Quilty Care Package

Recently I lost my trusty quilt appreciating side kick. I cannot count the hours of companionship as she sat by my side while I sewed.  I will miss her ever so dearly. Here is a picture of her from the first day we got her. She hid inside the pillow cover in the guest bedroom. 

When my mom heard about the news she mailed me a package with all kinds of sewing knick knacks to cheer me up. Most of these things belonged to my grand mother which were passed down to her.

First up this awesome piece of hand embroidered skirt. It is chunky mirror embroidery on a very sturdy canvas like fabric, similar to upholstery weight. I guess back in the day they made outfits based on what would resist the wear and tear of daily life.

This is what it looks like at the back.

There were pieces of some awesome hand woven lace. The colors are just so vibrant. I think these were salvaged off some old sarees.

A box full of sewing thread on wooden spools. I don't think the thread is usable anymore but the colors are to die for. I think they would make great display items in my sewing room.

There was a box full of sewing/tapestry needles of all shapes and sizes. Some odd looking ones that I had no idea what they could be used for. Of the lot what really caught my eye was this package of medical needles for suturing. I guess stitching up a gash was just another household sewing activity or they worked great as embroidery/tapestry needles! 

Last but not the least a bag full of hand carved wooden templates for block printing fabric. These actually belonged to my great great grandmother. So they are probably more than a hundred years old. They are still in decent condition and would love to give them a try.

There were a ton of fabric pieces from old sarees of which this one was my favorite. I just love the color and the gold block print on the fabric. This fabric is still in good condition, most of the other pieces are falling apart. I probably have to do something to preserve them from further damage.

Well the package was a pleasant surprise and I am glad I have some artifacts from my family's sewing past.

The Making of a Quilt

The much anticipated QuiltCon 2015 in Austin, TX has come and gone. A gathering of anyone and everyone interested in modern quilting. I did not attend the event but a ton of my quilty friends did and I followed the happenings vicariously through their IG feed. You can look at the pics on Instagram by searching for #quiltcon. Everyone seemed to have had a fun time!

I had my quilt 'An Ode to the Past' hanging at the show. After seeing all the quilts selected for the show I felt humbled and honored to have one of my own creations in presence of such greatness. I was hoping someone would take a picture of it for me to see. I was not disappointed. My dear friend Jess from Quilty Habit was the first one to send me a picture via IG and then my new found friend Debbie at A Quilter's Table sent me these amazing hi-res images of it hanging at the show. Thank you both, you're the best!!! Totally made my week.

On another note I was part of the group that took first place in the bee quilt category. This was started by a bunch of us at the Mid-Atlantic Mod quilting retreat. I went back and collected the pictures from the IG feed to give an overview of how the quilt progressed during the retreat. It is interesting to see it taking shape from just a few blocks here and there.

It's such a special relationship you share with everyone that contributed to it. This was one of the quilt tops that was actually completed at the retreat. Look at Rose, absolutely ecstatic over winning it! Oh well, all's well that ends well.

Here is a look at the quilt in all it's glory.

Images courtesy of @jtlevitt, @andpins, @quiltyhabit, @soniabegoniasonia and MQG