Labelling quilts...

So with my latest finishing flurry, the last step is always the quilt label.  I totally believe in labelling quilts.  I want to document my quilts with the details that will mean something in the future.  Who made it, why did they make, where were they from, who did they make it for and lastly, when did they make it?

I've done a variety of different label styles in my 'career' as a quilt hobbyist - everything from handwriting on white fabric with sharpie markers to computer-printed on printable fabric. I've tried using my Janome 6500 special embroidery function to sew letter right on to the binding.  This is a technique I learned from Sharon Pederson (http://sharonpederson.blogspot.ca/).

Computerized label on wedding quilt for Stewart and Rebecca

Baby quilt label done by computer

Quilt label for Anna & Braeden's wedding quilt

The last label above (a + b) was a scan of the postcard style wedding invitation from my niece and her husband.  I thought it would make a great quilt label.


I've just ordered some custom made labels from Sweetwater.  This is yet a new quilt label technique for me.  I'm excited to receive them in the mail.  In the meantime, I'm working on printing some on printable fabric.  I need to label a few baby quilts to deliver, all my show quilts and my "Winter Solstice" and "Tennessee Waltz" quilts that I blogged about here.

I am still recuperating from my broken foot and am elevating as much as I can and resting, resting, resting.  I would rather be quilting, quilting, quilting...but I need to do this right.  I need my feet working so I better just get with the healing program and be a good girl.  But I can do hand sewing and I think that's a perfect time to label some quilts, don't you?

Until next time,
Mavis

Spring Cleaning!

Here on the west coast of Canada the cherry trees are in bloom and the promise of warmer weather is evident.  Lovely!  Sadly I don't have any of my own pictures of same and didn't feel right about posting my friends' photos.  I won't be able to take any outside pictures for awhile.  Sadly I had an incident at work last week walking to my desk where I rolled my right foot and broke my 5th metatarsal bone. It was a freak accident and I couldn't believe it took so little to break a bone. Weird thing is that I broke my left foot in the same place last June.  What are the chances!??   So, in obedience to the orthopedic surgeon  I'm non-weight bearing for six weeks.  I can't get to my sewing room because of stairs so I've taken the opportunity to tidy up my blog and do some spring cleaning. Do you like the new look?

I've sorted my finishes into years.  This helps me have a better record of my accomplishments and it makes it easier for my readers too so you don't have to scroll through endless photos without a break.  I've also revamped my UFO page and added some new works in progress (I like that term better than UFO).

I've also done some hand sewing.  I sewed binding on my Winter Solstice quilt ...

and my Tennessee Waltz quilt,

I won't be able to get fully finished pictures until I'm more mobile,  but for now you get the idea.


I've also added hanging sleeves to my three quilt entries for our Victoria Quilters' Guild quilt show coming up in May

Amish Block Party

Wild Child

Tuscan Hillside

and...I've done some hand quilting on my Irish Chain.

And while I was searching for pictures to add to the blog, I came across these design wall pictures of "guesses" for blocks on the Celtic Solstice mystery quilt.  Some of us were filling in time guessing on blocks waiting for the next clue on Bonnie Hunter's Quiltville blog.   I was totally wrong but it was fun playing and these may actually become future quilts for me.

So first here are Bonnie's blocks in my colours which were the blocks used in my quilt.

And here are some of my guesses.  Firstly I cut my four patches from the wrong fabrics (dark blue and brown).  Then I thought my colours might be too dark so I played with introducing a light blue in the four patches.  Then I realized what I had done and decided to stay with the rust and dark brown which were the correct colours according to my substitutions of Bonnie's colours.

Looks like a Celtic cross to me!  Maybe I'm on to something!

It kinda resembles one of the tiles that Bonnie photographed and put on her blog.  But it's really dark.

Maybe it looks like tile...or maybe not.

These look really good from far away and they are on point and look like Celtic crosses.  Maybe...

You see?  I couldn't have been further away from Bonnie's design.  I love her designs and her scrappy mind.  It was a joy to create this quilt and the monster is now living on my bed.  It's the biggest quilt I've ever made and am really glad that it's done.

So there you go.  Spring cleaning is done.  I hope you enjoy the new look.

Until next time,

Mavis