Sunday Funday

Recently I have felt the need to finish a few of the many things I have in progress.   It's funny how some items are left for a long time, and they really don't need much work to finish.   So my focus has been on finishing, and I am resisting the impulse to start anything new.

First up, the modern quilt I made for my daughter's college graduation:

Hard to see, but the quilting is a modern curved line design, done by Marlene Hooten.

Then I challenged myself to piece Temecula's little Christmas quilt from 2015, for which I had the kit.   When I looked at it last year, I thought I cannot do that - the blocks finish at 2 1/4".   Now I have a different job, which has changed my outlook and helped me feel more like myself !    So now it was no problem to piece this one:

Today I have layered it ready for quilting - love the binding they chose for the kit.

And lastly,  a peek at two small boutis (petassons) which came to me a couple of months back, but which I have not shown yet.   Both the usual size, one better quality than the other in terms of design and work, but I always do love the simple ones as well.   Humble they may be, but at a great deal of thought and work went into each one of them.

 Corner motif

 Border middle, basket

 Center

This simpler design is edged with broderie anglaise.

 Love the swirl in the corners

Simple central motif.
Both could do with a soak in water, they are clean and perfect but I like to get rid of the storage marks.
My large boutis has been neglected, with the cooler weather I am more willing to work on the stuffing.   it's hard to hold a big piece to stuff the center, and the linen on the back is not helping me.   I love the fabric, but I will not do this again.   I feel I have less definition of design on the back because of it.   We never stop learning !

Hope everyone gets some stitching time today.

Pernes les Fontaines

Just back from a trip to Germany, and couldn't resist a side trip to Provence to visit Lou.    She pointed out to me that the Fete du Patrimoine in Pernes would happen the middle weekend of our trip, so instead of her visiting us to go to Sainte Marie aux Mines, I had the pleasure of visiting her and Pernes.
This festival takes place every 4 years.   The entire village dresses the part, the costumes are from about 150 years ago.   You see dresses, caps, childrens' clothes, mens' workwear and Sunday best, biciycles, motorbikes (2 stroke motors,making lots of noise and smell !), carriages and horses, old cars kept in perfect condition, just about all you could imagine,  Even the shops decorate their windows with items from that time period.

These two were making wonderful baskets.

 The organ grinder

during lunch, there was a break from desmonstrations, and many groups ate together, decorating their tables and using their old dishes the way things used to be.  This man was cooking over an open fire for his group.

Houses are always irresistible to me !

Amazing carved doorway.  

 There was a gentlemen who rode around in costume on one of these - being English, I would call it a "Penny Farthing".

There was a group of ladies demonstrating boutis, in the middle of the square in the open air.   We were lucky to have a fabulous, dry sunny late summer day.

An important visit of our day was to visit the costume museum in Pernes.   Unfortunately, photos were not permitted.  The association supports a "Drapier" as it would have been more than 100 years ago, with courtepointes, fabrics, hats, etc, as well we as a small costume museum.   We were fortunate to listen in as the president of the association was explaining the costumes.   Visit their website here

And this is what I wanted to see - a lady demonstrating "fuseaux" of lavender.    Her method was different from what I had seen before, very beautiful and the perfume was intoxicating.

Of course, since we were also in Germany, here are some of my beloved house and flower pictures.   I never get tired of decorated windows and doors, choices for flowers, Hof (courtyard) decorations.   It was the perfect time, just a few days before the official start of the main wine harvest.   Being in wine country, our daily view was past vineyards full of plump ripe grapes.   After a poor summer, the warm sunny September weather was improving the quality daily, with some reports that the Oechsle degrees (sugar cotnent) were rising several points a day.

This was in Hunspach, beautiful Alsatian village.   I love it because all the houses are beautiful and in good condition, but it is not commercialized, no touristy shops here.

I have not forgotten about stitching, but I have not done much recently.   Updates on that soon !

Sunday Quilting

Recently I have wanted to finish up some projects that have been in slow progress for some time.  

The Country Inn Blackbird applique quilt has come back from the quilter and I put the binding on it this morning.   I am so pleased with how it came out, initially I didn't like it because of the large block size, but quilted it looks so much better.   I like my applique quilts all over quilted because I prefer the appliques to be firmly quilted down.  I have never cared for the "puffy" applique look.

Another project that has been on the shelf for some time was the Country Quilts n Bears Christmas mystery from 2014.    I had ordered the kit even though I couldn't attend the class, so of course it took me a while to get this done !   I like the bright Christmas look, it is fresh and happy.   My kitchen has been grey/aqua for a while, and this year I plan to hang this one up there.

Here it is, ready for quilting.

Otherwise I have been doing some handsewing, which is my favorite anyway.   I am stuffing the large boutis and have neglected it this summer, it is so hot here that it's hard to have heavy items on your lap !  I started a hexie project from a Quiltmania issue, and am enjoying that - making hexies is addictive !

Happy Sunday Sewing !

Country Inn

It has been a LONG time since I worked on this quilt top.   Lou and I did it as a stitch along, but of course she was finished much faster than me !    I got us the same background fabrics and shared some of my reds so we would have a similar quilt, and then we each did our own interpretation.   I have a few days off so was able to put it together finally, and today I will be piecing the back ready for the quilter.  

I left out the many Dresden plates, which I thought were too heavy for the border, and just added the central 4.  I found the pattern design for them too lumpy (so many seams in the middle) so I made them separately, cut out the bulky center and added an applique circle.

Of course Winston had to inspect everything !

Today I am working on getting some other (older) items ready for quilting !

3rd Boutis Salon in Caissargues - France Boutis

Finally back and ready to report on the Salon !    I am sure that you have already seen (and I noticed many pins on Pinterest) of photos from the Salon.    We had a wonderful three full days of boutis, it is such a joy to be around like-minded people, and everyone working to promote the art of boutis, and increase awareness of this wonderful regional heritage.

Many thanks to Annie-Claude and Roger Pantel, who spend countless hours preparing along with many helpers, to put boutis on the world map.   It should be noted that this is all volunteer work.   While there are shops and commercial participants, most of those showing their work do it for the love of boutis.   We share because we want others to enjoy and appreciate it.

That being said, let me share some photos !   There are many reports on Facebook and various blogs, and I have shared what I can on my Facebook page, you can find me there as Heather Harteneck.

Hiromi debuted several new patterns this time, and as always with Hiromi's work, they are delicate, elegant, and perfectly stitched.   I took a  few antique pieces to help decorate our booth, and Lou brought some of her beautiful boutis as well.  We are both working on large pieces (Lous is XXL ha ha !) so hopefully by next time we will show those finished.

 Before the opening ....

 Marie's magnificent boutis

 Marie's tree of life, done in colored thread and exquiste stitching

 France Boutis - the theme this time was the jupon, and there were many magnificent antique and modern pieces on display.   I was very impressed with a gorgeous, perfectly stitched example in white done with grey thread, it is glorious and tells the story of that lady's life.   We stitch all the things that are important to us into our boutis.

 Annie patiently explaining a technique

 The cheerful ladies from Lei Roucas in Pierrefeu

 The well-known and elegant work of Kumiko Nakayama

 Mme Born

 Georgette with her lovely pieces, she has made so much

 Example of jupon

 The wonderful jupon of Chantal ..... beautiful cognac silk and her exquisite designs

 details of Chantal's jupon

My antique piece shown against the light.   It was in the back of our booth and of course did not show to its best as the designs show more clearly with transparency.  

The Provence newspaper Midi Libre was kind enough to come and interview the three of us - and the next day a nice photo and accurate interview was printed.   I was thrilled that our ideas were shared and that I managed to express them in decent enough French that the reporter understood !!!   That pic is on facebook.

A huge highlight for me was the opportunity to meet Mme Andree Gaussen, without whom none of us would have discovered boutis.   She was the first person to revive this art, and for many of us, her book was the first one we ever owned on the subject.   Mme Gaussen, a young lady of 94 with a bright spirit and interest in how boutis has developed since she re-introduced it to us, not only visited the salon one day, but came back again because she did not see everything the first time !   Photos of her visit are on various blogs and facebook.

Many reports on the salon are on blogs and facebook, here are a few - there are many better photos than mine !

Lou
Henriette

Boutis divins
Nini
Marie S
France Boutis

So now it is over until 2018.   Pick up your needs and get stitching so we will have new marvels to admire then !