Spruced-Up Guest Room

Son Adam was here for about 3 weeks and left a few days ago. He lives in Oregon, so his visits home are very infrequent. We had a lovely time with him here, and are tossing around the possibility of going out to see him this next summer. Very early planning stages on that idea, though.

Anyhoo, with him here and now gone again, I needed to do some straightening up in the guest bedroom. It is now ready for the next round of guests who will be coming in on Christmas Eve.

This iron bed is very old. I slept in it as a child and I remember my parents getting it out of a grandparent's house. I don't recall the precise circumstances, but probably there had been a death or someone was moving. One of those situations that involve belongings are parceled out to family.

Anyway, I have been lucky enough to get to hang onto it over the years, and I always love how great it looks dressed with quilts. These blue ones are especially nice, don't you think? The one spread out on the bed is a Thimbleberries pattern called 9-Patch Criss Cross; it was hand quilted by my grandmother. My best guess as to when I made it is mid-2000s, give or take a year or two. Folded at the foot of the bed is another Thimbleberries pattern called Snowflake, or my personal name for it Snowflakes at Dusk. It was the first quilt I made after I retired in 2009, and I only just quilted it earlier this year.

The quilt rack on the side was handed down from Sheryll, one of the Frankfort Girls. While downsizing her bedrooms and sewing spaces, she offered this for the taking. I really did need one, so YES! Folded on top is yet another Thimbleberries quilt - Christmas Lily - also quilted by Grandma. It will soon be going on our bed. 

Hanging in front is English Elegance, taken from a quilt-along in Better Homes And Gardens American Patchwork and Quilting. All the issues in 1999 contained steps for making it, but I didn't actually make it until a few years later. And I see in the link that Grandma quilted it for me!

The wall hanging is a cheater panel that I hand quilted ages ago. I gave it to my mother-in-law probably 25-30 years ago. She hung it in a guest room that she decorated as a "Mesa Room." It had a decidedly southwest feel in its color scheme and furnishings. Both of my in-laws have been gone now for many years, and we got this back when their belongings were parceled out.

I love my old quilts, and I love my new quilts! Mixing and matching them works every time.

Happy quilting, friends!