Giftmas Quilts and Twisted Snowball wins the poll

Adman's quilt, held sideways

Giftmas

Giftmas is what we call that winter holiday where traveling to visit family is planned, and presents are exchanged.  Since it never happens in late December for us, we gave it a new name.  It's our own holiday, but you are welcome to celebrate it with us.  Because our families live in different states, our Giftmas is a week-long celebration.

Hot Cross Blocks

    Ever used one of those "Pop it in the microwave for 2 min" heat packs?  Ever ended up with a bigger pain from trying to keep that hot, wiggly bag o' seeds where you need it?  This is an old gripe of mine.  As someone who generally has lower to mid back problems there is just no way to get that sucker to stay where you need it.

    But, if you know me, you will be aware of how I seem to think around corners rather than following from A to B. LOL, I am more likely to be thinking "A, B, 4, 7, Zebra, macaroni"  My plan/idea/design is still in the paper and crayon stage, so I don't have anything much to show you yet.

I have 4 quilt designs that I am thinking about for this project, and have decided to try a poll and let you guys pick which one I should do.  Here are links to look at samples for each design, then over to the left is a poll.  Vote for the one you like best!



1) Garden Twist Snowball Quilt
2) Thinking outside the Block  You'll have to scroll down a little bit to see the quilt... there are 2 pics of it
3) Friendship Star  It is the second quilt laid out
4) Warm Wishes

I will probably make all 4 of these eventually, but wanted to see what y'all thought.

Ok, See Y'all Later!

Baltimore Album Quilts... What's Up With That?

   First, a disclaimer: My understanding comes from having only scratched the surface on this subject.  I am sure I will not get every detail right, I will try to keep the errors to a minimum.

    Baltimore Album Quilts, or BAQs have a pretty unique place in the world of quilting.  They are one of the few styles that can not only be pinpointed to a time period, they have a small original location, and an even smaller group of original designers.
    Current patterns are innumerable, and available in many formats.  There are books, printed patterns, online patterns, BOMs, groups and clubs, the possibilities are endless.  Many BAQs are now designed with a theme,  including several Christmas and Halloween. BAQs ranging from the simple, to the very intricate.


Historically speaking, BAQs were designed and produced in Baltimore Maryland first in the 1840s.  Hence their name.  Best knowledge says there were 3 to 5 designers.  Yep, thats right only 5.  They would draw each block and others would sew them, then all the blocks would be joined to make the finished quilt. For the most part, a BAQ would be made by a group of women who regularly quilted together.  It's purpose was a gift, often to a member of clergy who was leaving for a new posting, or retiring.  I am sure there were many others made for other reasons, but so far, this is the most common reason I have found.

This is a computer generated picture of the finished quilt I should end up with 15 months from now following along with the BAQ BOM I am starting on.




A few links with examples and more in-depth info:
Appliqué with Elly
Buckley Album
Baltimore Album Quilt: Elegant Sampler Quilts
I hope I have answered a few questions and piqued interest in learning more.
Want to join me in this BAQ BOM?  Here's a link to all the info!
BAQ Block of the Month Club

OK!  See Y'all Later

You Dropped a BOM on Me...

A Block Of the Month, or BOM can be a great way to try new techniques, work with different fabric palettes, or simply stretch a little from your comfort zone.  Right now I am doing 2 BOMs.

    One, a Buck a Block, is a pieced block sampler sponsored by Thangles.  The whole thing starts out with a yard of background fabric, a package of Thangles, and a single strip of contrasting fabric.  Each month you sew 2 blocks that are positive and negative of each other.  Think white with black background and black with white background.  In jan we got the 1st block pattern and contrast strip.  We sew the blocks that month and take them in to the LQS and pick up our next strip of contrast (different from the last fabric) and block pattern for the next month and pay a buck (lol, Plus Tax of course).
    The second BOM, is the applique flowers I posted about last week.  There are a total of 13 flowers, but I'm not sure if I will stick with through the whole series.  Some of the flowers I just don't care for, and the layout plans I have for these would work much better with only 6 or 9, so we'll have to see.

Center Block

Cornerstone (4)

    Which brings me to my newest BOM.  I just signed up for it even though it started in Feb.  I am 2 blocks behind on it, expect that really I am 5 blocks behind because March's block is the 4 cornerstones.  This is where the stepping out of my comfort-zone comes in... It is a Baltimore Album quilt!  Granted, it's not one of the fancier ones you would see at a quilt show probably, but still...

    I am planning to use all batiks on an off-white Kona cotton background.
Needless to say I will be playing catch-up for a while on these as they are at the bottom of the queue.

Speaking of queues, I need to figure out how to add one on here, so I could list my WIPs, along with how far along I am...  Might push me to get them finished, instead of allowing some to become UFOs.

Guess I better get busy... See Y'all Later!