Watermelon Quilt

Recently I took a fast and fun class at Country Quilts in Clearwater to make this picnic quilt.  It was so much fun to get a quilt top done in one day (and I was determined to get it done before I went home !)
Quilted by Marlene at Lucky Sew and Sew.  I really think this is the fastest I have ever made a quilt - started and finished in 2 weeks !  I made it for my daughter Theresa, who loves watermelons.
And as always  a couple of pictures of Amelie, who has to inspect everything which is so tiring :-)

Antique Boutis

I am always hopeful that I will be able to expand my small collection of real, antique boutis, and so it was with great joy that I acquired two more petassons recently.  These are difficult to find and sadly very expensive, so my collection will remain rather small  !
Here are a few photos taken outside this morning.  We have had so many thunderstorms and a lot of rain recently, so this is the first opportunity I had to take some pictures.

Je suis si contente d'avoir pu acheter ces magnifiques petassons.  Je suis passionnee depuis ma decouverte du boutis, et j'espere toujours ajouter a ma collection tres petite.  Les boutis sont en bon etat, bien bourres, et beaux. 

Ich bin sehr gluecklich, dass ich letztens noch zwei kleine alte Boutis habe kaufen koennen.  Leider sind sie extrem teuer, und obwohl ich immer gerne zu meiner kleinen Sammlung beitragen moechte, passiert das eher selten !  Diese sind in gutem Zustand, fest gefuellt und ich finde, sehr schoen.

Lei roucas dou barri - Expo Boutis 2012

The wonderful provencal organization Lei roucas dou barri is planning their next boutis expo 10 and 11 March 2012.  In 2010 we participated in a exchange - a wall of love - exchange of boutis hearts.  It was a lovely and happy thing to do, and I have my exchanged heart hanging on a cupboard key in my living room.
You can look at the hearts we sent then here
This time, the exchange will be for a small pouch or purse. 

If you are interested, here are the rules:

We suggest you create a beautiful project.  Not for a competition, but as pleasure for the eyes starting from the same thread.  This project will be exchanged between boutis stitchers, drawn by lots.  We hope that each creative spirit will enjoying making something unique, and take pleasure in the exchange.

Three requests:  original, personal design (please no reproductions)
                       fabric of your choice
                       All kinds of pouches - round, square, tubular, etc.
Dimensions:     between 10/15 and 20/25 cm (approx 4-6 by 8-10 inches)
Each pouch/purse must have a label stitched to the back with your contact details in block letters
Registration by 1st December 2011

Contact:  leiroucasdoubarri@yahoo.com
http://arts-culture-traditions-provencales.overblog.com/

Grandmother Newton's "Laws O Massey" Quilt

I showed the blocks I was working on previously, and spent this afternoon putting everything together.  I had saved some indigos collected over time, and this was the perfect pattern for them.  I made my quilt bigger than the pattern by adding an extra row of blocks.    The pattern is from Home on the Plains (a Kansas City Star quilt book)

 Amelie helped a lot by throwing everything on the floor regularly !

And I used fabric ONLY from my stash !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1 

Favorite Things Part II

Here are some more photos from our recent trip.  I have always loved this style of house, in particular the palatinate wine village house with the main house, courtyard, and smaller house opposite, with the beautiful sandstone entry.  We have not been in Germany for some years in June, and I was overwhelmed by the profusion of roses everywhere. 
Because of so many commitments, I have not stitched in some time, and my fingers are "itching" to do something again.  I hope to have a little time this weekend.  I have so many projects which are in various stages of completion, and I think I need to prioritize them and just start working down the list.  That way at least some might become complete quilts !

Giveaway results

Sorry for the long delay in posting the giveway results for the 100th post.  I have been away as explained before.

I have two copies of Chintz Applique produced by the International Quilt Study Center, and they will go to:  Nini in France and Lou in France.  Please send me an email with your mailing address.

Favorite Things Part I

For a sad family reason, my husband and I had to travel to Germany  unexpectedly a week or so ago.  We just got back very early this morning, so today I am trying to get organized.  Between family commitments, we managed to spend a day in Alsace, a region I have visited many times over the years and have always loved.  My husband is from a village in Germany just over the border with France, and I love it there too of course.  So just for the pleasure of it, I am sharing some of my photos.  Please note that this is a mixture of places - Strasbourg, Wissembourg, Seebach, some of the places in Alsace, and Rhodt in Germany.

Food is always very important, and I did forget to take pictures of most of the lovely meals we ate - hunger took over !  Anyway, here is a quick breakfast in Strassbourg (see photos above)