Sunday, May 27, 2018

LIBERTY OF LONDON FABRIC LOVERS

As I've mentioned, I'm finding new homes for lots and lots of quilting treasures. Among those is a novel way to obtain Libery of London Tana Lawn fabric at a  much more appealing price.  This is THE BEST quality fabric Liberty of London makes. My friend bought sizes shirts, sizes large and 16 1/2 to cut apart and use for creating small patches for a quilt!  VERY clever.

Click on photo to enlarge.  Minimum purchase is 2 - which will ship for $7.25 USPS priority.  Though I can squeeze 4 into that padded envelope.  If you'd like to claim some...email or comment with your PayPal address.

PRICE - 2 for $25







You can see by my absence here on this blog that I'm still bogged down finding homes for this lifetime of quilting treasures of an elderly friend due to her failing health.  There are still numerous shirts available....she used them to cut up as a means of obtaining less expensive fabric...but so far all the ones that have been purchased, the buyers say they will be worn!  I have two bins of Liberty of London fabric....lots of small pieces and some yardage...will put the word out when I've managed to get them priced etc.  In the meantime, despite the work it's been an honor to go through and study her huge collection of fabrics/quilts etc., especially the 1930's pieces...which are now all in new homes with the exception of 3 tops.




Friday, May 25, 2018

SUMMER LOOK AT WOOLWORTH WALK

The Memorial weekend is upon us and with that, here's a peek at my summer look for my space at Woolworth Walk Art Gallery in downtown Asheville.  I'm hoping for a very busy season!



Visit these blogs to view the work of other fiber artists:  Nina-Marie's Off The Wall Friday, Sarah's Whoop Whoop Friday, Crazy Mom Quilts
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Thursday, May 24, 2018

SUMMER IS HERE!!

As frantically busy as I am....there's still time to stop and appreciate the beauty of our mountains where May/June is the time that Rhododendrons bloom.

I hope you will take the time wherever you live to stop, look, and listen!!


Tuesday, May 22, 2018

7 INSPIRATIONAL/EDUCATIONAL REFERENCE BOOKS FOR SALE

SOLD OUT!!

These books are all in MINT CONDITION, with the exception of the paper covers, not torn just a bit scuffed up.  If you'd like a combo....I can fit any three into a $13.65 priority box....3 books for 1 shipping price. (And depending which three....maybe the Quilts of Virginia could fit too.)   I'll have to quote you a shipping price if they are purchased as a single, safest and fastest is priority @ $7.25.

#1 "The American Quilt Story - The How-To and Heritage of a Craft Tradition, by Susan Jenkinsand Linda Seward.  Hardcover - $10.00

#2. "Treasury of American Quilts" by Cyril I. Nelson and Carter Houck. Hardcover $10.00

#3. "The American Quilt" A History of Cloth and Comfort 1750-1950 by Roderick Kiracofe.  Hardcover $10.00

#4.  "History From The Heart - Quilt Paths Across Illinois by E. Duane Elbert & Rachel Kamm Elbert, based on findings of the Illinois Quilt Research Project.   Hardcover - 10.00

#5. "Quilts of Virginia 1607-1899"  The Birth of America Through the Eye of a Needle.  - Virginia Consortium of Quilters, published by Schiffer.  Softcover $10.00

#6. "Quilts in a Material World, selections from the Winterthur Collection. Hardcover $10.00

#7.  American Quilts & Coverlets" - The Metropolitan Museum of Art.  Hardcover - List $47.50 - your price  $20

PayPal payment within 24 hrs. Ships via USPS flat rate priority, the next day if possible. Smoke free home. If you'd like to claim one or more, please email me using the right side bar link.  






US sales only.

Monday, May 21, 2018

ASIAN INFLUENCES - NEW WORK

In the midst of all the POD dispersing, I've been staying up late to work on this piece.
 ASIAN INFLUENCES  61" X 61" 
Cotton fabrics, machine and hand stitched.
DETAIL

Sunday, May 20, 2018

MAKING PROGRESS ON NEW ASIAN/JAPANESE STYLE QUILT

Despite still being buried in fabric that I'm helping a friend sell, I'm making progress on a new quilt....I do get cranky when I don't sew.  How about you??


Wednesday, May 16, 2018

SOME GOODIES TO CONSIDER

After such a dry spell of no postings....wow......2 in one day but I wanted this available as quickly as possible.....read on....

Enough of you have asked to see more of the authentic 1930's tops I have for sale......some have just been listed on various Facebook buy/sell lists.  Here's the text for a VERY special one & photos below. You still have a chance to own it......email me with your PayPal address to claim the top.
    
This is a REAL find!!! An authentic 30's, really well constructed hand pieced Trip Around The World patchwork quilt top. Measures 92" x 81". 2" finished patches.....with matching corners, entire top lays flat. NO spots. It's hemmed with one small section that has come loose. (Double turned...see photos). Really bright colors.....hard to believe its age!  Shown on a king size bed.
PayPal payment $185 plus USPS flat rate priority @ $7.25, the next day if possible. Smoke free home. PM or comment with email address to claim the item. US sales only.
** I'd like to comment regarding the price since I've gotten a PM or two about this one and one that sold earlier today. I'm certainly not an expert with this period, however I'm being guided by an appraiser friend who feels that the quality of construction, size, and the unusual dynamic color scheme elevates this piece beyond the typical pastel color choices (and prices) of the period. She feels once finished with the same skill level, this top will reach a MUCH higher value. So, I'm taking her advice, if there are experts that wish to add their two cents, I'm very happy to learn more. The friend for whom I'm helping sell her lifetime of quilt treasures believes she paid closer to $300 for this piece on a note to herself....unfortunately time has allowed the receipt to disappear. This is not an auction site so with respect to our administrator, please PM your thoughts to me, rather than posting a lot of conflicting opinions. A quick sale will hopefully prove my expert correct as she was right on target on the piece that sold for $175 this morning. Tx's for reading and understanding.

92" x 81" - 2" finished patches





The second quilt I had shown here is now sold and removed...no need to see what's already gone!!


AHHHH....I'M BACK AT MY MACHINE!!

There's nothing like learning one of your quilts has sold to get one running back to the sewing machine!!  It's such a validation of one's work.
So as I say goodbye to this piece that had been on display at Woolworth Walk in downtown Asheville....I'm pulling out my Japanese style fabrics to create another of the same theme which has proved popular to shoppers.
First comes finding compatible large scale prints that lend themselves to graphic 12" blocks.
Next comes making two slices in each block and inserting black strips and squares at alternating positions.  As you can see, I'm working these one block at a time.....there were days gone by when I could actually remember various steps more than 5 mins., but as long as I can still remember to thread my sewing machine, I'll still be making quilts!!

Check back.....I should be done with this sometime before the next year.... 

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

AFTER THE UNPACKING

They say a picture is worth a thousand words....this one says 'here's a thousand pieces of fabric!!'  A friend who saw the stash in person told me these pictures don't even begin to provide a gauge of just how much of a quilt shop I have!

All 50-60 boxes of fabrics have now been unpacked & organized.  Our guest room won't be welcoming overnight guests for quiet awhile!  I'll also be undertaking finding homes for the 1930's quilt tops .....if this style is something you are interested in....email me and I'll try to match your taste to what's here to sell, though I will post some here too....without turning this blog into a constant advertisement!  






I'm counted out...but as one example of just how much is here, this section of the 4 tier bin alone has around 100 - 1/2 yd. cuts of batiks, plus some are larger cuts as well.......what an impressive collection my friend enjoyed.

If you live in the area and would like a really discounted fabric shopping exerience, connect with me using my email link on the right side bar.....and we can set up a time/date.  The sooner the better!!



Sunday, May 13, 2018

SWEET 1930's CHILD'S COVERLET

Well...I'm back with another treasure for someone to love....click on photos to enlarge. This is an authentic 30's machine appliqued child's coverlet/quilt top.  Measures 88" x 39". The edges are hemmed, no backing, clean, no odor, two small stains (pictured.)

If this one calls to you....email me using link on right side bar with your email/paypal address to claim this beauty. Ships via USPS flat rate priority.  Smoke free home. SOLD.......






1930's EMBROIDERED QUILT TOP

SORRY, it's sold.  Consider this a tease...there's more to come......Here's another treasure, I'm guessing one of you talented quilters might like to tackle.....this is a polished cotton quilt top....terrible photo!! I think the sheen of the fabric is preventing me from getting a infocus shot....but you get the idea.  Click photo to enlarge.
58" x 58"  - hand embroidered from the 1903's.  Probably a kit.
 Sample block of lovely embroidery....
 A few blocks still show faint dotted pattern marks.

More sample blocks
It's clean, odor free, from a smoke free home, there are a couple of small stains.  Frankly, if I had the time......I'd take it apart and incorporate the embroidered blocks in a new piece.

It's very high quality embroidery.....this is the BACK side of one of the blocks!!

 If interested, email me (link on right side bar).  Price $30 plus $7.25 shipping via USPS priority flat rate.  Will ship the the next day if possible. Billing via PayPal so provide your email/Paypal # to claim this lovely piece.

BATIK CUT DIAMOND SHAPE BUNDLE

As I'm working my way through the bags and bags of fabric yardage, I'm finding some real gems.  You all know I'm NOT that much of a piecer....just not my thing, but so many of you are....and so many of you don't enjoy the cutting process.  So perhaps there's a home out there for these.

I have no clue what quilt pattern (if any) this was planned to be.....here are the details:
-  200 large diamonds - 12.5" x 9"
- 15 medium size diamonds - 6.75" x 4.5" 
- 16 small size diamonds - 6" x 4" 

Color scheme is both lights and darks:  purples, greens, tans, browns.  Way too many different patterns to count...but hopefully you can get an idea by looking at the piles slightly spread apart.

All for $17.00 plus shipping.  If interested, email me (link on right side bar).  I'll invoice via PayPal and ship via USPS priority flat rate @ $7.25, the next day if possible.   SORRY....SOLD....  keep watching for more goodies to come!!!




Saturday, May 12, 2018

AFTER THE POD WAS EMPTIED

Here's a peek at how my studio & guest room (basically our entire upstairs) has become a quilt shop!!  The POD is emptied....unpacking has been ongoing and I can say with a sigh of relief, there are only 3 more bags of fabric - about 30+ each to sort.

 Sorting station...this is why I'm not producing any of my work....there's not a single flat surface not covered with these treasures. 
  Still to be gone through.....a pile of 1930's quilt tops....after this photo was taken I found more!! PLUS an amazing pieced Liberty of London large quilt top....it's stunning.
This is my 'shipping' station.....items already sorted, measured, photographed, researched for value, priced, text written and posted on fabric buy/sell lists.  As I write this I'm down to 5 left to be sold.....then I'll start the whole process over with the quilt tops.
 Bins, bins, bins....this is only one stack.  I think the total # of bins were 13 or so.  
 Sorted fabric is arranged by style, color, content.....a great portion are batiks.
 More.....
 More...with more bags waiting their turn to get unpacked!
 Yup....more bags.....and quilts stacked on the bed.
You get the idea right??  It's truly a labor of love.....everything is pristine and it's difficult not to want to keep it all for myself!!  I'm hoping by the end of the weekend I'll have the fabric bags unpacked.  The 100+ quilts are still folded/bagged and stacked.  I feel a bit of pressure to get those out so they can lay flat....and I will in due time.

Contact me if you live nearby and want to do some shopping!!!  I'll snap some photos when ithe fabric is all on display......it's quite an amazing thing to see!