I’ve been working on a project to be published in Modern Quilts Unlimited in late summer, so there have been no pictures of current sewing lately. However, that is now finished and I’m focusing on several other projects coming right up.
First, I’m going to be teaching a very un-modern quilt at Studio Stitch in Greensboro in May.
Sunbonnet Sue Visits Quilt in a Day
This is an old, old Eleanor Burns version of Sunbonnet Sue but the pattern is still available. It’s the easiest way I know to do perfect applique! And it’s fun to add trinkets, like this fish bead hanging from Overall Sam’s fishing rod:
Also, I’ve signed up for Quiltfest. Luckily, it’s in July when I’ll have some vacation time available again. I’m going to be making a boxy tote with Carrie Licatovich and a star quilt with Renny Jaeger. Then I’m signed up for “shibori resist with indigo dying”, taught by Debbir Maddy. Which reminds me, I haven’t used the fabrics I made in my last dying class… I always enjoy Quiltfest because it’s just the right size: There are well-known teachers, but not a crush of thousands of participants. And of course there are sales at Tennessee Quilts, too! Oops!
Finally, I’ve finished a donation quilt. I’ve gotten far, far behind on my donation quilts, so those will be floating to the top of the to-do list soon. Here’s the first one, finally quilted and bound:
The concentric squares are pieced; the other pieces are a print from Michael Miller
Do you have any fun quilt events coming up?
Zippy Quilts 
Love the quilting on your donation quilt. Those concentric squares are a great way to use up the scraps and put lots of color together with the grey background. I am up to my eyeballs this month in quilt events, between the guild meeting, class, board meeting, 2nd time around, a bus trip to the AQS Show in Lancaster next week, two bee’s (one I hosted last week & one to just go to and enjoy at the end of the month), and another guild meeting, and sewing with the aged ladies at the assisted living facility once a week. Phew…somewhere in between I like to get out to my room over the garage and do a little sewing too. It’s no wonder some projects end up in a box a while!
Oh, the AQS show in Lancaster! I used to go when we lived in PA, and even had a quilt in it once. Enjoy!
Congratulations on your summer publication. The Sunbonnet Sue quilt is so cute.
I like the donation quilt. I want to try concentric squares.
Those concentric squares were harder than they look, at least for me, because of all the little square pieces that had to be joined to produce an exact length. Good practice on exact seam allowance, I guess.
I’m sure it’s difficult. I really have to work on accuracy in seam allowance, so this would be great practice.
I have a pile of 30s fabrics awaiting an idea. Since I lean toward piecing, it probably won’t be Sue/Sam. However, I do like the idea of adding trinkets. Love the mix of feelings in the donation quilt: the orderly squares and the flashing lines.
There are so many good options for 30s fabrics. I have some awaiting a plan as well.
I like the donation quilt! Bright and cheery. I would be glad to get that. 🙂 My “fun” quilt events coming up including persuading guild members to volunteer for the next guild year. UGH honestly the worst part of the year. However, with the right attitude I can just decide it is what it is, and it’s not my problem anymore… ?? Maybe. 🙂
One of my guilds disbanded last year due to lack of participation AND infighting. UGH indeed.
This is my 11th year in the guild and I’ve volunteered more years than not. As far as I know, there isn’t much infighting, other than small disagreements that come up now and then. Nothing that would endanger the guild itself. And so far we still function and fairly well. But the average age of the membership rises, and there is less willingness to volunteer again. After all, most of them have done “their share” except they haven’t, cuz you have to do it AGAIN or no one does it. I’ve noticed this year that a couple of the functions are suffering from the “well, I don’t know how to do that (spreadsheets, or whatever) so I just won’t.” So library inventory doesn’t get done, even when an even simpler solution (a library app) is offered. Stuff like that. Or the secretary who doesn’t actually do minutes… ??? It is frustrating to see. I want to help us save ourselves (help move some functions, or even function descriptions, to a common electronic site, for example) but I can’t do it without more complete involvement from some others. Sorry — more than you needed to know…
Alas, one of my other guilds is steadily shrinking in just the way you describe. Luckily the one remaining modern guild is still strong, and that’s where I put my energy. I wonder if a lot of the traditional guilds around the country are dying in just the same way.
I expect so. I listened to most of a podcast with Jean Wells today. One of the things she talked about was the death of Free Spirit fabrics and how, as a shop owner, they are drowning in possible supply. But older customers are buying less, using stash somewhat more. And younger quilters are using internet purchases more than brick & mortar, but they are not buying enough to replace the drop at the other end of the age spectrum. The demographics are not in the favor of those (shops, or guilds…) that cater to the older quilter.
Congratulations on the upcoming piece to be published in Modern Quilts Unlimited! Sounds like you have been working on a bunch of interesting things! Oh my goodness – I remember sunbonnet sue, that is cool she is making a comeback with some additional embellishments!
Shibori resist with indigo dying sounds awesome!
So next year maybe you cam come to Quiltfest!
That would be awesome😀
I love that donation quilt! I was trying to figure out how you did the string- pieced squares, so I am really glad you said that it was a Michael Miller print. I would have gone crazy trying to figure it out. 😃
I think the print may have been derived from a quilt somebody at MM made, but I’m not sure.
Hi Mary, looking back thru some of your posts and really like the Sunbonnet Sue quilt. Would you please bring your pattern so I can get started on one? I have a layer cake of 30s fabric. I need to get some background fabric but is there anything else I will need? See you Thursday!
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Must have lightweight fusible interfacing, batting, and backing. It’s quilt as you go!