Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Here is the quilt Dad gave back to me.........
It is called Radiant Nine Patch and the directions were in a 16 page booklet from 1986 by Blanche Young. The only color pictures were on the outside covers, front and back. The directions were so wonderful that this was a great book to teach from and I taught it for several years. That booklet was out of print a few years later and she incorporated this design with many other nine patch quilts in a book "Nine Patch Wonders" which was printed in 1991. The pressing technique was so beautiful that it was a shame to put a backing on and hide all of the pressed seams.
I have my first tomatoes already. I had a BLT so one is already gone and was it ever good!
I cut apart the sewn Thangles and tore the paper off and played a little with them. If I sewed these together I would only have a 12" block, so I guess there is a lot more piecing in my future.
This is my neighbor's hydrangea. They fall in the fancy category compared to my old standard which I love. I tried to tie up some of the branches on my bush and a some stems snapped so I have a couple little bouquets in the house. I did a lot of digging yesterday. I had a corner that was all ditch lilies and lily of the valley. I dug back 2 feet and transplanted some of my hostas that were hidden in the back garden. I also added a few begonias for a little bit of color. I also pulled lots of weeds in the front and it barely looks like I have touched the garden. It is supposed to be a little cooler for 2 days so maybe I'll get some more weeds pulled.

18 comments:

Unknown said...

I love the quilt that you made for your dad. A terrific job going from the lights to the darks. I am in awe that you have summer tomatoes already! One of my favorite summer meals is a tomato salad and nice crusty Italian bread to sop up the juices and a good ear of sweet corn on the side. Yummy! But we aren't even close with tomatoes yet.

Vicki W said...

That's a lovely quilt! Chris is watching his tomatoes closely too. I sure wich I could eat them. I can still remember exactly how a fresh homegrown tomato tastes!

jovaliquilts said...

It's wonderful when a pattern gives you a good pressing technique. My pet peeve is when you are told how to press a block, and it works beautifully, but then you run into problems when you join the blocks together.

Sequana said...

Really pretty quilt, Wanda. Dad's loss....*S*

You know, I never think to use Thangles, even tho I bought a couple sizes once you talked about those.

Anonymous said...

Hi Wanda, I , too, love your Dad's quilt.
Your neighbor's Hydrangea is a new one to me.
I think you and I have the same one;Annabelle.
Congrat's on a red tomato!! Mine are still green.jmh

Claire O'Connor said...

Blanche Young's daughter, Helen Frost, just published "Radiant Sunshine and Shadow" with Cathy Skow recently. Both women live here in Tucson and I got to take the class last fall that taught the quilt -- so many fabulous shortcuts! It was a real Master's class in that sense. I have made two quilts so far with this gorgeous pattern... And yes, you are right, the back is a work of art in itself! C&T Publishing puts it out.

Beena said...

Your Dad's quilt is beautiful. I like how the colors in the center are light and airy and seem to radiate outward.
That's some 12" block! It would make a great miniature quilt all on its own! Or look great with some other blocks, too.
I love fresh tomatoes. The taste can't even be compared to the lacklustre ones you buy in a grocery store. Enjoy yours!

Jean said...

LOvely quilt.
I am so jealous that you already have tomatoes...was it an Early Girl? I know my mom seems to get the first tomato with one of them. Mine aren't even close....

Cathi said...

I love the effect of the light radiating out from the centre in that quilt!
You have tomatoes already? I was looking at the store yesterday and everything seems to be still hothouse. I can't wait for that first fresh tomato at the farmer's market. They're such a treat!

hetty said...

Love the light play in your Dad's quilt! I'm jealous that you are already eating garden tomatoes. Mine are still green. I have a neighbour's hydrangea growing through my fence. I love having the benefit of this wonderful bush without having to look after it!

Elsie Montgomery said...

Nice nine-patch. I don't know if I could make one because I get easily distracted and have trouble sticking to the task of making so many similar blocks. Kudos to you for doing it... and doing it so well.

Fabricmom said...

Very pretty quilt.

Sharon said...

I love peeking into your blog now and again, your style is so different than mine. You call it scrap art, I just call them scraps! Mine end up in the trash and yours become quilted treasures!

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

That is a beautiful Nine Patch Wonder. The colors are some of my favorites, yet I have never used for a quilt - yet.
MMMMmmmm....those tomatoes look yummy! It's going to be a while before ours are ripe. Our weeds are doing well though.

Leslie said...

I, too, love your dad's quilt. Your work always seems to display a wonderful awareness of light that I have never even thought about, but I really like it!
BLT's were my favorite sandwich when I was little, and I still love them. Enjoy the tomatoes!

Vicky F said...

Hi Wanda,
Your quilt still looks great from this vantage point!

I have looked at Cotton Club's nice fabric picks for the "Blooming nine patch" from Blanche and Darlene Young's book Tradition with a Twist. The book is still selling on their site and on Amazon even though it was published in 1996. Amazing.

I can smell those tomatoes from the photo. Total yum.
Vicky F

Wanda said...

The quilt is gorgeous! Easy to just stare at for a few minutes! Thangles is looking good! And congrats on the tomatoes! Mine should be ready too any day now!

Anonymous said...

The quilt your Dad gave back to you is just stunning. Love it.

Tomatoes look as good as you said they tasted on your BLT. Perfect on a hot summer day.

J~MT