Vintage Flowers Baby Quilt

Each vintage flowers block has an animal friend. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Vintage Flowers Baby Quilt

It’s no surprise that we carry a number of flower-themed quilts but flowers are not a common theme in baby quilts. Except in this charming, handmade Vintage Flowers Baby Quilt, purchased from an estate sale directly from the US family.

This vintage baby quilt would make a delightful wall hanging in a nursery. The hand embroidered flowers are still nicely bright and easily add a garden flavor to the nursery.

When you see the baby quilt up close, details emerge including that every flower has a visitor. The rose flower block, for example, features an embroidered yellow butterfly.

A red butterfly visits the rose in this Vintage Flowers Baby Quilt block, (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To easily hang this Vintage Flowers baby quilt on a nursery wall, wooden hangars are available so nothing has to be sewn onto the quilt. We can also add fabric tabs on the back to quickly turn this baby quilt into a wall hanging.

Just because its vintage doesn’t mean it can’t be used in a baby bed. This baby quilt is in excellent condition and has many years of cuddling still ahead!

Charlotte

Reindeer Fun Lap Quilt

This reindeer is having too much fun with a tree! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Reindeer Fun Lap Quilt

I just had a marvelous phone call with a returning customer who buys a holiday lap quilt from us every year for her holiday decorating. She has a two-story entrance to her home and uses the holiday lap quilts to easily set the tone for her holiday parties. She is having a number of young grand children visiting this year so we laughed about what was ahead - kids getting into presents early, cookie decorating with more icing on the kids than the cookies, reading Christmas stories at bedtime.

Considering what she has planned, it was easy to recommend a holiday lap quilt for her, our Reindeer Fun Lap Quilt. The 50x60-inch standard lap quilt features reindeer also getting into holiday antics, a perfect reflection of what she has to look forward to with all of the visiting relatives.

Someone is getting into the presents early. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

She also wanted a holiday lap quilt with burgundy colors instead of tomato red and Reindeer Fun Lap Quilt includes those colors as well as traditional Christmas green and even a touch of contemporary lime. Or should I call it chartreuse!

Reindeer Fun Lap Quilt sets the fun tone to the holidays. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I may still have a box of stuffed reindeer toy ornaments I will include so her grandchildren can add their names to the ornament before hanging it on the Christmas tree. She said she expects a few may adopt the reindeer toy and that’s fine, too, I’m sure the reindeer ornaments won’t mind!

Charlotte

Mother Goose Baby Quilt Gift Set

Mother Goose Baby Quilt Gift Set

Do you remember your favorite nursery rhymes?

In most cases, they will be something out of Mother Goose stories, a classic collection of rhymes that shaped baby boomer childhood night times.

Inspired by those memories, Mother Goose Baby Quilt features favorite nursery rhyme characters in quilted baby quilt that can also be easily used as a wall hanging.

To keep the baby quilt company, I found a fun pop up book of favorite Mother Goose rhymes.

Pop Up Book of Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Even with all of the social media and electronics, there still is something very comforting about curling up with a favorite blanket and a good book!

Charlotte

Unique Butterfly Handmade Quilt

This one of a kind butterfly quilt combines old-fashioned with current designs. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Unique Butterfly Handmade Quilt

We have made dozens of custom, one of a kind handmade quilts for our customers and this unique butterfly handmade quilt is still one of my personal favorites.

Combining an old-fashioned butterfly patchwork design, we combined the old-fashioned patchwork butterfly in a variety of different colors with the more contemporary flower blocks in the center of the blocks.

I have seen both all butterfly quilts and all floral quilts but have yet to see a combination of flowers and butterflies. Since butterflies depend on flowers for nectar as flight fuel, it seemed appropriate to add flowers to the quilt design.

A close up of the butterfly quilt blocks and flower corner blocks. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Butterflies are among the pollinators currently threatened by our rapidly changing climate and less foraging area.

To help all pollinators, we all should be planting less grass and more flowers and trees so pollinators have healthy food sources.

This unique butterfly patchwork quilt celebrates the relationship between butterflies and flowers and serves as a reminder we should be planting more flowers!

Charlotte

Cat Mischief Lap Quilt Wall Hanging

Cat Mischief Lap Quilt Wall Hanging

Have a cat lover on your gift list? Then Cat Mischief Lap Quilt Wall Hanging may be just the ticket.

This brand new, imported lap quilt is the standard 50x60 inches made out of quality cotton fabrics. Several feline scenes are depicted on the front, from cats getting into trouble to cat naps. A charming border of red mice taunt the cats in the center.

One of the reasons lap quilt throws make excellent gifts is that you can also hang Cat Mischief as a quilted wall hanging.

Take a look at a close up of some of the cat lap quilt wall hanging scenes:

This smug calico cat is giving you a welcome!

Put two cats together and you are bound to find something’s amiss. There’s a nod to that in this charming lap quilt wall hanging:

Two cats play with a grey mouse in Cat Mischief Lap Quilt Wall Hanging.

Not all cats are getting into trouble, this little grey is taking a nap.

Grey cat takes a nap on top of a small patchwork quilt.

The standard lap quilt throw has a border that surrounds it with red mice.

Red mice form the border and surround the cat scenes.

To make this a personalized gift, add cat names to each scene and the person who lives with cats at the bottom with custom embroidery.

Nice way to celebrate that cat lover on your gift list!

Charlotte

Flight of the Honeybee Handmade Quilt

Love the bright colors in Flight of the Honeybee handmade quilt and wall hanging. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Flight of the Honeybee Handmade Quilt

We’re expecting our first frost in mid-Missouri tonight. My plants are all tucked inside as are my honeybees in their outside hives. After 8 years of keeping bees, the hardest part of winter is not getting to visit with my honeybees every day.

I thought about that when I first saw Flight of the Honeybee Handmade Quilt at Piece and Plenty’s bi-annual quilt show in Rolla October 2017. It’s actually a wall hanging, a lovely piece of fabric art that nicely honors the flight of the - well, you know.

And, to boot, it features my favorite flowers!

The flowersare one of my favorites, zinnia flowers. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

I just spent a couple of hours preparing zinnia seeds to plant in my garden next year for my bees and butterflies.

The other surprise was that this was made by a former colleague, Johnnie Fiscus, and her mother, Alverta.

Nice explanation of what this quilted wall hanging represents. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Usually every featured handmade quilt and wall hanging has a short biography of each of the quilters and this one was no exception.

Biographies of Johnnie Fiscus, left, and her mom, Alverta. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If I could bundle these two together, I would add Flight of the Honeybee quilted wall hanging to our handmade Honeybee days of the week kitchen towels. Yes, I’m getting in the holiday spirit!

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

Special Dark Blue Double Wedding Ring Quilt

Printed wedding ring pattern on this lightweight quilt is a good option for someone with allergies.

Special Dark Blue Double Wedding Ring Quilt

I would not have known this if it had not happened to me. The dyes used in blue fabrics can cause an allergic reaction.

For people who have sensitive skin, it is best to buy pre-loved handmade quilts that have the dyes washed out of them. Another option is a handmade quilt like this dark blue wedding ring quilt. What makes this quilt special is that the pattern is printed on to polyester blend fabric, which makes this lightweight and very easy to wash. One of the ways to minimize allergies is to regularly wash items.

The printed pattern does not have the same dyes used in making cotton fabrics.

This handmade quilt will work well on twin, full and queen size quilts with a nice pillow tuck.

Charlotte

Bless This House Handmade Quilt

Charming tree quilt can be personalized with photos and would make a good wall hanging.

Bless This House Handmade Quilt

I didn't buy this Bless This House handmade quilt for the obvious reason but it is a good idea if you're looking for a handmade quilt you can easily personalize. It was the red fabric with white dot yo-yos, the traditional little circles of fabric pulled together to form the charming shapes. See them as the apples?

The apples have clear fronts that look like a shiny accent when not in use.

Now one doesn't see yo-yos very often any more. They are tedious to make although they do use up some of those leftover fabric pieces we love and can't make ourselves give away, or toss.

The red yo-yos add wonderful details to this brand new, imported 50x60 inch Bless This House handmade quilt. The size makes it a great option for a quilted wall hanging, especially if the apples are embellished with photos.

You can easily personalize by adding photos into the apples for a personalized quilt gift.

Eleven apples have clear pockets for photos or inspirational sayings and quotes, maybe a combination of both. The photos and other additions can be easily changed.

Bless This House handmade lap quilt is a soft quilt made out of a fluffy polyester fill so it can be used as a chair quilt. 

I would still be tempted to hang it on a wall somewhere so I could enjoy the little garden scene, wouldn't you?

Charlotte

Pooh Adventure Baby Quilt Gift Set Inspiration

Our one of a kind Pooh Adventure Baby Quilt Gift Set includes a Pooh Bear rattle toy.

Pooh Adventure Baby Quilt Gift Set Inspiration

There is a new Winnie ther Pooh movie with Christopher Robin as a middle aged adult about to lose his family because of his work. And yes, the "ther" is the correct reference.

The reviews mention that adults we forget our childhood friends but I am here to say that's not true. I still have my Squeaker Bear and Panda and Bun-Bun Rabbit toys, reminders of earlier days and friends who will always be with me. That was the inspiration for Pooh Adventure Baby Quilt Gift Set. 

The baby quilt itself was made into a regular lap quilt throw size because baby-themed quilts are hard to find. The larger 50x60 inch size makes this baby quilt appropriate for the older youngsters on your gift list and can easily be something a baby can enjoy as it grows into a toddler.

Pooh Adventure baby quilt can also be easily used as a nursery or room wall hanging.

The bright colors mean the baby quilt will stand up to a lot of washing without fading as quickly as pastel colors do, and the Winnie the Pooh rattle toy is bound to delight any child. It even makes me smile every time I pick it up.

There's also another benefit to this baby quilt, you can easily personalize it by adding someone's name in the "this book belongs to" quilt square. Either custom embroidery or an indelible ink pen will do the trick.

And did I mention this is actually a book? What fun to read the different sections.

This quilt block has an easy spot to easily personalize this charming Pooh Bear baby quilt

The Pooh Bear rattle will have a quilt care guide and gift card attached to deliver your special message if you want us to ship this directly to someone.

Pooh Bear rattle matches this Pooh Adventure Baby Quilt Gift set, ready for hugs.

My mother and I used to make and sell Pooh Bear toys. I still have one of them keeping me company in my office, complete with the "Hunny" jars I used to make out of styrofoam balls covered in paper mache. Once dry, I would paint them by hand.

Who would have ever suspected then that someday I would actually have bees and real honey.

One of my mother's handmade Winnie the Pooh dolls with one of my handmade hunny pots.

Notice the colors of the "hunny" pot?

Absolutely it also inspired the colors of this Pooh Bear baby quilt gift set!

Charlotte

Sunshine Blue Skies Handmade Quilt

Sunshine Blue Skies handmade quilt from the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild show. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Sunshine Blue Skies Handmade Quilt

There are many favorite color combinations for quilts and blue and yellow is at the top of the list. From double wedding ring quilts with this color combination to this lovely entry in the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild in Rolla, when quilters start projects they tend to gravitate to this combination of bright colors.

I thought about this entry when we were getting a lot of rain. I was missing the blue skies and sunshine of summer, which we had been enjoying without the usual high humidity.

The blue and yellow color combination is a classic for cheering up any room. Blue, and maybe more of a blue gray, is still the most favorite wall color for most US bedrooms.

This Sunshine Blue Skies handmade quilt was made by a beginning quilter. Here's her story:

Every quilt has a story and this is the story behind Sunshine Blue Skies handmade quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Interestingly enough, the blue square designs have different multi-patterned cottons. And if you look closely, the yellow blocks are also a varied fabric pattern.

So did the judges, Sunshine Blue Skies handmade quilt won second place. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Not surprising, this Sunshine Blue Skies handmade quilt won second place in the quilt guild show.

I'm sure that brightened up the quilter's day!

Charlotte

Hello Kitty Baby Crib Quilt Ready to Travel

Hello Kitty Baby Crib Quilt Gift Set has a matching bag for the trip to and from Grandma's house! 

Custom-Made Hello Kitty Baby Crib Quilt Ready to Travel

It's become a given at Bluebird Gardens that all of our baby quilts and baby crib quilts are shipped with a free complimentary toy to deliver your good wishes. Although very popular in Japan, we've found it a little harder to find Hello Kitty toy dolls in the US to keep our custom-made Hello Kitty baby crib quilts and wall hangings company.

Until I found these charming brand new Hello Kitty bags. 

I don't know about you but when one is very young and small, one's quilt can be very important, sometimes it's a lifeline to one's feelings of security. And something one must have to get to sleep at night.

So what happens when one ends up sleeping at another house and forgets to take one's security quilt?

Nothing to fear with our Hello Kitty Baby Crib Quilt Gift Set, it comes with its own travel bag so you can easily tuck the baby crib away and take it with you.

See, the Hello Kitty Baby Crib Quilt fits right in the Hello Kitty bag!

Great gift for that new baby. The Hello Kitty Baby crib quilt can be used as a quilted wall hanging in a guest nursery and the quilt itself easily fits into the Hello Kitty bag ready to spend time at Grandma's house!

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

Hawaiian Floral Handmade Quilt

This version of a Hawaiian Floral quilt features different flowers in each of the handmade quilt blocks.

Hawaiian Floral Handmade Quilt

It's a grey, snowy day in Missouri, a good time to think about and appreciate what greenery brings into our lives. This Hawaiian Floral quilt was one of the entries in the Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild October 2017 and one of my personal favorites.

Hawaiian Quilts have a wonderful rich history, it's very infrequent that one even leaves a family's lineage so they are infrequently found for sale on the open market. When I was working in Hawaii several decades ago, one of the local museums had a small display of some of the locally-made heirlooms and they were stunning, mostly red and white with lovely applique embellishments. Just as this quilt has done, the feature that makes the design almost three-dimensional is the hand quilting.

This Hawaiian Floral handmade quilt block reminds me of tropical hibiscus flowers.

There is hand quilting inside the white applique, then around the green fabric and again in the white borders.

Look at how the hand quilting adds texture to this floral block in the Hawaiian Floral handmade quilt.

Interestingly enough, this Hawaiian Floral handmade quilt features quilting in the green fabric space in green thread. That way the quilting adds dimension without drawing attention away from the white in the quilt blocks.

Here's a closer look at the detailed quilting inside the white parts of the quilt.

The shadow quilting gives even intricate applique patterns a shadow of sorts, look at what happens with this lovely floral block:

This quilt block is a favorite, look at how detailed the floral block is and how the quilting finishes the green.

This handmade quilt includes floral patterns of native Hawaiian plants, a nice way to pay tribute to the traditional design. Made me think if I were to make a similar quilt about Missouri, what wildflowers would I include in something similar.

Every quilt has a story and this is the story behind the Hawaiian Floral handmade quilt

So pretty, and a nice tribute to the warm Hawaiian Islands.

Charlotte

Blocks and Beads Handmade Quilt

From a distance, Blocks and Beads Handmade Quilt reminds me of books on a shelf.

Blocks and Beads Handmade Quilt

It's interesting to me that when some people talk about handmade quilts, they only think of them as traditional bedding, or bed covers. Today handmade quilts are more than just updated takes on favorite patterns like harvest crazy quilt, they are understandably also recognized as art, and here is a wonderful example.

Blocks and Beads Handmade Quilt was one of the entries in Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild's fall 2017 show in Rolla, Missouri. It caught my eye because, from a distance, the blocks look like books on a shelf.

As I got closer, the quilting had my attention. Usually modern quilts tend to be quilted with a lot of detail but this one obviously had been deliberately kept simple, a good decision when one looks at the overall impression.

This handmade quilt was also a good choice for a design for a quilted wall hanging.

The story behind this "mystery" quilt by Cynthia Felts gives a hint at how fabric art gets created.

The color choices were also wonderful, I don't know how many times I have seen beautiful work but the fabric choices were dismal.

Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild's bi-annual show is judged and this one was in a category for judging. And the end result?

And this lovely modern quilt won first place at Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild's fall 2017 show.

A winner in all categories!

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