Hartwell stars (stars in a time warp #2) finished!

At long last I finished my second Stars in a Time Warp quilt, from the many stars sewn along with Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilts blog in 2015.  It was a great series and got me deep into my stash,





and into my local quilt store, The Quilted Crow, for fat quarters most weeks.







This is the first time I've ever sent out a quilt to a long arm quilter, and I couldn't be more pleased with the custom quilting Hannah did!

While piecing it into rows, I reflected on the long history of our house, the Russell-Hartwell farmhouse.

Built before the Revolution, it stayed in the Hartwell family until the 1960's and after that, only three owners before us.  We are just the next stewards in the line.  Sometimes when I step outside at night and can see the stars, I think, so much has changed all around us since the house was built in the 1740's, and who knows the countless episodes of sunshine and shadow the house has held -- but there it is -- the night sky - the constant - the same stars and moon people have watched forever.

So, I named it Hartwell Stars.  Not sure how long the quilt will live in the house (we have it up for sale) but... it took two years to make and will always remind me of home.










My first Stars in a Time Warp quilt is this one.  I think I'm all starred out for now, but probably not for long!



x
Cynthia

Sewing spaces

We're just winding down our February vacation, during which time I've had some good long stretches in the sewing room.

I snapped some pics in the good lighting yesterday - without cleaning up or "staging" anything (now I wish I had!), although I had just swiffered the floor!  Most of the furniture is from good ol' Ikea.

I feel very fortunate to have such a well lit and spacious sewing room.  It used to be Tommy's bedroom and has the best natural light in the house.  He upgraded to his sister's bedroom when she left home, and so I graduated from the attic, to this room.  I haven't always had a sewing room, and I probably won't always have one, but I sure am enjoying it while I can!

On the design wall (merely a piece of batting tacked to the wall), I have arranged one quadrant of my second "stars in a time warp" quilt - I'm calling it Hartwell Stars.  Here is the plan:

Too big to lay out all at once, so I am arranging it in four sections.

The closet was once a hallway, and the wall paper in there (what's left of it) dates probably from the 1880's.

For basting quilts, I head downstairs to the dining room.  I love my dining room table - nicks and marks from countless quilts basted - So many family meals around this table, and projects of all kinds.  It has withstood hard use.  Can you tell I'm feeling wistful, approaching the last months before we become empty nesters?

Where else does quilting take place around here?  When I am hand quilting or stitching sashiko, this is usually where I am, watching TV (Netflix, Hulu) with David in the evenings. 

 I love using my Mom's old Shaker box (actually, round Colonial style, single point - not the typical oval Shaker style) to hold my handwork essentials.  Like the dining room table, it is developing a nice patina from years of use.  Wabi sabi. 

A sewing room full of stuff is nice, but, here is (almost) all one really needs!!! 

  Thanks Wendy at The Constant Quilter for the nudge to post some sewing space pics!

(Scrappy) Stars in a Time Warp finished

I finished machine quilting the first of my two "stars in a time warp" quilts.

I used my usual monofilament in the needle, cotton in the bobbin.  Walking foot for the stars and the inner border; free motion (very free) the wild border.  Just don't look too closely.  The aim was to get - it - done.

Raw edge - for some good fraying as the quilt is used and washed.

My labels are usually this quick and simple - and done.

Colors are more true here:

It washed up well and I'm happy to start using it!  Now to start putting together the second quilt!!

Meanwhile Barbara Brackman has started another excellent series - this time a "Westering Women" block of the month - with lessons about the Westward Migration.  YES I am going to add this to my repertoire this year.... even as I feel I'm on the teetering edge of TOO many projects.  Click here for an introduction.  Barbara just posted the first block today - here.

Hope all is well with my blogging buddies everywhere.  We just missed the big snow storm here, and in fact it is so warm now that most of the snow has melted and we are in for some mild days ahead - winter surely isn't over, but we can pretend!

xo
Cynthia

Stars in a Time Warp #1 TOP finished! (almost)

On Thursday night I finished this top!  Almost.... (I am going to add some sashiko circles around the "flower" circles - but the piecing is done)

It had languished for about a month, just waiting for the last border... leaves cut out freehand and machine blanket stitched... deliberately "off" because I do love the eventual frayed look in something casual like this.

 Another early morning "90 seconds, I promise!" photo with Tommy and friend Hansen doing the honors...

I really can't name this anything other than "Stars in a Time Warp #1" because that's what I've called it all along.

Thank you Barbara Brackman for a year of amazing educational and witty posts - it's been a treat!!  Barbara's blog Civil War Quilts is excellent in every way and she is so generous to share so much deep knowledge.

I am still making stars for SIATW#2 ....

I have slacked off somewhat on the homework of really matching up the stars with Barbara's weekly themes.... but I keep making stars out of this messy stash.... with a simple plan in mind.

Meanwhile..... HOW many "pre" Thanksgiving grocery runs have I made??... I am feeling just about ready but it seems every day there is more to get and more to do.  I made and froze pie crusts and somehow once that is done, I feel I can handle anything, ha ha!   Pretty soon the house will be filled with company.  Today, the first wave arrives with my Uncle Frank all the way from Ireland - can't wait!

Time Warp borders...

Beautiful sunny crisp autumn day... worked a little this afternoon on the Stars in a Time Warp #1 borders...  I'm a little worried that the scale of the vines/leaves is too big and loose for the density of the stars... any thoughts?

 I cut the leaves and "flowers" freehand, straight from the fabric - so fun - I mean, really fun!  Like being a kid again cutting shapes out of construction paper.

Simple machine blanket stitch, sewn "off" to allow for fraying - I really like that texture!

I had trouble with the vines puckering on the inside curves... but not so much trouble that I feel like redoing them.  My philosophy is that these imperfections get "quilted out" ... or perhaps I will add a few more "flowers"... we'll see... it's a process...

Every time I turn around, there's Molly.  She likes to stay involved;).

Made the cornerstones - just using extra 2" squares from star construction -

And now... reluctantly... I am off to the grocery store (ugh)... as the people do need to be fed!!  What's for dinner tonight in your neck of the woods?

stars update

September already.....

I have put together the bulk of the Stars #1 quilt... couldn't be more pleased!  Scrappy!  I ended up deciding against trying to grow this quilt to queen-size, but I did add a tenth row to the bottom, to add a bit more length.  With borders it will be large throw/ twin sized.

Border auditions...

I think I'm going to applique some vines and leaves etc. on the borders....

maybe...  this is usually how my quilt plans go: (ha ha)

I did decide on cornerstones:

Still many weeks to go on Barbara Brackman's Stars in a Time Warp quiltalong.  I need to crank out about 4 stars per week if I hope to have enough stars for a second Time Warp quilt. 

Meanwhile in handwork news, I'm on to quilting the border of the Flags of the American Revolution quilt... the end is in sight although borders always seem to take forever. It's my TV-time project.  I love getting in the "zone" of hand quilting...

And meanwhile Tommy has started Senior Year.  Here he is the morning of his LAST FIRST day of school (well, until college, but he won't be stepping out of my kitchen and driving 5 minutes down the road at that point)....

Today, I was up very early to take David to the airport.  He turns 50 this week and is spending several days in Utah fishing with his Dad and brother.

Meanwhile I have chores today but when they are finished, it's quilting time!