Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Changing of the Quilts

Every spring and fall, I have my version of England's Changing of the Guard - The Changing of the Quilts. I love quilts - have for years. When I first learned how to make a quilt, everything had to be by hand - cut out templates from cardboard and everything hand stitched. After my first class, I ran like H-E-double hockey sticks as far as I could get. Don't like that hand stitching. I figured that I would be buying whatever quilts I wanted from that point on because it was just too much work no matter how much I loved the things. A few years went by, and then inventions to make quilting easier appeared on the scene. I went into it full throttle.


This was last year's fall quilt. It's made from Thimbleberries fabrics, for those who are in the know about fabrics.


This isn't the greatest picture, but it was the plaid fabric that originally caught my attention and the floral fabric in the center of the basket . I had to make something out of those fabrics! There is a great store in Minnesota that carries the whole line of Thimbleberries fabrics so it was just a matter of waiting for the postman to deliver the goods (that poor postman - the hairs on his body probably stand on end when he gets near my house)!




This is my Spring quilt and also my favorite. There is a story behind this quilt. I saw it, with these fabrics, in McCalls Quilting. I HAD to have it!!! I was like a raving manic. I had to have those fabrics!!! I'm sure, you as stitchers understand that feeling that if you don't get your grubby hands on it, you will split into a million pieces. Well, that's what happened to me. So I made one of my famous road trips - two hours west to a quilt store I knew (or hoped would have the fabric). They had most of what I needed, but not all. But I felt I did good, but still had to have the remaining fabrics. So another trip was made to another quilt store in the area - this one an hour north! YA HOO! They had the fabric. I was good to go. But what I didn't know about this store when I drove up (as I'd never been there before) was that it was a quilter's mecca - 11,000 bolts of not only the latest and greatest fabrics, but rows and rows of those fabrics that you might just need a little piece of for another quilt that you ran out of the fabric for. All color coordinated in rows as far as the eye could see. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. When I walked in the door, I must have made some kind of weird gurgling noise (and probably was foaming at the mouth a little) because one of the women who worked there asked if I was okay and if I needed a glass of water. That's how overwhelmed I was. I will not even mention how much money I spent that day! I didn't need a glass of water when I walked into that store, what I really needed was to be married to JD Rockefeller for all the damage I could see myself doing in that place. I tried to restrain myself, but suffice it to say that DH was not pleased! LOL He did get over it though - after a while.


These quilts are all on display in the guest room. This is my santuary where I can do pretty much what I want (and also run to when DH snores like a gale force wind). My Shepherd's Bush samplers (or most of them are in this room too - DD ran off with a couple of them). But I'll save those for another day. You can probably make out part of a couple of them over the bed in the picture above:


The Earth Gatherers - Not the greatest picture - but one of my favorites. Also one that I broke down and ordered the Jill Rensel mats for this one.



Harvest Moon - I love the moon's cheeks!

Stitching wise I've gotten some done on my Shores Block 2 and I'm hoping to have that done by the end of the week! Have a great week everyone!

23 comments:

Diane (di) said...

Ha... changing of the quilts. Love it! They are absolutely stunning Deb. Didn't you have your quilts hanging in a quilt store in Michigan? Those SBs are gorgeous and I love that Jill Rensel mat. It is perfect for it. Everything is simply beautiful!!

Patricia Lessell said...

I love SB with a total vengeance. And your quilts are just gorgeous. I meant to ask you where abouts in Michigan you are because my ds spent 7 summers there at Camp Tamarack and had a whale of a time. In fact he is still very friendly with one of the owners and she and her husband came over for his wedding a couple of years ago. DS and DDIL (that's darling daughter-in-law) are now expecting their first child and if you look on my blog you can see a photo of it at 20 weeks. We are all so excited to be getting another grandchild. Nope this is not talking about your stitching sorry. Lots of Love Patti xxx (who's DH says she is much too old to be called Patti anymore)

Loraine said...

Funny! Love the idea of changing of the quilts! Your quilts are lovely! Great job!

I totally understand the "damage" done in a quilt store. With fabric at $10.50 a yard, it really adds up fast. I started quilting when I didn't want to spend $200.00 on framing a cross-stitch piece. Now I spend that much on having my quilts quilted, because I do not like doing it by hand! LOL! I can't imagine why stitching is so much more enjoyable that quilting by hand!
We should work on Blackbirds "Home Sweet Home" together. I got the applique traced on freezer paper, and got them cut out, but that took waaay longer than I thought it would.
If I do a little at a time, I'll eventually get it done, right?
Nice Shepherd's Bush samplers. I love their designs. Their store is only 25 mins from my house. If you are ever in Utah we should go there together!
Have a great day!

doris said...

LOL ... I can just picture you in that quilt store! Shepherd's Bush, the actual store, makes me feel the same way.

We are quilt-lovers here also. Until my grandma died, we had a deal. For every two I pieced for her, she'd quilt one for me ... by hand. We did some damage. Maybe when I retire, I'll get back to it.

Jennifer Ann Fox said...

Love, love the quilts here, Deb!
I can relate to that changing with the seasons. My hubbie and I went up to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee in January and had an experience in a stumbled-upon quilt shop similar to you. I had to have this quilt for my bed and I'm enjoying it alot. Its my Springy one now. I wish I could quilt but have notat tried that yet. I can see how buying fat quarters are a little addictive though for my stitching pieces..........

Jennifer Dalenberg
http://www.feathersinthenest.blogspot.com

Natasha said...

Your quilts are beautiful....That is one of my lifetime goals, to make myself a quilt. Though for now I will start with a samll wallhanging. My dad has a few quilts my grandmother made that he is one day going to pass down to me. I would love to save them they are so beautiful.
Thanks for sharing
Natasha

Laurie in Iowa said...

Your quilts are beautiful! I'm in the process of doing the same thing in my home... changing the bed, lap and wall quilts... replacing the winter ones with my spring quilts.

Between my passion for quilting and my obsession with stitching my CCs are always in danger of smokin'.

Siobhán said...

Oh wow wow wow. Absolutely gorgeous, Deb, each one of those beautiful quilts! Love your SBs, too. Now you have me hungry to see more of your decorating and other SBs & quilts, so aim that camera around and share some pics! :D

Margaret said...

Gorgeous quilts, Deb! Do you hand or machine quilt? Do you do the quilting yourself or send them out to be done? I'm always curious! lol!

Anonymous said...

Your quilts are gorgeous Deb - I particularly like the Spring one with those pretty colours!

Your SB finishes are beautiful too :)

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

I just did the "changing of the quilts" in my house too ;)
And I do love your Earth Gatherer...oh my...just Loverly!

~Kristie said...

Love the photos! I'm always on the lookout for shops that still carry fabrics from lines that were discontinued long ago. Care to share your sources? I'm a total Thimbleberries fanatic that loves to match the patterns exactly ;)

MyLifesAStitch said...

Oh, Deb!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE your spring quilt!!! Simply Gorgeous! Thanks so much for your kind comment re: Mrs. Abbott! & my music selection. :) I think I may be a bona fide Carriage House fanatic after this - I've enjoyed checking out your progress w/ Shores. Beautiful pattern! Hey, here's a coincidence! My mom lives near Rochester Hills... she's up just a little outside Leonard. You'll have to tell me where that quilt shop was so I can go "drop a wad" next time I go visit my mom. Thanks again! :)

MyLifesAStitch said...

Me again. :) You know, I'm medicated pretty heavily at the moment, and I think it's affecting my brain... I would have sworn I saw a progress pic on your blog of the mermaid block in "Shores"... guess I'm imagining things, LOL!! :) Anyway, are there any great stitchy shops in your area? Rochester, Troy, Romeo, Oxford... Lapeer even?

Bine said...

The quilts are gorgeous and I can see why you had to drive no matter how far to get the necessary fabrics. :)
The Shepherds Bush samplers are lovely, too.

Glenna said...

How absolutely breathtaking, especially--my fave--the spring quilt. I can do the stitcheries, but the quilt? Nah! And how wonderful to find the quilt mecca. In fact, I think I'll pack my stuff, stay in your pretty room and join you on a shopping expedition. Heck, I'll even drive so that we can bring back all kinds of stuff! WOW!

BeckySC said...

Hi Deb :)
Thanks for visiting my blog :) I appreciate it so much :)
I LOVE both your quilts. I have a place in my heart for quilts :) Yours are gorgeous!
AND...look at those wonderful SB's :)

Jane said...

Hi Deb! Thanks for dropping by my blog and your wonderful comments. I love receiving them! :)

Trust me to comment about your SB finishes. I couldn't help not pass them by. I love EG and I don't blame you for getting the mats for it. They compliment the design so much. It looks so beautiful framed. Of course HM looks terrific too! I've done this myself and turned it into a bell pull. Really enjoyed stitching it. Take care!!

dany said...

Merveilleux !!!!

Brigitte said...

Now this is a wonderful idea to chnage the quilts according to the season. Your quits are terrific and I'd like to know such a quilt store myself but I don't. Nothing like that around here.
Your SB pieces are gorgeous. Ilove SB designs and I'm stitching on one at the moment.

Heidi said...

I too love changing my quilts. I change them for holidays or seasons. I think it makes you see them as new once again. Do you change your framed stitching too?

Thanks for your comments on my blog Deb!

Hugs ~
Heidi

Clarélis said...

Hello, Deb!
These quilts are so beautiful! I do love the spring quilt!
Many kisses from France!
Clarélis

Karen said...

Deb, I followed your comment about a March posting showing your quilts. I very much like both quilts on the bed. Shame on me. Quilter that I am, I don't have a quilt on either of our beds. I used to have king size quilts but no longer do. I like to display quilts around the house. I need to get a king size one done for the bed.