This quilt was made by Kay who used to work for us. She saved bonus triangles and used a piece of fabric she had hoarded for quite awhile for the border. Here is the result:
Thanks so much, Kay! You did a great job with this little “hoarded” quilt and I just love it!
I wrote this piece many years ago and thought I’d share it with you – but I don’t want to retype it all so I took a picture of the page. It will explain how that “look” evolved and how Kay got her wonderful mix of fabrics. Instead of using one gold fabric, she used many and the look became more interesting – in our opinion. Always remember this is how WE played it, not how it must be done.
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While watching basketball tonight I started working on these blocks.
AND ….. I saw this small quilt sitting off to the side.
Oh yes! I think I made the whole quilt and where is it? After a short search I did find the quilt top – unquilted, of course. Was this a March Madness Quilt or a New Years Day quilt? Anybody remember? Sigh.
I hardly remember this but I did find the pattern page. I’ll do a little more research and then make the pattern available. I may sew a few strips first.
Got this super card today from Susan in AL – I sent a picture to Hank’s mom. We laughed and laughed! I’m going to save the card for her. Hank is at a large boarding kennel and play facility until I go after him on Monday. He loves all the dogs there and wants to play with all of them! Haha!!
Goodnight, All!
Hi Mary … LOVE all of the wonderful pix!! And that Hazel … she’s a trip and a half!!
I was blocked by Yahoo for 5 days early last week as I decided what to do about their rotten demand to be paid a monthly fee (grrrrrr …) which resulted in me being kicked off of your mailing list and a few others, so I’ve been trying to get back on. I’ve re-subscribed to yours about 4 times now, but am still not receiving anything.
Am hoping you can sprinkle some magic dust on your mailing list and get me back in. Thanks!! 🙂
I absolutely loved the photo of Millie! So pretty! My National Parks panels with the borders sewn on are already at the quilters and I am going to do another Mary Engelbreit Attitudes panels with six blocks I am going to start on tomorrow..a surprise for a friend who loves mine! I cannot do an exact replica because the fabrics I used aren’t available anymore, but I will try to be close. She has no clue. Her birthday is at the end of November so that is my goal. I am getting more and more cosmos seed for next year and soon there will be no colorful blooms in my back yard and then I will have to trim things down. My neighbor loved her cosmos I planted in her garden as well! I made your wonderful Heath Cake recipe and shared with my two neighbors as well. Hard to believe we are turning the corner on September as well. Tonight we are watching the Farm Aide concert, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan still ahead with Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds singing now. I believe there will be soybean harvesting in the next week. Went to Round Lake Winery yesterday, should have done more outings this summer..will do so next year! I’d love to make a throw with the Country Threads look, maybe a thought for a future sew along..just a thought. Could be a table runner or wallhanging size..
I love the story behind the “Country Threads” look! I agree, the variation makes for a much more interesting quilt. I really like the small quilt and quilt top that you found, very nice! Kay’s quilt is awesome, love the border. Jan in MA
The Country Threads look is still my favorite. Reproduction fabrics too. I do very few quilts in pastels or bright or flowery fabrics. Must be because Fall is my favorite season with all its colors.
1982 for the shop. I was wondering just the other day how long you had been sewing, yourself, and when dit it morph into quiltmaking. I remember sewing a sleeve on the sewing machine around age 10 or 12. An old Singer. Stabbed my knee with the scissors once and was told to be sure and not bleed on the bedspread. Started hand pieceing lemoyne stars around 1977, 1980. Many quilts since that time.
Please excuse the typos.
I enjoyed reading your story. And the card Susan in AL sent is so spot on for Hank!
Thought of you this morning Mary as I went to the local library by our camp as they were doing a free craft giveaway of donations people no longer wanted so lots of families which was good for the kids to be creative. A lady brought in four nicely potted plants and set them on the free table but I walked away. It was hard and I turned around once but hoped some young family might bring one home instead and learn about plants.
Love Kay’s quilt. I agree that using a variety of prints of a certain color makes for an interesting quilt. I enjoyed reading your article. Thanks for sharing it.
Hi Mary, Yes, I love the Country Threads look also. I just pulled out an UFO that is probably about thirty years old. However the fabric is probably 40 years old. The fabric is all cut into triangles and squares. At that time I did not starch, but I’m sure that I prewashed the fabric, so you can imagine how wobbly it is. Any way, the fabric is not my favorite anymore, but I’m going to sew it up and give it to my granddaughter for a “trunk” quilt.
Lori – try some spray sizing on those wobbly pieces.
Love Kay’s quilt. I’ve been quilting the “Country Threads” way my entire life and I didn’t know it. Any quilt project is much more interesting to make and after it’s finished to look at when there are many kinds of fabrics. I like to buy 1/3 yard cuts when I buy fabrics. I really enjoy shopping my stash when I make a project.
I love the Country Threads look. A Good read.
Kay’s little quilt is lovely. I especially love the border.
Your pinwheel quilt is also interesting! You always outdo yourself!
I’m looking forward to a baby shower with family. My great grandson is due the end of October! My, has the times fly by. Just yesterday it seems my first grandson was born in 1999!
I still love “the look”with the dark repro fabrics. I recently acquired several of your civil war starter kits from a friend and I feel like I won the lottery!
Cindy A – are they still arranged in the bag? Some of the kits were just beautiful – if they are in good shape could you take a picture and send it to me?
Oh Cindy. What a find.
The “Country Threads Look” is wonderful! I’ve learned so much about color by looking at the quilts in your books and on this blog. Just look at the quilts you’ve made!
Thanks for the great jokes! It’s great to end or start the day with a chuckle.
Kay’s quilt is lovely & I agree that many different fabrics make a prettier quilt. The explanation of the country threads look is spot on. Out of necessity come great solutions. That picture of Hank sure makes me miss my Goldens.
Kay, I love your little quilt! Perfect for Fall. I love the National Parks one too, I bought that panel and just need to find it.
I’m at the trimming stage of flying geese blocks for Darrell’s Autumn 🍂 quilt. I have graduated from physical therapy finally and now Darrell and I are going to sign up for 60 days membership to go anytime. He’s interested in the machines and I will mainly be walking the laps and stretching, maybe pool time.
Sounds like you’re feeling better Mary 😻❤️!
Hi Mary, millie looks like my darling diabetic cat l had many years ago,lsobel! Love a tuxedo! I ,too, mainly have small cuts of fabric as l love scrap quilts, doing Bonnie hunters latest leaders and elders quilt to fit a piece of dacron l have!Using it up is my plan. Take care everyone, best wishes from Sandy
Lovvvve the Country Threads “look.” Far more interesting and exciting to me.
Such a nice photo of Millie.
Hope you are feeling much better now!
Mary,
That is an interesting article. I wish more stores would sell 1/8 yard cuts. But since I must do my shopping online, I wish the stores would sell 1/4 yard cuts. Minimum seems to be 1/2 yard cuts. I just want small amounts and lots of them. Even 1/4 yard cuts seem to last forever. When I go to Tucson to visit, there is one quilt shop that will cut 1/8 yard…and cut in such a way that you truly get a 4.5″ square.
When you and Connie dissolved the business, did you each take half of what was left? I notice in pics that you have quite a bit of fabric.
Tina, yes and so many of the online shops have 1 yard minimum cut. I can’t do that.
Oh, yes, very true. I don’t need a yard of anything!
Tina – everything you see on my shelves in the shop are what’s left of my half yard cuts. The bolts are ones nobody wanted so they stayed and I use them for backs. Living here with lots of room meant everything that didn’t sell stayed here from fabric to props to furniture to file cabinets to cleaning equipment etc / BUT also the quilting machine stayed!!! So I’m really lucky.
All very interesting!