The SECOND Willow Tree Quilt Has Arrived!

The second Willow Tree Quilt has arrived, and in a lot of ways it's better than the first one. The design is more balanced, there's no fringe to repair, there is less staining, and there are very few areas of damage to address. 

After seeing the two quilts together, there's no doubt in my mind they were made by the same hands.

Here's the first one. It's a bit more yellow than the picture indicates, and there are losses to the fringe, the upper edge, and in one or two of the stuffed elements. Some more pictures of the second one...

And the bonus- an inscription!!

A Ribbon!

Yes, that's a ribbon next to my quilt at the 2013 Pacific West Quilt Show in Tacoma, Washington. The awards were presented this evening, and my quilt "Wild-Eyed Susans" received an Honorable Mention in the Innovative Small category. It was my first time entering a judged show, and it was only about a year ago when I made my first quilt. What a wonderful surprise- thank you, judges!

Black Cat Appreciation Day!

August 17th is Black Cat Appreciation Day, according to "For the Love of Black Cats" Black Cat Appreciation Page on Facebook. Black cats in the USA are often put to sleep and the least adoptable. They are put to sleep at a rate of nearly five times more than other fur colors.

Hard for me to imagine. My cat Lulu is black, and the cat before her, Little Boo was also black. When I went to the Cat Adoption Team to "browse" four days after Little Boo was gone, I came home with Lulu. Couldn't be happier. She's an awesome cat! And a great friend. I certainly do appreciate black cats!!

Here are some pictures of Lulu. Enjoy!

ANOTHER Willow Tree Quilt!!

Auction listing photos courtesy of Skinner. So it's true, there's a second Willow Tree Quilt, and I won it in an auction today. The two quilts belong together. That much I could do.

Last year I won another Willow Tree Quilt from an auction at Skinner, and I believe these two quilts were made by the same makers. The willow tree is leaning to the left in both quilts, and several of the botanical elements in both quilts are a match.

Both of these quilts came from the same seller in Duxbury, Massachusetts, who had purchased the quilts from Elise Beaven, a New Jersey quilt dealer way back in the day. There are bunches of grapes, Forget-Me-Nots, and other flowers rendered just the same way- and then there's the willow tree. I can't wait to get both quilts next to each other to see how they compare!

"And The Greatest Of These Is Love"

"And The Greatest Of These Is Love" by Michele Bilyeu

Michele Bilyeu and I haven't met in person yet, but I just adore her. Tonight when I was getting ready to make dinner, I saw a message on Facebook about the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative Auction. The auction was ending, and Michele had a quilt up for bids. But it wasn't just any quilt. It was #15,000!

"Shhhh...." by Kristin Shields, AAQI Quilt #10,000

If you've read my blog for a while, you may recall the time when I won the 10,000th quilt received by the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, "Shhhh...." by Kristin Shields of Bend, Oregon. Kristin was the featured quilter this year at the Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show, and she's another person I just adore. We were both part of a retreat in Sisters last year, and I marveled at her work.

So, yes, I won Michele's quilt, and as you can imagine, I am simply thrilled to acquire another milestone quilt from the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative, as well as a second quilt made by Michele. It's extra special that the quilt was made by Michele, who lives just down the road in Salem, Oregon. Previously, I'd bought another one of her quilts, "Changing the World" AAQI #9648.

Michele Bilyeu has been making and donating quilts for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative for a few years, and she has a very deep, personal connection to the charity. The grassroots charity auctions and sells donated quilts from artists around the world, and Michele has raised over $3,200! At this time, the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative has raised close to one million dollars, and as AAQI closes in on its goal of raising a million dollars, you can still help. Go to their web site, look through the quilts and buy one. Better yet, buy more than one! Click here.

Pictures from San Jose

Thank you, Dottie Cichon for the wonderful panoramic photos of the museum. "Collecting New York Beauty Quilts: Bill Volckening's Passion" is on display now through October 27th at the San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles. For more info, click here.

panoramic view, please click photos to enlarge

An exhibition catalogue is now available at the museum shop and online through Blurb. For more information, click here.

Speechless Saturday - "H" is for History