Scrappiest Quilt Ever, Shivery Spring

It's been dreary weather-wise this week. Very wet and also cold. Early mornings flirted with freezing but for one managed to hold at 0C. My winter jacket has been pressed into service again but I'm very thankful it is not snow like so many parts of Canada and the U.S. have been getting.  And the weather hasn't held back the wonderful growth surrounding the Wooden House. These tiny grape Hyacinth type flowers dotted the side yard. Their colour is gorgeous.

And these pink mallow like flowers are all over the place too.  

There are many wild violets in various shades, pinks and mauve. This little guy below has been eating them we notice. Yes, two little groundhogs showed up one day and Tony watched as one of them proceeded across the back lawn eating just the flowers. They are probably from the same litter and are quite plump.

I really enjoyed the series, The Residence. Great performances and I loved the White House, the largest replica of the actual property ever created, right down to the secret passages and doorways. Years ago I read Upstairs at the White House by J. B. West (I'm guessing that's why the head usher in the show was A.B.) and enjoyed it so much. I think I've read it twice. He was head usher through six presidencies and I loved all the details and the decision making involved always behind the scenes. I especially enjoyed reading about Christmases at the White House and menu details...I still remember how Ronald Reagan and his wife, Nancy, would eat off tv trays some nights watching their favourite shows. E.B.'s exemplary loyalty was not to the person but to the presidency and the White House.

Of course, it goes without saying how much I loved Cordelia and her bird watching antics.

This week has been busy with several appointments and a couple of visitors here, a very infrequent but enjoyable thing. I've felt a bit distracted so I went in the sewing room and did a couple of mindless tasks like sorting strings (where did they come from?) and rearranging the furniture. What I had before was too jumbled so I removed one fold down table and it doesn't feel as claustrophobic in there now. 

When I went to Newfoundland last year, I brought back the first quilt I ever made. A very, very scrappy Crazy Quilt. It measures 84 in. x 64 in.

It has a very long history as I began it soon after my first daughter was born.

 I didn't have a sewing machine so every thing was hand sewn. I remember cutting 10 inch squares of background fabric and spending evenings stitching these little pieces of fabric on. I bought the bags of scraps at Woolworths and used old clothes, etc. Friends gave me fabric too.

The little dog is from one of the girls' baby blankets and is the only flannel pieces in it.

 It took several years to complete with all the embroidering and is very heavy having four layers. I have a memory of it being across the bottom of the bed when I lived in Pangnirtung, Baffin Island so it must have been finished there. I noted that on this block with Pang's famous mountains. It is hand tied with yarn. 

All of the pieces have embroidery of some sort around them though I see there are a couple of  small gaps. I added many of these sunshine motifs and tree sprigs throughout so I must have been fond of those.

I must have seen this kind of patchwork quilt in a library book or magazine. Mom was not sewing quilts in those years so I don't know for sure where the idea of me doing any of this came from. I had learned embroidery basics from a library book in high school and stitched several wool embroidery projects from kits while in university residence. When I think of all this, wow, what a nerd I was!

 And I'm glad I did not bring this with me when I first moved here to Ontario as it would have been lost in my fire. 

It is a true Crazy Quilt. 

Check out the folks over at Not Afraid of Color who are talking about Memorial Day activities. Meanwhile I have lots more to chat about too. Next time!

Sharing this post with fabulous linky parties...Quilting Patchwork Applique, Quilting is More Fun Than Housework, Kathy's Quilts and Sew & Tell.