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

Vintage Butterflies and Flowers Handmade Quilt

Doesn't this look like butterflies have taken over? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Vintage Butterflies and Flowers Handmade Quilt

I caught the end of the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild "Bed Turning" session in time to see this lovely vintage Butterflies and Flowers handmade quilt. It was love at first sight, and you can see why, there are a variety of different-sized butterflies all over the applique flowers!

June is usually the month for National Pollinators Week and this year, it will be celebrated June 18-24. Butterflies are among the many pollinators who keep our landscapes full of a variety of flowers not to mention the largest family of pollinators, bees.

This vintage quilt has its own celebration, starting with the variety applique butterflies all over. There are two sizes of butterflies, the larger dominant applique ones and the smaller ones forming a border.

Love how the butterflies are paying close attention to flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

And in one of the quilt corners, a delightful surprise, the name of the quilter and the year she made it hand-embroidered: Dot French, 1984.

See the surprise in this corner? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I had a butterfly quilt in my teenage years, a patchwork butterfly quilt pattern with more details than this one. Taking a closer look, it would not be hard to make a similar butterfly quilt, the applique butterfly shape is pretty simple as are the flowers. Looks like the longest time would be in embroidering the flower centers and leaves.

The larger applique butterflies have a basic, easy shape. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I have been contemplating making a new butterfly throw design and this vintage butterflies and flowers handmade quilt will definitely be my inspiration!

Charlotte

Ladybug in the Maze Handmade Quilt

This is a small quilt but mighty because of the center subject, a lovely red ladybug.

Ladybug in Maze Handmade Quilt

It's hard to believe but it's almost mid April and there still is snow in the upcoming forecast. What happened to spring??

Over the years, one of the ways I have easily change the decor of my guest room and bedroom was by changing out the quilts. My winter quilts are much heavier than my spring and summer ones and, once I find wall space, I may even hang a couple of the smaller quilt blocks I first made years ago.

This Ladybug in the Maze handmade quilt was one of my favorites at the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild and you will quickly see why - the subject in the center is one of my favorite garden bugs, the ladybug. This little red bug eats aphids and is one of the beneficial insects we should encourage to have in our gardens instead of using pesticides.

Here is a closer look at the ladybug and the detailed quilting that went into this charming small handmade quilt, the perfect size for a wall hanging:

Here is a closer look at the center red ladybug and the surrounding quilting.

One little ladybug looks so elegant, reminds me of the ladybug applique throw we offer based on a vintage pattern with a lot more red ladybugs in different red patterned fabrics.

Another surprise, this was made by a former co-worker of mine when we worked together at the local daily newspaper. 

Every handmade quilt has a story so if you find one at an auction or estate sale, make sure to ask who made it and when, the back story adds value to a quilt if you can find it.

Each handmade quilt has a story and this is the story behind this gem of a handmade quilt.

Nicely done, Loretta!

Charlotte

Basket Handmade Quilt

Can you spot all of the baskets in this handmade quilt by a master gardener friend?

Basket Handmade Quilt

As I was dusting off some of my favorite baskets earlier today thinking of spring, I remembered this handmade basket quilt from the fall 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild quilt show in Rolla, Missouri. The handmade quilt had been made by a master gardener colleague of mine but what I recalled was that I had intended to count how many actual baskets were featured in the quilt.

Baskets are an important element in my life. Besides cat napping spots and storage areas for books, I keep baskets to carry plants around in my garden so I keep many baskets in various shapes and sizes around my house.

This lovely, award-winning quilt also seems to suggest baskets are good for a variety of chores, starting with collecting strawberries.

This strawberry seems to be growing in it's own basket!

Each one of these quilt blocks feature lovely baskets such as the strawberry sitting in its very own colorful container. An applique red bird appears to be getting ready to fly off ned to a basket holding a pretty flower.

Look at how the machine quilting adds nice texture to the quilt background.

This red bird is keeping a lovely flower in a basket company.

This side of the handmade basket quilt, with the award ribbons, feature smaller baskets.

Basket handmade quilt won a second place award at the quilt guild show last fall.

Each handmade quilt has it's own story, one of my favorite parts of any quilt show. This quilt took a little extra time from start to finish, according to Marilyn's accounting but it sure was worth the effort!

One of the wonder features of any handmade quilt is the story behind its making.

In addition to the variety of baskets, I liked the fabric color combinations, the bright colors will help this quilt have a long life.

Charlotte

It's Snowing Handmade Quilt

Love the way the scarf has a little movement in the patchwork quilt design.

It's Snowing Handmade Quilt

This may sound silly but I got into a lively discussion with a very young man earlier today while waiting at a hardware store. The question was how cold does it have to get before one can make a good snowman.

His contention was that there is no bad time to make a snowman. I didn't disagree with the sentiment but at what temperature, I asked, does snow not pack enough to hold a shape.

This 10-year old had it all figure out, down to bringing a spray water bottle with him to add a little moisture if the snow needed it.  I admired his tenacity but when the temperatures dip below zero, that's too cold to be doing much of anything outside even in a snowy garden, which makes this charming "It's Snowing" handmade quilt a great way to bring a snowman inside. Make that four snowmen!

Here's the handmade quilt with all four blocks making a charming quilted wall hanging.

I know the piecer and quilter of this quilt so this becomes special just for that reason.

In addition, though, I love how the patchwork scarf has movement instead of just sitting on the snowman's neck. Patchwork quilts are based on geometric designs so to see a simple square turn into movement is a nice touch.

The other part of this handmade quilt story? Well, see for yourself in the posted story at Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild's fall 2017 show in Rolla, Mo.:

See, there's hope for those of us with unfinished projects still around!

For those of you who may not know, UFOs are unfinished projects and I have a few of those myself so this will be further inspiration to get some of mine done.

Nice job, Loretta!

Charlotte

Christmas Sampler Handmade Quilt

Sampler quilts feature a different design in every quilt block.

Christmas Sampler Handmade Quilt

Have you started to take down your Christmas decorations? I'm just starting, focusing first on the ones that need a little repair before I put them away until next year.

As I was painting one of the damaged ornaments, I was thinking about this Christmas Sampler handmade quilt featured at the fall Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild show in Rolla, Missouri. This holiday-inspired handmade quilt has a different design in each of the quilt blocks, making this a more challenging quilt to make.

One of the star-shaped quilt blocks in this Christmas Sampler handmade quilt.

The other surprise about this Christmas Sampler handmade quilt is that it was hand-pieced, which means Joyce Darr stitched all of the pieces by hand. No sewing machine or mechanical instrument to stitch the pieces together.

The story behind the Christmas Sampler handmade quilt, including how it was pieced.

When you put all of the different quilt blocks together, the quilt turns into a lovely work of art.

Each of the blocks in this Christmas Sampler handmade quilt are different.

These are definitely Christmas colors, the tomato reds and the dark greens. It would make a lovely wall hanging and quickly give a room a holiday theme.

One more ornament to glue back together and I can start packing up some of my holiday decor. I keep one of the tiny decorated Christmas trees out all year as a reminder to keep the Christmas spirit alive every day. This holiday quilt would be another sweet way to keep that reminder alive, too, don't you think?

Charlotte

Winter Reds Handmade Quilt

Winter Reds Handmade Quilt was shared at the fall Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild show in Rolla.

Winter Reds Handmade Quilt

If there is one bird that should be the Christmas bird I nominate Missouri's red native cardinal. I have a couple of pairs that live in my garden, visiting the bird feeders at dusk to enjoy a dinner of sunflower seeds. In winter, the bright red of the male cardinals stand out against snow, their color even brighter by contrast.

This handmade quilt called "Winter Reds" reminded me of bird-watching from my living room window during winter. The small quilt was among a number of entries in the Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild's fall 2017 show in Rolla, Missouri.

The quilter, Joyce Darr, has done a nice job of melding several different kinds of printed cotton fabrics with cardinals on them in the overall design. The darker panels contrast against the ones with a snowy white background.

Closer look at the beauty of the printed cotton panels in this charming handmade quilt.

Beautiful machine quilting adds a snowy feeling to the white fabric surrounding the center quilt block. Sometimes the quilting can compete with the quilt design but in this case, it adds to the overall feel of the design, as if snow has fallen around the red birds.

Every quilt has a story and this is the story that was posted with Winter Reds Handmade Quilt.

There is snow in our weekend forecast, a promise that we may have a white Christmas, or at least Christmas Eve, this year. I will look forward to watching my bird feeders to see if any of these lovely red birds make an appearance.

There is a charming Ozark legend that red birds appearing are visitations from a loved one. Native American Indians attributed many special attributes to Cardinals and a quick search on Red Cardinals shows that these lovely birds have held a colorful history in many cultures.

I just like them simply in this handmade quilt, a reminder of the beauty of red against white.

Merry Christmas!

Charlotte

Trees with Lights Handmade Quilt

Modern patchwork Christmas trees get a little help from a border string of lights.

Trees with Lights Handmade Quilt

My gardening colleague Harriet Bain created this fun take on a modern patchwork tree quilt design by adding the border of Christmas tree lights.

The tree design itself is not necessarily one of Christmas trees but Harriet said with the red and green fabric colors, they were Christmas trees to her. I can see her point!

The machine quilting also adds beauty to this combination of trees and lights.

This handmade quilt was one of dozens of entries in the bi-annual Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild show in Rolla October 2017. Several of my master gardener colleagues are also members of the quilt guild so I enjoy going through the show and finding out what they've been making when they weren't spending time in their gardens.

One of the nice things about the quilt show is that every quilt has a written story attached to the side noting the name of the person who created the quilt as well as the quilter. Although this narrative does capture the basics of the story, it's a lot more fun to hear Harriet, how is originally from Burma, tell her version of the story.

Every quilt has a story and here is part of the story of this handmade quilt.

The only thing missing from this holiday-color inspired scene is the jolly man himself!

Charlotte

Perfectly Seasoned Thanksgiving Quilt

I know these squirrels, I've seen them in my garden, in particular in my Bartlett pear tree!

Perfectly Seasoned Thanksgiving Handmade Quilt

It was hard not to be drawn to this charming handmade quilt displayed at the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild Show in Rolla, Missouri in October. The quilt colors are bright and captivating, as are the pilgrim-dressed squirrels at the top of this brand new quilt. The teeny tiny pumpkins the male squirrel is carrying are very impressive, too, imagine how small those fabric pieces were to cut out, the quilter must have been very patient and very careful!

From a distance, the overall quilting in the white space adds a nice dimension to the quilt.

Each of the quilt blocks in the center also have individual characters, from the owl and the pumpkin to more squirrels, acorns and wreaths.

If I were to start a collection of quilted wall hangings, this would be one I would want to make to represent Thanksgiving and have it hanging on a wall somewhere, maybe in an entrance or a den wall, where I could enjoy it every day.

That's one of the advantages of quilted wall hangings, they can quickly change the theme of a room and update home decor to a seasonal mood.

Glad to see the quilter saying this was a "fun" quilt to piece, that's as it should be.

This next quilt block helps to show the detail of the machine quilting, which gives this handmade quilt so much texture.

It still surprises me how much quilting can change the final look of a quilt.

Cute orange pumpkin block sits in the middle of the detailed quilting in the white space.

Here's wishing your home has a "perfectly seasoned" Thanksgiving, from ours, which is definitely more squirrelly!

Charlotte

Adding Finishing Touch to a Custom Baby Quilt

Big Bird inspects my sewing after I finished adding a label to a custom baby quilt.

Adding Finishing Touch to a Custom Baby Quilt

Years ago, someone made several suggestions on how we could incorporate this last step into the quilt-making process. Factory-produced quilts do it when they sew up the side seams. I could do it when the edge fabric is added.

After much consideration, I decided to keep the tradition of hand-sewing the label on prior to shipping off the custom-made quilts, in this case a custom baby quilt. There is something special about adding the label when one knows the custom baby quilt is headed to new little hands that will hold it and get comfort from its warmth.

I do think about the child who will receive it, and the person who ordered it. Sometimes if the customer communicates with me, I select a special toy to deliver the quilt care instructions. In this case. Big Bird was already wrapped up in the brand new Sesame Street baby quilt waiting to fly off to his new adventure via US Postal Service.

Once the tag is sewn on, the custom baby quilt feels finished. Or maybe I should say, it feels like it's ready to be off to it's new beginning!

Charlotte

Ichabod Hollow Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging

This Halloween scene in a handmade quilt all hangings has such a wonderfully detailed border.

Ichabod Hollow Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging

Wouldn't this make a great wall hanging in a basement or a room without a window??

Ichabod Hollow Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging was one of the many entries in Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild's 2017 Show in Rolla, Mo. This charming scene has so many wonderful details, starting with some of the traditional Halloween traditions: pumpkins, bats, black cats, haunted houses.

Look closer, the pumpkins have a little friend close by!

The pumpkins are fun, and look at the little surprise of a quilted cat next to them.

In addition to the Halloween traditions, this quilted wall hanging features very detailed patchwork along the border. More black cats are in each of the corners on a patchwork design that reminds me of an old wooden gray fence.

The detailed machine quilting gives Ichabod Hollow Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging nice texture.

Tina Paris, the quilt maker, did a nice job finishing the brand new handmade quilt with detailed machine quilting. So many wonderful details!

Here is the story behind Ichabod Hollow Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging.

And one more surprise...

What a lovely surprise, this won 2nd Place in its category, so well deserved!

No trick or treating here, this handmade quilt is a treat all around!

Charlotte

Red Raffle Quilt Value

This quilt was in a Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild raffle October 2017.

Red Raffle Quilt Value

Raffling off a quilt is a favorite way to raise funds where I live. In part because quilting is still a part of some people's crafting, handmade quilts are often suggested as a donation for fundraisers. We get the requests on a weekly basis!

This red and white handmade quilt was raffled at the local quilt guild show. Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild holds a show every other year and proceeds from the raffle support their activities.

The detailed quilting on this handmade quilt was varied and filled up the white spots.

One of the questions I periodically get is how much is a quilt worth. If it's a first quilt, I say it's priceless because that handmade quilt is a one of a kind in terms of the quilter's experience. 

Trying to place a monetary value on a handmade quilt is part science, part art. One of the things to take into consideration is the detailed quilting, which this red and white quilt has in ample spades.

Look at the back of the quilt to more clearly see all of the quilting.

Among other elements that add value, how well the fabric pieces and sewn together as well as the age and condition of the quilt.

Then there are favorite fabric combinations, and red and white quilts like a red and white bargello quilt are often sought and requested.

This red raffle handmade quilt is a brand new work so I was curious about what value the guild had on the quilt.

Care to guess?

Center block of this red and white handmade quilt raffled by Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild.

According to the lady selling the raffle tickets, this handmade quilt was valued at $14,000, yet another reason to call these pieces truly works of art.

Charlotte

Birds Want to Have Fun Quilt

These birds are definitely dressed for fun, look at those tail feathers!

Birds Want to Have Fun Quilt

There are handmade quilts and then there are quilts that grab you with their colors, their charm and their whimsy-maybe all three!

Birds Want to Have Fun Handmade Quilt was among the quilts featured at the Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild Biannual show in 2015 and I have to confess, may be one of my personal favorites. Without knowing the quilt story, I first fell in love with the birds and their wonderful whimsical tail feathers.

Maybe it was Dr. Seuss who corrupted my impression of what bird tail feathers should be but these applique birds certainly come closer to the kinds of birds I imagine should be flying around.

Then there is the charming story. This handmade quilt by Kathy Stack was made for a 2-year old's birthday from fabrics from her baby room. What a wonderful way to repurpose fabrics and capture memories those fabrics represent:

Birds Want to Have Fun Quilt includes fabric from her baby room, what a great way to recycle!

Last but not least, the quilting. Often I am surprised with how much the quilting changes the personality of a handmade quilt.

Birds Want to Have Fun handmade quilt is no different, the machine quilting adds a wonderful three-dimension to the various blocks and designs. This handmade quilt could have easily been quilted with an overall pattern but Kathy chose to outline quilt many of the designs including the birds and that gives this handmade quilt an additional charming dimension.

The machine quilting gives this charming handmade quilt a wonderful texture.

This delightful handmade quilt reminds me that Mother Goose is not the only bird around nurseries these days!

Charlotte

The Word Quilt

This custom handmade quilt combined floral prints with patchwork blocks and special words.

The Word Quilt

Do you know the expression "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me?" 

I thought about that little saying when I first saw this custom handmade quilt on display at the Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild annual show in Rolla, Missouri. Not that I believe those words because words can hurt. Just think about all of the bullying we see around us today.

Words can also heal. And elevate. And affirm....such power from 26 letters in the alphabet!

As someone who learned to speak English as my fourth language, and struggled with it - still do some days - every word was a new discovery. So I could relate to the description that accompanied this handmade quilt by Kathi Crawford:

Love the story behind every custom handmade quilt almost as much as the quilt itself.

As I was perusing the blocks for the first word Kathi had featured, I smiled. Who would have thought this word was worth a block all by itself, but it "did."

Such a simple word "did" but it also reminded me of all of those unfinished project piles....

Another very special word in this custom handmade quilt, and one that is precious when one truly finds one. I can remember my mother saying in life one is lucky to have a handful of people one can truly call "friend."

A word that means so much, and we have so few of them really in our lives, a "friend."

What other words would you include in your custom quilt?

Charlotte

Spring Yellow Double Wedding Ring Quilt

Spring yellows inspired this combination of fabrics for this handmade double wedding ring quilt.

Spring Yellow Double Wedding Ring Quilt

The bright, sunny spring yellows inspired the colors of this handmade double wedding ring quilt. Since spring is the mark of new beginnings, that inspiration seemed appropriate for one of the most popular wedding gifts our customers order, the double wedding ring patchwork patterned quilts.

To make sure this quilt will be more than just pretty to look at, we made it larger than the standard 50x60 throws. This made in Missouri quilt is 65x77 inches, making this yellow double wedding ring quilt perfect for two people to curl up under. 

When not in use, yellow double wedding ring quilt throw can easily be folded over the back of a sofa or placed at the foot of a bed.

To add to the nod to new beginnings, we added a rose design inside each one of the rings.

We also added a little tribute to spring in the machine quilting. Each yellow double wedding ring quilt block has a flower design in the center.

Yellow double wedding ring quilt would make a charming spring wedding gift or a nice gift for a golden anniversary. Or just for that special person who likes yellow, like my niece!

Charlotte

Red and White Spring Handmade Quilt

Cynthia Felts made this design for what she called a red and white spring handmade quilt.

Red and White Spring Handmade Quilt

When I think of spring garden   sampler colors, pastels usually come to mind - soft pink, baby blue, spring yellow, iris purples. In other words, red and white is not one of the usual spring color combinations. As I was going through the quilted wall hanging section of this quilt show, this Red and White Spring Handmade Quilt caught my attention for that reason, at first.

I also liked the different applique baskets around the border, each one of them a different fabric. Some baskets even have a handle gone askew, which is more like some of my typical flower baskets.

This is one of a number of handmade quilts that were featured at the 2015 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild show in Rolla, Missouri. 

Here is the story about how this handmade quilt turned quilted wall hanging was designed from the quilt designer herself, Cynthia Felts:

This handmade quilt was also quilted on a home machine.

In addition to the unique design and color combination, this charming quilt was also quilted on a home machine. Look at the lovely swirls in the background that give this quilt its rich design.

It may not be a traditional spring color but now red and white is one of my favorite spring colors!

Charlotte

Chickens Handmade Quilt

Chickens Handmade Quilt

Our local farmer's market is back, a wonderful Saturday tradition for far too many years to remember when I started to go. 

I am sure that growing up in Brazil, where we went to the local markets every week for fresh produce, influenced my support of this market. So do the wonderful fresh eggs, which have not only a much brighter yellow color but better flavor than anything I can buy in a grocery store.

Earlier this winter, I was thinking about those wonderful eggs when I saw this chickens handmade quilt hanging on a wall in a quilt and fabric store at Lake of the Ozarks. It's not a common theme for a quilt so the design was eye-catching, regardless, starting with the chicken wire background fabric.

The applique chickens are also unique, from the very tall skinny ones to the different scenes in each of the quilt blocks. Here are some of my favorites:

These applique chicks stand out against the cotton fabric that looks like - well, chicken wire.

The prancing rooster also had an elegance to his stance, I loved his elegant tail.

Prancing applique rooster against the chicken wire fabric background.

And my favorite quilt block in the chickens handmade quilt was this hen sitting on her egg, the egg taking 

The applique green hen is sitting on a bright white egg on a bed of applique hay.

This chickens handmade quilt would make a charming quilt wallhanging in a farm kitchen, don't you think?

Charlotte

Green Cats Quilt

Charming applique cats quilt blocks with a definite St. Patrick's Day green theme.

Green Cats Quilt

It's St. Patrick's week in Rolla, Missouri, home of Missouri University of Science and Technology and the traditional St. Patrick's Day-related celebrations tied to the Patron Saint of Engineers.

The week-long revelry is much milder than when I first moved here, a good thing from my perspective but much-missed by some alumni who forget the rougher days of youth partying through the lens of nostalgia. The community gets ready for the festivities months ahead, and I was thinking about some of those crazy, fun details when I spotted these green cats quilt blocks - the town gets it's green on - and there's definitely a green theme to this cat quilt.

This applique cat block caught my eye first, maybe only I saw it but it appears to be a tribute to one of my favorite vegetables, broccoli:

This little cat reminds me so much of a head of broccoli, which I also love!

The front paws and tail look like the broccoli florets I cut to steam!

This next applique cat is a wonderful nod to texture. Besides the thick black eyelashes, the embroidery gives a three-dimensional feel to the tail and the muzzle:

Love the detail in this applique cats, especially the white muzzle and fluffy tail.

Making every quilt block different does take more time but it's fun to have every block unique. And last but not least, the little green cat wearing his little green tux:

This little green cat makes me smile, wearing a little green tux so happy and welcoming.

So maybe he's not wearing a tux but he has the attitude of one that is wearing one and his face is so happy and welcoming, like a little cat doorman.

From our green town to yours, Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Charlotte

Box of Chocolates Handmade Quilt

Love the name of this handmade quilt, perfect for Valentine's Day eye candy!

Box of Chocolates Handmade Quilt

One of my favorite things to do at quilt shows is to take pictures so I can be reminded later of the beauty of these textile works of art.

This is another handmade quilt from the Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild's 2015 show in Rolla, Missouri. The handmade quilts are beautiful and, what I enjoy even more, are the stories that accompany each of the show entries. 

Each quilt is unique not only because of how it is made but also because of those stories.

Story behind handmade quilt called Box of Chocolates from Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild Show.

I am not sure I would have recognized this as a box of chocolates at first. It does remind me of one of my favorite floral sampler quilts, each block different  but made out of complimentary fabrics. Clever to name the handmade quilt inspired by the Moda fabric line.

Now that I see the name, the quilt blocks do remind me of a sampler box of chocolates, as if each quilt block represents a favorite chocolate sample.

This quilt block reminds me of a chocolate-covered nut, a personal favorite.

Close up of a quilt block from the handmade quilt named "Box of Chocolates."

What do you think, what kind of chocolate is this quilt block to you?

Charlotte

Embroidered Eastern Bluebirds Quilt

Embroidered Eastern Bluebirds Quilt was hand-embroidered in Missouri in 2008.

Embroidered Eastern Bluebirds Quilt

I suppose it's no surprise that a business called Bluebird Gardens will be tickled to have found a handmade quilt with embroidered bluebirds. They are not that easy to find and, even more difficult to find one with good fabrci colors.

Cathern Murphy, who made this quilt, had it for sale at our quilter's shop a couple of years ago. I liked it so much that I purchased it and removed the very distracting, multi-patterned cotton quilt binding and replaced it with the solid, cream beige fabric that is currently on this made in USA quilt.

The change was significant. The embroidered Eastern Bluebirds Quilt went from being very informal to a more elegant handmade quilt, all because of the quilt binding.

Embroidered Eastern Bluebirds Quilt maker embroidered her name and date in a corner.

It was relatively easy to choose the binding color. I took a look at one of the handmade quilt blocks and tried to match one of the colors in the quilt bluebirds design.

There were several choices, including light blue, green, a burgundy and the cream beige I selected.

Embroidered Eastern Bluebirds quilt block features counted cross stitch pattern.

I tried to match the solid bluebird fabric but couldn't get a match, that would have been my preferred color.

Second to that was to compliment the beige cream yellow in the flowers, which is the solid fabric I chose.

What do you think, would you have chosen a different fabric color for the handmade quilt binding?

Charlotte