I can’t believe it’s been a year…

…since I started on this new blogging venture.  The friends I’ve made this last year has demonstrated to me that blogging certainly is the 21st century equivalent of a quilting bee, we really don’t need to be in the same room to connect, encourage and enjoy each others company. And enjoy ogling at each others quilts ~ finished or otherwise.

Some new friends I have even managed to meet in person and that’s been a real pleasure too.

And the computer skills I’ve learnt (all thanks to Jennifer’s patience) I wouldn’t have thought possible a year ago.

So of course an anniversary means a give away…

…but I’ll tell you about that later.

First I want to tell you about a much anticipated parcel that arrived a couple of weeks ago.

image of additions to the stash

Yes, that is all Smithsonian Fabric.

Judy in Ohio (another new friend, we plan to meet up at the Cincinnati Quilt show next year) wrote to me to say she had an excess of Smithsonian fabric and was wanting to sell it.

Between me emailing images of every smithsonian fabric with its range & pattern name and Judy spreading out and sorting what turned out to be 50 yards of fabric all over her dining table (and getting it cleaned off again before hosting a large family gathering) we were able to ascertain what she had and how much of it.

It took the best part of a weekend for both of us!

She also had all the Quilters Newsletter magazines from 1996 which had an 8 part quilt project using RJR Smithsonian ‘Rising Sun’ fabrics. The quilt is Heritage Medallion and was designed and made by Cynthia Dale.

image of Heritage Medallion project

All eight issues should I ever want to make the quilt but regardless there is still some very interesting (and relevant) reading in these magazines.

And a bit of a UFO.

image of Judy's UFO

I love looking at what other quilters have started, this one I may do something with one day, it will be fun to see how I interpret Judy’s quilt ideas and what the result is.

And there were other Smithsonian treasures like original fabric pack labels and photo’s of quilts from an American quilt exhibition featuring quilts inspired by RJR’s Smithsonian quilt fabrics.

Jennifer and I know we really need to do some work on the What Fabric is That? website…we have no excuse now that we have virtually complete Smithsonian ranges.  Full ranges are what we’ve been steadily working towards for ages.

Okay, now for the good part

I have these four Fat 1/4s (American size) to give away.

I’ve selected one fabric each from the four Smithsonian ranges.

image of Smithsonian fabric giveaway

left to right: Rising Sun Quilt 'Floral Scroll' ; Little Sister's Quilt 'Perennial Garden; The Groom's Quilt 'Cretonne' and The Copp Quilt 'Sweetpea'

‘Floral Scroll’ # 2208-1 in Madder/Cream is a small scale print and is almost identical to a fabric found in Betsy Totten’s Rising Sun quilt from the 1800s. The fabric was released in Nov 1994.

‘Perennial Garden’ #2308-2 in Dusty Blue is a medium scale floral with a picotage background.  Even though it is part of The Little Sister’s Quilt range, the fabric is copied from another 19th century quilt in the Smithsonian’s collection. The fabric was released in June 1995.

‘Cretonne’ #2407-3 in Asparagus also was not taken from the quilt which bears the name of the fabric range ~ Benoni Pearce’s Groom’s Quilt ~ but was taken from a pieced quilt made around 1850 using alternating blocks. Released in Oct 1995.

‘Sweetpea’ #2504 -1 Pale Blue is a small scale floral on a trailing vine. It’s not from the Copp Quilt but the fabric is taken from an early 19th century English counterpane. Released in 1996.

So all you have to do is leave a comment on this post by next Saturday to go in the running.

During the week (sorry I just ran out of time tonight) I will sort through and choose another 4 fabrics so there will be a second prize

~ and gee this time I might try harder to choose fabrics that really are taken from the quilt whose name they bear or at least a quilt we can identify  LOL~

I don’t think I have one of those random number generator things (or if I do I don’t know how to use it) so I will put the names in a hat and get Jennifer to draw two out.

I’ll upload a pic of the other four fabrics when I’ve chosen them.

Good luck :-) and I’ll post anywhere in the world.

Comments

  1. well what a find! how lucky are you???? 50 yards of that fabric line
    I can’t wait to see all the quilts these fabrics are made into.
    thanks for the giveaway and I have enjoyed your blog , heres to another year please!
    Kathie

  2. Oh My Gosh Margaret. 50 Yards!! Now that is a love affair with Smithsonian. I have many many issues of QNL Mag too. including those issues. Might have to go for a little read too.
    I look forward to hearing all your musings :-) Cheers
    Lynne

  3. In one of the eight magazines there’s even an article on computer short hand (like LOL)…from 1996! I’m only just learning it now ~ LOL.
    Also a series of articles on getting the best from your sewing space, very timely for me who is supposed to be renovationg a space.
    They’re worth getting down off the shelf.
    M :-)

  4. Thanks Kathie, yes I plan to stick around a while yet ;-)
    I can’t cut in to too many of those fabrics yet unfortunately…Jennifer would never speak to me again if there’s not big enough pieces to photograph for WFiT.
    M

  5. sewprimitive karen says:

    Just love these fabric lines. You have an encyclopedic knowledge of them! Congratulations on your blog year and may you have many more to come. I’m going to go see if I have those magazines.

  6. Mary Jo says:

    What a fabulous find! I recently bought a bit more of several of the Smithsonian prints from a shop that seems to have just about everything. I also bought them when they were first printed and remember how excited we all were to see such wonderful reproductions. Back then there weren’t many good ones.
    Congratulations on your fist year of blogging. I hope you will continue for a long time. I’ve really enjoyed seeing what you are working on, especially the Maltaville Album.

  7. How fun to look at all that fabric–like Christmas!

  8. Sue Maddox says:

    Hi Margaret,
    Thanks for this chance to win those quarters.So happy to read your blog entries and realize there are other repro nuts in this world!
    Sue from UK(no blog)

  9. These are beautiful fabrics. 50 yards is amazing!

  10. I remember a Heritage Medallion quilt, made after the magazine issues were published, won best of show in a state quilt show.

    I have used up almost all of my Smithsonian fabrics. May have a scrap or two on the shelves. That’s been a good while since they came on the market. Lucky that you were able to add to your stash with them.

  11. I can’t believe those fabrics were released so long ago. Back then not many shops in Australia stocked full ranges of reproductions, so we never had the chance to buy them all. It’s great to see them on your blog; happy anniversary and keep posting.

  12. What wonderful finds…the fabric, the magazines and, of course, new friends!!
    Heres to many more anniversaries for your blogging.

    Thank you for the opportunity to win that fabulous fabric!
    I’m off to look at your WFiT blog :)

  13. O you lucky, lucky lady! Just love that collection – am sure you’ll do something wonderful with it too:)
    Would LOVE to win a little of that – thanks so much for the chance – very generous of you.

  14. Theresa W says:

    Congratulations on a year of blogging. I enjoy it very much.

  15. Great find Margaret. And congratulations on making 1 year. Thanks for the chance to win some of your great find.

  16. When you said you were able to obtain some older Smithsonian fabric via a contact in the States I didn’t realize that it would be THAT much!! Lucky you!! Still waiting on my parcel to arrive. PI will be chasing the Postie up the street before long. I have almost finished the Heritage Medallion in QNM and I inherited a partially finished version when my Aunty Fay died 5 years ago which I have altered with other borders but not finished. I will have to dig it out again
    Thanks Margaret for your inspirational blog

  17. Beautiful fabrics! How can you bear to part with them?? Not that I wouldn’t love to have them….

  18. Barbara Young says:

    How fun to be able to play in fabric. I love it – even if the stash is not my own. I wasn’t aware of Smithsonian fabrics – now I have to see about starting my own supply. Thanks for sharing.

  19. Christine Collins says:

    ohh….so much lovely fabric!!

    congratulations on your blog-iversary, and many more to come!!

  20. Valerie Langue says:

    Hi Margaret, wonderful fabrics! Thank you for sharing!

  21. Janet L-Young says:

    I love the way you give the history of the fabrics and the names.
    Keep up the interesting work/blog.

  22. Ann Proudley says:

    I love the Smithsonian fabrics and have been slowly filling in the spots I don’t have. Congratulations on your blog anniversary. I really enjoy reading it.

  23. I can’t believe I have those magazines and the quilt partially started. Most of my fabric got packed away because of a water leak in our house. That was about 6 years ago and this project is still packed away. Would love to win more fabrics. Will have to start unpacking those almost forgotten treasures.

  24. Margaret says:

    Haha, yes get it out and start sewing. It’s a great quilt, I’ve always been partial to medallions.
    Cheers Margaret

  25. Quilt Blogland is a fun place, isn’t it. Glad you are part of it.

  26. Meghan Leslie says:

    As a relative ‘newby’ to the wonderful world of quilting, I was not aware of, and had never seen, many of the Smithsonian fabrics you have been sharing with us Margaret. They really are something special for us reproduction lovers.

  27. Patti S says:

    The year goes fast, doesn’t it? Thanks for sharing your fabrics to celebrate. I enjoy your blog.

  28. margaret, don’t know if it’s still saturday there, but thought I’d take a chance. I am speechless at your luck with the Smithsonian haul!! how wonderful. i would have to lay it all out on my bed and roll in it for quite a while.

  29. Don’t you just love reproductions??? They are so wonderful and so varied. I’m working on Pies and Tarts now – my friend was doing it as a BOM – but alas it was closed. I got the pattern and templates and had the most fun going thru repros to make it!! Yours will fit right in!! Thanks for the chance and Happy Bog-aversary!

    doni @ Oregon coast

  30. Lois Schurr says:

    I made it 2 years ago and loved it, but the center is wearing out too fast. I want to get only the pattern for the stars that are in each corner so I can put it in the middle of the quilt. Would someone send me the pattern for that star only?

Leave a Reply to Hilda Cancel reply

*