Winter is for Hibernating

This winter I have been doing more reading than quilting. I read the entire 12 books of the continuing novel whose main character is "Ross Poldark." The series was written by the late British novelist Winston Graham. The books are so well written, they are riveting, if not lengthy. I first became interested after seeing the (first) televised series on PBS. The second series is to be offered later this spring. It will be interesting to see how much the plots align between the books and the televised version.

Pat hand quilting. Photo taken in 2015. This project is taking a long time!

Wholecloth Quilt Work Continues

Winter is the time for hibernating. We have enjoyed watching the woodpeckers at the suet feeder and I have found the opportunity to work on the queen size white wholecloth quilt that I am hand quilting. I prefer the straight lines to stitch rather than the curvilinear lines or "feathers."

Redwork Kit a Challenge!

The only other project I am currently working on is a Redwork design that features barn quilts. It is a kit that was purchased at Colonial Williamsburg and given to me by a well-meaning relative for Christmas. The work is very demanding, with stitches that are supposed to be only 1/8" large and with frequent stops and starts on the larger, main design as the one strand thread called for cannot be carried on the back more than 1/4". It means re-threading the needle constantly. The pattern also called for basting on a piece of batting to the back of the printed muslin before beginning work, an unusual and new-to-me way of working.

The "other" designs feature line drawings of actual barn quilts as documented by the book Barn Quilts. Coincidentally, I was also given that book by another party who had no idea that I would also be given the Redwork kit. There is a suggestion to make the 4" barn quilt designs into ornaments or to (somehow) add them to the main design that depicts the back of a boy and a girl looking at a barn that has a barn quilt. The instructions are very scanty and leave much (expertise) up to the (advanced) needleworker.

We cannot wait for gardening season. This is a view of one end of our herb garden.

Spring is on the Way!

Daffodils have peeked through the soil and are budded up here in New Hampshire just as temperatures are dropping to 20 degrees and below after a spring-like past week when the temperature high reached 73 degrees in Nashua. We have brought some forsythia branches in and put them in a vase of water to "force" blooms. It will be nice to have an early touch of spring in the house.

Of course, spring also means quilt shows! We are looking forward to the MQX Show at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester, New Hampshire as well as other smaller venues, local shows that are always fun! We hope that you have been busy quilting or collecting quilts that others have made. Remember that March 18 is National Quilting Day, a day to celebrate all things quilt!

Happy Quilting!

Pat