What's on the line? Old Favorites!

It's been raining a lot these past few days and when it wasn't raining, it was windy so I didn't hang any quilts or pretties "on the line". Instead, I decided to go back through the photos of some of the quilts I've shared and give them an "encore" performance.
I have two blocks that are my favorites..........nine patch is one of them. This vintage youth quilt was an unfinished top made in the 1920's by my great aunt Bell's mother-in-law. I added batting and backing in the early 1970's and it was a favorite "cuddle" quilt when my son, Devlin, was young.

The first quilt I made was a patchwork squares quilt with the squares set "on point". It was for my daughter and while the quilt is still here, it's pretty much in tatters! It was well-loved! That quilt was made in 1970 when we were stationed in Japan. A few years later we were living in New Jersey and there was a nice little shop just a couple blocks from our apartment complex. All of the fabrics in the nine patch blocks were bought at the shop in Dumont, New Jersey in 1973-1974. The border fabric is vintage from the 1940's and was some fabric that my mother-in-law had from the days when her family owned Clayton's Variety Store in Humboldt, Iowa. I probably shouldn't have used the vintage with the new, but, oh, well..........

I've shared this quilt many times but I just love it. My dad bought it at a farm auction in Dayton, Iowa. It is soft and cozy and completely hand-stitched and reversible!

This isn't an old quilt, just a favorite new quilt!  The design is from Dana over at Old Red Barn blog and was one of her "quilt-a-longs".  I had all these lovely pink and green fabrics that I had been collecting and they were just perfect for this quilt. You can't see it in the photo, but I machine quilted this one at a retreat hosted by Heidi Kaisand in Des Moines, Iowa back in March of 2010. My friend, Sue and I went to the retreat so we could get some solid quilting time and quality friend time!  Dawn Cavanaugh, APQS machine quilter and instructor, guided each of the retreat attendees in the quilting of one quilt during the weekend retreat. I came away wishing I could afford a long-arm quilting machine. It's still on my "I wish" list!

Some things that I've hung "on the line" aren't finished items, like this sweet Sunbonnet quilt top. I've been thinking that it might be fun to do a Sunbonnet Sue block exchange. I would need 20 participants that would make 20 blocks, then send them to me. I'd divide them up so that everyone would have one block from each participant. You could make all your 20 blocks alike or slightly different. If you think you'd like to do this, please send me an e-mail titled "Sue Sews" at stitchinglegacy (at) gmail (dot) com. I will send you the block drawing from this quilt and the pattern page. This quilt top was in my mother's things but I don't think she made it. I am pretty sure it is one of those items that my dad bought at a farm auction. I'd like to get this one organized by July 1st.

This lovely Butterfly quilt was made by my Great Aunt Bell and my mother, Mary. I think it would be fun to do a butterly block exchange, too. If you'd like to participate in a Butterfly Block exchange, send me an e-mail titled "Butter Flies" at stitchinglegacy (at) gmail (dot) com. I'm thinking there would be 24 participants and we would exchange enough butterflies to the center and the middle rows. You could make it a small lap quilt or wall-hanging or if you want a large quilt, just applique 32 more butterflies on your own. I'll provide the pattern and details if you are interested in an exchange. I'd like to get this one going by August 1st.

 And then there is this quilt that hangs permanently in our Family room. I designed the blocks and made the quilt for a group of friends that met at our church in Prior Lake, MN. The name of our group was the "Hearthside Quilter's" because there was a large fireplace and hearth in the room where we gathered. Last year, I shared the blocks with the Kindred Kwilter's group in Le Sueur, MN. I have some pictures that I should share of the quilts that friends have made from these blocks.

And because I just love making certain blocks, especially Nine Patch and Churn Dash, I'm sharing the patterns for this quilt at our group here in Henderson, MN. We are the "Sew & Share Quilter's" and we meet at the Henderson Public Library on the 2nd Thursday of each month (no meetings in July or December). To change it up a bit, I decided to do the blocks in Christmas fabrics and I'm sharing all my Christmas fabrics so that my friends can do the same. Pictures of the blocks we've done so far will be coming up in a few days. 

Time now to turn in for the night. Busy day tomorrow and hoping the stormy weather isn't quite so stormy!
Sandi