My blogging friends Nicole and Thelma have already blogged about the Toulouse quilt that all 3 of us are making, but I wanted to wait until I had some actual progress to show before I wrote about it. I do have all my block components finished, and now I can set to work to build the blocks for this quilt. Don't you love them? I am using Maison de Noel fabrics designed by 3 Sisters several years ago. If I had known back then how much I would love this fabric, I would have bought bolts of it. Toulouse has oodles of 9-patches and is surrounded by a flying geese border.
I really love these corner stars that appear in the border. Like all Miss Rosie quilts, there are a lot of different design elements in this quilt, and it makes it interesting and fun to make. I often talk to customers in the quilt store who are intimidated by Carrie Nelson's patterns. If you are one of them - please don't be! She takes simple quilt shapes like stars, 9-patches and flying geese and turns them into something fabulously complex looking, but easy to assemble. I promise - Carrie walks you through every block, every step of the way with a great sense of humor, too. No wonder so many of us love her patterns!
I am not one to make resolutions - either for some behavior I need to change in my life or for the year's quilting accomplishments. I'm more of a "magpie" type of quilter - I work on whatever beautiful fabric or pattern catches my eye at the moment. So for me to plan out my projects a whole year in advance would be setting myself up for failure.
Still, I do have a goal for 2010, and that is to make Christmas quilts to display in my home during the holidays. I made this decision in November, during day 11 of the Cross County Blog Hop - a day that featured Christmas quilts. I have none! I need some! I've been searching for Christmas quilt patterns ever since.
This weekend I was at a quilt store that I seldom visit, and found this great pattern, called O' Christmas Tree designed by Nancy Murty of Bee Creative Studio. If you visit my friend Thelma's blog, she just finished a quilt - also called Oh Christmas Tree - also a tree made of squares - 1" finished squares that is. Her quilt is beautiful, but no, I don't see myself strip piecing 4,950 squares to make that quilt, although it is very pretty.
The pattern I chose is a very interesting design. It's comprised of 6 rows, each row containing 5 blocks with various combinations of 9-patches, flying geese, half-square triangles and squares, and you end up with a fabulous tree that measures 60x69. It looks like it will be very interesting to collect fabrics for, and also very fun and interesting to piece.
Love your Toulouse blocks! That Christmas Tree pattern is great!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! Your Toulouse quilt is going to be beautiful and I like that Christmas tree quilt too, the construction will make it a fun project. I laughed at your term "magpie quilter;" I think I am a bit of one as well.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to go write down my 2010 goals right now! Love your Toulouse blocks, your green background looks great, my red is a little strong. I'm thinking I may have to make that tree, not soon, maybe not this year, but in my lifetime. Depends on your experience with the pattern I suppose.
ReplyDeleteGosh friend this was a nice post to read. Well written and comfy and filled with good things. Stuff a girl could get into. Sorta like good article material actually. I was thinking that as I read it. You put to words the feeling of doing one of Carrie's patterns - perfectly! I never could have expressed it.
ReplyDeleteI think having some quilts around during the Season is a happy and highly virtuous goal. You've opened my mind to a different way of thinking. That's cool, Lisa!