Thursday, October 8, 2009

Silver Anniversary/Courthouse Blues

I am so excited to participate in this year's Blogger's Quilt Festival hosted by Amy at Park City Girl .  Please click on the link shown in my sidebar to check out all the wonderful quilts submitted.  Below is my entry into the festival.





The quilt that I chose to share is the one I made last May for my husband to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.  I adapted the pattern from Marti Michell's Lodge Look Courthouse Steps in her Log Cabin ABCs, but took the fabric color idea from Courthouse Blues in Jan Bode Smiley's Focus on Batiks.





This was my first attempt at any Log Cabin block, but Marti Michell's rulers made it seem easy.  My husband is an attorney, so the idea of making a Courthouse Steps pattern seemed appropriate.  I liked the color scheme shown in the Focus on Batiks book, so I went with that, hence the name Courthouse Blues.





To tie in the anniversary theme, I chose a silver fabric for the center of the blocks since silver represents 25 years (or so I was told).  Most log cabin blocks I have seen use red for the centers, but I took comfort in the fact that the beautiful quilt shown in the book had a creamy, yellow center.  If you look closely (but not TOO close), you will see the silver thread used for quilting - again, representing twenty-five years of marriage.





The back is pieced from the same fabric - a beautiful blue and green batik to complement the front.  This was before I discovered how cool piecing the back could be.  However, I do like the label.





I typed the label and printed it along with our wedding picture onto a photo fabric sheet.  Oh, to be so young again!!!!  I usually send my special quilts, especially one this large, to a longarm quilter, but I wanted to be able to say I had made the whole quilt myself.

I can't wait to check out all the quilts in this year's festival!!!  Thanks Amy for putting together this amazing event.  Everyone, enjoy!!!!


Rene'


78 comments:

  1. Now, I'm crying because your story, your heart and your quilt are so beautiful. The label is what finished it off for me needing a tissue. Thank you for your 25 year commitment and faithfulness...so rare in the world today. The colors, the stitching, the quilting, even the thread speak of your character and integrity!
    Blessings to a newly added to my blog favorites quilter!

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  2. I love your story, esp. the idea of adding the silver thread and fabric to celebrate 25 years. Our 23rd is Sunday and I may have to use your idea for something special for the 25th.

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  3. What a great quilt and I love the story behind it! Congratulations on 25 years of marriage and I wish you many more happy years together!

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  4. This is wonderful and I love the label you put on the back!

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  5. Oh my - blue and green is my favourite colour combo - this is so dreamy...

    thanks for sharing!

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  6. how sweet! and i love the blended colors. very nice work.

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  7. Congrats on reaching your 25th! It's definitely a milestone in this day and age. I love how you incorporated the silver thing into the quilt in such a subtle but meaningful way. I bet you still see that young person in each other!

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  8. Congratulations on your anniversary and your beautiful quilt. I love the symbolism and the colors are wonderful!

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  9. Cute couple and a beautiful quilt, happy anniversary just a little late

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  10. WHat a beautiful quilt. I love the colors and I think the label is very cool. Jan Bode Smiley belonged to our quilt guild here.
    Happy quilting, Rhondi

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  11. Rene, this is wonderful. I love the colors together. Thanks!

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  12. An amazing quilt! Love the symbolism through out.

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  13. What a lovely quilt for a lovely occasion! I really love the colours and all the meaning you tied into it for your husband and your 25 years together! What a special thing to do as a wife!

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  14. Rene!
    I loved this quilt before I read all the sentiment behind it. Wonderful job, from start to finish. Congratulations on quilting it yourself!

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  15. I love the colors and the blue batik fabrics. Beautiful quilt, and a great story. Congratulation on a job well done.

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  16. What a wonderful anniversary gift for your hubby. Congrats on 25 years.

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  17. Your quilt matches the little photo of you on your blog! I'm guessing this is a favorite color pallette! ;-) great quilt! happy 25!

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  18. This is so cool! I love the colors and all of the special touches, especially the photo on the back.

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  19. It is so cool. You did a fantastic job with the colors. I love the silver center. A beautiful quilt with a lot of special touches.

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  20. gorgeous...i love the log cabin block you used!!

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  21. I love the label, that is the sweetest thing ever. And the block is so appropriate! You two are so lucky to have found each other and I hope you have many more anniversaries.

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  22. Your blue and green quilt is marvelous. I think it makes it extra special that you made it for your 25th anniversary. It's interesting that you did the quilting with silver thread. I used that once in an art quilt and it was so glimmery and shiny. I like the eyecatching effect. I know it shows up better in person. Thanks for visiting my post about the crazy quilt!

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  23. Your label is great! The silver fabric is the perfect touch. I like how you used the courthouse steps because your husband's a lawyer. A beautiful treasure. Thanks for sharing!

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  24. What a wonderful gift. The label is very special.

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  25. When I first saw your quilt I thought, looks like Courthouse Steps, but really it's so much more. The way you tied in with the sliver is beautiful. I'm fond of blue I think so your color choices are just wonderful.

    Thanks for your kind words about my own entry.

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  26. What a beautiful quilt. Thanks for sharing. It looks wonderful.

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  27. Very beautiful, it looks like a watercolor,great work.

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  28. A beautiful quilt and I loved the label.

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  29. A lovely, lovely quilt and a wonderful and lasting memory of your silver anniversary!

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  30. Congratulations on your 25th! I love your quilt and its symbolism. The silver centre is perfect! The red or yellow centres in log cabin blocks are symbolic of the warmth from a fire (red) or the sun coming in an open window (yellow). Your blocks are built around your marriage and I love that idea! Great label too!

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  31. What a nice quilt to commemorate a special occasion. I like how you labeled it.

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  32. What a lovely quilt, especially the label. Blue is my favorite color, so, yes, I would love this.

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  33. Thanks you for sharing the lovely ideas behind your quilt! Nice to be able to say you made it all yourself. I love batiks and this paattern is a nice way to showcase them.

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  34. Hello Rene,

    What a BEAUTIFUL quilt. I love the colors - they are so rich! And what a special quilt to celebrate your anniversary! Thank you for visiting me and leaving the kind comment. You are always welcome at Ivory Spring - please visit again! :)

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  35. Beautiful quilt! and a lovely story! Happy anniversary!

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  36. This is a beautiful quilt. Aren't you glad you did the WHOLE thing yourself? It looks great!

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  37. Dear fabulous Rene' - I'm allegedly telling you that I love your courthouse quilt... and the name, and the meaning... right down to your silver thread. I love that!

    I also love the photo of you on the post above this post... GREAT PHOTO and it so matches your "I'm a girl from Mississippi living in Florida and dreaming of Montana.". FABULOUS!

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  38. Your quilt is wonderful. Happy Anniversary.

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  39. Hi Rene'! I just had to come back here and tell you how much I really appreciate the comment you left on my quilt post. Thank you so much - you really made my day!

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  40. How pretty! I love the colors and the story.

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  41. My what a pretty quilt. Love the combination of batiks. The label is a really nice touch to remember that special day.

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  42. What a SPECIAL quilt!!!! It's just fabulous and I love all the heart and meaning you put into it. Beautiful!

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  43. Very nice quilt and even more special because you made it for your hubby. I love the batiks and Log Cabin is one of my favorites. Thanks for coming to my blog, come back again.

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  44. Ahhh....I'm dabbing a tear in my eye...really! Lovely quilt and story, yeah 25 years...the label is great.

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  45. Your blue and green entry is so pretty.

    Mississippi -- Florida -- Montana. Hmmm. Never been to Mississippi, lived in Florida...I think Montana would be my choice.

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  46. I forgot to say before I clicked "publish" that the silver centers are perfect for a 25th anniversary. Whoever said we have to do the traditional. Certainly not I. Every quilt we make should be our own.

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  47. Beautiful! Love the fabric and the color scheme you used! The courthouse steps is my favorite log cabin variation

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  48. I love your blue quilt! I am always hesitate for trying log cabinet blocks.

    Cheers

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  49. What a beauty! I love all the symbolism you incorporated into it. :-)

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  50. Congrats on reaching that admirable milestone. Your quilt is gorgeous and so meaningful.

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  51. Such a beautiful sentiment to someday become a cheerished heirloom. All of your well thought out detail is very inspiring! I'm going to use your idea for the label on a quilt I'm working on for my daughter. It a double wedding ring that I started before she got married 6 years ago! I'm finally able to finish it but wanted to put some special touches on it. This label idea is the perfect finishing touch!! Thanks for sharing!

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  52. I love all those yummy batiks -- and congratulations on the big anniversary!

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  53. Lovely quilt and those fabrics .... excellent choices!

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  54. I enjoyed reading all the comments from the other quilters. I can see why you enjoy reaching out to them. I, too, got misty eyed when I saw the label. After 25 years, the picture of you and Julio on your wedding day still makes my heart swell. Mom

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  55. What a beautiful quilt. The fabrics are so gorgeous. What a beautiful anniversary gift :-)

    Jocelyn
    http://happycottagequilter.blogspot.com/

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  56. Love your colors and also great to see such a nice label! And isn't Montana beautiful? One of our favorite states to go through on the way to see our son in Alaska. I can see why they call Montana "Big Sky" country...your images are beautiful.

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  57. I love the strong sentiments behind this one. Just beautiful!!

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  58. First of all, congratulations on your 25th anniversary!!! Secondly, that's a gorgeous quilt .. love the batiks and color choices. The silver quilting is the icing on the cake!

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  59. Congrats on 25 years of marriage. =) I really love your combination of a classic quilt block with such modern batik fabrics. Well Done!

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  60. Congrats! I love your quilt. Blues and greens are some of my favourites. Not to mention batiks. Very, very nice.

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  61. My colours exactly!
    What a beautiful quilt, and what a beautiful couple you were back then.

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  62. I love your quilt, and congratulations on the anniversary. What a special keepsake!

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  63. What a treasure! Thank you for sharing it with us :)

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  64. Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I am very happy that I came to visit you , it is so good of you to share your story and that quilt is just amazing, the colours blend so beautifully. I think that all your quilts are so lovely, the flower one below this post is quite amazing.

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  65. What a wonderful quilt! I love the courthouse steps for an attorney and the silver you incorporated. Very special!

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  66. Fabulous batiks....and congratulations on making it to your 25th.

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  67. Such a beautiful story. Your quilt is beautiful.

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  68. It is a beautiful quilt-- and such a lovely story to go with it. I especially love how you used the silver fairy frost fabric in the centers of the blocks-- so cool! Thank you for sharing. :)

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  69. Fantastic! You put so much thought into every detail of this quilt. I love it! I've made anniversary quilts for others, but never thought of making one for my husband and myself. Our 25th is coming up in two years, and now you've got me thinking... lol

    I admire your persistence in seeing ALL of the quilt festival quilts! Good luck! Thanks so much for your kind comment on my library quilt. I'm having a halloween giveaway this week, so if you're interested (and have the time!), stop in again! :o)

    Thanks again!

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  70. Congrats on your win! Even random it's great to see such a pretty quilt (that I'd already been lucky enough to see!) take a win.

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  71. The silver centers are a unique extra touch in a very unique quilt! What a thoughtful journey you took to commemorate your 25 years of marriage. My DH and I will hit 25 in February and I made him his first quilt this year, which was my Festival entry. Thank you for sharing your quilt's story.

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  72. What a beautiful momento and congratulations on 25 years!! You did a wonderful job.

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  73. What a special quilt. I love the colors and the story behind it. Your label makes it all the more special. Sharon

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