Work In Progress

Dieses kleine Teil ist schon längst fertig, aber ich hab gerade dieses Foto wiedergefunden und ich mag es mich daran zu erinnern, wie die Dinge entstanden sind. Ich liebe einfach meine Arbeit!

This little piece is long since finished, but I just came across this picture again and I just like to remember how things came into being. I just love my work!

A Cow

Cows are amongst the gentlest of breathing creatures; none show more passionate tenderness to their young when deprived of them; and, in short, I am not ashamed to profess a deep love for these quiet creatures. 

~Thomas de Quincey (English essayist, 1785- 1859)

http://www.quotegarden.com/cows.html

 I  LOVE them, too!

a little folk art quilt for kids of all ages, handmade, 18 x 20 cm

ein kleiner Folk Art Quilt für kleine und große Kinder, handgearbeitet, 18 x 20 cm

Bookmark / Lesezeichen

I love bookmarks!.

Here are two with the leaves I also used in the mini-quilt below.

They measure 15,5 to 6 cm. 

Handsewn and handquilted,

they are filled with sackcloth, so they are thin but firm.

Spring Is Coming Soon!

It's spring fever. 

That is what the name of it is. And when you've got it, you want - oh, you don't quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, 

you want it so!

- Mark Twain

www.quotegarden.com/spring.html

It's not spring just yet, but isn't it good to be well prepared for this fever?? 

For me it's just nice to have some blooming flowers around... so I make them!! Such as these flowers shown here...  they come in various sizes, some have ribbons,  and I love to use them just for hanging them up, or for coasters, or larger ones for table-mats or potholders. They really look good on a table or in the kitchen! A friend of mine attached one of my flowers to her purse. I think smaller ones are nice gift-tags, too, or just to be fashionable, I put a small one on my coat... 

They are completely handmade and filled with a cotton-polyester-fleece.

If you would like to have one, I am glad to receive an e-mail (MARIASmail@t-online.de), please send me the fabrics you like or tell me your favourite style and colors and I try to make one for you with the fabrics I have at hand. For more information please go to "Give And Take" on top of this site.

Mark Twain nennt dieses Gefühl "Frühlingsfieber" .... 

Ich weiß, es ist noch nicht wirklich Frühling, aber macht es nicht Freude schon einmal vorbereitet zu sein? Ich find's einfach schön, blühende Blumen um mich zu haben, also mach ich sie schon mal selbst! So wie diese Blumen auf den Fotos, ich gestalte sie in verschiedenen Größen, einige haben auch Bändchen, und ich mag es, sie einfach aufzuhängen oder sie als Untersetzer zu benutzen. Größere Blumen benutze ich als Tischläufer oder für die Küche als hübschen Topflappen. Sie sehen auf dem Tisch oder in der Küche ganz nett aus! Eine Freundin von mir hat eine Blume an ihrer Handtasche befestigt, sieht sehr fröhlich aus! Ich denke, dass kleinere Blumen nette Geschenkanhänger sein können, oder vielleicht macht eine kleine sich auch gut an einem Mantelkragen, ich hab's ausprobiert! 

Die Blumen sind komplett mit der Hand genäht und sind mit einem weichen Baumwoll-Polyester-Vlies gefüllt.

Falls Sie auch eine haben möchten, freue ich mich über eine e-mail: MARIASmail@t-online.de. Bitte senden Sie mir dann die Stoffe, die Sie mögen oder beschreiben Sie mir Ihren bevorzugten Stil und teilen Sie mir Ihre Farbwünsche mit, ich versuche dann, mit meinen Stoffen Ihren Geschmack zu treffen. Weitere Informationen finden Sie unter "Give And Take" ganz oben auf dieser Seite. 

This fine book helped me to find my design - ideas:

 English Paper Piecing, Muster aus geometrischen Formen,

by Claudia Schmidt

Utility Quilts

When I start to make a new quilt, either for myself or for a person who asks me to do so -

I begin with the questions: How much time do I wish to invest? And what purpose will this quilt serve?

It's ultimately the choice between a fancy and a utility quilt.

What's a utility quilt?

Well, this is what I think: 

while fancy quilts radiate some kind of an artistic charisma, and are primarily used on special occasions, utility quilts are meant to be practical household quilts for daily use. Utility quilts are often pieced in a simple and quick way and are more or less thickly batted so that they provide warmth and comfort. A household with a love for quilts usually possesses a larger quantity of utility quilts and only a few fancy quilts.

But then, just like a fancy quilt a utility quilt shows all the traditional elements of an individually designed quilt, as for example:

- traditional patterns (mostly an arrangement of squares and/or stripes),

- the use of fabrics which have a tight connection to the life of the owner (but other than in fancy quilts no silk or velvet)

- a quilting work which is lovingly done, often by hand,

- a label with some information at the back.

When I make a utility quilt, I normally need 2 to 4 weeks to finish it, while working on a fancy quilt with a more intricate patchwork takes me from 3 months to a year or more, also because I don't use a sewing machine for fine patchwork.

Here is one of my fancy quilts:

.... and these are some pictures of my latest utility quilts 

(125 + 175 cm, cotton fabrics, the batting is a warm but light cotton-polyester blanket, the backing a soft flannel sheet, machine- sewing, hand-quilting)

... and as always, I love to combine a quilt with a cushion:

"Gwen had never imagined that fabric could convey so much meaning."

The Winding Ways Quilt, by Jennifer Chiaverini