Thank you Susan, who suggested that my camera problem was probably a memory card issue. I took the memory card out of my camera and re-inserted it. That did the trick. It just needed to stretch or get a breath of fresh air or something.
Also, my goodness, what a lot of comments I got in response to my post about cliques in quilt classes or guilds. Some of them were very very sad. I am going to be ever more vigilent to befriend newcomers, wherever I am. And those of you who are teachers…be on the watch for clique-y-ness in your classes and squash it like a nasty bug.
A number of people asked about the Christmas Cactus quilt pattern. It is still available through Elisa's Backporch Design http://www.backporchdesign.com The correct name of the pattern is Color Bridge. It was a great pattern and I would even make it again in a different color combination.
The quilt in the picture above was made 7 years ago from a pattern in Fons and Porter's Love of Quilting magazine. The November 2002 issue. Gail Dunn was the designer and the pattern is called "Cozy Christmas". I had a total blast making this quilt. I fussy cut red cardinals for the center of the star blocks, and used every piece of Christmas fabric I could get my hands on. I did one major change with this quilt's layout. I oriented the blocks sideways so my quilt would be wider than it was long, so I could use it on the top of my queen sized bed. It measures 68" by 82".
Whew, I am glad to say there is a happy story associated with this quilt. My husband and I had decided to start a new life down in the Monterey Bay area of California in the summer of 2002. We had sold our house in Palo Alto while the real estate market was hot, and got a good price for our home. But, we weren't ready to buy a new place yet, as we wanted to explore the area around Monterey and make the best possible/unhasty choice for our new home.
A wonderful business associate of my husband, who was a real estate developer, had just finished construction on five darling row houses in Mountain View, a town near Palo Alto. He allowed us to move into a brand new house at a ridiculously low rent while we conducted our leisurely house hunt down in Monterey. His generosity was incredible. The house was two story, with a sweet little garden area (all landscaped). The bathrooms were state of the art, and I had a huge walk in closet. Best of all, the house had a front porch, where I set up a little table for two. My son and I used to sit out there in the warm evenings and chat.
I set up a sewing room in one of the upstairs bedrooms, and began work on this quilt. The fun thing was that when I wanted to lay out the pieces to get a feel for the look of the quilt, I would lay things out on the floor in the foyer, then run up the stairs and look down from the balcony. I have never had such a wonderful vantage point for really being able to get back and have a look at my quilts in progress!
While I stitched this quilt, my head was full of dreams for my future home and the Christmases I would spend in it with my family. We lived in that little house for just a year, and only celebrated the one Christmas in it. It was a happy year. My memories associated with this quilt are very happy ones too. I should have named this quilt Optimism, because that was my predominent mood while I worked on it. We did find our "dream house" in the Monterey Bay area, and moved into it the following September, 2003. And this Cozy Christmas Quilt was on my bed for our first Christmas in it.
38 responses to “Stars and Trees”
Nicole that is the best story, and a drop dead gorgeous quilt. Love the happy ending to this story!
Nicole that is the best story, and a drop dead gorgeous quilt. Love the happy ending to this story!
What a beautiful quilt and a lovely story to go with it! Thanks for sharing!
Paulette
What a beautiful quilt and a lovely story to go with it! Thanks for sharing!
Paulette
Your quilt is very pretty. Funny you should post this picture today, I just pulled that magazine with the pattern out to show a friend last night. I told her I had been wanting to make it since I first saw it!
Your quilt is very pretty. Funny you should post this picture today, I just pulled that magazine with the pattern out to show a friend last night. I told her I had been wanting to make it since I first saw it!
That is a generous friend!
That quilt is really lovely! The cardnials are so cute and the trees are nice, and I’m not normally a fan of pieced trees but putting them in the middle of another design really sets the whole thing off.
That is a generous friend!
That quilt is really lovely! The cardnials are so cute and the trees are nice, and I’m not normally a fan of pieced trees but putting them in the middle of another design really sets the whole thing off.
Ok…I am just LOVING this series you’re doing with your Christmas quilts and their stories! Thanks for sharing these memories and, as always, BEAUTIFUL quilts!!
Ok…I am just LOVING this series you’re doing with your Christmas quilts and their stories! Thanks for sharing these memories and, as always, BEAUTIFUL quilts!!
What a beautiful story! I’m so glad you’re sharing these quilts and stories with us.
What a beautiful story! I’m so glad you’re sharing these quilts and stories with us.
That is such a sweet story about that time in your life.
That is such a sweet story about that time in your life.
Nicole, I am loving the fact that you have stories about your quilts! I hadn’t really thought about having memories associated with each of my quilts (especially as a designer). . . but i’ve realized that I actually do! So, I’m going to get a special book & write down my memories & stories associated with each of my quilts. . .
Thanks so much for sharing yours! I’m loving reading them.
xo, Bren
Nicole, I am loving the fact that you have stories about your quilts! I hadn’t really thought about having memories associated with each of my quilts (especially as a designer). . . but i’ve realized that I actually do! So, I’m going to get a special book & write down my memories & stories associated with each of my quilts. . .
Thanks so much for sharing yours! I’m loving reading them.
xo, Bren
Good morning Nicole,
It is fun to see your Christmas quilts and hear the stories to go along with each! I am enjoying them all.
In this quilt today I like how you used so many different fabrics and yet they all go together so well without looking busy. What is the trick?
Good job!!
Beverly
P.S. What a kind friend you have. Certainly makes life more pleasant to have caring friends.
Good morning Nicole,
It is fun to see your Christmas quilts and hear the stories to go along with each! I am enjoying them all.
In this quilt today I like how you used so many different fabrics and yet they all go together so well without looking busy. What is the trick?
Good job!!
Beverly
P.S. What a kind friend you have. Certainly makes life more pleasant to have caring friends.
I have been reading your blog for a while and wanted to say “Hi”. I love your quilts and your stories behind them.
Brandie
I have been reading your blog for a while and wanted to say “Hi”. I love your quilts and your stories behind them.
Brandie
Your quilt and your story are both lovely. Thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning.
Your quilt and your story are both lovely. Thanks for putting a smile on my face this morning.
Thanks for sharing another one of your christmas quilts. I’m enjoying the stories that go with them, I think all quilts have a story. Life happens while we are making them and for me, quilting is my Prozac!
Thanks for sharing another one of your christmas quilts. I’m enjoying the stories that go with them, I think all quilts have a story. Life happens while we are making them and for me, quilting is my Prozac!
Oh my gosh Nicole, I have this magazine stuffed in a box with a bunch of fabrics I have been collecting for years to make this quilt. It’s been on my to-do list for so long. It’s almost embarassing. But funny thing, a few of those fabrics in your quilt from the Bundle Up line are in my box too! I must have started collecting FQ’s for mine about the same time you actually MADE yours. You’re much more on the ball than I am. And you have the beautiful finished quilt to prove it.
In regards to your birds-eye view of quilt layouts form the balcony, I like to take a picture of my layout and then look at it on the computer. It looks so different in that little onscreen view.
Oh my gosh Nicole, I have this magazine stuffed in a box with a bunch of fabrics I have been collecting for years to make this quilt. It’s been on my to-do list for so long. It’s almost embarassing. But funny thing, a few of those fabrics in your quilt from the Bundle Up line are in my box too! I must have started collecting FQ’s for mine about the same time you actually MADE yours. You’re much more on the ball than I am. And you have the beautiful finished quilt to prove it.
In regards to your birds-eye view of quilt layouts form the balcony, I like to take a picture of my layout and then look at it on the computer. It looks so different in that little onscreen view.
I love your Cozy Christmas quilt. And, what great memories to go with it.
I love your Cozy Christmas quilt. And, what great memories to go with it.
I love your story Your quilt is beautiful.Thanks for leaving A comment on my blog.
Hugs Mary.
I love your story Your quilt is beautiful.Thanks for leaving A comment on my blog.
Hugs Mary.
Hi Nicole your quilt is beautiful . I love reading all of your stories about your quilts very special memories
hugs Beth
Hi Nicole your quilt is beautiful . I love reading all of your stories about your quilts very special memories
hugs Beth
Another lovely story to match your lovely quilt. Great job on the scrappy green and red fabrics. I’ve recently come to realize I’m a fussy cutter, if there’s some pattern or flower or design I like, I’m cutting around it! I’m probably the only person who notices the extra detail.
I can stand upstairs and have a perfect view of my living room floor. It never occurred to me to use that to my advantage when arranging my blocks. I love my design wall but there is not enough room sometimes to get the best perspective. I’ll just need to remember to spread the blocks on the floor on a day when Cooper’s not home.
Another lovely story to match your lovely quilt. Great job on the scrappy green and red fabrics. I’ve recently come to realize I’m a fussy cutter, if there’s some pattern or flower or design I like, I’m cutting around it! I’m probably the only person who notices the extra detail.
I can stand upstairs and have a perfect view of my living room floor. It never occurred to me to use that to my advantage when arranging my blocks. I love my design wall but there is not enough room sometimes to get the best perspective. I’ll just need to remember to spread the blocks on the floor on a day when Cooper’s not home.
Glad you got your camera straightened out. Lovely quilt, lovely story.
Glad you got your camera straightened out. Lovely quilt, lovely story.
I never did get the whole quilt made, but I made a very cute pillow out of the tree block which I love to pull out at the holidays.
I never did get the whole quilt made, but I made a very cute pillow out of the tree block which I love to pull out at the holidays.