Exciting Email!

I received a most exciting email from one of my heroes--Nancy Ray!  She's been collecting string quilts for 30 years, and has an amazing collection.  I've been inspired by a number of her quilts in Gwen Marston's book, Liberated String Quilts.  She spotted my "Spring Equinox" quilt, and wrote this lovely email with a photo of the original inspiration quilt!  

Hello,

  Your string top, Spring Equinox is lovely, and I'm happy to see that string quilts are getting so much attention. I own the spider web quilt that is the inspiration for this top (and many others), and I've always considered this quilt to be a masterpiece. In fact, Gwen and I were disappointed that the publisher gave it such a small picture in Liberated String Quilts, but nonetheless it seems to reach out to quilters. When I think it was pieced on newspaper, long before design walls existed, I'm awed by the quilter's ability to combine so many different fabrics with such a sure hand. She really was a master.

  I'm sorry I can't put my hand on a better picture of it at the moment, but I'm attaching a picture of this quilt hanging at the Vermont Quilt Festival in a special exhibit of my string quilts in 2005. I've loved string quilts since I bought the first one 30 years ago, and this one is an enduring favorite.

   Best,

   Nancy Ray

Spring Equinox, 2012, 85" x 85"

My quilts are on display!

At Bernina Northwest in Seattle.  If you're in the area, drop by and see them.

They'll be there until July 31.

 

Don't miss their yummy selection of threads while you're there!

I got to have lunch with Kathy of Quilted Under the Influence this week.  She was in town for her son's graduation.  She gave me this lovely little quilt.  Hmmm, mug rug or tiny wall hanging?  Isn't it sweet!

Vintage Water Wheel

While on retreat over the weekend, I made this "Water Wheel" quilt using vintage fabrics. 

Many of you will recognize the gems you sent me!

Each block is 8.5" finished.  I used the Accuquilt Go! Baby with the "chisel" and 3" hst dies.

Then I started this.  I've had several large pieces of Hawaiian bark cloth sitting around for years.  

I decided to try them with some blacks.  We'll see.

While I was away, my husband got a new girlfriend!  Oh no!

For those who wanted to see the beloved pink commode, here you go!  

We have pink sinks and bathtub to match.  Vintage 1963.