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

Basket Study Quilt - Ethel's Treasure Baskets

Ta-da!  I can finally share my basket study quilt.   I participated in the AQSG (American Quilt Study Group) Study Quilt project this year.  The theme was Basket Quilts, and fifty quilters each chose an antique quilt (from a museum, or collection, or wherever) to study and reproduce/represent as a small wall hanging.   The quilts were displayed at the annual seminar in Tempe this past weekend.  I am new to AQSG and have never been to a seminar, but next year it is local!

Anyway, for the study, I went straight for the collections at the NEQM (New England Quilt Museum) and chose to study this 19th century scrappy "Baskets and 1000's of Triangle" (maker unknown).  I just loved the scrappiness of it! Pink and brown overall but not matchy matchy - plenty of interest.




I sat with the quilt for a long time, taking notes and photos.



This one roque blue block intrigued me and I knew right away I would use one of David's old shirts to represent the blue:



The only clue to provenance was this label:



Somehow or another, this quilt must have been treasured by Ethel.  So I called my study quilt "Ethel's Treasure Baskets."

I gathered fabric and searched high and low for a good sashing fabric to represent (if not replicate) the original.  Finally had to call good enough good enough, just dig in and start.  I drafted a pattern, and decided to applique the bases, to retain the soft angle of the original.







I'm sure there are better ways to piece it but this worked for me:

Trying this and that...






We were each required to write a short essay to accompany our study quilt.  That in and of itself was a fun challenge.  All fifty will be published in a book and what a thrill that will be!   To my surprise, "Ethel's Treasure Baskets" was among the twenty five quilts chosen to go "on tour" - so I won't see it back home for a long while!  I really feel honored.





Next year's "Seminar" is in New Hampshire.  If you are local and have an interest in quilt history, consider joining AQSG and let me know if you do!

xo
Cynthia

Little doll quilt

Here is the little doll quilt I've made for the doll quilt exchange hosted by Lori of Humble Quilts.  (Teri doesn't have a blog so I'm posting/linking here).

It was FUN to make, using scraps from my Stars in a Time Warp quilts.

Snowballed two opposing corners, and sewed the little blocks together into x's and o's.

I machine quilted it with nylon filament thread in the needle - I usually use this to avoid a "thready" look.

Sent it off to Teri in Wisconsin today.  Hope she likes it!  Thanks Lori for hosting and organizing this swap!!!

xo
Cynthia

(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 week 3 - shirtings

It's SHIRTINGS week at the Stars in a Time Warp block of the week on Barbara Brackman's Civil War Quilts blog.

I've been collecting shirtings for so many years - I will use shirtings in almost all of the stars in this block of the week.  It feels great to have a real purpose for these great shirtings.

The blue fabric above is not reproduction - it is indigo I brought back from Japan two years ago - but I love it so much, I use it whenever I can!

These little 6 inch stars are so fun to make!

If you join in, let me know, and if you are on Instagram, post them there #Starsinatimewarp!

Stars in a Time Warp ... on a snowy day

I really enjoy quilt historian Barbara Brackman's blogs - they are so entertaining and educational.  She's doing a "block of the week" this year called Stars in a Time Warp - 6-inch sawtooth stars (aka variable star) each Wednesday featuring a different type of reproduction fabric.   Click here for the introduction if you are interested!

The first week featured Turkey Red:

I really work best with little deadlines, fun "homework" and all the better when there are quilters out there in blogland sewing along!  If you join in, post your blocks on Instagram! (#starsinatimewarp).

Week #2 was Prussian Blue - pretty Prussian blue!  That bright big print is for sure Prussian blue.  I hope the darker print qualifies as an authentic reproduction- it was in my stash.  In the past I haven't paid much attention to "lines" when I shop.

Ahhh it was so fun to work on these today, with our first big snow of the season.

Daisy's first big snow, and Molly, ever playful even at 12 years old:

David and Tommy taking care of snow removal and keeping a fire going... and me cozy in the sewing room getting organized for this block of the week... I will use these shirtings throughout, I think:

A snowy day can't get much better than this!  

xo

Cynthia