Twelve Quilts of Christmas 2016 – #1

Organizing my quilting books this summer I reacquainted myself with my copy of Quilts, Their Story and How to Make Them, by Marie D. Webster.  My grandmother picked it up for me at a garage sale when I was in my early 20’s.  Having already been quilting for a number of years at that point, this was my first “quilt history” book and I devoured it the weekend I received it!  Oh how those quilts spoke to me.  Picking up the book this summer, I noticed a bookmark, tattered on the top edge from many years of being in place while the book was moved from home to home.  Opening it at that spot, I sighed and my heart still leapt when I saw this quilt and I thought to myself “… yes, this year will be flowers.”

I hope you will join me everyday from now until the 25th for a celebration of “flower” quilts.  Enjoy!

 

 

Her dynamic arrangement draws me in, my eyes dancing from the flowers to the leaves and the delightful secondary patterns that are formed.  The delicate floral border is anchored by the narrow double purple outer borders.  It is absolutely divine in it’s “three” colour simplicity.  Thank you so much Marie!  I love it!

 

And thank you for joining me again this year.  It is so great to have you along on this celebration.  Be sure to share my blog with your friends and invite them to join us too!

 

Cheers

Mary Elizabeth

 

And The Three Lucky Winners Are …

Okay … you are going to have to wait a second, because I get my platform here to say the most enormous thank you for the incredible response and comments and kind, kind words you all shared with me.  I am totally. blown. away!

 

I was trying to respond to each comment personally, but when they started flowing in during the last two days and reached over 700, I just couldn’t respond to them all, but please know that I read each and every one!

 

So now, drumroll please ….

 

 

The lucky winners are:

 

 

I will be in touch ladies.

 

And to everyone, thank you again so very, very much for your support!

 

Happy Stitching

Mary Elizabeth

 

Giveaway & A Little More Modern Country!

When I was developing the line, I had a really clear vision in my head of where I could imagine a Modern Country quilt being used and just what a modern farmhouse might look like. One of the things I did was to “mine” images I had here at home and on Pinterest and create a storyboard for myself. My Pinterest story board you can find here.

 

 

 

This is my story board (on the left).  Windham liked it so much that we created one for the cover of the swatch book that goes out with salesmen (on the right).

 

 

 

 

I had a blast making the quilts.  You have, of course, already met this quilt … Springtime.

 

 

There were four other quilts created for the line!

 

With a plethora of half-square triangles that spin with unbridled enthusiasm, “Triangle Twist” is energetic and lively! I love the movement and asymmetry of this design. Look closely and you’ll see smaller triangles amid the masses for a little piecing fun! You can find the pattern here.

 

 

 

I found this photo years ago in a home decorating magazine

 

 

 

 

 

That folded black and white antique quilt crowning the stack captured both my eye and my curiosity. I loved the graphic presentation of those dark small squares and larger squares on point. Paper and pencil in hand, I began working out what the block construction might be and was laughing before I was done.

 

 While not obvious at first glance, the popular churn dash block is the heart of this quilt. The monochromatic colour scheme is what gives this block arrangement its bold look. Here is the quilt I created.  When you look at it, what do you see first? The churn dash block or those graphic squares? That’s why I called the quilt … Now You See It, Now You Don’t! You can find the pattern here.

 

 

 

I later found out that the original antique quilt is for sale here at Laura Fisher Antique Quilts.

 

(Three Squared) Squared is the perfect picnic quilt! I was incredibly fortunate to have the amazing Elisa Sims Albury, of the blog and Instagram account Stitch Outside The Ditch lend her talents in creating a quilt for the line. Elisa’s lively mix of creativity and logic, rhythm and random, creates this wonderfully energetic, yet soothing, design. My eyes naturally seek out and settle on the smaller nine patch blocks with their wee sashing and their incredible cuteness. Be still my heart! You can find the pattern here.

 

 

 

 

Sidebar is the final quilt that was created for the line and included in the “lookbook” (which you can find here on Windham’s website). Using a “responsive conversational” approach, I created this improvisational quilt from my intuitive side. This quilt is a class project where I guide students as they explore their creative potential and delve into the improvisational process. They learn about playing with colour, scale, proportion and balance. I would love to come to your guild or shop and teach this fun and free- spirited class.

 

 

 

 

The lookbook also includes two garments I designed for the line: the Margaux Tunic and the Madeline Smock. Is Miss K not the cutest thing in her Madeline Smock? Her mom is modeling the Margaux Tunic.

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much for joining me and indulging me in celebrating!

 

Giveaway closes midnight March 19^th EST. Three lucky winners will each win a fat quarter bundle of Modern Country.  Click HERE to leave a comment about your favourite colour OR enter below by leaving a comment about which of the quilts is your favourite.

 

I will be quiet on Instagram tomorrow, Friday, as I observe the #boycottinstagramalgorithms and participate in the #silentsewin.  I’ll be back on Sunday though, to let you know who has won!

 

Thanks for visiting

 

and

 

Happy Stitching!

This is Modern Country!

   

I am so excited to be “officially” sharing my first fabric line with you!

 

Modern Country is a fresh presentation of reproduction fabrics, with prints and colours firmly rooted in the last quarter of the 19th C.  It includes wonderful spring blues and spring greens, cheddar (one of my favourite colours), lively pinks and a rich dark charcoal-brown.  I wanted to provide reproduction colours that are often hard to find (you repro lovers know the ones I mean … they are the ones missing from our stashes!) and I wanted it to be a palette that will also appeal to the modern quilter.

       

I was inspired by the modern farmhouse …. fresh white washed walls and a big comfy chair to curl up in with a quilt, a pitcher of daisies on a sunsoaked table beside you and the curtain rustling as the breeze drifts across a field of flowers through the open window.

 

“Springtime” is the embodiment of everything Modern Country is about. Using the softer colours in the line, I think this quilt would look smashing on a little girls bed. You can find the free pattern here on the Windham Fabrics website.

 

To celebrate Modern Country, I am having a giveaway. Three lucky people will each win a fat quarter bundle of all 31 fabrics! Giveaway closes midnight EST on March 19 … National Quilting Day.

     

To enter, leave a comment below and tell me which colour from the line is your favourite.

 

Can’t wait to see if you win one of the fat quarter packs …

you can find the fabrics online at

Pink Castle Fabrics

or

The Fat Quarter Shop

• Update April 3. Julie Kovach just let me k is that you can still find a complete fat quarter bundle at The Quilted Castle.  Thank you Julie!

And thank you to everyone for your kind words of support as I enter back into things.

It means the world to me!

 

Mary Elizabeth