Harvest Melody

Happy Thanksgiving!  Here in Canada it is a long weekend because today, Monday, is our Thanksgiving. Although not as big a holiday as is the American Thanksgiving in November--our favourite and biggest is Christmas-- we do still celebrate a time with family, good food, and giving thanks for so many many things.

I had another post all ready to go but then thought this quilt, a blast from the past, would be more appropriate for today.

This was a quilt on display in my former LQS, Lori's Country Cottage, in Sherwood Park, Alberta.  Lori's was one of the Top Ten shops in Quilt Sampler, Spring 2012.  The centre is a panel, and I believe they gave you a pattern sheet with instructions to complete the checkerboard and piano keys frame.  I remember collecting fat quarters and quarter metre cuts of various flannels in several local shops in and around the Edmonton area.  I made the quilt in 2005.

I FMQ-ed around the motifs and the frames in the panel, and then did ribbon-like swoops à la Kathy Sandbach, pumpkins and leaves in the piano keys.

I was known in my guild at the time for interesting backs, whether they were pieced with leftovers as was this one, and/or with interesting and as good a quality of fabric as on the top.  I still love to do both; I always check out the sales section in a quilt shop for potential backings.  I will buy 3-5 yards/metres depending on potential and price, no matter if I have a quilt in the works that needs a backing or not.  This was the first quilt that was 100% flannel front and back.  It is so cuddly!

I pieced the label as an integral part of the backing.

Closeup of quilting detail

I absolutely am in love to this day with the rich colours in this quilt.  You can see how well it has laundered, albeit pilled (flannel will do that).  It is on the couch each Fall for both Thanksgiving and for Fall.

One of my favourite blocks in the panel

Sadly, I did not record the designer information.  I do know that some of the flannels are Debbie Mumm, others are Nancy Halvorsen.  The quilt measures 43.75" X 61.5", a good cuddle size.

Speaking of Debbie Mumm, here is a little quilt made in 2003 from a pattern in one of her books.  It is hanging at my front door. I thought I'd include it today.

I was into the Sulky rayons and metallics back then (still love 'em).  The leaf blocks finish at 3"!
The quilt took longer than I anticipated for being so small, just 15.5 X 17.25".

Laid it in the morning sun so the quilting shows up better, all FMQ and embrodiered by hand

The back, a fun Halloween/Thanksgiving-esque print I believe from Fabricland:

And the label:

Hmm, had some tension issues with my FMQ then too!  Maybe it's not all Avril's fault! (I know it isn't)  I was taught that it's better to have your top thread pull slightly towards the back however, but areas of this are not so good...think my hands and foot speed were not in sync always by the looks of the sizes of the stitches.

I wish all my Canadian friends, family and followers a peaceful and happiness-full Thanksgiving, and for my international friends, the same wish for the first day of another week in October!  Now I'm off into yet another glorious Fall day here in southwestern Ontario to walk Rocco.  Above the sumac trees in the photo below, is, I believe, a huge Silver Maple.  I just love how these trees turn:  it looks like Mother Nature has dipped their tips into orange icing!