One of the lead stories on the news last night was about the log jam of container ships off the California ports. The cargo ships are full of furniture, electronics, shoes, toys, car parts and holiday items. The reporter ended his story with the advice to start Christmas shopping early this year due to shortages related to transportation issues. I have a better idea! Shop local, shop handmade and shop to support outreach missions!.

Preparing for the holidays can be fun and easy if you did some of your shopping at the Quilts Etc. Sale and Auction in October. I always feel quite smug if I have a few of my presents already bought and wrapped before Thanksgiving. For your home or for gifts, these are excellent buys!

• 

• 

A wall hanging or a table runner for a large table, this poinsettia theme piece adds a lovely seasonal feel. Look closely at the custom quilting that repeats the motif. It is 25″ x 43″ and only $50.

Janis is finishing up “Christmas Blessings”. It is 38″ x 26″ and is appliquéd, pieced and custom quilted. The colors are perfect for all styles of home decor. It is $150.

I love this –Joy is being with your loved ones at Christmas–plus peppermint! The wall hanging is 34″ x 49″ and is $75. SOLD

A “Barnyard Christmas” arrived after the post on Nativity sets was written. This 20″ x 24″ wall hanging is a pattern by Sweet Season Quilts and is custom quilted and machine appliquéd. This size is perfect for a smaller home or apartment. The attention to detail is super–look at the cow’s eyes! This unique take on the Christmas story is $100. SOLD

• 

Santa snowmen is 19″ x 20″ and it $40. A hanging sleeve can be added.

Winter Wonderland–a technique called paper piecing was used to create this sparkly table runner. It could grace your table all winter long. $50.

Need to mail your gifts? You may purchase these items now and get them in the mail before the rush. Happy Shopping.

I was told years ago the way to identify a home economics teacher was that her shoes and purse matched and her bound buttonholes were perfect! Not that I was ashamed of my chosen career, but I made an effort to never have my shoes and purse match..and I hated bound buttonholes. ( I retired as a Family and Consumer Science Teacher..so there.) But, I do have to admit I want my table set correctly! I “need” the fork to be on the left side of the plate and the blade of the knife pointed in towards the plate. Intellectually I know it is the company and food that make the meal, but my heart likes an attractive table. The adage “we eat with our eyes” refers to the presentation of the food but why not extend that saying to include the table.

Thus my fondness of placemats. Placemats are a fairly new concept–tablecloths have been around for centuries, but placemats appeared in the last hundred years or so. They were used to protect the lovely finish of wooden tables from heat and scratches with out the hassle of a large cloths that probably needed to be ironed. Spill something on a placemat and it can be changed easily.

After realizing the functional value of placemats, the fun aspect of using placemats was recognized. Placemats dress up the table. Use placemats to celebrate a holiday, to compliment a special set of dishes, or to create a theme. Fabric purchased on a trip made into placemats are useful souvenirs–every time the Alaska theme placemats come out we remember our cruise. And since we are crazy dog parents, we have Shiba Inu placemats.

Caring for quilted placemats is easy. Straight out of the dryer and onto the dining table. Placemats can be flipped over for the next meal if you accidentally spill food.

Placemats are made of various materials–wood, lace, cork, laminate, vinyl, burlap–but the ones at the Quilts Etc. Sale are cotton and are quilted– of course!

This set of four comes with napkins and is reversible. The back side is a deep red for a completely different look. $40 SOLD

Want to celebrate Kansas’ state flower? or the end of summer? This set of four is also reversible, the back side the color of the napkins. $40

My granddaughter was fascinated by this group of animals wearing antlers. They certainly are not the usual characters we see. This set of four has a white on white snowflake print on the back. $40.SOLD There will be another set of placemats at the sale with these same guys but framed with light blue snow flakes. SOLD

With a nod to the colors and prints of the 1950’s, this popular line ” Deer Christmas” by Moda was used for these four placemats. $40. These prints look like they could have been on Christmas cards my grandparents sent.

Six placemats are in this set that could be used anytime, although they suggest a winter scene. They are 12″ x 18″. $50. SOLD

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

These vintage postcard prints were used to made eight different placemats..they will be bound in the same fabric as used to frame the prints. We will probably sell them in pairs–2,4,6 or 8. Come to the Quilt Sale Etc. to see them in person.

I refuse to count the number of placemats I use–the meals may be boring but the table never is!

Recently I learned that the “minor” prophets in the Old Testament were not called minor because they were less important but because they were shorter writings than the big guys like Daniel. Thus, logically we have “minor” holidays–not less important than the big ones like Christmas and Halloween but shorter in duration! For some of us, these holidays are our favorites–less bustle or a unique family tradition.

Following the calendar year, here are some “Quilty” items to help you celebrate your holiday!

Valentines Day brighten the winter days of February. These quilts will add some color to your home.

• 

• 

The red and white one..those are tiny hearts, is for sale for $50. “Paris is for Lovers” is 38″ x 38″ and for sale for $60.

Table runners give hints of the season. The valentine theme one is 17″ x 53″ and is $35. The Irish green one is 13″ x 45″ and is $25.

For all with Irish roots, St. Patrick’s day is very important! Green beverages, silly t-shirts and scattering of shamrocks about the house.

Depending on the liturgical calendar, Easter and Spring often arrive hand in hand… soft colors, flowers and sunny skies.

Easter eggs is 16″ x 28″ — $25

Shirley made one for her porch this summer and decided someone else might like this whimsical salute to the Fourth. Hang this on your porch next summer for $125.

Remember my theory? Red, white and blue can decorate your home from Memorial Day to August.

• 

• 

This hand quilted log cabin with hidden stars could be draped over your sofa from May through the summer. It is approximately 60″ square and for sale for $175.

Understated, this table runner would work well with other Red, White and Blue accessories and would work well into Fall. It is $50.

Holidays give us reasons to change up the “usual”, to celebrate, to get together with friends and family and to decorate..a little or a lot.

I treasure my family quilts from past generations. I collect 30’s and 40’s reproduction fabrics. Log cabin or four or nine patch blocks are classics. But a craft needs to keep experimenting with new ideas, methods and designs to thrive. Quilters need to break a few “rules” to remain interesting and fresh. True, most of our quilts offered for sale are adaptions of traditional patterns using current colors and fabrics. But we have some my grandmothers would be surprised to see!

The photo I have of this beauty was taken before it was quilted. The black around the edges is the backing. (The backing is always larger than the quilt before it is quilted and trimmed.). It measures 58″ x 66″. A hanging sleeve could be added if you want to make this a wall hanging in your home or office. It is $300.

The hand quilting creates a stylized flower garden in the bottom corner. The bronze, gold and brown batiks frame other floral designs. The quilt is approximately 42″ x 64″. The quilt was purchased at a previous quilt auction at FUMC but can not be used in the new home and was donated for this sale. It is pristine. $125 and it is yours.

• 

How many circles do you see in this pattern appropriately named “Disappearing Circles”? The more you study this photo, several secondary patterns pop out. The colors could be water spattered chalk. Look closely at the machine quilting. The straight lines and sharp corners contrast with the curves. This lap quilt is $70.

Paint dripping down the side of the can? We like “Spill” so much we are hanging it in our quilt room to enjoy before the Quilts Etc. Sale. It is 40″ x 55″ and machine quilted. For the modern baby room, this wall hanging would be the perfect introduction to color. It is for sale for $100.

Asymmetrical patterns? Empty space? Ombré fabrics? I think Grandma Ella would have been intrigued.

We all know the old adage “when life gives you lemons, make lemonade” but I prefer this version “when life gives you lemons get creative”. That is exactly what the daytime quilters did with ten hand embroidered blocks gifted to them. The blocks were well done in a beautiful color combination but there were only 10 blocks! They were not “lemons” but what to do with them? No matter how much sashing was used, it would still be a small quilt for the scale of the blocks.

They became creative! They used the pattern of the cross stitch to create a quilting pattern. The blocks without cross stitching were hand quilted to mimic the original blocks.

• 

• 

Using the colors in the cross stitched blocks, sashing was added between the blocks. The borders, in purple and lavender, add more interest and width so the quilt now measures 97″ x 97″.

The border certainly adds to the charm of the quilt and the “blank” spaces give the quilt a more modern edge.

Hats off to those creative quilters who took 10 orphan blocks and fashioned this queen size quilt. The quilt is for sale for $800.

The oils and seeds of the plant lavender are said to help a person sleep. I don’t know if sleeping under a lavender quilt will help sleep but this beauty in your home will certainly help make the day beautiful!

I am happy to live in Kansas with the four distinct seasons. Each season has something special about it… fresh tomatoes in summer, the sound and smell of dry leaves in fall, the first snow, daffodil buds in spring . Some of my friends decorate for every season–heck, every month. (I could wake up from a long coma in one friend’s home and know just by looking around what month it was! ) Others are very minimalist. I take the middle route. For example, I use red, white and blue pieces before Memorial Day until long after July 4. No matter your “Modus operandi”, we have something that will fit your decorating style.

By the end of August, most of us are ready for Fall, at least for cooler weather. The rich colors of autumn stir memories and raise expectations for the holidays approaching.

• 

Hour glass blocks surrounded by a purple border is perfect for tables in October and November without screaming fall! It is for sale for $50.

• 

• 

• 

Remember these Fall items? They are found in previous posts and are still available.

Winter as a season is overshadowed by the biggest holiday of the year, Christmas. But there are those couple of months after the New Year that we spend much of our time indoors. No reason to get the blahs with these cuties available.

This happy snowman is very tactile with neutral fabrics folded into prairie points–the tree is also touchable. This would be a fun wall hanging for anyone but especially if you had toddlers to enjoy it. Measuring 28″ x 29″, it would fit all sizes of walls. It is $50.

Snow people and January and February go together. This guy is reminding us to enjoy the snow. The pillow is 14″ x 14″ and has an envelope opening. It is $30.

• 

Some winters seem to never end, but spring has always come! Our signs of spring don’t need to wait for a sunny warm day. You can bring these out on a snowy day and dream of spring!

April showers bring May’s flowers—22″ x40″. This cheerful wall hanging is for sale for $65.

Ida C., one of the original members of the First Quilters made this floral baby quilts or table topper or throw. Reproduction 30’s fabrics were used in the patchwork and in the applique. Prairie points surround this quilt. It is both hand and machine quilted. It is $200.

What is you favorite thing about summer? Ice cream is “legal” to eat? Bouquets of zinnias? Smell of fresh cut alfalfa? Sounds of kids in the pool? This quilt is the essence of summer–the colors, the butterflies, the flowers.

The quilt is 80″ x 106″. A butterfly motif was used to machine quilt this beauty.

Right in the middle of summer–our National Holiday! This bargello flag can be hung on your door, the deck or above the mantle. The flag is appliquéd onto the star background and measures 24″ 29″. It is $40

• 

• 

The early morning sounds of birds is especially a plus in the summer. Although you may not see these birds on your walk, this wall hanging in your home is a happy reminder of summer. “Tweet Tweet Condo” is 36″ x 26″, machine appliquéd and custom quilted. $100

Fall, winter, spring or summer?? I really can’t say I have a favorite.

Barn quilts have been around since the colonization of Pennsylvania. They were brought to the new world by Mennonite farmers. Originally they were “hex” signs hung on their barns to bring good luck and protection. But since the late 1990’s these colorful symbols have evolved into painted quilt blocks. This art form spread to Minnesota and then to the rest of the US. Usually they are 36″ to 48″ inches square without much detail that would get lost from a distance. You don’t need a barn–I have seen them on homes, garden shed, garages and store fronts.

We will have two versions of this popular art form at the October Quilts Etc Sale. Four large ones, 32″ squares and painted, will be for sale. These will be featured in a later post. We will also have 8 “mini” barn quilts that are pieced from stained wood. These mini-barn quilts could be hung outside but I already have a spot picked out in my home!

The smaller barn quilts are created by George Stover. George has a workroom full of lumber scraps, chairs in need of TLC and recycled wood. George’s skill was highlighted in a video clip our minister used last spring in a series about RESTORING. We saw his workshop and some of the chairs he brought back to life. When he offered his mini-barn quilts for the Quilts Etc. Sale in October, we didn’t wait for him to finish his inquiry. Yes! We wanted them for the sale and –Yes, I want one for me!

No two are exactly the same. And the measurements are exact, after all, George is a woodworker!!

Based on the “economy block” or “square in a square” or “diamond in a square”, #1 block is 8 3/4 inches square.

The “pinwheel ” quilt block is very popular. #2 block is 9 13/16 inches square. SOLD

This block is appropriately called “log cabin”. #3 measures 10 1/2 inches square. SOLD

#4 is based on the “bear claw” block pattern. If the bottom brown square had been a stem instead of a solid block , it would be a “maple leaf” block. This block measures 8 3/4″.

#5 block is the another paw on that bear. It measures 8 3/4 ” also.

• 

There are three blocks like the one seen here. They are 12 9/16″, 13 1/6″ and 13 1/4″ (he is exact!). This star block pattern has many different names–from simply “eight point star” to “flower star” and “Sarah’s choice”. The 13 1/4″ Two are SOLD.

Each block is $45. You can put in your order now if you want it hanging on your wall sooner than later.

All the $$ we collect goes to our two ministries at First United Methodist–the TV Ministry and the Adult Religious Nurture Center for disabled adults.

I really, really like Halloween. I allow myself to buy bags of candy–for the children who will come trick or treating, of course. And it is my “duty” to taste test every bag to be sure the candy mets my high standards for all those cute little witches and supermen that come to my door. Ah, Reece’s peanut butter cups.

Commercially, Halloween is the second most popular holiday next to Christmas. One fourth of all the candy sold in the US is for Halloween. Pinterest has over 900 pins saved for “Halloween Decorating”—that isn’t counting adult, children and pet costumes, goulish looking foods, party activities or lists of movies!

Some folk go over the top with elaborate decorations on the mantle and in the entryway. Porches are decked out with wreathes, real and faux pumpkins–natural or painted, dried corn stalks, scarecrows, witches and clever signs. The typical colors of orange and black have expanded to include purples, lime greens, and all different blues. Decorating for Halloween can be less stressful than for any other holiday– it is supposed to be weird or wacky!

Due to COVID last year, trick or treating was a challenge. My creative neighbors spent hours setting up a safe trick of treat station. My grandchildren were not allowed to knock on doors–but they did decorate their home with carved pumpkins, orange and black lights and skulls that made spooking sounding noises and a Halloween table runner and wall hangings provided over the years by the “quilting” grandma!

The weather in October can change in a few hours -we have trick or treated in the sweltering heat and in an ice storm–so having a quilt on the back of the sofa is great for an unexpected chilly evening.

This scrappy quilt could be a “themed” an I Spy quilt..and it certainly would be cozy to keep an October chill off. It is for sale for $125. SOLD

This similar quilt is a modified rail fence pattern and is machine quilted. It is $100.

In this 64″ x 71″ quilt the same fabric was used in the border and in the broken horizontal lines that gives a pattern to the multitude of Halloween prints.

“Witch Parking” is patchwork with appliqué and measures 47″ x 58″. A hanging sleeve would be added if you want to hang this cutie.

I grabbed a photo of this wall hanging or table runner before Janis finished the binding also. “Trick or Treat” is 14″ x 40″ and is for sale for $60. (Check out the quilting in the borders)

We are planning and in the process of making several more items for Halloween. A Halloween theme Little Houses wall hanging and bunting will be at the sale. “Treat” your self to an original Halloween decoration for your home.