Heirloom Needle-Turn Applique Quilt

Hi there!

I'm really excited to show you the second heirloom quilt I brought home from California. This beauty is in tough shape. Torn bindings and frayed edges. And the colors are so faded which made it very difficult to get good pictures (that and the fact that I can't seem to get any good natural light in Chicago this time of year). But I LOVE this quilt and the history it represents. My great-grandmother made this quilt (probably in the 30's or 40's) using needle-turn applique to make the sweet tulips found in each block.

Check out the detail on this sweet little tulip plant.

And look at the gorgeous hand quilting. I love studying the tiny stitches. A lot of work and love went into the making of this quilt.

I think the leaves were originally a much more vibrant green. They have turned to a soft gray and the quilt is lovely even with it's aged, muted tones. 

So I've been bitten by the applique bug and I won't quit until I've mastered the technique (that's kind of how I operate). I've been browsing blogs looking for inspiration and I think I know what I'm going to make for my first project. If I can make a little progress this evening, I'll share it with you tomorrow.

What projects are you working on (obsessing over)?

Hope you're having a great day!