More Lace on Quilts

I recieved some wonderful emails after writing a post about lace this past summer. This first one was from Karen, a traveling friend of mine. Karen makes the most lovely memory quilts about her trips. Here’s what she wrote:

“Hello Chris, I wasn’t able to post pictures on your blog about lace, so I’m sharing them here. I love your lace hearts!  So creative!! I purchased some lace while visiting Switzerland last year and incorporated it in a memory quilt by using a dark blue background. I also included fabric that I screen printed in the wall hanging (the pink and blue). I’m currently working on a memory quilt from my trip to Belgium and Netherlands with Country Heritage Tours last April.”

What a great way to display the lace!

Thanks so much for sending these Karen. They reminded me of a travel memory quilt I made after a “Sew We Go” trip to the Netherlands. I’d purchased a lace doily that found a spot on that quilt.

Sharyn also sent me some photos in response to the lace post with this message:

“Here are some pictures of a quilt where I used lace. The Sunbonnet Sues have lace pantaloons. I didn’t want the top part of her shoes to show so I put the lace over white cloth. The white fabric is completely stitched down (needle turn appliqued), but the lace is loose at the bottom. The quilt was a challenge quilt where my quilt club exchanged polka dot fabric. We had to use some of each fabric on the pattern of our choice. On one of the fabrics, I used the reverse side of the fabric and on another, I carefully cut out the fish, (I think it was?), so that the polka dot part of the fabric wasn’t visible! The fish and the hatchet were my husband’s idea and he sketched them out for me. He also drew out the top and the bole of the tree trunk for me. (He had commented that it seemed odd to have the turquoise border hanging in mid air in the midst of the green fabric so I said, “Okay! Then I can hang it from the tree. Would you please draw it for me?”)”

Just look at all the fun polka dots!

Here’s a closeup of one of the Sue’s with her lace pantaloons. I think having the tree support the border is quite clever, and the lace is just the right touch. Thanks Sharyn!

After replying to Sharyn and thanking her for the photos, she sent me this:

“I saw paired Sams/Sues on a quilt online, liked it, contacted the website about getting the pattern, but never heard back. Eventually the post was removed. However, I had printed out a picture of the quilt which I enlarged for an applique pattern. (Tom modified the watering can so it looked more like serious watering cans, which made it easier to applique.) The tree trunk was fabric from my late mother-in-law’s collection. I am not a scrappy quilter, so I wanted to have the various polka dot fabrics make logical sense in a balanced way; I spent a lot of time determining the placement of the Sam/Sue sets to provide that balance. Very OCDish!”

WooHoo! I love Sharyn’s problem solving, and her fearless way of figuring out a pattern when one wasn’t available. You too can work from a photo when you reach a dead end in trying to find a pattern source (as long as you are doing it for your own personal use – we always want to be careful of copyright).

So, as I was typing up this additional lace post I decided to do a web search about lace in quilts. The first item that showed up was a YouTube video that captivated me. The site is called merrymabelmarket, and her string pieced lace quilts are delightful. She has a charming way of demonstrating her technique ~ and I’m pretty sure I have to try it! Here are a few photos I snapped from her video:

I highly recommend you watch it all by clicking here, and “like” it on the bottom right corner of the screen! Her website is great too (click here) Please send me photos if this inspires you to play with lace on your quilts.

And, since I’m posting about embellishing, I have a few more things to share:

Lorraine responded to my Buttons and Fasteners post with these clever button ideas:

“Hi Chris,
I thought you might like to see two ways I use my buttons. First of all, I have given several salt shaker vases of button flowers to family and friends. I like to use old crystal or china shakers. When I give a salt shaker to someone I always remind them of Matt 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth.” I tell them that as salt is added to food to enhance the flavor we are put into people’s lives to enhance their lives with love,   kindness, gentleness, etc.

I also like to use buttons on each of my quilts. Sometimes they are part of the quilt pattern but usually I put them on the label.
 Lorraine
(the button collector)”

Buttons on the label – who’d have thought?!? Thanks again Lorraine!

Then Lynn sent me a few photos regarding the post I did about making jewelry from unexpected items. There’s no lace involved, but I couldn’t resist sharing this here.

“Chris,  You asked for pictures of jewelry made from things not usually used for that hobby. Here is a picture of a necklace that my aunt made for me using beads and gold safety pins.  You work with what you have on hand.”

What a fun necklace. Thanks Lynn!