely

finished!!  Each Journey is jam-packed with so much information that I feel like

I've written a dissertation, and now I'm out for summer vacation!

 

I know loads of Prairie Women all over the world have been waiting for

Journey Four to be ready....and ready it is!!

 

 

I had the best time choosing the subjects for the six historic stories.   So fun!

My, the good people who lived on the prairie in the 1800's sure had a life full of

lots of work.  I can't imagine they had much down time.  Hhmmm....seems we

can say that now as well....except whether we have enough to eat during the

snowy winter doesn't depend on what we do now during harvest time!

We have it much easier!! 

 

The front cover shows the one throw sized quilt in the collection, and the

back cover shows the remaining five do-able, affordable smaller projects.

There are two bonus projects in Journey Four as well.

 

The Prairie Women's Sewing Circle is available only through participating

quilt shops!  Email me if you'd like a list of participating shops in your state,

or a referral to a shop offering membership-by-mail! 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Forget Me Not Sewalong 

 

In my last post, I gave you the last two blocks in the sewalong, and asked for comments

about which blocks were your favs, and which ones were not.  A lot of you really

liked blocks 7 & 8.  I happen to like them all and don't really have a favorite. 

I just love a sampler quilt for that reason. 

 

The winner of the contest is......

 

Grannie Smith...who wrote....I have loved loved loved making all the blocks. I can't pick a favorite but I love the fact that block 12 will be my label AND it will be on the front...I won't have to make a separate label for the back. Laurie in Utah

 

Laurie...please email your snail mail address and choose a Heartspun Quilts pattern prize!

 

You know...the Forget Me Not sewalong isn't over yet!!  There are still

two parts coming.  This Friday, you'll receive the piecing instructions for the setting,

with the BIG REVEAL of the finished quilt coming Friday, Sept 28th!!

 

Many of you have emailed me to ask if I will have another sewalong....and the answer is....

 

Yes!

 

It will be a couple of months yet....so stay tuned!

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

 

The Heirloom scissors are now back in stock, and a limited number of

Fat Quarter and Fat Eighth bundles of my Heart of the Prairie fabric collection

should be back in stock next week. 

 

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

I want to start sharing bits and pieces of 1800's trivia with you.  I adore

early American history, and while I'm researching stories for the

Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club, I often find tid-bits that are

fun, and I thought you'd enjoy them too!

 

My friend and fellow Prairie woman, Cheryl B, brought a bit of  personal nostalgia 

to a recent PWSC meeting.  Her mother collected thimbles, and kept index cards

with notes about the thimbles she had, what family member they belonged to, and some thimble history.  I asked her if I could share the information with all of you, and she was happy to share.

 

Cheryl's mother, Winifred, wrote....

 

Once upon a time every little girl was given a thimble for children were taught to sew and stitch a sampler at a very early age.  Most of these thimbles when found are in good condition as little fingers outgrew the thimble.  Also, girls on confirmation received as a gift a thimble -

so that she might get started on her hope chest. 

 

I have a "pudding" thimble.  It was put into a Christmas pudding in England,

and the person who got it was supposed to have the best luck all year.

 

Thimbles, or thumb-bells (originally they were worn on the thumb) date back to antiquity.  No one knows for sure who invented the first one, but it was probably someone who sewed and said "Ouch".

 

Thimbles come in all mediums: aluminum,bone, china, brass, copper, cut glass, gold, horn, ivory-scrimshaw, leather, pewter, plastic, porcelain, steel, sterling, stone, etc.

 

They are: carved, embossed, enameled, engraved, filigree, filleting (bands), gadroon(a series of raised decorative curves as adornments), hand painted, jeweled, moulded, stamped, and two-toned.

 

There are thimbles with jeweled tops, magnetic tops, open tops, razor on the side for cutting thread, needle threaders on the side and looped.

 

Wow...who knew so much could be done to something so tiny?

 

Until next time.....

 

Pam

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Madly in love with Red

If I were a famous painter, someday the world would look upon this era in my life

as my "red" period.  I'm truly, madly, deeply in love with red fabrics.

I love almost every red piece of fabric I find and I have no idea why this is happening.

I don't question it....I just buy it!  Teehee!!

That doesn't mean that red quilts are all I want to make....I just want more of them.

During my recent stash invasion, I pulled fabrics for several quilts.  These are the

fabrics I'm using in a new Prairie Women's Sewing Circle ~ Journey Three quilt.



I blame it all on the red fabric at the bottom of the photo.  It's from the Cocheco Mills I collection by Judie Rothermel for Marcus Fabrics and I think it's divine!! 

I wanted to use that fabric and designed the rest of the quilt around it. 

I hope I've picqued your interest a bit.  You'll see the finished quilt sometime

in September along with all of the new Journey Three projects. 

Sewing this little quilt is what I'll be doing today. 

I hope you're doing something you enjoy. 

Thanks for stopping by to visit!  Pam

Journey Three ~ First Peek!!

This is your first peek at one of the new projects for The Prairie Women's Sewing Circle ~ Journey Three!

These are just some of the fabrics I've used in this quilt called The Contrary Wife.

I love the combination of red, brown and black, and there are so many luscious Civil War reproduction fabrics in these colors.  It wasn't hard to find oodles of fabrics to work with.....what was hard was limiting my self to 20-30! Wanna know what I'm making with these fabrics?  A block I absolutely adore!

This is a Reel block.  There are a few versions of the Reel block and I chose a fairly traditional one.  (What the rest of the quilt looks like will be kept secret for now.) I adore how "showy" the block is.  It really makes a statement in a quilt!  And yes, this block is appliqued.  In the future, I will post a tutorial about how the block is made, and... when it's time, I encourage you to give it a try.  There are many applique techniques out there and there's bound to be one that suits you!  I know that applique is a F O U R letter word to some of you, but don't despair!  If applique still isn't your cup of tea.....and without giving too much away....you won't have to miss out on making this quilt altogether.  There are some very new features coming to the club in Journey Three.  The core aspects of the club won't be changing, but I'm very excited about bringing in new, creative things for you to enjoy.

So...that's your first peek at what's coming from me in the coming months.  Stay tuned right here for more news about Journey Three and a lot of other fun stuff that I've been working on. 

Thanks so much for visiting with me today, and let me know what you think!

Pam

Out and About

It's a good feeling when you finally get unpacked from a trip, don't ya think? Now that everything is back in place, I've had a chance to catch up on a few things that needed my attention.  I've also been loving the new fabric finds I bought, letting them swirl around in my head to collect into new ideas.  While I was traveling to Wisconsin from home (the Chicagoland area), I made a few stops.  The first was to a favorite shop ~ The Quilter's General Store in Rockford, Il.  My dear friend, Deb Peterson owns this shop.

Shop owner Deb

As you walk up to the door, here is what greets you.....

Yes....I enter with a happy heart full of anticipation of the goodies I will find, and leave with a happy heart because of it! 

Enter the General Store on any given day and you'll find loads of inspiration,

Oodles of fabric in every category you might like, want, need.....

And many, many temptations.

Because Deb asked, I reluctantly posed for a photo next to my quilt, The Farmer's Daughter, which was designed for the shops upcoming Farm Fest event.  I hope you'll be tempted by one of the many class offerings!  Farm Fest is a blast, so if you're looking for something fun to do, please consider joining us.  You can learn more about Farm Fest using the link above and by reading my blog post of  April 4th entitled "Camp WannaQuilt"!!

From the Quilter's General Store, I traveled to another of my all time favorite shops, JJ Stitches in Sun Prairie, WI.  The store was buzzing with many shoppers, and my friend and shop owner, Julie Hendricksen was busy packing, getting ready to travel to Cincinnati for Quilt Festival.  I didn't have the heart to ask to take photos, but needless to say, the shop was as glorious as ever.  From there, I went to the Country Sampler where I spent 4 wonderful days retreating at the 2nd Story with my pals, Lynne Hagmeier (Kansas Troubles Quilters) and Lois Sprecker.  Lynne & Lois worked on several new quilts that will be shown at Quilt Market next month and I worked on a new quilt for the Prairie Women's Sewing Circle ~ Journey 3.  I promise I will show a sneak peek of that quilt in my next post.  Promise!!

I arrived back home just in time to head over to my very favorite local shop, The Quilt Merchant.  The Quilt Merchant is home base for me, and is where I teach the PWSC club every second Saturday.

We have the most amazing group of Prairie Women!  Most of these ladies are my founding members!!  Along with shop owner, Docia Fuller, they all took a chance with me when the club was unheard of, and have been with me ever since.

They will always have a special place in my heart.

 

Heartland Crossing from Journey One



  

These Prairie Women are a busy, talented, productive bunch as well.

Heartland Crossing

 They bring wonderful Show-N-Tell every month!

Heartland Crossing

I love that they make each quilt their own...



Prairie Huswyfe - Journey Two



Prairie Huswyfe

Choosing their fabrics and showing their creativity!  They are all very inspiring to me!

Thank you for stopping by today....I hope you enjoy your day! 

Pam

Making-Do in AP&Q!!

If you are regular reader of my blog, then you know that I am on a mission to educate and share my love of Make-Do quilts with all of you.  Well....my mission just got a huge boost!



In this, the June 2011 issue of American Patchwork & Quilting magazine, you will find my article called The Quilting Tradition of Making-Do! 

I am so proud to have worked with the editors and staff at AP&Q magazine on this article and thank them for all of their help!  They're always a dream to work with.  Together, we hope that you will come to love and appreciate the Make-Do tradition.  If you are one of the many quilters whom love to replicate nineteenth century quilts, then at least some of your quilts should have "make-do" elements in them.  After all.... that's how so many nineteenth century quilts were made!

If you would like to know more about the "make-do" quilting tradition or how to authentically "make-do" in your quilts, join The Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club at a quilt shop near you.  The PWSC club features lessons in making-do, American history, and stories about what daily life was like in the 1800's, and much, much more each month! 

Starting in 2012, I have a brand new lecture presentation & workshop, not surprisingly called The Quilting Tradition of Making-Do.  The presentation educates quilters on all aspects of a make-do quilt and how to spot make-do elements in all quilts.  I also bring a trunk show of my Make-do quilt collection, including those featured in the magazine article.  The workshop is a fun, interactive way to practice the art of making-do in a small quilt project.  Email me if you'd like more information about my lectures/workshops. 

Forgive me....as I say tongue in cheek.....

Quilters of America and the world....go forth and Make-Do!

Have a great day!  Pam

New Magazine & PWSC Show-N-Tell

Have you seen this new American Patchwork & Quilting special edition magazine just for Precuts??



It's on the newsstand right now and is filled with loads of great projects.  Some of my favorite designers have quilt projects in there....maybe they're some of your favorites, too!

Quilt Designed by my pal Lynne Hagmeier ~ Kansas Troubles Quilters

Not surprising.....this is my favorite quilt!!  I've always, always loved Kansas Troubles fabrics and Lynne put her signature twist on making this classic quilt block.
Treat yourself to a copy of this magazine.  You won't be sorry!!

Time to share more Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club Show 'N Tell photos!

 
These lovely Prairie Women gather together at Erica's Craft & Sewing Center in South Bend, IN



They are busy making Yo-yos and showing their Leap of Faith quilts.  Love it with the dark background fabric, don't you?

I'm also loving how the Heartland Crossing quilt turned out! 

 

Prairie Women Sewing Circle club at Erica's Craft & Sewing Center ~ South Bend, IN

Looks like all of the Prairie Women at Erica's haven't had idle hands and have been very

 productive.  Great job, ladies!!

While we're in Indiana....let's mosey over to The Back Door Quilt Shop in Greenwood, IN.

This quilt is called Seneca Falls.....very nicely done!!

These Prairie Women are all showing off their Mrs. Olson's Hatbox tablerunners! 

And this cutie quilt is a wonderful version of  At Mama's Knee.  Love the colors and fabrics, don't you?

I am so proud and touched by the work everyone has done.  Thank you for sharing your Show 'N Tells with all of us.

Remember a few months ago when I told you all about my friend Tara's new book Simply Charming?  I said every quilt in the book was awesome and you'd love it!  Well, it seems that I wasn't the only quilter who thought that....because......Tara's book is among the Top 20 books with a major distributor!!!  Congratulations Tara!!! 

I'm not surprised at all and am so happy for her!  If you haven't picked up a copy yet, you're missing something very good!!!

Happy Stitchin'!  Pam





Stitchin' Away......and a new Contest!!!

You may recall last week Wednesday...during the blizzard... I showed you a photo of some yummy fabrics I was gonna start to play with.  Well.....here's what I've been up to.

Isn't this a cute block?  Simple, fun and fast but cute as can be.  I love the combo of fabrics.  The assorted shirtings, the bubblegum pinks, reds, blacks and blues.  Makes my quilty heart sing.  Perhaps I'm easily amused.....I don't know...but why question it? 

I thought the red and blue blocks would make a mighty fine patriotic quilt, too!  What do you think?  This quilt is for a special event I'm participating in over the summer....July I think.  So, I won't be able to show you the whole quilt when it's done....not just yet anyway, but I plan on making extra blocks to make a small bonus quilt.  And, when that one is finished, I will definitely post photos and instructions for you...in case you'd like to make one for yourself.

I have to set this project aside until next week.  Tonight (Wed), I'll be visiting the Pieces 'N Patches Quilt Guild in Steger, IL....so if you're in the area, please stop on by!  We'll be at the Steger Community Center.

Then...I'll be getting ready for Saturday when I will resume teaching my Prairie Women's Sewing Circle club ~ both Journey 1 and Journey 2 ~ at The Quilt Merchant in Winfield, IL.  I can hardly wait!  I love, love, love teaching, especially the PWSC club because it combines my favorite pastimes ~ American life in the 1800's and Make-Do quilts.  It's wonderful being with all of the ladies whom love the same things.  We're kindred spirits and we have the best time....great discussions, spectacular show-n-tell with lots of laughter.  You know....there's always room for one more and you're welcome to join the fun!

This has been one of the snowiest and coldest winters on record here in the Chicago area.  Not a problem for us quilters as we have loads of cozy quilts to snuggle under.  My grandma was an avid crocheter and I have several wonderful afghans that she made for me.  Not long ago, I found this adorable afghan from Moda Home and had to buy it.  Well...I actually bought two....one for me and one to give away!  If you'd like to win this afghan, please leave me a comment and tell me what the weather is like right now where you live, what's your favorite season, and do you quilt all year long or does the weather make it uncomfortable to quilt?

Leave your comment before midnight on Saturday, Feb 12th and I'll announce the winner on Sunday.  Enjoy your day!

Pam

P.S.....just wanted to encourage you all to participate in the contest no matter where in the world you live!  The contest is open to everyone...no worries!



Time for more Show-N-Tell

Hi everyone!  I have more photos to share with you of Prairie Women who are attending the club meetings at shops in Indiana and Minnesota.

First, let's visit the Shades of the Past Quilt Shop located in Clara City, MN.   

The morning group of Prairie Women are busy working on their Yo-yos as they journey to the past listening and talking about life in the nineteenth century.  Looks like they're enjoying some goodies, too!

Their first show-n-tell is of the third quilt in Journey 1 called At Mama's Knee. 



At Mama's Knee ~ Antique quilt



This quilt was inspired by the antique quilt that I own, pictured above.  I chose to replicate it exactly as it is because I thought it was so sweet and perfect the way it was made so long ago.  While I don't know for certain, I'd like to think that it was made by a child, or was someone's first quilt.  Isn't it charming?

It's also a perfect example of a Make-Do quilt.  In a Make-Do quilt, we always look for a theme.  In this case, the theme is of a quilt made with shirtings and Four Patches of pink and dark blue.  The Make-do blocks are the two blocks where light blue was substituted for the pink. 

At Mama's Knee ~ PWSC Journey 1

Here's my version using today's fabrics.

As a designer, it's wonderful to see quilters make a quilt just as I designed it...it really is.  It's also fun to see the same pattern made with completely different fabrics. 

Here is Betty's version of At Mama's Knee

Here is Cindy with her version

And...Phyllis with her quilt.

I really like them all!

This is Susan.  The quilt she is holding is a smaller version of Heartland Crossing which is the second quilt in Journey 1. Ladies....you all did a great job!

Let's shop hop over to The Back Door Quilt Shop in Greenwood, IN

There are two large groups of Prairie Women who meet at The Back Door Quilt Shop and many more who participate by mail.  The staff keeps them well informed with an email and photos of the club meetings.  Another lovely verision of At Mama's Knee!

These ladies are showing off the first quilt in Journey 1 called Leap of Faith.  I'm loving how each quilt is just a bit different and how they made the quilt their own - their way!

What an awesome collection of Heartland Crossing quilts.  The quilt on the left was made just as I made mine.  The quilt in the center is a bright and playful version!  Love the scrappy border on the quilt at the right.  Kudos to everyone! 

Hope you enjoyed it, too!