I have no idea who stitched such a lovely piece then never finished it into something useful.
I was so excited when I found it as I straightened up a table full of linens after the first day of our church’s rummage sale exactly a year ago this week!
I could not believe the stitches that went into the house & trees.
The satin stitches in the letters are just lovely.
I did have to fix one thing though.
One of the French knots was missing!
That’s mine in the green circle, lol.
I starched the piece and squared it up then had to decide what fabric to use for a border.
The blue was exactly the same color as our exhibitor badges each spring and fall at quilt market, lol…
So I checked my pathetic stash of blues to no avail.
But I’m no blue kinda girl so I then quickly looked at reds… Now those I can do!
I quickly found the perfect one.
(Who am I kidding? It was always going to be framed in red!)
I had just used this one in a quilt for my new book so it was close to the top of the pile & perfect.
I cut the strips and sewed them onto the stitchery
and there the poor thing sat again.
I took it to several quilt meetings asking my quilting friends their advice for quilting.
This is where I fail miserably.
I don’t do vintage work, hand work, nor much of any quilting.
Then when my friend Robin (Nestlings by Robin)
came to help me with market in October she saw it & knew just what to do with it!
Duh! She is a hand quilter & quilts for hire!
You should check out her website for info if you have something you want hand quilted.
She does awesome work!
She took it home with her to do her magic on it.
Look at these stitches!
I was so excited!
I love how she did the crosshatch in a diamond pattern not a square as I had imagined it.
It looks even better than how I pictured it in my mind.
Unfortunately by the time I got it bound, it was almost time to decorate for Christmas.
I have a whole box full of trinkets that I display on that shelf where I intended to hang it so I knew it wouldn’t be hung until after Easter (because I also have Valentine & Easter decor…)
So finally a couple of weeks ago I was able to hang the quilt in its place of honor in my kitchen.
It goes perfectly with the little sign Clare bought me which has a line from the Julie & Julia movie that we both love.
More recently for Mother’s Day Clare also found the old sifter & Julia Child’s cookbook that coordinates and then last week I found the cookie cutters, eggs & the “In God we Trust” sign that found their way to the shelf quite by accident really.
I buy what I love and then try to do something “useful” with them.
It’s in a good place of honor now.
I like how things sometimes come together in a very round-about way.
If you need a project hand quilted by someone with excellent workmanship contact Robin.
She’ll do a wonderful job!
Just Keep Sewing…
Susan
Wow. It’s all lovely and creative!
Beautiful job all of you!
Beautiful! I love it on that shelf.