Meet Bev Olson

I spent a few hours with my new quilt friend Bev Olson, touring her studio and poking into her wonderful collections.

Bev showing her heirloom and vintage linens

Her latest creation is a wood applique and embellished tree of life. She made the 'pennies' and embroidered them.

And then she embroidered and embellished the tree with animals and other details.

Bev is also an amazing crazy quilter. That is, she is not a crazy quilter (although that can be argued), but she is an amazing crazy quilt artist!

Bev uses all kinds of found objects, like this piece of shell

Bev's studio is the showcase for her many collectibles.

 

Knowing I love vintage linens she shared her family heirlooms featuring lots of embroidery and hand tatting.

 These cats are so cute!

 The smaller hens are egg warmers.

 I loved this 1950s handkerchief. I know I had Disney themed hankies as a girl.

Upstairs were more treasures. Including a quilt made with vintage heirloom blocks.

Bev had a set of three suitcases very like the set I received as a high school graduation gift!

 Then she opened the chest her father had made from apple crates.

 K-rations from WWII and lots of war mementos were inside.

Including flags that had been draped over family caskets. One had embroidered stars, the other appliqued stars.

There were Sweetheart pillowcases.

And a wonderful WWI souvenir silk handkerchief featuring President Wilson and vignettes with President Washington, General Lafayette, and the Statue of Liberty from 1919.

I'll end with another of Bev's sweet wool applique quilts featuring amazing vintage buttons.

I'll write another post about Bev's family photos including a set from the end of WWI.

Quilt Projects Update

I finished my Edgar Allan Poe quilt, complete with a feather pen and his manuscript of Annabell Lee. I made this as the second in my series of poet quilts featuring love poems. 

As I did on William Shakespeare, I hand drew the quilt pattern and made the sections as separate quilts using fusible applique, machine, embroidery and quilting. The purple curtain is pleated and partially loose.

Next I want to do Emily Dickenson! 

 I have all the Bee-autiful Quilt blocks completed and I ordered some fabric for setting it together.

The bunny needs a pom pom tail still.

The bicycle block has been hugely popular. I found bicycle fabric at Hawthrone Threads that had to be in this quilt:

Also from Hawthorne is this honeycomb fabric:

The scale is larger on this honeycomb fabric also from Hawthrone Threads but it will be a great backing fabric.

I am still hand quilting my Austen Album quilt from Barbara Brackman and working on the 1857 Album from Sentimental Stiches. This will take all winter!

I am thrilled to have received a sweet box of review books from Schiffer Publishing!

Sue Reich's World War II Quilts, Don Beld's American Heroes Quilts, and Anne Hermes' Patchwork Pillows.

PLUS Mary Kerr's newest book Twisted and her previous book A Quilted Memory, which already has been inspired to tear into my stash of vintage textiles.

I have also been sorting and organizing my embroidery floss, for some crazy reason, which is taking much longer than I had ever expected!