Sunday Quilt Inspiration: GRAY and YELLOW

Last night we attended our niece's wedding. It was beautiful: Father Travis gave a lovely (and funny) homily, the decor was simple but elegant with fabulous yellow roses tucked into unexpected places, and family and long-time friends gathered around wishing the happy couple well. Samantha and Kenny were both obviously giddy with happiness and love for each other and Lily, his daughter from a previous relationship.

Samantha chose gray and yellow as her wedding colors. Her bridesmaids wore steely gray dresses (with pockets!) and carried bouquets of yellow roses. The groomsmen wore elegant gray tuxedos with yellow rose boutonnières.  

I liked the look of yellow and gray much more than I might have thought. The two compliment each other gorgeously, providing a feeling of chiaroscuro. Then I thought of today and decided yellow and gray would make for a lovely, inspirational post. 

And for lovely inspired quilts...

Aren't you inspired to make a gray and white something?

"Old Ohio Rose" ~~ finally complete!

Yes, that's right.  I've finally finished everything on "Old Ohio Rose."  Today we also had perfect weather for photographing the quilt.  It was calm and overcast when I got home from school, but I waited until Richard could assist, because the ladder is broken and very unsafe.  

His job was to make sure that it didn't do a split on me.  The problem is the little arm that connects the two uprights. One is completely missing!  

Now before you scream "UNSAFE" all hyper-loud, there's a new ladder.  It's just not here.  A son borrowed it.  Suffice it to say Rich may get another ladder for Christmas this year.  That would be two ladders in three years.  If I keep this up, in a couple of years everyone will have a ladder.  I may even get my own!

To avoid my climbing the ladder again, Rich pulled the quilt off the line, gently so the clothes pins wouldn't break.  He wanted me to leave them on the line, but I remembered that he has a grabber, which worked beautifully. 

 There's not much to say about "Old Ohio Rose."  It's a fairly simple quilt and it was a quick sew.  It took me a long time because I couldn't get into the studio.  I like it but I'll admit it's not my style so much, even though I bought the fabric.  My tastes have changed over the last few years, and I like the newer, modern fabrics much more now.

One could argue that growth and change are reasons to NOT build a big stash.  I suppose I should agree, but I love my stash and building it has been great fun.

Want to read more about this quilt?  You can find earlier posts in "Creative Saturdays" and in "Have Bernina, Will Travel."

The back is a pieced back made with fabrics from my stash.  I used a few small pieces that are on the front and added some solids and gingham fabrics in light pink that came from my mom's stash.  I really like the look!

Linking up with

Finish It Up Friday at Crazy Mom Quilts 

Link a Finish Friday at Richard and Tanya Quilts 

Whoop Whoop Friday at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Off the Wall Fridays at Creations Quilts Art Whatever

Creative Saturdays

Creative Saturdays are the best, aren't they?  I definitely had one of those today.  

Firstly, I finished quilting "Old Ohio Rose" which I started back in June while we were on vacation.  I wrote about that in "Have Bernina Will Travel."  I pieced all the blocks on the trip and finished putting the top together after we returned home.  I did not decide on a design.  Nope.  Just threw all the blocks together and started sewing.  They landed where they landed!

Last weekend I loaded the quilt top on the long-arm and began quilting using an all-over feather design.  I added a few scrolls and a little echoing in places where I needed to fill in the background. Easy, fun, stress-free sewing and quilting.  The only thing left is the binding and label.  Yay!

I just love this pieced back!  Originally I planned to used this pretty pink stripe with small roses.  I think it is a coordinating fabric that goes with the line, but I could have found it at a different time and decided to put them all together.  Regardless, it goes well, but there wasn't enough for the entire back.

I pulled lots of pinks, some left over from the top and others from the stash.  I have gingham, a pink solid, and a pink with beautiful script from one of the lines that raises money for cancer research. 

After finishing the quilting, I decided to go to school for a couple of hours to work in my classroom.  I left a mess on Friday, too exhausted to do any more.  Today I managed to clean tables, hang paper "shades" to block out the morning glare, add pretty welcome letters, and put away some out-of-place items.  Tomorrow I hope to clean one of the storage rooms to put away the items that we hauled in from my old classroom.  It surely feels good to be back in the library even--if I don't get to play librarian.  

How did your creative Saturday go?

Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Shabby Chic

Roses, clematis, hydrangea.  Distressed white wood.  Wired cages. Gilded frames.   Comfy, overstuffed cushions.  Shabby and chic. Vintage and new.  Fresh and old.  


More popular in Europe (I think) shabby chic decor still has a following in the United States.  The decor and clothing are romantic, charming and poetic in nature. It's especially popular among DIY'ers because the natural distressed look of vintage, worn items fit easily into the design.

It's easy to see how these translate into quilts.  Here are a few...