Thursday, November 10, 2016

Two Thousand

This blog started with this quilt, way back in 2008.
It was my first free pieced quilt. It has the first free pieced letters I ever made, and the quilt included the butterflies I designed. I didn't know what the hell I was doing, and I spent as much time swearing at this quilt as I did sewing on it. It's got as emotional a story as any quilt can get, and it means the world to me.

From there to here,

This quilt was published in Tonya Ricucci's "Word Play Quilts." This sampler quilt is based on traditional New England needlework samplers which often included a house along with the maker's name and location.


and here,

The sentence in this quilt is an example of a pangram, which uses every letter in the alphabet at least once. It was my way of making a sampler that wasn't a sampler.

from jumping foxes,

I made five versions of Katharine Hepburn's famous quote. This is the first.

and rules,

Every quilter makes at least one quilt with colors of the rainbow. Mine just happens to have nine letter words.

and nine letter words,

My friend Julie made this quilt out of all my dud letters and orphan blocks. I love it so much it lives on my bed to this day.

 and duds that surely aren't,

I wanted to see how far I could break rules. The answer was pretty far. The end result though, looked like it fell out of a jewel box. The quilt was laughing at me. So I named it "Laughing Out Loud."

and laughing out loud,

I made this quilt as a sample to sell a class I was teaching about making free pieced houses. Little did I know the effect this quilt would have on my pal Julie Sefton. It is published in her book "Build A Barn."
 
and wonky houses,
An image of an open box combined with Twyla Tharp's famous quilt inspired this quilt.

boxes,


This is another quilt I made as a sample to sell a class I was teaching.

birds and butterflies,

This was the result when a plan for a baby quilt I was making went sideways. You learn a lot more from your mistakes and recoveries than you do from your successes.

 colors,


A conversation with a waitress inspired this quilt, which won an Honorable Mention at AQS Chattanooga 2016.

chickens,

This is the fourth of a series of Crayons quilts. The plan for this quilt came to me in a dream. Really.

Crayons of all varieties,
 

I didn't give this quilt much thought as I was making it. I was on "automatic pilot." Just goes to show you have to guard against overthinking.
curves,

A suggestion from a student got me playing with long triangles that used curves instead of straight lines.
 
and more curves,

My friend Julie asked me to be a Charter Member of the Secret Society of Barn Builders, so I made this barn quilt.
barns,

I designed this quilt one piece of fabric at a time.

Diamonds,

My friend Daniela suggested I make birds based on people I know. So many of these birds represent real people in my life.


and still more birds,

My granddaughter was born in August 2016.

and a very special baby,

...you have accompanied me on this journey of two thousand posts.

In the eight years it has taken me to reach this number, my life has changed dramatically, and for the better. For those of you who read every day, I salute you. For those of you who comment and let me hear your voice, my most heartfelt thanks. For those of you who reached beyond the technology and have become my friends, (from Maryland to Tennessee, to California and Missouri, Canada, Australia and New Zealand) words cannot express my gratitude and joy.

None of this... And I mean NONE OF THIS, would ever have been possible without you.

Thanks.


29 comments:

Megan said...

Thanks to you, Lynne, for giving us so much of yourself. It's been a joy.

Megan
Sydney, Australia

ladibug said...

LYnne, I have been hovering for over five years, so now is time, to say Hi,
I met your friends husband when I traveled to Chattanooga Tennessee I was hanging over your chicken quilt and struck up a conversation with him I was completely thrilled when I saw you got honorable mention for that quilt and I was there to see it.
It was fun, I am in
aww, with your designs and your fun inspirations
I live in central Florida and love the idea that you are not in Florida but up north somewhere and talk about your yard and, your designs.
Your color sense make me use all the Caryons too!
Dani the quiltedladibug

Poppy Q said...

Thanks for letting us journey along with you. We love seeing your creative talents. We think we love the birds the best!!

Julie and Poppy Q
xxx

Nancy J said...

For me, the pleasure is reading of your life, your quilts, your designs, the ups and downs, and seeing wonderful finishes, that I can only dream of. And to be a small part of this , to comment, and to receive a comment, is what makes us all friends that we might never meet, but share and care for each-other. You have given so much, since I "met " you, and I am sure in the previous years too. To see " New Zealand" written there is a joy. Let the next 2000 be as good as this lot.

Dorothy said...

No, Thank you for so much sharing with us

JoZart Designs said...

Congratulations at meeting this milestone and thank you for all your inspiration. I don't always post a comment but I often pop in to see what you are creating.
Please continue to shine and share.
Jo x in Liverpool, home of the Beatles, England (She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah, YEAH!!!)

Pat said...

What a wonderful journey. I'm very happy to have tagged along for at least part of the ride.

Linda Swanekamp said...

Thank you, Lynn for the incredible show. I saw two of your quilts at AQS Syracuse this year. At the same time, I saw your birds on Julie's post. I bought the bird pattern and have enjoyed all of your posts and quilts. You are unique and refreshing. I have to push myself more in this direction but I have a hard time when I make big mistakes.

Rebecca said...

What a Trip!!!. I check your blog every morning with a cup of tea in my hand and sooooo enjoy stepping out of the box and using all the crayons with you.

Allison said...

Thank you for a lovely, lovely post, Lynne. I have only been quilting a little over a year, but I have learned so much from you! Looking forward to 2000 more!
Allison T

Sue said...

Thanks Lynne, for sharing your quilts and your life for all these years!

Just Ducky said...

Happy 2000 posts and concatulations. It has been a pleasure to be on this journey with you. Your creativity is amazing and show that quilts are truly works of art.

From Cat Blogs to Quilt Blogs. Keep it up.

Ducky and Janet

Quiltdivajulie said...

Oh, Ladibug - my husband told me about talking with you! SO happy to have found you online!

Lynne -- your blog never ceases to inspire and amaze me. I agree 1000 per cent with your sentiments that none of what has happened to so many of us would have happened without our online blogging friends!

Congratulations, dear friend!

abelian said...

I love your blog. What I like most is that you take us along on the process. We see all the steps, and a few missteps and corrections. I've learned so much from you.

Dot

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

That was a great review of your quilts from the beginning to now. They are all wonderful. You have a great sense of color and design (and a great sense of humor!). Congratulations on 2000 posts!

Louise said...

As a fairly new reader, I enjoyed this journey through your quilty bloggity past.

Mazel tov!

Lynne Stucke said...

No, Lynne! Thank YOU! I love your blog, love your quilts, love your thought processes. Thank you for writing for our enjoyment. And, thank you for sharing these wonderful quilts with us. (lynnstck@yahoo.com)

Tammy Hutchinson said...

Congratulations Lynne and thank you for blogging and sharing your quilts and more. I love your quilts and the attitude, and gratitude for life they represent. And isn't being a grandma just the best?

joe tulips said...

I'll keep it simple, I adore your quilts!!! Has it really been that long? Wow.

Ann said...

Congratulations, Lynne. Your generosity in sharing details of your work and progress is what draws so many readers.

Mary said...

Thanks for sharing these quilts with us. I look forward to your posts and wish I had found you two thousand posts ago.

Beatrice said...

Hello Lynn, I don't post comments very often on your blog but I have been reading it on and off since the Quick Brown Fox quilt, at least! It was great seeing this "recap" post today. I've discovered a couple of "new to me quilts". Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing your quilts and the process behind them with us.

Beatrice said...

Sorry, Lynne!

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Congratulations! I wonder why we congratulate for so many posts. I mean, you have the need to share. The first thought in my mind when I read the post was THANK YOU!! Thank you for loving to blog. Thank you for sharing you thoughts and skill and creations. Thank you for inspiring me to be stitching my first quilt. I know that I have a few more up my sleeve. Thank you for posting all these word quilts in one place because it's even more inspiration to stitch my own. I bought that book a long time ago.

So..simply I send you a very HEARTFELT thank you.
xx, Carol

ckrut said...

Congratulations! Just recently started following you via e-mail, and love your uniqueness! Can't wait to see what you do next.

Brenda said...

and I've watched you make all of these! thanks for the lovely review, and for 2,000 posts worth reading.

Nancy said...

Lynne, I have been following you for several years. I check in with you every few days. Though I seldom comment, I thoroughly enjoy your artistry and your personality. Thank you for sharing both with us. I hope this post is not a preface to telling us you're moving on to something new or dropping your blog. We would have to respect your decision, if that is what this is, but you would leave a big hole in the quilting blog world. I would love to take a class from you, hopefully someone will lure you to south Texas and I will hear of it! Even your lovely, independent kitty is charming. I too have a domesticated feral cat. He's laying on his back on the floor beside me. For patient people, they make great pets. I've rambled long enough, once again, thank you Lynne. Please keep on wowing us!

Quilter Kathy said...

Congratulations on reaching this milestone! I am always curious to see what you and Millie are up to!
Thank you for inspiring us with your creative life!
I know all grandparents think this, but YOUR grandbaby is truly the most gorgeous baby ever!!

Sandy B said...

Thank you for sharing your designs! They're spectacular!