Little Baltimore Album

Burr - it is sure cold and damp out today. It was only 48 degrees by 11 am. and it doesn't feel any warmer now yet at 1:30 pm. We had a real thunder boomer of a storm during the middle of the night. It has been quite a while since we have had thunder that loud or last as long as it did last night. We ended up with about 1 1/2" of rain so everything is muddy around the farm this morning. Enough of the weather report....

Yesterday 3 quilting friends and I traveled to Grand Island for the China Luncheon and Bed Turning the guild up there did. They patterned it after the one we did last spring and it was as great as ours was. They had 21 tables all decorated in a different theme for us to look at then the luncheon was served. The bed was piled high with quilts at the front of the room and each quilt lifted and the narration read then the quilts were walked around the room. The quilts they showed were all so beautiful. I was lucky enough to sit at a table at the front so had a good view of the quilts as they showed them. It was a fun afternoon and great inspiration for ideas.

No sewing done lately so am showing a quilt I made several years ago. In fact I started it the day after my youngest daughter graduated from high school. You know how some dates just stick in your mind. Usually I don't remember those kind of things but remember I was so busy getting my house ready and the food ready for the graduation party and all I wanted to do was start on this quilt. The next day I did get started and it was like taking a vacation - I remember it was wonderful to sew. Finished quilting it a year later in 1996 - got delayed finishing it with other projects.

The blocks are machine appliqued to the background with the invisible stitch and I hand quilted the quilt. I quilted around the motifs then quilted a 1/2" grid in the background being very careful to have it come out exactly at the corners and at the binding and kept the lines evenly spaced. I call it "Little Baltimore Album" but used the pattern Baltimore Album by Diane Lane to make this quilt. I made a few small changes to her block patterns and changed the swag border a little too. It measures 26 1/2" x 33". This is one of my favorite quilts and it hangs in my dining room. I entered it in the State Fair that year and it got a 1st in applique wallhangings hand quilted and 1st overall wallhanging so I am very proud of it too.

We are having a great time with Peter, our German cousin. It is so much fun to show him the farm, etc. After I got home from the China Luncheon/Bed Turning yesterday we all took a 4-wheeler ride by way of the back roads to the river to see how the new bridge on the Little Blue River is coming along. It was about a 6 mile ride and got a little chilly but I did have on a heavy coat and a band around my ears to help keep the wind out. Some people call the machines quads or ATVs - if that helps to understand. Peter had never driven one before but really did great and is anxious to ride again. Think horseback riding is on tap for this afternoon though.

Lynn