"Tribute To Betsy" Quilt - Complete...

Brynwood Needleworks - "Tribute To Betsy" Quilt Detail

My current quilt project is machine quilted, bound, and complete! I shared photos with the Brynwood Needleworks FaceBook page today and was asked about the flags, and whether or not they were actual little flags sewn into the quilt.

If you look closely, you can see that they've all been pieced. There is a block of stars, joined to a short stripe strip, and then joined to a longer stripe strip. You can see in the flag in the bottom of this picture, they aren't all matching and perfectly pieced. They definitely weren't little flags. They were pieced.

I wanted to keep the quilting as simple as possible, to follow the lead of the simplicity of the finished quilt. Straight lines all around.

Brynwood Needleworks - Completed "Tribute To Betsy" Quilt

 

So, here is my finished "Tribute to Betsy". I've even sewn a little symbolism into the borders. There are nine parallel lines that march around the outside of the quilt. The nine lines represent the nine letter in our last name. 

 

I've got my Brynwood label on the back, but I'll also add another label with the quilt name, my name, date and location where the quilt was created. I'll do that today, handstitching it onto the back when I've printed it out.

 

I also worked on another project yesterday, so you can expect to see that tomorrow. Hint: I'm already working on the next holiday! 

So, I have a question for you. Do you add symbolic touches to your work? If so, does it depend on the piece, or is your secret touch consistent on everything? I'd love to know.

 

A Perfect Pair, I Think...

Would you care for a cuppa tea?

I had so much fun putting the finishing touches on our Cloud seating area.

Of course, the first quilt I ever made - and my favorite nap quilt - was lovingly

draped across the back of the sofa. It's a chenille four-patch pattern and so comfy!

I made one more trip to the studio to create a companion pillow cover for the lovely

British flag cover. That one was created for me by my friend, Troy Rash at Junk

Exchange. He teamed canvas with ivory and bleached muslin to make it.

Sit down and make yourself comfortable.

 I used the same fabrics for my American flag that Troy used in his British version.

My original plan was to sew fifty ivory buttons where the stars should be, but I

asked Handsome what he thought of the idea. He said it wouldn't be a good place

to rest your head, so I went to Plan B...machine sew fifty primitive stars instead.

Yes, dear. There are fifty of them. We each counted THREE times, just to be sure!

I purposely didn't want them to be perfectly lined up, the same size or even the

same shape. I wanted them to be as interesting and varied as the states they

represent. I didn't have a problem doing that! Some are wonky, some are tiny,

but there is one for each and every state in our great Union. Edges are frayed,

nothing is perfect, but they're all pulled together in one place and honored here.

Before I head off to start stocking the Cloud, you might want to go over and

check out Troy's Etsy shop (here). He creates some of the most wonderful,

beautiful things. He also has regular booths at Canton (TX), where you can

meet him in person and save shipping costs by taking your purchases with

you. When I see pictures of his space and items for sale, I nearly faint!

Direct link to Junk Exchange Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/junkexchange?ref=em

If you'd like your own shabby British Flag pillow cover like mine, just send Troy a convo at Etsy. He'll create a custom cover and give you the 15% discount, too!  Thanks, Troy!