Quilt Parade!

A few weeks ago, I was filling out forms to enter some quilts in the state fair.  I was trying to remember what quilts I had and was digging through the piles, nooks, corners, closets, and couldn't find one of my quilts.  I didn't remember giving it away to anyone, but just couldn't find it anywhere.  So I told the Hubs that we needed to get all of the quilts out and take them outside and take photos of them and then keep track of where they were stored.  Well, that's what we did Sunday afternoon.  I had no idea what a big job this would be.  I even had my mother-in-law come over and sit and watch so that she could tell me about the quilts from hubby's side of the family.  I started in the upstairs and worked my way to the basement gathering the quilts.  We took 63 photos - quilts, wall hangings, table runners, everything (except that missing quilt!).  

What a pile to have to sort through and put away (in an organized manner this time so that I might know where everything is!).  

Cici was in her element............surrounded by quilts.  She didn't like it that we took them outside though.

I can't possibly put all of the quilts in one blog post, so will try to divide it up by theme somehow............just what themes to choose???  They could be divided by age, maker, color (there was definitely too much pink), style............???

So, I think I will start with the older quilts from Hubby's side of the family.

First up is this drunkards path quilt...........notice the maker must have run short of the blue and substituted a green path in it!  It is old, machine quilted, soft, so has been used, and there was discussion about just who might have made it.  There were 3 possibilities, and we think it might have been Aunt Jane Duncan, DH's great great aunt.  She is also given credit for hand piecing this flower garden quilt top.  Early in our marriage, there was a garage sale at DH's grandma's house, and I found this quilt top there.  I took it, and my mom hand quilted it.

 It's beautifully done, and it's still one of my favorites.  At the same garage sale I found these puss in the corner blocks.  I set them together (my first time setting something on point) and my mom hand quilted it.  Both of these were done in 1995.

 This red cross stitch quilt was done by DH's grandmother, Lucille Wade.  She had it hand quilted by Mrs. Dierker.  I used to have it on a bed in the upstairs.  We even painted an old bed frame fire engine red to match it.  Since pulling it out from the cedar chest, it has noticeably aged.  The top has yellowed, but the backing is still very white as are the prairie points on the border.  (This is the first of many quilts with cross stitch and prairie points.)

 This candlewick quilt was made by my mother-in-law for the hubs.  She had it hand quilted by Mrs. Dierker as well.  It is very puffy.  I have had it hanging on a quilt rack in the hallway, but have changed the quilts around a little, so it's back in the cedar chest.  It's difficult to store since it is so puffy.

 This well-washed and well-used gem was made by DH's Grandma Pointer.  She made one for each of the twins.  DD loved this quilt when she was little and stayed at Grandma's so now it's at our house.

Grandma Pointer also made this Trip Around the World from solids.  It's hand quilted.  

 MIL (mother-in-law) said she only made these for the grand kids she thought were "special".  I don't know if that means she thought my hubby slow, like the kitten we named "special ed", or what.  I think hubby is pretty special though.

 Grandma Pointer made both of these yellow quilts.  Yellow was her favorite color.  Note the prairie points on the one above.  The one below was made from scraps of fabrics from hubby's twin sister's dresses.  I like the fans.  I can also tell that precise piecing was the most important thing to her.

And here we are back at the garage sale.  I snagged these cross stitch blocks as well.  My MIL had cross stitched them.  I set them together and my mom hand quilted it around 1995 again.  I alternated this with the red cross stitch quilt on the red bed.  It was really cute.

When looking at all these quilts, I worry about DD.  As an only child, they ALL go to her.  I told her she would have to open a bed and breakfast and then put a quilt on each bed and change the quilts around every month.  She wasn't too thrilled with the idea.  We haven't even gotten to the pink quilts yet (her least favorite color).

So, now the old drunkard's path is on the quilt rack in the living room and the trip around the world is hanging in the hallway.  I am going to try to do a better job of rotating quilts around. 

Also this week, my parents came down for the day on Friday.  My dad was picking up a generator and my mom brought me this quilt top she has been working on (since the last time they visited).

She had seen my Old Tobacco Road on my design wall and had lots of pinwheel and square in a square blocks made, so decided to try that setting.  She still has to do the pieced borders, but she's further along than I am.  I'm still trying to get my rows sewn together and I have been at it since April.

She also picked up this quilt that Pam had quilted for her.  I really like it..........black and solids.

I also worked extra days this week.  We are getting ready for the Solar Eclipse on August 21st.  I am taking reservations daily and they are trying to get a new display in the Nicholas-Beazley Aviation Museum opened up.  It's on WWII.  Here is the outside.  I got to help dress the mannequin.

The camera was used until 1975 in Marshall.  

I need to get my state fair quilts tagged and ready to deliver next weekend.  I'm looking forward to a sewing day with friends this week.  And the next weekend has big plans as it is DD's birthday.  Hard to believe she'll be 20!
Christi