WIP Update: Quilts and Books

Summer has been very busy, what with watering the new garden and everything extra I have to do while my husband recovers from knee replacement surgery.

BUT I am working on some quilts, although slowly. I have the Peter Pan Story Book quilt ready to layer for hand quilting. I got back two tops from my long-arm quilter friend Barb Lusk. I had too many tops piled up to hand quilt them all myself!

MODA Bee-autiful quilt blocks. Hand embroidery by Nancy A. Bekofske
Machine quilting by Barb Lusk

I loved working on the MODA Bee-autiful block of the month quilt last year.

I used different fabrics than most because I wanted more bright clear pastels. I  found the inner border and outer border fabrics from Hawthorne Threads.

I made this Big Block Quilt with fabrics I had on hand. My son wants it! I found a great quilting pattern that looked very MCM to me which matches his style. I will bind this baby off this weekend.

My Bronte sisters quilt is progressing, too. There is a lot of machine work left to do.

As usual, I am deluged with books to read. My own fault, mostly, but Meet Me At the Museum was a surprise arrival from the publisher. I am enjoying reading this epistolary novel while sitting on my new paver patio (now that the over 90-degree heat wave is over!)

The book is shown with my Postcard Quilt of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

I am reading Frank and Al by Terry Galway about FDR and Al Smith from NetGalley, and Rush by Stephen Fried from First to Read about Dr. Benjamin Rush, a Philadelphia founding father, both fascinating books.

I have barely begun Ohio by Stephen Markley, a book which has won much attention and acclaim.

And have on my Netgalley Shelf some books by authors I have read before,
The Rain Watcher by Tatiana de Rosnay (Author of Sarah's Key and the Daphne de Maurier biography Manderley Forever)
The Library by Susan Orlean (Author of Rin Tin Tin)
The Unhold Land by Lavie Tildhar (Author of Central Station)
Lessons From Lucy by Dave Barry

And books by authors I have not read before.

The White Darkness by David Grann whose Killers of the Flower Moon I would love to read! I saw the movie based on his The Lost City of Z.
Wanamaker's Temple by Nicole C. Kirk intrigued me--I loved shopping in Philadelphia's Wanamaker's store.

I am waiting for several books to arrive: There There by Tommy Orange, which I won from the First Look Book Club, plus Ahab's Return by Jeffry Ford and Welcome to Lagos by Chibundu Onuzo both won on LibraryThing and Virgil Wander by Leif Enger from Bookish First.

2017 CAMEO Quilt Show: Quilted Treasures

The local quilt guild, CAMEO,  held its biannual show the first weekend of June. With under 60 members, the guild was able to put on a wonderful show that showcased these talented ladies and offered a wonderful vendors mall.

several Joe Cunningham workshop quilts

Two traveling shows from The Great Lakes Quilt Museum out of Michigan State University were included. The Michigan Quilt Block Project includes 30 oversized traditional quilt blocks.

Michigan Quilt Block Project, Detroit News pattern

Michigan Quilt Block Project, crazy quilt

Coloring With the Masters from the Aussome Study Group, consisting of five Michigan quilters, created quilts inspired by artists including Peter Max, Louis Tiffany, and Dr. Seuss.

Coloring with the Masters, Peter Max

Coloring with the Masters, Tiffany

Here are some of my favorite quilts in the show.

The Megiddo Quilt by Linda Ibbs is an original design, quilted by Arlene Redman. It is a copy of a mosaic floor in one of the earliest Christian churches in Israel, dating to 230 A.D.

The floor was inscribed, "Offered...to God Jesus Chris as a Memorial. Gaianus, also called Porphrius, Centurion, our brother has made the payment at his own expense. Brutius has carried out the work."

Rosemary Spatafora designed Adventure is Out There for an 'UP' themed wedding. She created the paper pieced house pattern. It is quilted by Barbara Lusk.

Black White & Bright by Pat Balduf of Sharon Tucker-Grass Root Quilt Studio is so much fun! Pat did the piecing and machine quilting.

The Chicken and the Eggs applique is an original design by Theresa Nielson. 

A Rock and Roll Storm by Jean Schlegelmann is a two fabric bargello quilt, quilted by Barbara Lusk. I love the luminosity!

Lucy Lesperance created Lucy in the Sack with Sapphires, quilted by Barbara Lusk. It won Best in Show!

Linda Watkins used a Quilter Girl Designs pattern which she calls Rick's 'Stache. Quilted by Barbara Lusk.

 Sybil Derderian's Unraveled is machine pieced and quilted.

Janene Sharp is involved in dog rescue. Her Doggie in the Window quilts was designed by Leanne Anderson and quilted by Barb Lusk.

Tabacco Road was a postage stamp exchange. Machine pieced by Cindy May and quited by Barbara Lusk.

Rosemary Spatafora's Modern Sunrise is inspired by the work of Jacquie Gering. Machine quilted by Barbara Lusk.

Rosemary also made the Vista Maria Quilt, an original design. Quilted by Barbara Lusk.

Linda Pearce's First Snow is a pattern from Tina Curran in the Quilter's Newsletter. It is paper pieced, embellished, and quilted by Barbara Lusk. It won Best Wall Hanging.

Lennox by Laurie Johnson modified a pattern by Jen Kingwell. Quilted by Maggie Smith.

Bee-utiful Embroidery was a MODA Bakeshop pattern which I also worked on last year. This quilt by Kathy Debien was quilted by Quality Quilting.

 The Splendid Sampler  from Pat Sloan was completed by Terri Thompson

Stars for Jim by Dorothy Strefling is a design by Cheryl Malkowski and was quilted by Maggie Smith. It won second place in Bed Quilts.

With 176 quilts in the show, and the additional special exhibits, I can't share them all. 

Last of all, the Suzie Parron Barn Quilt workshop quilts were also part of the show

My Quilt Projects!

My MODA Bee-autiful Quilt-A-Long top is finished!

 I made a small quilt with my sister-in-law's heirloom lace.

Finally, I am working on The Great Gatsby storybook quilt I have been planning for several YEARS, ever since I read Maureen Corrigan's book So We Read On which lead me to reread Fitzgerald's masterpiece. Read my review here.

 Tom and Daisy, the rich couple who wreck havoc on other people's lives.

Jay talking to Nick.

Jordan and Daisy.

We bought local eggs and what pretty colors they are!