Sunday, June 17, 2012

 OK, I was just bemoaning being stuck and guess what, I now have several things cooking.  This is a start of a new improv, wonky quilt.  This may not be how it ends up, but it looks good for now. I made long strips by laying a print on top of a solid and just cutting freestyle and sewing. So which is print on solid and which is solid on print? I don't know either, but they were fun to make. Don't know how many I will make before I have enough for a quilt, but enough will let me know.

 This a a block I designed. As far as I can tell it hasn't been done before.  I love the background, but my idea of using dark blue is not working.  Have tried a couple with brown prints and it is much better. Don't know where it is headed either.

 These are inspired by a block in a book called "East Quilts West"(no longer in print). She had the quarter circles lined up in the same direction, but I don't think so.  Plan to make lots and play with sets.

I was so enamored by these blocks by OCS (designed in the 30's)  There is a series called Bowl of Flowers.  I decided to make one first to see how they looked.  I was disappointed. To be they look too stiff and stark.  Now I am not sure that I will make more.  Maybe it needs leaves?  Well, looking at the picture, I am softening.  These are pretty complex piecing and I don't to invest the time and then hate them.  They are very Art Deco.

Finally I got caught up on all the gardening that didn't get done last year, but no new projects. Summer seems to be really starting....several days in the 90's.  So just going out to water plants is about all that can get done. Oh, and deadheading and some weeding and.....

This week at the MSU Museum we had a visit from Merikay Waldvogel.  She is a well known quilt historian.  For me it was a thrill...much of her research is on the 30's and 40's...my favorite.

Currently at the Museum I am working with home-based publications from mostly the 60's and 70's.
Interestingly there was a group of dedicated quilt block pattern collectors. They formed round robins which was a method of exchanging patterns they had found and hopefully the source of the pattern.
Some of them became friends thru the mail. It made me think of today. Blogs have given us an opportunity to share our quilting with others and make some from friends along the way.  However, the round robin ladies saved much of their correspondence and I wonder how much of cyberspace communication will be saved for the future.  Will historians look back and wonder what we did and what we talked about?

5 comments:

  1. Great new block designs! I love the way you're always pushing yourself to achieve something original.

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  2. Looks like you are having a great time experimenting!
    I think the written word has changed forever, it's sad isn't it? So much of history was recorded in letters sent between friends, lovers and families.

    Happy Sewing

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  3. Hey whatcha been doing all summer.........nearly Fall Bonnie!

    Happy sewing

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  4. Blogging is the new poetry. I find it wonderful and amazing in many ways.

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