Quilt inventory for Janette

My sister in law Janette in NC asked me to inventory her quilts - here ya go, sis. 

1.  Quilts made by "Two" - Una Fisher Brown - our great grandmother - in West Virginia.  

One of Two's sisters also quilted, and they would collaborate.  Two would piece the quilts, and both of them would work on the quilting.  

Nine patch made by Two in the 1960's.  Hand pieced and quilted.  A real treasure!  This is the quilt that inspired me to make my very first baby quilt for Noelle in 1992.  This might also the quilt that, famously, Janis used as a beach blanket without Mary Lou's approval:).  (Or, the beach quilt might have been an old four patch, current whereabouts unknown).

Broken dishes, made by Two in the 1960's.  A set of two twin quilts.  For years, Janis kept these two quilts on the twin beds in her upstairs guest room in Gaithersburg.  Janis was not a quilter but she loved quilts! 

I don't know the origin of this beautiful Basket quilt.  Two or one of her sisters might have made it, or it might have been one of Grandma Mary Lou's "rescues":

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2.  Grandma Mary Lou's quilts, Denver CO.

This was given to Grandma Mary Lou, maker unknown.  It is an excellent Sunbonnet Sue in perfect condition.  Hand appliqued, with embroidered details, and hand quilted.  Grandma considered it one of the best quilts she owned.

This is the first quilt Grandma Mary Lou made.  In 1976 with the Bicentennial there was a renewed interest in traditional crafts in America, including quilting.

This Patriotic quilt was hand quilted (and I believe machine pieced?).   It was made for grandson David Poth who would have been about 9 years old.

Needs more repair:

Shades of the nine year old today;).  

Fence Rail by Mary Lou.  In the early 80's grandma learned how to machine quilt - 

This quilt was made for Janis.  If my memory serves right, Janis requested these colors, maybe helped pick out the fabrics?  I remember it hanging over the railing up in the bedroom hallway in Gaithersburg.

Bow tie made by Mary Lou - I think - not 100% sure.

Also by Mary Lou, but I don't know details: 

Irish Chain by Mary Lou, 1992, machine pieced and quilted, for David and Janette 

Thank you for labeling your quilt Grandma! 

Store bought quilt made from ski hats - Colorado - Grandma gave us each one: 

Four patch on point, the sweetest baby quilt, made by Mary Lou,  machine pieced and quilted, given to Janette when Megan was born, 1993: 

A "rescued" crazy quilt from Grandma Mary Lou: 

There are other quilts made by Two and Grandma Mary Lou, with Uncle Frank (Mary Lou's son), me, cousin Kathy, etc.  

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3.  Quilts by yours truly, Cynthia, MA, Japan - all machine pieced and quilted: 

Square in a square, "tattered" quilt -  (I've made 100 of these it feels like) for Janette, around 2013.  One of my favorite quilts to make.  

Sawtooth Star for Megan: 

Butterfly quilt for Alyssa, 2000, made in memory of Grandma Janis: 

Alyssa survived childhood cancer.  I made this for her in 2003 while she was undergoing treatment.   I included something to represent each person/pet in her family:

And now she's a college student and my quilting buddy!  I feel so blessed to have a niece who quilts!  The next generation of quilters.  Look at this quilt she made Janette, her Mom:

Quilters (so far) circled... and surrounded by quilt lovers. 

xo
Cynthia

the essentials

I'm all but finished with my "optional, extra" quilting of the Wandering Way, or Winding Ways.

Grandma Mary Lou loved it:



My Mom loved it and so do I.  It is the one quilt I brought in my luggage and I'm so glad I did.   It has felt like an ESSENTIAL these past three months.

Not perfect.  Soft and functional.  Pure comfort and will only age into more beauty.  So, I count it as wabi sabi.

This shows its true color:

I love my simple needle book from the V&A:

And my little pouch from Gotemba, Japan.  There is something so nice, paring down to really just these few essential tools for hand quilting.

Hazy Tokyo days -

And rainy season has begun -

Fun times recently with dear friends in town for just a couple days ... friendship = essential!

The Shrine in our old neighborhood, Azabu-Juban:

The requisite sushi, and I even liked it:

Who can't use a little gelato at the end of a long Tokyo day?

And one last essential - a HOME.  We have found a permanent apartment, in this building not far from our temporary place, and we will move in first week in July.  Hurray!  So ready to be out of suitcases!

x
Cynthia