THOSE FASCINATING PATCHWORK & QUILTING PUZZLES

The great selection of patchwork and quilting puzzles fascinates me. There are so many interesting designs and pictures portrayed.

Recently I came across one called Patchwork Quilt with a quilt draped around a treadle sewing machine. This reminded me of making quilts with my grandmother. We sewed them by hand, but my aunt and grandmother had a treadle sewing machine sitting in the corner of the room where we worked.

I also learned to sew on treadle machines, the one my mom had in her bedroom and another my 4-H sewing teacher kept in a small room piled high with fabric...her sewing room.

Do quilting puzzles bring back memories to you?

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

Crafty & Quilty Ideas from the Arts Bloggers

The Arts Bloggers, a group of quilting, crafting, scrapbooking, and journaling "fantastic fanatics," frequently compile the offerings from their blogs to share with others involved in the arts. I participate through my Quilting and Patchwork blog at b5media. I hope you enjoy what we have to share.



Antique Pick of the Week: Nixie Tube Clock Take a stroll down memory lane with the Nixie Tube clock, and learn where you can get one today.

Cool Visual Journal Prompts Links to a page of excellent visual journal prompts


Creating Quilting Memory Books for Alzheimer's Patients & Yourself Mary Emma, at Quilting and Patchwork, gives some suggestions for creating a memory book involving quiltmaking.



Creating a hand-made fringed fabric scarf Chloe from Tangled Thread has created a new tutorial on making a fashionable fabric scarf with a hand-knotted fringe.

How to Make Wine Corsets Make personalized wine corsets to cosset your hosts and hostesses this holiday season. (Don’t grab your dictionary … Eileen had to look it up too. “Cosset” means to indulge or pamper ;-)

Layers Upon Layers Mixed media artist Christy Sobolewski shares her artistic passions.



ENJOY!

(c)2008 Mary Emma Allen

Keeping Up with Mary Emma's Quilting World

Keep up with my quilting world by visiting my Quilting and Patchwork blog at b5 media. I write about quilters and fabric artists, new innovations in the quilting world, quilt books, and whatever comes to mind.

The Arts Bloggers visit almost weekly, and the Food Bloggers often make an appearance.

July has been Christmas in July month. I think I'll have a Travel theme for August and may be able to tie it in with the Travel theme at Home Biz Notes.

What are you doing this summer in your quilting world?

New Post at Trails End Quilters

Since these two blogs (Quilters' Potpourri and Tales of the Trails End Quilters) are somewhat intertwined, one about my quilting heritage and the other a potpourri of my thoughts and quilting infomation, I like to let you know when I have something on the other that might interest you. Also, information at my b5media blog, Quilting and Patchwork, will contain even more quilting and fabric art information.

I just wrote a new post at Tales of the Trails End Quilters about Researching the History of Trails End since that information ties in with my quilting heritage that started with former generations living there...the homestead where my mom was born. It was in the family for several generations of quilters.

Quilting and Patchwork at b5media

Goodness, it's been quite some time since I've posted here! I'll have to get up to speed again.

However, I have been writing almost daily about quilts, quiltmaking, patchwork and related fabric arts topics over at Quilting and Patchwork, my blog at b5media. So pop over there to read about the latest news in this world of quilts and quilters.

Excited About Meandering Threads

It's exciting to see my daughter, Beth, trying various types of fabric art and setting up her own blog, Meandering Threads , where she chats about her quilting and her family. Beth also posts some nice photos of her work and of scenes that inspire her work.

She has won some awards and recently participated in a gallery display.

Her daughter, Kara, also makes some fabric art creations, so the generations of Trails End Quilters continue. For information why I call us the Trails End Quilters, check out my blog Tales of the Trails End Quilters.

More About My Trails End Quilting Heritage

You might enjoy learning about my quilting heritage at Tales of the Trails End Quilters blog (http://trailsendquilters.blogspot.com ). My latest post is about Susie, a friend of my grandmother and aunt, who attended my earliest remembered quilting bee. She's part of my quilting memories and heritage.

So I've been delving into the story of her life. You may want to learn how to discover more about the quilters in your early life.

Checking Out Quilt Shows & Events

If you like to attend quilt shows...to learn new techniques, visit with quilters, and simply absorb the spirit of quilting, you may want to check out quilt show listings online. Perhaps you like to plan vacations and trips along the quilt show trail.

Check out the information at my Quilting and Patchwork blog, www.quiltingandpatchwork.com. I was particularly impressed with Alex Anderson's listing of quilting events.

Current Events & Quilting

Frequently current events, whether they involved our town, our state, our country or the world find their way into our quilting. Take the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina last summer. Many quilts were made for fund raising and for flood victims to use. Others may become pictorial memory pieces of this natural disaster.

Quilts may be inspired by sports events whether they're local or international. Right now the World Cup soccer games in Germany have an effect on quilters lives. With some, it has nothing to do with their quilting, simply an event their family may be following. However, the games may inspire some quilters to use soccer designs in their fabric art.

Quilter Judy Martin even has a poll on her web site, where quilters can predict whom they think will win. Check this out at www.judymartin.com.

More Quilting and Patchwork

For anyone desiring more information about quilting and patchwork, visit my column at www.quiltingandpatchwork.com .

Here you'll discover stories, resources, tips, and other enjoyable information published on a regular basis.

Musings of a Quilter

When I sat beside my grandmother in the farmhouse kitchen many years ago, stitching quilt blocks together as she told me family stories, I never imagined quiltmaking would play such a great role in my life...and then the lives of my daughter and granddaughter. At eight years old, I simply enjoyed this time spent with Nanny as we made quilts for my sister, brother and me.

Imagine my joy when, years later, I discovered my mom had saved the quilt Nanny and I made for my bed. I knew it was mine because my initials were embroidered in one corner. Now it's one of the quilts I display when I give talks about quiltmaking and quilt history.

My quiltmaking lay dormant after that for many years, until our country's Bicentennial Years of 1975-76. My mother, who operated a country general store, needed quilts for her customers.

"You have all those scraps from your dressmaking business," she remarked. "Why don't you make some quilts. Hazel can't keep up with all the quilt orders."

So my foray into the quiltmaking world had begun again.

(c)2006