Giveaway at The Pickledish Patch

http://tozzscorner.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-number-3-plus-other-things.html

Ends Jan. 5

Giveaway at Stray Stitches

http://straystitches1.blogspot.com/2010/12/lets-celebrate-2011-with-giveaway.html

Ends Jan. 9

Kate 'n Libby are having a giveaway...

http://katenlibby.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-years-giveaway.html

Ends Jan. 8

Giveaway at Brown Paper Packages

http://brownpaper--packages.blogspot.com/2010/12/silhouette-machine-giveaway.html

Ends Jan. 1

Giveaway at Dawn's Quilt Corner

http://www.dawnsquiltcorner.com/2010/12/happy-new-year-fabric-giveaway.html

Ends Jan. 1

Giveaway at Cotton Way

http://cottonway.blogspot.com/2010/12/time-for-celebration.html

Ends Dec. 31

Giveaway at bitty bits & pieces

http://bittybitsandpieces.blogspot.com/2010/12/50th-birthday-moda-giveaway.html

Ends Jan. 1

Giveaway at Naptime Crafters

http://naptimecrafters.blogspot.com/2010/12/stitches-n-giggles-fabric-giveaway.html

Ends ?

eReader Giveaway at Feisty, Frugal & Fabulous

http://feistyfrugalandfabulous.com/2010/12/literati-ereader/

Ends Jan. 20

Giveaway at Butternut Street

http://butternutstreet.blogspot.com/2010/12/tidbits-from-triangles-by-kari-ramsay.html

Ends Dec. 26

Giveaway at Fabrics N Quilts

http://fabricsnquilts.blogspot.com/2010/12/time-for-giveaway.html

Ends Dec. 24

Giveaway at Retro Mummy

http://retromummy.blogspot.com/2010/12/flower-sugar-giveaway.html

Ends Dec. 31

Giveaway at Woodland Foursquare

http://woodlandfoursquare.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-day.html

Ends Dec. 17

Sponsored giveaway at p.s. i quilt

http://www.psiquilt.com/2010/12/sponsor-giveaway-canton-village-quilt.html

Giveaway at Sew Convert

http://sewconvert.wordpress.com/2010/12/13/sew-mama-sew-giveaway-on-the-sew-convert-2/

Ends Dec. 17

Giveaway at Simply Solids

http://madewithlovebymandy.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-giveaway.html

Ends Dec. 21

Giveaway at Blue Mountain Daisy

http://bluemountaindaisy.blogspot.com/2010/12/give-away-day.html

Ends Dec. 17

Giveaway at Stray Stitches

http://straystitches1.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-day-little-snowman-star.html

Ends Dec. 17

Don't forget!

About the sale at www.sewuniquecreations.com !

Giveaway at Cut To Pieces

http://cuttopieces.blogspot.com/2010/12/celebration-and-giveaway.html

Ends Dec. 13

Giveaway at Traceyjay Quilts

http://traceyjayquilts.blogspot.com/2010/12/wanna-go.html

Ends Dec. 13

And please check out http://quilthopein.blogspot.com/

From the Quilt Hope In blog:  Quilt Hope In is, essentially, a collaboration of quilters who, can accomplish far more together than separately.  We will be making quilts and other handmade projects, listing them in a little etsy shop, and then giving the proceeds to Heartline Ministries. 


Heartline Ministries is located in Haiti: "We work to provide the women and children in our community with a safe place to learn about Jesus and to adopt life-skills."


"Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40

Check it out...

Be sure to check out the goings on (SALE!) at Sew Unique Creations : www.sewuniquecreations.com

Sale at Sew Unique Creations

Check out the sale at www.sewuniquecreations.com

Giveaway at Where Women Create

http://www.wherewomencreateblog.com/blog/2010/12/the-sixth-day-of-holiday-traditions-.html

Giveaway at Milk and Honey Designs

http://milkandhoneydesigns.blogspot.com/2010/12/super-big-book-giveaway.html

Ends Dec. 13

Giveaway at Cat Patches

http://catpatches.blogspot.com/2010/12/giveaway-announced.html

Ends Dec. 31

Giveaway at Leona's Quilting Adventures

http://oneygirl-myquiltingadventure.blogspot.com/2010/12/bloggy-giveaway.html

Ends Dec. 17

Giveaway at The Noble Wife

http://thenoblewife.blogspot.com/2010/12/blog-hop-day-3-my-turn.html

Ends Dec. 4

Giveaway at Sew Quine

http://sewquine.blogspot.com/2010/12/fabric-giveaway.html

Ends Dec. 10

Giveaway at Sew Many Quilts

http://sewmanyquilts.blogspot.com/2010/12/want-layer-cake.html

Ends Dec. 3

Giveaway at Hand Quilting

http://handquilting.blogspot.com/2010/12/december-giveaway.html

Please tell her that Robin sent ya!  ;o)

Ends Dec. 24

Giveaway at Sew Fabulous

http://sewfabulousquiltshop.blogspot.com/2010/12/december-2010-giveaway-soul-blossom-fat.html

Ends Dec. 31

Giveaway at One More Quilt

http://onemorequilt.blogspot.com/2010/12/100th-post-giveaway-what-novelty.html

Ends Dec. 5

Stash Resolution is opening a new Quilt Shop: Swell Cloth

Check it out:

http://stashresolution.blogspot.com/2010/11/stash-resolution-episode-18.html

Giveaway at Merry Made Quilts

http://merrymadequilts.blogspot.com/2010/11/100th-post-giveaway.html

Ends: ??

Giveaway at Happy Homemaker and Momma

http://happyhomemakerandmomma.blogspot.com/2010/11/mariemadeline-studios-fat-quarters.html

Ends Dec. 5

Giveaway at Stray Stitches

http://straystitches1.blogspot.com/2010/11/big-giveaway.html

Ends Dec. 10

Book giveaway at Chatterbox Quilts Chitchat

http://chatterboxquilts.blogspot.com/

Ends Nov. 26

Giveaway at Strandz

http://mystrandz.blogspot.com/2010/11/fabric-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 29

Giveaway at Pink Fig Design

http://pinkfigdesign.blogspot.com/2010/11/holiday-giveaway.html

You could win this quilt (child not included!):

Ends Dec. 1

Giveaway at Faithful Quilter

http://faithfulquilter.blogspot.com/search/label/Give-A-Way

Ends Nov. 25

A Poem

Back in September, Quiltmaker magazine's blog had a contest for 2 yards of the new Dr. Seuss fabric from Robert Kaufman. They were asking for a comment of something quilty in Dr. Seuss style. 

A quilter who quilts

Dr. Seuss, it would seam,

Has unlimited help

She can quilt up her dream!

From Thing 1 and Thing 2

Then to Hopping on Pop

Of course fishes in teapots

Make awesome quilt tops!

Is there fabric of Whoville?

And Mulberry Street?

Of the Lorax, or Horton?

That would really be neat!

Oh the quilts I would quilt!

Oh the stitches I’d stitch!

Oh the blankets I’d build!

I’d stitch one of the Grinch!

I’m just ITCHING

to stitch up a quilt

of the GRINCH!

But alas, we shall see . . .

if I do get a stash

Of this Dr. Seuss fabric

Without paying cash.

There are other poems, too!

And their authors quite clever.

I don’t know if I can

Make my rhymes sound much better.

All I can do is to sit, sit, sit, sit -

Think what pattern would be fun

To quilt Seuss

If I won!

A few weeks later, this came in the mail:

I think I need to sit and think some more - I still haven't decided what I'll do with it...probably a baby/toddler quilt.

Almost finished...

I've almost finished my Thimbleberries wall hanging. Just the binding to do now. Quilting it got easier as I went along. It sure gave me fits at first - I had the fabrics too tight in my quilt frame. This is my first hand quilting project.

Bluebird Trail pattern from Lynnette Jensen of Thimbleberries from the book Cozy Cabin Quilts

Upcoming giveaway at Qubee Quilts

http://qubeequilts.blogspot.com/2010/11/its-boy.html

Ends Nov. 21

Giveaway at Canton Village Quilt Works

http://cvquiltworks.blogspot.com/2010/11/big-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 22

Giveaway at Green Fairy Quilts

http://greenfairyquilts.blogspot.com/2010/11/big-birthday-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 19

Giveaway at Retro Mummy

http://retromummy.blogspot.com/2010/11/sweet-broderie-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 21

Above All Fabric

Above All Fabric at aboveallfabric.com offers some awesome fabrics for sale. On my wishlist there I have fat quarters of All Star 2, Monaco, and Origins, and a jelly roll of Blush. :o)  I wish I could just go through their checkout and get one of everything!

Giveaway at Simply Solids

http://madewithlovebymandy.blogspot.com/2010/11/accuquilt-go-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 20

Giveaway at The Second Twin Sews

http://thesecondtwinsews.blogspot.com/2010/11/primitive-sampler-some-purple-yarnand.html

Ends Nov. 15

Yet another Remix giveaway at Fat Quarterly on Facebook

Check out Fat Quarterly on Facebook for Week 5 of Remix giveaways!

http://www.facebook.com/FatQuarterly

Giveaway at Jaybird Quilts

Check out the giveaway at Jaybird Quilts that's sponsored by Above All Fabric:

http://giveaways.jaybirdquilts.com/2010/11/sponsored-giveaway-featuring-above-all.html

Ends Nov. 11

Giveaway at Everyday Beautiful

http://everydaybeautiful.typepad.com/everyday_beautiful/2010/11/its-a-big-fabric-shoppe-giveaway-.html


Ends Nov. 11

Giveaway at Simply Handmade

http://simplyhandmadebypaige.blogspot.com/2010/11/sponsor-giveaway-25-gift-certificate-to.html

Ends Nov. 12

Giveaway at Lavender Ridge

http://lavenderridge.blogspot.com/2010/11/go-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 10

Giveaway at Everything Etsy

http://www.everythingetsy.com/2010/11/fabulous-moda-fabric-giveaway-jojos-quilt-shoppe-giveaway-week/#comment-31474

Ends Nov. 8

Giveaway at We Love Quilting

http://welovequilting.com/november-give-a-way-2/

Ends the end November.

Giveaway at Mariliz's Musings

http://marilizsmusings.blogspot.com/2010/11/moda-freebird-charm-pack-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 7

Giveaway at Stitchbird

http://stitchbird.blogspot.com/2010/11/birthday-giveaways.html

Ends ... hmmm - it doesn't say!

Giveaway at Stray Stitches

http://straystitches1.blogspot.com/2010/11/80th-post-celebration-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 16

Anniversary Giveaway at Burgundy Buttons

Happy Anniversary, Burgundy Buttons! Check out BB's giveaway:

http://burgundybuttons.blogspot.com/2010/11/celebrate-good-times-come-on.html

Ends Nov. 8

Giveaway at Little Miss Shabby

http://littlemissshabby.blogspot.com/2010/11/summer-in-city-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 10

Giveaway at The Child's Paper

http://thechildspaper.blogspot.com/2010/11/scrappy-fabric-scrap-give-away.html

Ends Nov. 8

Giveaway at Somewhat Simple

http://www.somewhatsimple.com/2010/11/sys-blog-link-party-with-vinylize-it.html

Ends Nov. 8

An answer

I got an answer about my Great Grandmother's quilt. I was trying to do some research online to find out when in history people began to get their quilts machine quilted. I came across the name Harriet Hargrave - from what I read, she seemed like she would be able to give me some idea, so I e-mailed her my questions with a link to my last post. She quickly replied, and told me that the quilt is a 1920-1930 era tulip quilt and the type of machine quilting on the quilt was quite common during that time. She said that there are quilts from the late 1800's on display at the Smithsonian that are machine quilted. Interesting!

Great Grandmother's Quilt

I've always wanted to start making quilts someday. Around the time I was married, my Grandma Eunice Mohr gave me a quilt that her mother had made. What a gift! My great-grandmother's name was Helena (Petersen) Wiese.

Arlo, Lucille, Helena, William, and Eunice Wiese

 I don't know much about her, except that she ran a little cafe in Milford, Iowa. She and my great-grandfather had divorced sometime after the photo, I guess - pretty unusual in those days. Upon checking my mom's geneology research this morning, I discovered that she was born June 29, 1884 in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany and died 70 years ago today, in 1940 . So it's perhaps fitting that I post about her quilt today.

When Grandma first gave me the quilt, I was pleasantly surprised to see that it is so bright and cheery! Somehow I was expecting dull browns and plain squares. But no! Appliquéd tulips in bright pinks, purples, and oranges!

 Interestingly they are appliquéd onto squares set diagonally (on the point), which you can't tell unless close up because the background is all one color.

   It has colorful stripes of what I think is bias tape or something, right near the yellow binding.

It's machine quilted.

The back of the quilt is of a somewhat brighter yellow than the front.

 I love it. I wonder if she made lots of quilts, or just one. I wonder who she had machine quilt it. I wonder who she made it for, and what she thought about while she stitched on those tulips. Questions that will have to remain unanswered...

I've been thinking about this quilt since I posted about it the other day. Something is not making sense about it and I'm wondering if Grandma told me all the facts. Did ladies get their quilts machine quilted before 1940? It seems to me that back then a woman would probably hand quilt it herself. Now I'm wondering if perhaps Great Grandma Helena only made the top and Grandma (who was not a quilter, as far as I know) had someone machine quilt it later. Perhaps someone who knows more about quilts can tell me when machine quilting became common. In the meantime, I'll ask my Aunt - maybe she knows...

Giveaway at A Quilters Place

http://aquiltersplace.blogspot.com/2010/11/100th-post-reader-appreciation-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 10

Giveaway at Hand Quilting

http://handquilting.blogspot.com/2010/11/november-giveaway.html

Ends Nov. 11

Giveaway at That's Sew Shawna

http://www.thatssewshawna.com/2010/11/beautiful-pure-giveaway-winners-choice.html

It ends Monday, November 8th.

Giveaway at Fat Quarterly on Facebook

This is week 4 of Fat Quarterly's Remix fat quarter bundle giveaway on their Facebook page - you might want to check that out. ;o)

Giveaway at Leona's Quilting Adventures

Leona is having a fabric and book giveaway. Ends November 10 and winner to be announced November 11.

http://oneygirl-myquiltingadventure.blogspot.com/2010/11/its-bloggy-giveaway-time-again.html#comments

I've got the stitching bug . . .

For some reason, the cooler temperatures have really gotten me interested in fabric and projects. I was feeling such an itch to work on something crafty yesterday! I've had a half-finished project languishing in storage for a few years now that I finally got out yesterday, once I found it (which took a while).

This is a Thimbleberries wallhanging called Bluebird Trail (design by Lynette Jensen) that I stopped working on when I got frustrated with the hand-quilting part. I remember having so much fun piecing the middle, doing the applique and even doing the blanket stitch around the leaves and flowers. But when it was time to quilt it I had no patience for it, so I stuffed it in a bag and put it away. For years.

Hopefully I can actually get it finished and on the wall without too much frustration! It really helped to watch some hand quilting videos today on Youtube.

From the videos I found out that it's much easier to quilt if you don't have your project so taut in the quilt frame or hoop. Didn't know that. Also, I'm using the wrong kind of thimble, and it would help if I also had a leather one for my left hand underneath the quilt.

Some day I'd like to try quilting with my sewing machine. That will be another project . . .