Country Sweetheart Handmade Quilt

Country Sweetheart Handmade Quilt includes applique and lace details. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Country Sweetheart Handmade Quilt

Just as I like to say that every custom handmade quilt has a story, some of our handmade quilts have special stories all their own.

Country Sweetheart Handmade Quilt was recently purchased to ask a fiance for her hand in marriage. Only this customer did something very interesting, he asked all family members first, swearing them to secrecy. Then he had us embroider family names in the corner quilt blocks, with his name and that of his fiance in the center quilt block along with the names of their two children.

If you think about it, handmade quilts are wonderful not only home decor items but a way to memorialize special events like the joining of two families. Another reason why Country Sweetheart Handmade Quilt was the perfect candidate for this family.

The center hearts are made out of cotton red velvet. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

We had also discussed adding favorite sayings in each of the Country Sweetheart Handmade Quilt corners, which each has a red cotton velvet heart.

Country Sweetheart handmade quilt also has hearts at the corners. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Another option was to add embroidery inside the floral quilt blocks since the Country Sweetheart Handmade Quilt design left a nice area inside each fo the floral circles.

Each floral block also has floral quilting. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

It’s interesting to see how our customers choose to personalize their handmade quilt gifts. The ones that bring families together have a special place in my heart.

By the way, she said yes!

Charlotte

Hummingbirds Handmade Quilt

This is a hummingbird handmade quilt, do you see the hummingbirds? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Hummingbirds Handmade Quilt

The first reports are coming in, the scout hummingbirds have made it to mid-Missouri and are now checking out the area gardens. Hummingbirds migrate to Central and South America in fall to winter over in their summer season. Then as those continents move into their fall and winter, the tiny birds made their way back to North America.

Just their migratory patterns are amazing, these little birds require a lot of carbs to keep their tiny wings beating at 103 flaps per second.

I was thinking about this migratory pattern as I spotted this Hummingbirds Handmade Quilt featured at the 2017 bi-annual Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild Show in Rolla, Mo.

It took me a few seconds to recognize what pattern represented the hummingbirds. Do you see them?

The story behind this hummingbirds handmade quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

They are easier to see surrounding the Hummingbirds Handmade Quilt center block, which looks like a modern columbine. As I looked at this center block, the blue hummingbirds made their appearance as they “fly” into the flowers.

Love the center flowers, I assume columbines. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Looking closer at Hummingbirds Handmade Quilt one can see the very detailed machine quilting that adds a lovely dimension to this custom, brand new quilt.

The quilt border is also very pretty with blue morning glories enticing the hummingbirds for a visit.

Hummingbirds, butterflies and bees, the largest of the pollinator groups, are among the pollinators that help plants reproduce and produce the variety of foods we currently have in our diet.

Excuse me, I now have to go make up some hummingbird syrup for the new arrivals!

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

Vintage Twin Crazy Quilt

This twin-size vintage crazy quilt has wonderful details. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Vintage Twin Crazy Quilt

Years ago, a friend gave me a pillow made out of men’s ties with embroidery along the rectangle seams. It wasn’t exactly a traditional crazy quilt pattern but it was a strong nod to the mismatched design, one of the hallmarks of this vintage 1800s craze.

And a craze it was according to historians. On the one hand, it may have been a misplaced recycling trend since the quilters incorporated vestiges of clothing, fabrics and even lace into the odd-shaped fabric designs embellished with embroidery.

On the other hand, it was also a new quilt concept since traditional quilts up until that time were very geometric, repeating pattern blocks in fabrics without any additional features such as embroidery.

So it was with delight that I found this twin-size crazy quilt at a sale. The 68x88 inch size is close to a standard 64x86-inch standard twin size quilt, which is also an excellent size for a quilted wall hanging.

This crazy quilt has lovely embroidery details. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

One of my favorite features of crazy quilts are the embroidery designs. Having been taught embroidery from my very early years, I enjoy seeing the dexterity of the quilter and how they incorporate embroidery floss colors into the fabrics.

That’s not an easy thing to do since some embroidery floss colors can easily get lost.

Another way to see the artwork of the embroidery is to look at the back of the crazy quilt, which will feature the embroidery without the distraction of the fabrics.

The backing of this crazy quilt helps to highlight the embroidery. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This vintage crazy quilt has another wonderful feature, a red heart close to the center with an embroidered horse inside. This detail makes me think this quilt was made for a young girl who had a very special four-legged friend.

This embroidered horse towards the center is so charming. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

As you spend time looking at this crazy quilt, the fabrics also start to tell their story.

How many of these fabrics were originally favorite clothing now repurposed into this crazy quilt. There are some soft cottons and rough solid textiles. If this crazy quilt could talk!

More examples of the crazy quilt embroidery. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Crazy quilts are getting harder to find so this would be an excellent candidate to be used as a quilted wall hanging, installed somewhere away from damaging sun, smoke and cooking fumes.

Charlotte

Custom Alphabet Handmade Quilt

Custom alphabet quilt made by Laurie Miller and displayed at a local quilt show. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Custom Alphabet Handmade Quilt

There is no doubt I like alphabet quilts for baby gifts. Not only can they be used in a crib but they can be wonderful wall hangings, easily changing a room into a nursery. The alphabet is also one of the first things kids learn and here it is, easy to refer to and a special part of a child’s early days.

There’s quite a story behind this handmade quilt, starting with what the original intent was with ceramic buttons. You don’t see many on this custom alphabet handmade quilt, which is a story of flexibility and still completing one’s custom quilt design idea.

I was just thinking where would someone even find ceramic buttons these days. I can remember picking some up years ago when my mother would make some of our clothes. The ceramic buttons then where the only “cute” buttons then on the market.

Today there are a variety of plastic buttons with cute themes, much lighter to sew onto clothes.

The story behind this custom alphabet handmade quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Each custom alphabet handmade quilt block had cute pre-made appliques, at first it was hard to decide which one to feature. Then I settled on some of my personal favorites - butterflies, bees and bluebirds.

The charming “bs” in the B block of this custom alphabet handmade quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you can’t make a custom alphabet handmade quilt, you can do something similar with an already-made alphabet quilt like Alphabet in Clouds Baby Quilt. The baby quilt is finished, all you have to do is go shopping for the pre-made appliques. Have fun!

Charlotte

Cat Mischief Handmade Quilt

Any of these scenes look familiar? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Cat Mischief Handmade Quilt

Whenever someone is not sure of what handmade quilt to give as a gift, I recommend they consider a pet-themed quilt like Cat Mischief Lap Quilt Quilted Wall Hanging.

Most pet lovers I know would get a kick out of this brand new, handmade quilt with a cat theme. Each of the quilt blocks has a familiar scene, something I can say since I live with a couple of curious cats.

What is also nice about this handmade quilt is that it can also be used as a wall hanging since it has little tabs on the back to easily convert it from a lap quilt to home decor. What cat lover wouldn’t enjoy having this on a wall!

This scene reminds me of one of my cats with tuna. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Now if you live with cats you know they like routine; they have their own way of doing things and, at times I think we are sheer entertainment for them.

My cats also let me know they love me by the looks they give me.

Doesn’t this cat look angelic? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Mousing can be an issue, nicely celebrated in this cat-themed handmade quilt. In the following quilt block, the cats look like they are having a conversation with the mouse, something that periodically happens at my house.

My vet said mama cat has to teach her babies how to hunt. Apparently my cats missed that lesson since they will come tell me there is a mouse in the house before they would ever consider catching it.

I often am the one catching the mice in my house. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

If you live with cats you also live with boxes. Not that they are really boxes to a cat, we have one box that has become a toy depository. Not that they don’t have basket sand other places to put them, it’s just that now one of my cats likes to keep them in this particular box. It’s cat logic.

There’s mischief in them there eyes! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Another advantage to giving this cat-themed quilt as a gift is that there are nice-sized places where custom embroidery can be added with a favorite saying, cat names or whatever you would like to add to personalize the quilt.

Dare I say it, this is the cat’s meow?

Charlotte

Native Wildflowers Handmade Quilt

Native Wildflowers Handmade Quilt

There are wildflower quilts and then there are simple, charming handmade quilts like this native wildflowers quilt at Mastodon State Park in Imperial, Missouri. I will try not to digress into my Mastodon hunting lesson. Mastodon State Historic Site is a publicly owned, 431-acre archaeological and paleontological site with recreational features in Imperial, Missouri, maintained by the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, preserving the Kimmswick Bone Bed. Did you know Missouri had mastodons, a relative to elephants, about 12 million years ago?

Me, neither, so the stop at this site was delightful in many ways. There were bones of the giant beavers that roamed Missouri as well as an award-winning mile high pie nearby but I would just as easily tucked this native wildflowers quilt in my bag to bring home where it even possible.

The staff on duty didn’t know the name of the quilter but we can all read the name of the hand applique flowers.

Delightful handmade native flowers quilt at Mastodon State Park, Imperial, Missouri.

Missouri’s wild columbine is one of my favorite native spring flowers so I was tickled to find it applique on this handmade quilt. Notice how the red embroidery floss on red cotton gives the flower an extra dimension.

Applique and embroidery give these flowers definition. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Same thing with this Jack in the Pulpit flower quilt square only the embroidery floss is easier to see on this flower applique pattern.

Another lady visiting at the same time I was at the park said she thought the flower names were free hand embroidered and I can see why she said that, each seems to have a simplicity to the lettering.

Rose mallow is a lovely native Missouri shrub I hope to add to my garden this year. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Not all of these flowers can easily be found in Missouri’s native woods and prairies. I can’t remember the last time I saw a yellow lady slipper, a form of orchid, in one of my walks.

Missouri’s pawpaw trees are coming back into favor. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Talking to one of the George O. White Nursery staff in Licking, Mo. last year, she said Pawpaw tree seedlings are one of the first of their seedlings to sell out now, although only a decade ago no one seemed to want to plant them.

The paw paw tree can get rather large so I doubt I can add one to my hillside garden but I may opt for a bonsai one one of these days.

Another native flower that gives me much joy to find is yellow tickseed and wild violets, both native flowers that are challenging to cut to bring inside so I leave them.

Did you know wild violets are edible and high in vitamin C? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Just a couple more quilt blocks to share. The top one reminds me of the wild sweet pea vines I have tried to transplant from a friend’s house to no avail, I may have to settle for one in fabric.

The second block is out of focus but morning glories are easy to grown and can quickly become a nuisance for garden planners who want a well-organized garden. I am not one of those so this year I may be adding blue morning glories to some of my trellises.

Both these native plants like to grow on trellises. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

So there you have it, a short tour of some of Missouri’s native trees and flowers, all excellent plants for pollinators.

Oh, wait, I was talking about a handmade quilt about Missouri natives, wasn’t I. Aren’t you lucky that I didn’t veer off into Mastodon hunting!

Charlotte

Beatrix Potter Baby Alphabet Quilt Gift Set

Beatrix Potter illustrations were a favorite childhood author. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Beatrix Potter Baby Alphabet Quilt Gift Set

Do you recognize these characters? These are part of my childhood memories, illustrations of animals in a garden by Beatrix Potter.

According to Wikipedia, Helen Beatrix Potter (11866 – 1943) “was an English writer, illustrator, conservationist and natural scientist  best known for her children's books featuring animals.

Born into an upper-class household, Potter was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. She had numerous pets and spent holidays in Scotland, developing a love of landscape, flora, and fauna, all of which she closely observed and painted.

Though Potter was typical of women of her generation in having limited opportunities for higher education, her study and watercolours of fungi led to her being widely respected in the field of mycology. In her thirties, Potter self-published the highly successful children's book The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Following this, Potter began writing and illustrating children's books full-time.”

My grandmother introduced me to Potter books. Although I couldn’t read English at the time, I thoroughly enjoyed the illustrations and made up my own stories about the characters illustrated in the books.

This brand new, made in USA Beatrix Potter Baby Alphabet Quilt celebrates the Potter animals through the letters of the alphabet.

The letters of the alphabet feature wonderful Beatrix Potter illustrations. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

To turn this into a gift set, we added a Wedgwood plate featuring Mama Rabbit feeding a sick Peter, a great addition to a nursery wall.

Back to the baby quilt, which features printed panels of Potter’s wonderful illustrations. The quilt blocks are pages from her alphabet book, including the front page of the book.

Rabbits are a favorite Beatrix Potter theme, as in Peter. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

We included the dedication page so you can easily add custom embroidery and personalize the baby quilt.

One of the baby quilt blocks has space to personalize with custom embroidery. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Knowing options are nice to have as well, we added space at both the top and bottom of the Beatrix Potter Baby Alphabet Quilt where custom embroidery can be added. To tie the quilt blocks together, an ivy leaf pattern finished this lightweight baby quilt.

There’s also space at the top and bottom of the baby quilt to add custom embroidery. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Since we started with Peter Rabbit, it only seems appropriate to include the rabbit in the last baby quilt block.

Did I mention a rabbit named Peter? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This brand new baby quilt also includes typical baby colors including reds, pinks and greens so the baby quilt should nicely blend into any baby nursery.

Charlotte

Pink Large Rag Blocks Baby Quilt

This pink large rag blocks baby quilt is for that little girl moving into a big bed. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pink Large Rag Blocks Baby Quilt

Flannel rag quilts have been a customer favorite for baby showers, baby gifts and nursery decor. As we were developing the baby quilt designs, we made another larger one to see how it would turn out. Pink Large Rag Blocks Baby Quilt is for that little girl who has outgrown her crib and moved to a big girl bed but still wants a favorite blanket to keep her company.

To entertain her, we picked soft cotton flannel fabrics with interesting designs that compliment that pink color. There are baby quilt blocks with purple flowers, a favorite of several little girls I knew who loved purple as they grew up. Another popular topic is featured in another baby quilt block, butterflies.

Complimentary cotton flannels feature favorite subjects. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Not to be forgotten, we also have pink flannel baby quilt blocks with bears, although this gift set has a huggable lamb as the toy instead of a bear.

Bears and flowers are favorite baby quilt topics. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

These cotton flannel baby quilts are easy to wash in cold water and dry on cool. The fabrics were pre-washed before we made the baby quilts so any shrinkage of the cotton fabrics should already have taken place.

Can you think of someone who would enjoy this baby gift set?

Maybe we should call it a big girl now gift set!

Charlotte

Green Hawaiian Handmade Quilt

Traditional Hawaiian quilts feature local flora in their block patterns. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Green Hawaiian Handmade Quilt

Hawaiian handmade quilts are considered family treasures and rarely leave a family’s ownership according to a native Hawaiian friend I met years ago when I worked there for the US Navy.

Several quilt historians note the Hawaiian quilts we see today date from the 1870s, although religious missionaries introduced the concept of quilting to Hawaii in the 1820s. The Hawaiian quilts from the 1870s used an applique on solid cloth method using two colors: a color for the background, and a color for the applique.

Symmetry was very important with these handmade quilts, and the applique was made much like a snowflake cut out of paper. Essentially, the fabric would be cut into its desired shape and then applied to the background fabric.

One of the still popular quilt design motifs is to feature Hawaiian flowers, like this Green Hawaiian handmade quilt does. Although I don’t know Hawaiian flowers, it’s easy to see these applique designs are definitely floral.

What do you see in this handmade quilt block? I think that’s a hibiscus. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The Hawaiian handmade quilts I saw in Honolulu featured the Hawaiian coat of arms in the center as well as floral and animal patterns. A number of those quilts were red so this mottled green background fabric was an interesting choice to set off the floral applique designs.

What Hawaiian flowers are these in the quilt block? (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Just as quilting makes a huge difference in any handmade quilt design, the hand quilting in this Green Hawaiian Handmade Quilt adds a third-dimension. Starting at the border, then in the quilt background and finally through the white applique, the hand-quilting helps to bring the quilt blocks to life.

The handquilting adds dimension to this Green Hawaiian Handmade Quilt (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Green Hawaiian Handmade Quilt was among dozens of local handmade quilts entered in the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild bi-annual show in Rolla, Missouri. Although it was surprising to find a Hawaiian quilt in the middle of the Midwest, I enjoyed seeing the beautiful detailed applique and quilting.

It reminded me of the details and quilting in our Iris Throws, which also represent Midwest flowers.

Each handmade quilt has it’s own story and here is the story of Green Hawaiian Handmade Quilt:

The story behind Green Hawaiian Handmade Quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

One of my brothers gave me several Hawaiian quilt pattern books several years ago. This one inspires me to dust those off and see if I can tackle making one for myself.

Aloha!

Charlotte

Pink Cross Stitch Handmade Quilt

Pink Cross Stitch handmade quilt repeats the pattern in the quilting. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Pink Cross Stitch Handmade Quilt

I saw a pile of printed white cotton fabric with floral designs at our local hobby shop last week and it reminded me of this delightful handmade quilt. Pink Cross Stitch Handmade Quilt was shared at the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild show, held bi-annually in Rolla, Mo.

Most of us who embroider learned to do so with cross stitch patterns, which are relatively easy to do. The embroidery floss is pushed through fabric in small diagonals, the more equal the sizes of the diagonals the more experienced the embroiderer.

I myself made a cross stitch table cloth with flowers as my first embroidery project; I still have it somewhere tucked away in a drawer and periodically use it.

There’s also some history with this Pink Cross Stitch Handmade Quilt but first let’s take a look at what makes this handmade quilt so interesting.

First, here’s the detailed embroidery design for each of the Pink Cross Stitch handmade quilt blocks. The darker pink flowers are quite solid with embroidery floss and not easy to do, this is where mistakes can easily be seen. I looked but I didn’t see any here:

Very detailed embroidery makes up Pink Cross Stitch Quilt blocks. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Now imagine that floral design quilt block and imagine what it would look like as a block where the design is hand quilted. That’s exactly what the quilter did here, taking that center design and using it as her quilting pattern:

Hand quilting repeats the pink cross stitch quilt design. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Most cross stitch quilts just have the embroidery in blocks, like our Vintage Embroidered Roses handmade quilt.

Now for the back story to Pink Cross Stitch Handmade Quilt. What I love the most, besides this being a family heirloom, is that it was chosen to live on with a daughter.

Love the story behind this handmade quilt, it became a gift for a daughter! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Which reminds me, as you make your handmade quilts, remember to add your name and date to the handmade quilt. That way they can be easily passed on to family members and preserve the name of the quilt maker!

Charlotte

Dragon Dance Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging

What a charming way to celebrate a Chinese New Year! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Dragon Dance Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging

Are your January days cold and dreary? Ours in mid-Missouri are so this time of year I try to bring in as much color into my house as I can. I still have poinsettias with their leaves turned red and pink; some of my moth orchids have re-bloomed and salvaged begonias are brightening up my kitchen.

It’s at this time of year that I also think about how to warm up my rooms with quilted wall hangings.At the bottom of my steps to my basement, I just hung a Four Seasons Lap Quilt Wall Hanging to brighten the landing and remind myself winter will soon be over. Luckily many small handmade quilts or lap quilts and throws like this one also include tabs on the back so they can easily be made into wall hangings. When not in use, the tabs sit flat on the back and don’t interfere with using the handmade quilt for naps.

One of my favorite places for home decor inspiration is local quilt shows such as the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild in Rolla. One of the custom handmade quilts and quilted wall hangings that I would love to have on my wall this time of year is the Dragon Dance custom handmade quilt and wall hanging featured here.

Made by Laurie Miller, of Rolla, this lovely piece of fiber art won a first place for the best incorporation of the challenge fabric. In other words, the quilter was given a fabric they had to incorporate into their custom handmade quilt and Laurie was the best in show. Nice going, Laurie!

Take a closer look at the lovely, detailed dragon head. The eyes are amazingly detailed and I love how the fabrics compliment instead of compete with each other. With the variety of printed fabrics, this could easily have been a visual disaster but Laurie selected fabrics that hold their own:

The closeup shows the fabric details including the dragon eyes. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

When I first started my custom quilt business, my first quilter and I used to spend hours pouring over potential project fabrics to ensure that we had the right fabric combinations. Since then, I have seen dozens of beautifully- made custom handmade quilts that suffered from poor fabric selection. If the fabrics are wrong, it doesn’t matter how accomplished the quilter is, incompatible fabric colors will lead one’s eye.

Which is yet another accomplishment of this custom handmade quilt, even with all of the primary colors and strong tones, they seem to like each other.

And can you imagine this hanging on a wall in your house brightening up the corner?

Nice recognition of the lovely quilting work! (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Me, too!

Charlotte

Fun in Garden Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging

These lollipop flowers have flying friends with those bee buttons. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Fun in Garden Handmade Quilt Wall Hanging

Don’t talk to a Midwest beekeeper in January, all you are bound to hear is how they are missing their bees. That’s right, some of us get quite attached to those little flying bugs and when we don’t get to regularly see them….well, let’s just say I’m in snow and ice-covered mid-Missouri and I’m missing my tiny girls.

When bee-deprived keepers then see a bee, any bee, it’s pure joy and this handmade quilt and wall hanging photo brought a big smile to my face. Can you see why?

Those are bee buttons sewn on the quilted design of lollipop flowers. Honest, I peeked. The yellow looks wonderful against the black and white fabric background. The flowers themselves are quite eye-catching in their bright fabrics and mesmerizing centers.

The flower petals are also interesting, they have strips of patterned fabrics against solid fabrics that add dimension.

I was looking closely at one of the quilted flowers when I was startled by another discovery. See the little green frog in the top left corner?

This is a handmade quilt made into a wall hanging and it proves that small can still be mighty.

The story behind this custom quilt wall hanging is based on falling in love with fabrics. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Handmade quilts each have their own story and this one is quite simple, it was all about the fabrics.

Quilters know bad fabric choice can destroy a quilt design and this work of art shows what good fabric choices can do. And bees, don’t forget the bees!

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

Reaping Rewards Handmade Quilt

Reaping Rewards Handmade Quilt

No, its not your imagination, this is the same quilt pattern “Ah, Autumn” featured in the three previous blog entries. Of the three previously featured Ah, Autumn handmade quilts, this one looks the most like Harriet Bain’s Ah Autumn quilt starting with the quilt colors. For some reason the quilter has renamed the quilt but all of the basic pattern elements are still there.

This is why a quilt pattern can have different names from country to country or even region and down within a country.

The one interesting element mentioned in this handmade quilt is the use of Guatemalan fabrics.

The handmade quilt border gives this pattern an interesting contrast. It is reminiscent of the leaf pattern found in the rest of the handmade quilt.

This was another quilt featured at Piece and Plenty’s 2018 bi-annual Quilt Guild show in Rolla, Mo.

The story behind this handmade quilt. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

This handmade quilt story mentions that the Guatemalan cotton has a different texture, something I missed when I was at the quilt guild show. Maybe next year!

Charlotte

Ah, Autumn Handmade Quilt by Harriet

Another interesting combination of fabric colors. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Ah, Autumn Handmade Quilt by Harriet Bain

This is the third in a series of handmade quilts that were featured at the 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild in Rolla, Mo., a quilt show held bi-annually.

Each one of these Ah, Autumn handmade quilts featured a special fabric or detail incorporated by the quilter. This particular version of the Ah, Autumn handmade quilt also has very bright colors as opposed to the muted greens, burnt reds and browns one traditionally associates with fall colors.

The signature leaf quilt block details close up. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

The signature four leaf block also reflects the quilter’s fabric choices. Harriet, who I know as a friend through master gardeners, made all of her leaves with striped fabrics.

As I was reviewing the fabrics I realized this quilt reminds me of the color combinations in one of my quilts our Lime Green Double Wedding Ring Quilt.

This quilt features another special fabric detail. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Winggins)

As fall ends its reign, I enjoy looking at these various Ah, Autumn handmade quilts and comparing the fabric choices and color combinations. This quilt also features a special fabric, this one from Burma, Harriet’s home country.

Every quilt is lovely on its own merit and nicely celebrates the beauty of the season.

Charlotte

Ah, Autumn Handmade Quilt by Becky

This autumn-themed quilt has livelier colors. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Ah, Autumn Handmade Quilt by Becky Bryant

What colors do you associate with fall?

The previous Ah, Autumn handmade quilt I featured in this same Ah, Autumn design had the more traditional green-based cotton fabrics.

This version of Ah, Autumn handmade quilt is a riotous combination of bright purples, reds and complimentary multi-patterned cottons not to mention all of the detailed quilt pieces. If this were tackled in my household, I have a cat who would have his eye on the fabric pieces, especially those fabric leaves.

If there is any part of the quilt that represents the heart of the quilter, it’s the square with the leaves. Each quilt I am featuring shows a definite vision with the fabrics in this particular block.

Quilt block with leaves represents the quilter, (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

There’s another special element to this autumn-themed quilt, and that is the special fabrics that are included.

Every quilt has a story and this is the story of this one, (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Now I want to know how did Becky get Guatemalan cotton??

Charlotte

Ah, Autumn Handmade Quilt by Brenda

This handmade quilt features traditional autumn colors. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Ah, Autumn Handmade Quilt by Brenda Morton

Ever wonder what inspires the fabrics in a handmade quilt?

I do every time I see a quilt, especially ones at quilt shows. The 2017 Piece and Plenty Quilt Guild show in Rolla, Missouri featured several handmade quilts in the same pattern with different fabric choices. I will feature each of the three here so we can look at how fabric choices changed the overall design.

This Ah, Autumn quilt was made by Brenda Morton in what I would call more traditional fall colors of burnt orange, green and cream fabric colors.

If you look closely, some of the patchwork designs feature multi-patterned fabrics that add texture.

Patchwork leaves add more fall color tones. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Those fall leaves are sure familiar, they look very much like the fall leaves in our Fall Leaves Quilt.

This is a quilt pattern from Linda Johnson and Jane Wells, who taught a class in Rolla, Mo. using a patchwork pattern out of their own book.

And here is what inspired these handmade quilt colors. (Photo by Charlotte Ekker Wiggins)

Would these be similar to fabrics you would have chosen for a fall-themed handmade quilt?

Stay tuned, coming up are two more handmade quilts in the same pattern but decidedly different fabric choices.

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

Santa Express Lap Quilt Throw

Santa Express Lap Quilt Throw

I have to confess, I like easy decorating tips. Actually I prefer easy decorating and that’s why Santa Express Lap Quilt Throw is a personal favorite.

We grew up setting up HO-scale trains around our Christmas tree every year. The track set up itself could take a whole week to lay out so that each of us had a train, and a switch to operate. Once the trains were rolling, the objective was to keep the train engines from running into each other and the cats from knocking the train cars off the tracks.

It was a lot of fun and I can still recall the smell of cookies baking in the kitchen as we laughed at the cats and sometimes didn’t work so hard at keeping the train engines from running into each other.

This brand new, 50x60-inch holiday lap quilt reminds me of those holidays down to the child-like applique designs along the lap quilt border.

If you want to give this as a personalized gift, a family name can be embroidered along the bottom red border.. Or for fun, family member names can be added to the train cars.

Just imagine this hanging from a wall in your den or entrance way, it would quickly add a holiday flavor to any room!

Charlotte