Thimbleanna

Black and White Trees

Wow! You are all awesome! I had great fun reading all of the six word memoirs that you left in my comments. You’re a very clever group — thank you so much for taking the time to leave me some inspirational reading.

I have no idea where this last week went. I think it’s been five lost days. I was gone all week for work travel, so there hasn’t been much crafty inspiration going on around here. (Although, courtesy of the O’Hare air traffic controllers, I had enough airport time to finish the messed up monkey sock pictured in my previous post and start the second sock — I heart you, ATC!)

Monkey Swap

Anyhoo, I thought I’d show you some pictures of one of MeMum’s quilts. These are pictures that I took to put in the blurb book that I made her for Christmas. MeMum is a fantastic quilter, and if you only know one thing about MeMum, it’s that she’s a perfectionist. Pretty little hand-quilted stitches and perfect points.

Monkey Swap

She made this quilt for MyDadLovesMeBestSister, quite a few years ago. Each tree is made with a different black and white fabric. Three of the trees have one dark red triangle, so technically, the quilt isn’t entirely black and white. MeMum made this quilt back when black and white fabrics were pretty hard to find and it’s sort of a family joke now, ’cause whenever we go into a quilt shop and see a great collection of black and white fabrics, she always says “You have no idea how hard I had to search to find so many different black and white fabrics.”

Monkey Swap

There is a really pretty quilted feather edge running all along the outer borders. When MeMum marked the quilt, she flipped the template some odd way and one long border was backwards. She didn’t notice it until she had that whole edge quilted. All those hours of beautiful quilting — if it were me, I would have said — “Look, it’s just like the intentional mistakes left in the Amish quilts!” But not MeMum — she unpicked that entire border and re-quilted it. See what I mean? I told you she’s a perfectionist!

Monkey Swap

Eventually, I’ll make a section on my projects pages for MeMum’s quilts. I’m woefully behind in updating those extra tabs up there. In the meantime, you’ll probably be seeing a few more of her quilts in blog entries.

XOXO,
Anna

41 thoughts on “Black and White Trees”

  1. That really is a stunning quilt and such fine work – I am in awe of MeMum!!! I admire her unpicking all that stitching too but how sickening to have done all that and realise it was ‘wrong’- I woudl definately have played the Amish card if it were me!

    xx

  2. I’m learning how to handquilt feathers… I’m stunned by the beaty of this quilt. I know now how much love is stitched into it. A precious work or art indeed!

  3. I feel like Your MeMum is also My MeMum, (MeMum don’t know nothin but birthin no quilts!) love her work, totally beautiful. She has the patience of a Saint. Hello, Mum…… XOXO Jewels

  4. Me again! :-)

    I really love this quilt. I have kept it open all day and keep looking at it. So beautiful! Your mother’s work is just amazing!

  5. Wow! That quilt is truly an heirloom! I wish I had the patience to hand quilt like that. When I started quilting I pieced and quilted by hand – now there are just so many quilts I want to make I can’t bring myself to take the time to hand piece and quilt – although I have one hand pieced quilt I am working on and when it is done I will hand quilt it. Your photography looks professional – very nice job!

  6. What a stunning quilt…I can’t believe she re-hand quilted it!!! I’m with you it would have stayed the way it was…but she has produced a true heirloom!

  7. I love the black and white quilt. I have a phenomenal collection of black and white fabric, which I have just added to the past couple of days. The hand quilting is exquisite on this quilt. Your mom is a perfectionist, but it is soooo wonderful!!

  8. Your mum’s quilt is absolutely wonderful! Wished I had such a clever person around me to teach me all about quilting! Had to find out things on my own…
    Look forward to see more of your mum’s wonderful work!

  9. Oh gosh that is a gorgeous quilt your mum made. She is such inspiration to the quilting world. I wouldn’t have done all that unpicking but then I like the little differences.

  10. That quilt is stunning! You obviously learned from a master, since what I’ve seen of your handwork is also very fine.

  11. Oh Anna – that quilt is beautiful and her quilting is AMAZING. The patience to hand quilt in the first place I think is amazing. To rip out what took so long to do – well I just couldn’t have done that. Kuddos to Mumm for getting it right. Now I know where you get your talent sister.

    Hugs – Karen

  12. Your photos and your Mum’s work are breathtaking! What an amazing quilter she is, that’s for sure! I see now where you get your talent, my friend!
    I’m sorry to hear that you got to spend “quality” time at my fave home away from home, but I’m very pleased you had a great way to spend the time. I really do need to take up knitting, don’t I? LOL!

  13. O.Mah.Gawd. That quilt is to DIE for. As in who do I have to kill to get one?! Cami has a great selection of black and whites. Maybe I should make my own?
    But the quilting on yours…tell MeMum there must be a special place in quilter’s heaven for a dedicated craftsman such as she.
    Bravo!

  14. Wow! Your mum is an amazing quilter! I couldn’t imagine having to unpick and start again on so much quilting – especially as I have never successfully quilted anything yet!

  15. Gorgeous Quilt!!!! Definitely not a “quickie” (tee, hee). Oh my lands…the talent! Hey, thanks for visiting my blog after I bailed on it for almost (3) months. I’m hittin’ hard today and feel great. Did get some advice on-line and am feeling focused. Thanks much always for your kind words.

    Jere’e @ Quilted Quickies

  16. O’Hare is so accommodating(sp?) as far as giving one LOTS of time to do things as flights are delayed or cancelled. Urgh!! And when they delay… the whole country backs up.

    Your mother’s work is lovely!! I think the black and white quilt is beautiful.
    Joni

  17. Anna, this is gorgeous! I spent some time on Sunday reading about quilting and trying to understand terms, etc. I only can wish to make something so elegant some day. :)

  18. My Nana is also a quilter who likes her work to be perfect. She’s of the mind that anything worth doing is worth doing well. Your MeMum must also share the sentiment because her work is incredibly beautiful!
    I’ve been wanting to do a series of pictures on my Nana’s quilts (some of which she’s won awards for)and your post has convinced me that I should get started!

  19. Extremely beautiful! Your Mom is super talented. I’m working on a quilt now, and I just hope I finish it!

    BTW, thanks for the link to Magnolia Bakery’s cupcakes. They were delicious. I’m holding myself back from baking more:)
    ~Elaine~

  20. Wow, that is gorgeous. I love black and white, especially now that I’ve made one. :) The stitches are beautiful. What a treasure.

  21. Oh, lucky you. Your mother must really love you. It is a beautiful quilt. I have some antique quilts. I have a double irish chain where the maker played the Amish card. I like it. It has more character that way. It also make me feel better when make a mistake and don’t correct it. (However, my own mistakes do make me crazy and I usually have to fix them or I know I’ll be mad at myself in the end.)

    Thanks for your comments on my blog. You’re sweet and make me feel welcome in the blogging world.

  22. Ok, I’ll admit it, I’m not much of a quilt fan. I mean, I totally admire the work that goes into quilts and I admit to having NONE of the patience or skill required to do something like make a quilt, yet still, not a huge fan.

    HOWEVER (that took a while, sorry), this is a gorgeous beautiful stunning quilt. A quilt I would put on my bed in a heartbeat. I love it! The black and white trees, while hard to come by (hehe) were worth the trouble.

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