Standing Cats Mostly Handmade Quilt

Standing Cats Mostly Handmade Quilt

Every year we introduce a new made in USA handmade quilt to our line. If you’ve been following me on Facebook and my weekly Garden Notes, you know I found two kittens May 24, 2020 abandoned on a county road. James A Mess and his sister, Etta Girl Fierce Mess have been entertaining, and growing, over the months. Based on emails and private messages, they have become a favorite break and bright spot in an otherwise challenging time.

So in honor of the “nuggets” as I called them when they were so tiny, this year we introduced “Standing Cats Mostly Handmade Quilt” with a bright yellow border to represent the joy these little kittens have brought into our lives.

The cat blocks in this extra large throw are multi-patterned small floral cottons so they help fit into most room colors.

The machine quilting gives these fun lap quilts an additional texture and make them perfect for easy washing.

We used sustainable and reusable bamboo for the quilt fill, making these Standing Cats Mostly Handmade Quilts warm and lightweight.

And well, the mostly part? Not all cats are standing. In the spirit of James and Etta, who crash mid afternoon for a nap, the cat in the corner is taking a nap.

Great handmade quilt to add to your home office either draped over your chair for those cold days or hanging from a wall to brighten up a corner.

Charlotte

Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt

Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt is actually a gift that keeps on giving. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt

I suspect one of the reasons I love tulip-themed handmade quilts is that for years I didn’t plant them in my Missouri hillside garden. Besides having to try to blast holes in the rock to even have a place to plant the bulbs, the few that I did add were quickly consumed by visiting deer. It just didn’t seem worth the effort.

When I saw this Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt at the local quilt guild bi-annual show, I as immediately drawn to the colors. The bright burgundy and greens made the traditional applique design striking, especially from afar.

As I got closer, the detailed machine quilting added very nice details including the daisy flowers in the burgundy quilt block corners.

Look at the detailed quilting in Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

What prompted the quilter to select this color combination and applique design? I wonder about those choices when I see handmade quilts. Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt has an interesting history, which as you can imagine started with a gift.

The story behind the Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt, (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

On a side note, tulips are a popular handmade quilt design. The one we carry from the Williamsburg Collection Pink Applique Tulips is based on a pattern Europeans brought to North America when the immigrated in the 1600s. The Pink Applique Tulips quilt shows tulips with a different color range on each flower, making me wonder if this is artistic license or if the tulips featured where different back then and lost through the centuries.

Regardless of tulip history, Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt has another surprise. It won second prize in its category at the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild Show in Rolla, Mo.

Gift of Applique Handmade Quilt won an award! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

What a fitting way to honor the work of Ruby Work, the original quilt maker, and that of quilter Sara Wright, who was thoughtful enough to share the Gift of Applique Handmade quilt history.

Every handmade quilt has a story. Part of the delight is finding the details!

Charlotte

Wink and Smile Handmade Quilt

Wink and a Smile Handmade Quilt from 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Wink and A Smile Handmade Quilt

What do you think of when you hear the expression a “wink and a smile?”

I think of music but my assumption was tested at the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild Show in Rolla, Missouri.

At this bi-annual event, I found a lovely handmade quilt called a “Wink and a Smile” and I pondered the name as I took a closer look at the handiwork in each of the custom quilt blocks.

The first blocks that caught my attention were the yellow ones.

Bright quilt block from Wink and a Smile Handmade Quilt, (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Up close, the blocks in a Wink and a Smile handmade quilt each have their own story to tell. Besides the interaction between two cotton fabrics with yellow, detailed quilting adds a dimension to the overall design.

How quilters meld fabrics into their designs is an art all of its own. The intricacy of this handmade quilt is different than how one of my quilters included similar fabrics in a Lone Star Queen Handmade Quilt.

Now take a look at how the same machine quilting changes with the Wink and A Smile Handmade Quilt block color, this one a darker, purple tone.

Purple Wink and a Smile Handmade Quilt block. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The story behind a Wink and a Smile Handmade Quilt is also a reminder that these fabric pieces are not thrown together in days, it can literally take years to get them completed.

Quick story behind Wink and a Smile Handmade Quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

A quick peek at one more Wink and a Smile Handmade Quilt block, this one featuring pink cottons. Again look at how the same machine quilting looks different yet again.

One more quilt block, this one in pink for Wink and a Smile Quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Do you suppose that’s how this charming handmade quilt got its name?

Charlotte

Lollipop Garden Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging

This Lollipop Garden handmade quilt wall hanging was featured at a 2015 quilt show. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Lollipop Garden Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging

My garden has been flowerless for months. A blanket of snow now covers the hillside, adding an elegant dimension to the trees and flower beds but I miss color.

This is an excellent time to review some custom handmade quilts that are also quilt wall hangings. There is no quicker way to bring color and design into a room than to hang a handmade quilt.

This handmade quilt wall hanging has color, whimsy and three dimensions through the machine quilting. The fabric colors certainly catch one’s eye with the purples and chartreuse. It’s not until one gets closer that one sees the details of the machine quilting, which adds another layer of flowers to the overall quilt design.

Quilting adds a lovely dimension to Lollipop Garden Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The lollipop garden flowers are also interesting. They remind me of a modern take on the yo-yo’s that where once popular handmade quilts.

The incorporation of the chartreuse fabrics is also interesting. A modern take on green, chartreuse used to be the exception to the rule. The popularity of chartreuse makes this Lime Green Double Wedding Ring Quilt a modern version of the traditional patchwork wedding quilt design.

This quilt wall hanging was featured at the Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild Show in 2015 in Rolla, Mo.

The Hoffman Challenge recognized the best handmade quilts wall hangings and how they incorporated fabrics. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

As many quilt shows do, this custom handmade garden quilt was entered in the Hoffman Challenge category, which recognized the best incorporation of fabrics into the quilt design.

I’m just happy to see a bright spot of color amidst the cold Missouri winter!

Charlotte

Winter Twitterings Handmade Quilt

Winter Twitterings Handmade Quilt from the local quilt show last year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Winter Twitterings Handmade Quilt

Cold, overcast days are keeping me inside these days but I still make it outside to refill bird feeders and to check my garden, even if nothing is blooming or even green.

Listening to the birds in my garden reminded me of this charming "Winter Twitterings” Handmade Quilt from Piece and Plenty’s 2017 bi-annual quilt show. And no, this is not about “tweeting” on a social media platform, this is a reference to the sound birds make.

The overall color scheme of burgundy and cream is elegant and a nice counterpoint to the more whimsical quilt block details.

Two charming embroidered birds in Winter Twitterings Handmade quilt, (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Take a look at another block and the cute way Brenda Morton hand-quilted this winter themed quilt. The hand quilting adds some dimension to each of the quilt blocks.

Embroidered birdhouses keep birds company. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Every handmade quilt has a story and Winter Twitterings is no exception.

Every quilt has a story. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

When seen together, this is a charming handmade quilt celebrating birds and winter, something I enjoy watching from the cozy warmth of my own home. Not surprisingly, this quilt also won first prize in the quilt show.

Not surprising, Winter Twitterings quilt won first prize. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

These days most quilts are machine embroidered so I want to make a special note that this one was not only hand quilted but hand embroidered as well. That’s worthy of a tweet!

Charlotte

Handmade Quilt Gift Idea for Hospitals and Nursing Homes

Close up of the 4-inch fabric blocks in Blue Yellow Ninepatch lap quilt and wall hanging.

Handmade Quilt Gift Idea for Hospitals and Nursing Homes

Sometimes it’s hard to find a gift for someone in a hospital and nursing home. You don’t want to give something that may be damaged or misplaced and this little gem is a wonderful option.

Blue Yellow Ninepatch Lap Quilt Wall Hanging is a brand new imported lightweight lap quilt in bright yellow and blue multi-patterned cottons. The backing is also a bright and cheerful fabric with printed yellow and blue flowers. The lap quilt also comes with a built-in sleeve so this tiny reminder of sunshine can be hung on a wall.

Close up of the backing and sleeve on Blue Yellow Ninepatch Lap Quilt and Wall Hanging.

One of our customers recently purchased a Blue Yellow Lap Quilt Wall Hanging and had friends write good wishes in the blocks with an indelible pen.

Another option is to have custom embroidery added with a special dedication in the bottom blue border.

Blue Yellow Ninepatch Lap Quilt Wall Hanging on a bed to show all of the included fabric colors.

I have a personal connection to these colors and design. Years ago, I gave something similar to my grandmother as a housewarming gift when she moved into a nursing home. Only instead of calling it a ninepatch pattern, we decided this was an irish chain.

My most recent customer insisted this was more of a ninepatch so we’re leaving it named as she requested. Whatever you call it, Blue Yellow Ninepatch Lap Quilt Wall Hanging will brighten anyone’s day!

Charlotte