Historic Town and Houses

I love traipsing through old houses whenever I get the chance, catching a glimpse of history. Last weekend I paid a visit to a small historical village in my own town since I hadn't been there for several years.

I live in a town in northern Illinois that was established in the mid-1800s. The area was once the hunting grounds of the peaceful Illinois and Potawatomie Native Americans. The two busy main streets in our now urban town were originally called Two Indian Trails when it was first settled. Sometime in the 1840s, Lyman Wilmot came here from the east coast with his wife Clarissa to settle on 240 acres of land. Part of that land was donated to the village to build a school. If the name Clarissa sounds familiar it's because she was the inspiration for one of my favorite quilt patterns -  Clarissa's Garden. Some of you may know this story. I will try to post more about that next week.

Caspar Ott and his wife Elizabetha raised their seven children in this one-room log cabin home, the oldest standing building in the county.

A log cabin quilt, of course.

An old carriage house.

The area was a stronghold in the abolitionist movement, providing numerous stops on the Underground Railroad, aiding slaves in their journey to freedom. The Wilmot's home apparently served as a stop on the Underground Railroad. 

The house still stands but it has been extensively renovated  in recent years and so is not on the register of historic houses. I wish I could have seen the inside but it was always privately owned. My dream was that if I'd had the money at the time it recently went up for sale I would have bought it and restored it myself. The asking price was quite a bit higher than the salary of this particular quilter, however . . . . 

                                 

I'm sure there are many historic houses and villages near where you live. Summer is a great time to explore some of these and get a glimpse of life as it was lived so long ago.

Small Quilt Retreat

Oh, yes, more exciting news - I'm hosting a small quilting weekend retreat at a hotel near Chicago on September 15-17. Information has already been posted in my small quilt groups (Yahoo and Facebook - see blog sidebar to join either group). If any of you are interested, please check the group messages or e-mail me for details. (E-mail is in my profile at top of page.) Too much info to post here.

Looking forward to relaxing and sewing with some of you at my retreat in September! I hope you'll join us. Bring your own project to work on, choose a project from one of my books or make the new doll quilt pattern I will be giving the attendees . . . .

Is It Late July already??

I know I've said it recently but time sure flies. It's late in July and the quilt many have been working on for this month's small quilt challenge is the pink and brown nine patch. I wanted to show you some of the finished ones. 

Here's Sue's version.

Karen's version. She made a mini.

Marian's versions.

This is an easy one (I love nine-patch blocks!) and you can see how using a different color combination can make your quilt unique. In August I'll post the clue for the Welcome Home Mystery Quilt. Only a few clues left.

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I've been working on bindings for quilts for the new book and still have a few more to do. Hope to be finished soon and then I am looking forward to getting back to my Dear Jane blocks if I can remember how to paper piece . . . . 

How many times have you heard me say that?? I've been stuck at 3 blocks left for quite awhile.

Time Flies, Summer Sale

Time sure flies. There have been many things keeping me busy lately but, in case you've noticed, blogging sure hasn't been one of them . . . .

I am having a sale on a couple of my books this week. Call it what you like - Christmas in July, Summer Sale, I Started Quilting One Summer Sixteen Years Ago Sale, I'm Almost Done Sale . . . . Whatever.

Some of you asked me on Instagram about where to find the "housewife" needle case patterns. This one is from my book Remembering Adelia.

Some quilts you've seen and have been meaning to make? They're in these books. Go to my website to order one of the books. Autographed and/or personally inscribed, if that means anything to you.

Spring just zipped by me and I can't believe it's the middle of summer already. I've been housebound for months. If you're wondering why I've been absent it's because I've been feverishly working on another book, tied to my sewing room and computer. Most of the behind the scenes writing, patterns and other stuff is done and turned in but I'm still trying to finish up bindings and quilting on a few of the quilts. The book won't be out until next year but you know me - I can't keep a secret for very long. So there you go. You're thinking "I haven't finished any of the quilts from the last book and now THIS!" Something to look forward to next year though.

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Anyway, if you'd like to purchase one of my previous books, they're on sale on my website. This week only. Send me an e-mail if you'd like it signed in a particular way (e-mail is under my profile at top of blog). Otherwise, it will just come with my signature.

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I hope you're all having a great summer! I've been busy as a bee but in a few weeks I'll be able to start MY summer, late though it may be, and perhaps get in some good summer reading or maybe even an actual vacation.  I have not been to the beach at all . . . .

Mystery Quilt Sew Along Progress

We're moving along on the Welcome Home Mystery Quilt. This month we sewed our nine-patch blocks together with the plain blocks and added it as another border surrounding the house.

I think it's really looking good if I say so myself. I've had a lot of fun seeing your quilts in progress in the Facebook group. I'm impressed. Keep going - we'll be there soon! Some of you can probably guess the next steps . . . .

If you're thinking about joining in, you start here -

For those of you who have not joined us yet, there's still time. Join my Facebook or Yahoo small quilt group (see blog sidebar) and go to Files for the step-by-step directions. I'll keep them up in Files in both groups for a little while after we finish in August or Sept. Would love to do another sew along next year -  anyone up for that ?? This was my first attempt at this Mystery thing and so some kinks had to get worked out. Next one will run a lot smoother.

I'll post another Mystery clue for this one on June 15 in the small quilt group files.

Meanwhile - kick off your shoes and enjoy a great summer weekend! 

Fun in the backyard. 

(Lordy, two dogs. Only the little black one is ours . . . . [Oh, how I get a kick out of saying "Lordy" now.] )

I Love Nine Patches

What do you do with your scraps? 

I love to make nine patches.

This sweet nine-patch quilt by Country Threads is one I have to make someday. I've even bought the same border fabric already. So simple and yet so pretty.