More from our Tea Time Get together
Making a Nap Patch for Jack was just mandatory. He is our “Jack of all trades” doing so much behind the scenes to maintain our gardens at the NC State Playhouse. With the theater closed last year we worked even harder to create an escape for enjoying flowers, nature and a picnic opportunity.
Imagine at dawn cutting patches to make eye to eye contact with this big deer right outside my QuiltBuilt studio.
The Nap Patches lap quilt for Pete is the only one with batting, so it is a quilt with a cozy flannel backing. For each of the covers I cut many 8 1/2” squares so that is the common number for the overall design. Then, four times I created a 16” block using 4 1/2” squares in a nine patch that has a 2 1/2” border. Can you find the bigger blocks? Using a design wall is the primary secret to move the patches around placing colors in the right sequence. What makes the quilt special is that I cut up the plaid shirt he wore on a long ago trip to Alaska with Jon and Paul. Paul made a video out of that called Caribou Bones (opening song is my very favorite-a haunting piece) you can find on Vimeo somewhere on the internet. Its a family trip like no other!
Yes, there are six men who help us maintain this acre and a half property, our computer and my volunteer place at our State Playhouse gardens. You will meet them—blog by blog. This was an attempt to finally use a collection of plaid fabrics that had been washed and pressed awaiting their destiny. I call them “Nap Patches” as they are blocks designed on a design wall; sewn together and completed with a polar fleece backing.
Except there is snow on the ground this January day. My plan is to blog every other day as in my patchwork life there is just not enough to tell every day. BUT I plan to share some tips and insight as to how I live in this
“Quilt Built” home studio.
Turning over a new leaf, for sure. Starting with this major announcement into the past. Starting this Sunday, the 20th of December, The Quilt Show, will make available some classic Quilt Show Legend interviews. This link I am sharing is not available until Sunday for a week for your enjoyment. I certainly recall the day they came to Flat Rock—Ricky has just gotten his new drone and was like a three year old running around our yard; Alex could not figure out what my Playhouse was until we got over to the Flat Rock Playhouse Theatre. So enjoy a tour of our home with many quilts to view.
Started on March 14th
I dispute the saying “the Grass is always Greener on the other side”. Staying hone has proved to me and others there is plenty of green at home and its not all about quilting. Its up to 67 days except for weekly grocery and hardware store trips so I will share what has kept me busy and content. On the 14th of March I had my last public get together at our Flat Rock Village Hall for HistoricFlatRockinc.org with seating at random where our new “Gardening Tips from Well-Seasoned Gardeners” book was announced. So many new ideas and inspiration from local people. I got to feature a front yard story about M Allens hiking boots. Hope you can get your hands on a copy sometime soon.
Then the requests for masks came for the mid wives clinic in Asheville. These were the earlier style which are a bit more difficult to secure and keep in place. We have improved since the first days.
Then my Super Sod soil came which saved my sanity. (888 360 1125)They deliver this big yellow bag of great soil that you can just shovel into a cart and spread all over the beds. I even ordered a second bag as it keeps! What fun as I have lots of garden rooms. Discovering things I never knew were in our forest and land has been exciting, like the pink trillium. Guess they were there before but just too busy to notice. Somehow the birds are louder and found an amazing root on one of the rhododendrons.
We have a little gazebo in the woods that needed cleaning from spider webs and debris so I used my new WORX small leaf blower just the right size for a lady. I have always imagined a grandchild wedding there so hung my Folkwear pattern wedding dress there and texted the children. Response from family: Looks like a ghost!
Found: a vintage, 1975, embroidery panel from our Mothers handiwork. So I hand quilted it, framed it and competed as a pillow for my sister.
Time for another Quilts of Valor top. This time a simple star pattern using some great floral border print fabric. This will go to a female Veteran as soon as our presentations commence.
Selling my quilts and wall hangings is a rewarding but also very sentimental. Its not just the loss of the object but the memories and time spent stitching just evaporate going away. The Seta Color leaves made with Elin Noble from Lap Quilting PBS 1104 (available on YouTube.com) show is one such fiber art. For me this was learning a new technique but then deciding how to finish it along with my clever leaf styled corners. Trust someone is enjoying this wall art.
Updating our maze was another ”on the knee pad” adventure but it looks so nice with enhanced mulch and bigger border rocks. We have some great next to new and antique shops here in town, along with our Humane Society. Recently our daughter and I ventured into one and her eagle eye spotted one of my original Cajun Quilter evening bags. We could not believe it. It had been there so long the owner just gave it to us. Finally, it took me several days on my BERNINA but I did complete the 2019 Nine Quarter Circle Ranch project. I combined my Taylor Fork Cabin with Charlotte Warr Andersens wonderful Morning Glory Pool from Yellowstone. What great memories which now hangs in our great room.
How ironic that during this confined period I am quilting away for the Asheville Quilt show entry in the fall, hopefully.
At the same time I discovered a 1988 one hour instructional film I did. Paul (BonesteelFilms.com) was able to transpose it. Here is the link: enjoy!
Read MoreHello quilters, Georgia Bonesteel here. BIG NEWS! We found a fun relic in the Lap Quilting archive! My first 'Home Video'. This instructional video was produced in 1988 by Oxmoor House publishing and sponsored by Bernina USA. This was the first (and only) VHS video created to teach my "lap quilting" technique outside of the PBS studios of North Carolina Public TV. This video teaches how to make three quilts includingthe "Carnival" "True Blue" and "Garden Party" quilts. For long time fans of my PBS program you’ll see me in a different home-studio environment with my straight forward teaching and my cat Chi Chi! I hope you enjoy going back in time as much as I have in watching this.
I just got featured in the Flat Rock Together blog. After a wonderful 2 hour interview I had a chance to review our history before Flat Rock and Quilting. Its good reading with all the previous articles handy to peruse. Also a calendar of whats happening. Thank you very much!
Learn more about the 60 degree diamond in various sizes. Then adapt your design to a wall hanging or the beginning of a bed size quilt. Three week class meeting on Tuesday AM from 10:00 to 12:00 from January the 7th ti the 14th ti the 21st. Have fun while we cut and stitch and use up those scraps. We might just have to do lunch afterwards! Call 828 693 6622 to register.
Connie Wells with just one of her five show and tell quilts.
Joanne Shafer is a true Quilt Diva. This is all about making use of winter time extra hours to finish projects.
Linda Lippitt, who is going to be teaching a smocking class at Beginnings Quilt Shop, is also a quilter and brought a recent scrap quilt worthy of being seen by all. Congrats, Linda!
Jeani shared a really scrap quilt.
Another UFO but at least she is ready for the holidays!!
We were truly overwhelmed by Carolyn’s two embroidered quilts. Just imagine the hours spent but oh the joy to be completed.
