For those of you who know me, or read my blog often, you know that my heart and soul is in Alaska. I have never traveled anywhere that is more beautiful and full of wildlife than there. This summer on my travels up north, I came across the shop hop quilt. A commerative for the 50th year it has been a state. A mother/daughter team from Wasilla, (yep Sarah Paulin's town but no connection I am sure) designed this beauty. Mary Thompson and Heather Griffin. I can not tell you just how much fun this was to put together.
I have purchased shop hop quilts in the past only to be very disappointed when, I found the instructions to be very lacking and/or shortages of fabrics. There is a big bag of pieces and the extra fabric for borders and backing under my stairs, likely never to see daylight again!
This is a quilt that definatly is not in that category. The directions for this was so well written, that even a beginner would have little problem putting the blocks together. I love the combination of blocks with the fusible applique. Many play right off the blocks name. Bear paw, Lady of the Lake the tree block. How cleaver. And how about the log cabin block with the outhouse. :-)
Not only was this so much fun to make, it inspired me to work from the front of my longarm for a change and do some freehand work. I am not at all proficient at freehand work on the longarm, but this was just the quilt to get my juices flowing. My mind is seeing more and more design options daily. Now if my mind and my hands learn to work together, I just might be on to something. LOL!!!
Hope you find your inspiration this week where ever it might come from.
Still hoping to get some suggestions for all those nickel squares I posted last week. I am hoping everyone is too busy to post a suggestion, and not that we are all stumped!
Have a great week.
A tremendous amount of loving detail went into this quilt, Joan -- what a wonderful memento of your favorite place to be!
ReplyDeleteDiane
Very beautiful cheerful quilt . Marika
ReplyDeleteJoan,
ReplyDeleteI too adore Alaska-and live in Florida! I hope to live there one day. It is truly inspiring. And so is your quilt. Thank you for sharing this masterpiece!
Alaska is on my list of places to visit some day. Everyone I know that has been there loves the place :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous quilt. Love the combination of scenery with quilt block design.
It is a goregous quilt!
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I visited Alaska for the first time this summer. We will be going back. The beauty is beyond words. I'm loving this quilt, we visited the shops in all the ports, and didn't see this one! I'm sorry I missed it.
ReplyDeleteI'll have to share this with a friend who used to live in Alaska! We enjoyed a visit there years ago, and your quilt brought back happy memories. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWow...that is beautiful...I was born in Fairbanks in 1959...guess I'm showing my age!;) My dad was in the AF and I was born at Ladd AFB. I don't think it is an AFB any more but something else. Anyway, I only was there my 1st year and that is a dream of mine to visit where I was born...I do remember being bundled up in a fur parka and blankets being pulled on a sled...my only memory...guess I should be happy with that!:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for making me smile, your quilt is amazing...I wonder if they still have more kits?!:)
It's easy to love Alaska in the summer, true Alaskans love the winter as well. We moved from there in 2007.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning quilt! I love the way the pieced block sshadow the applique. It makes me want to go to Alaska!
ReplyDeleteThis is amazing!!! I really love the way the blocks and the applique fit together. So beautiful!
ReplyDeleteall i can say is WOW!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe details are amazing!
ReplyDeleteThe quilt is GREAT!! You did a fabulous job.
ReplyDeleteDo you know of a place that I could buy the patterns?
Sandy G in Clio, Michigan