Been to a Little League baseball game lately? I attended three this past week end to cheer for my “out-of-state” great nephew in a local tournament. I am much more familiar with league and select soccer which moves along much quicker than baseball, so I had plenty of time to observed the crowd. I quickly realized Little League baseball has an entirely different language than pro baseball and certainly than soccer. Little league baseball parents could go an entire game without saying anything original. Here are a few of the phrases used (over and over):

You got it, buddy!

Shake it off!

Stay tall!

Reset!

Stay in the secondary. (this is to the catcher)

Challenge him!

Bring the gas!

Protect the plate!

It only hurts for a second!

Back that up!

Contrary to all the posts on Facebook etc, I really never heard anything negative or put downs. There were a few mutterings about the umpire but nothing ugly.

As I set there in the hottest day of the year–so far, slathered in sun screen, I thought of the words of encourage I hear weekly from quilters to other quilters. We don’t have the incredible number of phrases, but here are some of ours.

“It will be used somewhere”–fabric purchased because you just liked it or it was a great bargain–the buyer is feeling a bit guilty but the rest of us are assuring her the purchase wasn’t a waste of money.

“It will quilt out” Oops, there is a wonky seam or pucker! This is an assertion that it won’t be noticed after it is quilted.

“It will press out” Again-a pucker or noticeable easing of a larger piece of fabric to a small piece that can be made less obvious with some serious pressing.

“Someone will like it”. This phrase may be particular to us since we make things to sell. When a project is really different- not a good way or maybe even edging toward ugly, but we must included it in our sale offerings, we offer up the hopeful phrase that someone will buy it.

“Interesting” I really don’t want to hear someone say this about my projects..see above.

“It will never be noticed on a galloping horse” A mistake or small flaw is not noticeable, especially from a far.

“Cheaper than therapy” An excuse for spending $$ on fabric or quilting tools

“Finished is better than Perfect” Motivation to finish a project rather than let it set on a closet shelf.

If you are interested in joining our group, we will teach you our favorite used phrases of encouragement plus the common quilters jargon–“stitch in the ditch”, “chain piecing”, “fussy cut”–but that is another post!

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Most of us are in the middle of working on new projects and did not have many finished projects this week….but there were a few.

This bright 50″ x 50″ quilt would be prefect for picnics or watching the Wind Surge from the hill. My grandchildren always wanted a quilt in the car to snuggle under after a chilly soccer game or on a road trip. $75

I have already purchased one of these soft toddler books for a “soon-to-be” great nephew or niece. The books can be chewed on without ruining it. They make no noise when dropped from a pew or high chair! Perfect size for little hands. $25 each

How many hours went into this queen size hand embroidered, hand quilted quilt? It would be the perfect bed cover for a vintage theme room. It measures 81″ x 93″ and is in perfect condition.

This wall hanging or table runner was made with a Sandy Gervais line called Merry and Bright. It is 22.5″ x 26.5″ and offered for $40. Not too early to shop for Christmas!

Have a good week and remember–“You got this, Buddy!”

Read any good books lately? What are you reading now? These questions always starts a great discussion at our Wednesday quilting group. Many of us have several books going at the same time….one book on our iPad or a “real” book and one we are listening to on audio books.

Audio books are a boom to quilters! I can listen and sew at the same time! What a wonderful use of my time. Before we could download titles to our phones or iPads and we listened to books on discs or on tapes borrowed from the Library, I had been known to get dressed, brush my teeth and hair and drive to the Library to find something to listen to before I start quilting! I just couldn’t be productive without a “story” to occupy my mind. Now I can scroll through Libby or CL and find an audio book even after library closing hours! I keep a list of the books I have read each year and so far this year 50% have been audio books.

Members of our quilting group know each other’s favorite genres and will recommend books to each other, share very popular books–(i.e.long waiting lists at the library), and introduce new authors.

Before I share our latest completed “quilting” projects, here are a list of books I have enjoyed lately–

Audio:

I think I have listened to the entire Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths except the latest–easy to follow, learn about a different part of England and interesting characters. Ann Cleeves books were impetus for two of my favorite TV series–Shetland and Vera. Charles Todds‘ Ian Rutledge books have helped me understand the long term suffering from WWI as well be being great mysteries. Loved Richard Osman’s Thursday Morning Murder Club series. Do you see a theme here?–mysteries. But, I would certainly recommend One Hundred Saturdays; it is non-fiction and fascinating. I have read so many WWII novels and non-fiction books–but nothing about the Jewish experience on Rhodes.

Non-Audio:

I read a lot of predictable books..I know how they will end…sometimes you need comfort food. But these books did not fall into that category. I was in awe of the research that went into The Mosquito Bowl–plus the terrible cost of WWII. The Fatherland was also non-fiction and explored the idea that every story has two or more truths. Hello Beautiful and All the Broken Places were certainly not predictable. Maybe happy endings, but not fairy story endings.

These are not all the books I have read so far in 2024 but ones I would certainly recommend. And every sewing project I complete has a book attached to it in my memory. So what would you recommend? I am open to new authors and books!

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Elaine finished this contemporary non-gender baby quilt that would make a great baby gift–maybe paired with a book about polar bears.

The quilt measures 38″ x 38″ and is $50.

My favorite colors–red and white. The top was a joint effort with my daughter. It measures 60″ x 60″ and is machine quilted in a side to side floral pattern. The batting is cotton/polyester. The backing is the same fabric as the binding. $200

We had three table runners show up–each very different!

Spring or Summer placemats–14″ x 17.5″ all cotton fabric with cotton/poly blend batting. Either side could be used. Washable and no ironing! Four for $40.

Books and fabric! Wow, it just can’t get much better. I am on a fabric “diet”…not buying new fabric, trying to save money and be ecologically responsible. But one of the wonderful aspects of life in 2024 is the city and state library! I can enjoy hard copies of books, e-copies and audio books and it doesn’t cost me a penny and every book is shared by many people! No unused book wasting away on my book shelves. So my wish for you today is to open a good book and be taken away to somewhere new.

We just returned from a few days in Arizona. In case you didn’t know, Phoenix is home to 15 Major League Baseball teams and ball parks during the six weeks of Spring Training. These teams belong to the Cactus League–the other 15 teams are part of the Grapefruit League in Florida. The proximity of professional ball teams is nearly heaven for fans like my husband. In three days, he saw three games and since it was the last week of Spring Training, the starting lineups usually played the first half of each game. We have been to Phoenix many times but this year we had an added bonus. Our oldest grandson is a freshman at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, two hours north of Phoenix. So as proud grandparents, we visited his new school.

These are some of my favorites–the first photo is a tribute to the creator’s Mennonite mother. Each block has 77 different fabrics and each block is different! The middle quilt is red and white with cherries-perhaps. My favorite motifs! The last photo is the Best of Show. It is all hand turned appliqué. It sparkled. My shopping observations were— 1. Most of fabric was precuts. 2. Most of the fabric was saturated–dark colors or very bright colors. I had given myself permission to look for a yard of pastel dots/stripes/flowers for a border but found nothing. Also, given I am still on my “fabric diet”, I did not want to buy a bundle of precuts. But it was fun to look.

The second morning before a game, we visited the Heard Museum–“dedicated to the advancement of American Indian art.”

The Galleries were spacious with a great variety of art mediums, but we spent most of our short time in an educational exhibit about the Indian Boarding Schools. Well done, it gave a balanced history of the inexcusable motives for the school and the tragedies as well as personal success stories.

The only quilt in the museum was here–a story quilt.

I have more photos of ball parks on my photo than you might suspect, but no photos this year that didn’t feature my husband. I prefer minor league or spring training games to the professional games in the summer..but I have no photos to share.

I have travelled south out of Phoenix many times but this was my first time to go north. My husband keep reporting “the temperature just dropped another degree” the entire two hour trip to Prescott.

Flights to and from AZ were fine and our luggage came home with us! So I will count this mini vacation a success. Count on us being back next year!

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Even though quilters take vacations, we still have new items for sale.

This contemporary quilt could be falling leaves or confetti thrown in a parade. The 41″ x 76″ quilt is machine quilted in a side to side pattern. The dark green finding frames this wall hanging or twin bed coverlet. Machine appliqué secures the bright splashes of color. $200

The fabric line is called Zinnias and the block is the “disappearing four patch. Celebrating spring and summer, the 47″ x 48” quilt is $150. The machine quilting and the backing are also floral.

The blocks may be “wild and crazy” but they work together. Paulette set these donated blocks with a navy blue sashing in a four by four pattern. It is machine quilted with curves and sharp corners continuing the “wild and crazy” look. It is 60″ x 60″ and would make a great gift for only $150.

Three coordinating fabrics were used in this baby/child quilt. The backing is a cozy aqua flannel. It is machine quilted and hand bound. 47″ x 48″. $75

We have so much fun creating and sewing — and it is even more fun showing off our work . Thank you for being a reader.

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A friend of a friend recently ask me for tips on pricing her mother’s quilts for an estate sale. My only experience is pricing donated quilts for our annual Quilts Etc Sale in October and that is a group project—I am not a professional appraiser, but I shared some guidelines we use.

1. What is the condition of the quilt? Are there stains, tears, worn edges? Some fabrics in a pieced quilt just wear out before the rest of the fabric. Don’t give up on stained or dirty quilts. A good soaking in the bath tub can do great things.

The gross photo is the quilt on the right being soaked in Soak overnight. There are several commercial soaps designed especially for vintage and antique linens. OxiClean can be used as well as recipes found on the internet. Rinse many times–a water soaked quilt is difficult to handle but patience is the key. Fill the tub with clean water, stir it around and let the water drain. Repeat!

At the very least, give the quilts a good airing over the deck rail to get rid of some that funky “old” smell.

2. How large is your quilt? That is not to say a pristine vintage baby quilt is not worth more than a shabby twin. A very large “cutter” quilt (more on that term later) is worth more than a small “cutter” because you can get more projects from it.

3. Is it machine or hand quilted? Usually, hand quilting bring more than a machine quilted project. If it is hand quilted, be honest about the quality of hand quilting. Just because it is an antique, it doesn’t necessarily mean the quilting was great.

This quilt was sold for $400 –nearly perfect condition and look at the hand quilting. The stitches are small and even and the design is complex rather than an all over design such as Baptist Fan or Cross Hatch.

4. Are the colors and patterns attractive today? I have several quilts from my grandmother made in the 1950-1960’s ; pieced and quilted on a machine using garment scraps from that period. Very utilitarian but unless you are into that particular time period, not very attractive. But…….your tastes are different than others!

4. Do you have information about the quilt? Proof of the date it was made? Do you have the story behind the creation—a “Hope Chest” quilt, a wedding gift or the maker. This is helpful in “upping” the price.

5. Where is the sale? How is it being advertised? Probably advertising that quilts are available will bring in a “buying” group. Will other vintage and antique items be for sale, also? I have friends that will drive a hour to purchase their “collectible” because they read online that it was available. Don’t post your prices on line though.

6. Did you know folks look for raggedy/worn quilts to make other items? The quilts that are in sad shape but have enough useable inches are called “cutters”.

Shirley made pillow covers, pennants and Christmas trees from one very loved “cutter

7. How badly do you want to get rid of your quilts? If you just want them gone after you have selected what ones you will be keeping (which I certainly hope you keep at least one!) Then price them to sell. It is an estate/garage sale. The prices should be a great deal lower that at a vintage shop. I was at a garage sale in my neighborhood this morning where the marked prices were much too high….didn’t buy anything. Folks expect bargains at these sales.

If you have storage room and don’t mind keeping them a while longer, price them accordingly.

Most of the quilts we receive at FUMC are in good to great shape and we have no incentive to store them so we price the quilts to sell. Any $$ for our cause is better than no money. We sell our super star quilts from $200 to $500. The cutters we receive are in the price range of $10 to $50.

Lastly, show off the quilts…maybe in a different way than most folks think about quilts.

This very strange quilt was photographed as a table covering and snapped up immediately.

A quilt can have many lives. And just like us, the older we get the more interesting we become!

Remember we accept donations if you don’t want to go through the hassle of selling or you want to support a two great missions!

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I had been on vacation and missed a week of quilting. When I returned my fellow quilters had a table full of finished projects.

This Spring/Summer quilt is 72″ x 80″ $200

“Racing”. 42.5″ x 55.5″. $125

Rail Fence Adaptation. 48″ x 58″. $125

Winter Scene through a window. 43″ x 60″. $125

Neutral Floral placemats. 14″ x 18″. 4 for $40 or 8 for $70

Four summer placemats–two have white print backing and two have black print backing. 4 for $40. 12″ x 18″

Did you know that tomorrow is National Quilting Day? Like any holiday, it is observed many different ways. Local quilt shops may have special sales. Some well- know bloggers, fabric designers and pattern creators have “give aways” or drawings. Some guilds promote hanging quilts from porches or having quilt shows in public parks or gardens.

The National Quilt Museum (NQM) organized an international contest of originally designed quilts based on the Roaring Twenties and a traditional block pattern to celebrate National Quilting Day. If you are lucky enough to be in Paducah, Kentucky-home of NQM, anytime before the first of August you can see the winning entries along with other awesome exhibits.

(The winners in the Roaring Twenties 2024 quilt contest)

When I was doing some internet searching about National Quilting Day, I discover a fascinating quilting group—the Quilt Alliance, a non-profit organization “with a mission to document, preserve and share our American quilt heritage by collecting the rich stories that historic and contemporary quilts, and their makers, tell about our nation’s diverse peoples and their communities”. This group recognizes quilt making as an “important American grassroots art form”. This group has over 1,200 recorded quilt interviews and stories and over 60,000 quilts documented! Printed interviews may be found on their web site, quiltalliance.org. But what I found most helpful was the page labeled “Three Key Steps to Documenting a Quilt”.

My husband is a dedicated genealogist for his and my families. He has collected reliable birth and death dates. He has dates of weddings, military service and careers. But I tell him over and over, it is the stories about these people that are important; that will keep our ancestors alive in our memories. We quilters have histories and stories we need to document. Documented quilts will be invaluable to future generations with whom we want to connect and add personal ties to those heirlooms.

Here are the three steps—if you made the quilt, purchased the quilt or was gifted the quilt.

Step 3–Write down your quilt’s story. This might take time when you would rather be sewing! But just imagine how excited your great granddaughter would be to read why you chose the pattern and color combination of her inherited quilt.

I purchased this quilt at a farm sale. The owner did not know where and when his late wife had purchased the quilt. Every spring when I bring this “flower garden” out, I wonder about the maker. It isn’t a scrappy quilt–the fabric was purchased especially for this quilt. But the fabrics suggest it was between the 1920-1940s, when many experienced financial hardships. What was the occasion? Was it in a “Hope Chest”? Did a group of quilts meet weekly around a frame to hand stitch around each hexagon?

For each quilt, include at least the date, maker, occasion, the pattern’s name, the fabric and batting used, care needed and any special story that goes with it. For example, why is there a National Parks Panel in the back of this quilt?

The quilt was made for my oldest grandson–we spent hours picking out the green fabrics for the pattern he had selected. As we were leaving the quilt shop, he noticed the National Park panels for sale. He had to have it in his quilt. Really? The compromise was to include it on the back. That story needs to be included in the documentation of this quilt, otherwise the nod to National Parks might seem a bit odd.

Confession is good for the soul–right? I haven’t been good about documentation. In fact, I feel very hypocritical writing this post. Maybe I have convinced myself to do some recording of quilt information in honor National Quilting Day..maybe.

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New projects for Sale:

Baby quilt –40″ x 40″. $55

Six placemats with machine embroidered design in upper left corner. From is textured linen look fabric. 6 for $60

Happy National Quilting Day! Hope you get to sew or at least “pet” your favorite quilt!

Do you every wish you could whisk yourself off into a pretend place? When I was in the fourth or fifth grade, I had a border print skirt.

There isn’t a time, I don’t wish I could shrink down to the miniature’s size and walk among this representation of the 1950 Kansas. What would I learn about my state? Who would I meet?

I do the same at the dentist’s office. I am not a good dental patient–I go regularly because I am a rational adult but sincerely dislike it. My former dentist had an inexpensive print of a side walk scene in Paris. I am sure you have seen it. How many times did I visit that cafe–in my mind — to forget where I really was?

Do you ever do seen a scene and “teleport” yourself there? Shirley brought in two “quilty” projects that are perfect for transporting you to another place.

Can you imagine yourself “glamping” in this sweet little vintage fifth wheel camping trailer? Take note of the all the details–the friendship quilt block on the 3-D miniature quilt and the barn quilt, the bird and dog houses, and the bunting used on the trailer.

The 9″ x 35″ wall hanging is a steal for $50. SOLD

This Christmas theme quilt also has scenes from the past.

The border print is of houses from another century decked out for Christmas.

The print depicts an image we would like to believe existed and that we would enjoy strolling on a winter’s night—This 68″ x 76″ quilt fits quite nicely in a traditionally decorated home. The quilt is machine quilted using a snow pattern-flakes and swirls of blowing snow. $200

Peggy finished this “jewel”–

Rich colored batiks are used in this 40″ x 49″ throw. The pattern is a variation of the rail fence pattern.

An imagination is a wonderful thing! Quilters are very imaginative–it helps the creative process. And there is nothing more fun that sharing the results of our imagination with you!

Are you a “pattern follower” or a “wing it” type of person? I am a 70/30 blend—with the 70% being “wing it”. And sometimes that gets me in trouble!

Many, many quilt patterns are just variations of the classic quilt blocks that have been used since who knows when. The time tested block patterns become the tools in the creative process.

This quilt is simply a nine patch–the most simple of blocks–on point with the addition of striped sashing. This is based on a published pattern by Eric Jackson named The Ruth Quilt but I winged it.

This baby quilt—folded up in my sewing room waiting for me to quilt it–is from fabric my daughter gifted me. No pattern, but I wanted to leave the giraffe print as big as possible to avoid losing the fun design. I also wanted to use just the coordinated prints, which was rare for me to have. I chose to copy a “rail fence” block for the spacer between the giraffe print. I did not alternate the fabrics in the three fabric block because I wanted to save most of the mosaic print for the border. How big to make the border? That depended upon the amount of remaining fabric. Another “winged it” pattern.

Some quilts are the same block over and over.

This beautiful quilt is a variation of the Lemoyne Star block being repeated. No quilt pattern is needed. The block pattern is in books and on tutorials videos.

Baby quilts are often a “no pattern” quilts. The focus is on the color or texture.

But sometimes I do use patterns.

…and I usually love the results!

My fellow members of Quilters at First, also like to “wing it”–

But my co-quilters have created some great quilts following a pattern.

Remember the huge box of quilt fabric and unfinished tops my daughter sent me? We made a quick trip to Virginia over Presidents Holiday and she had found more to send home with me. She gifted me 25 finished blocks of the 100 blocks need for the quilt, True Blue by Carrie Nelson. She also sent all the blues and low volume neutrals she had purchased for the quilt.

She had the pattern’s front cover but had lost the instructions with the measurements. Not a problem, I can just accurately measure one of the finished blocks. The key word being “accurately”. I am blaming the head cold and cough I also brought back from VA; I mis-measured the rectangle pieces. And then I cut forty sets of block pieces. Yesterday when I started sewing the blocks together, I discovered my boo-boo! Really wished I had had a pattern to follow.

Sometimes it is a great feeling to go off on your own creative path, and sometimes a interesting pattern is just the thing. Like a lot of life, it just depends!

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Not many new completed projects by Quilters at First in February but check these out..

More baby bibs…Diane is very creative with her baby bibs, no pattern. They are all quilted with batting to make them extra absorbent. They have Velco fasteners for easy use. The smaller ones are $8 and the larger ones are $10.

She also finished a ” 4th of July- Flag Day- Memorial weekend” table runner. Really red, white and blue is great anytime!

The runner is 13″ x 45″ and machine quilted. The binding is hand sewn. $40 (She used a pattern–she is more of a 95/5 person–95 being “wing it”.)