Helen Meets Benita

Who? Where? What? The three crucial questions we learn to ask. Well, here goes. Benita of Victorianaquiltdesigns.com  is organising a quilter's meet up and kindly invited me to take part. This link takes you through to Benita's blog "here"

https://benitaskinner.blogspot.com/2018/09/2018-online-quilters-meet-greet.html



The linky party runs through September and there are lots of prizes. Click on the links below or "here"  to see.

https://www.victorianaquiltdesigns.com/fabric/




 So, here goes.  My blog is midgetgemquilts.blogspot.com . Midget gem? My boyfriend (now husband) used to say I was his wee midget gem, a small chewy sweet!  I am rather less of a midget gem after all these years, but the thought is nice! You can also find me on instagram as @helenmidgetgem

I'm Helen, a mum, a wife and most recently, a granny, which is best of all. And perhaps most importantly, I am myself.

I live in the UK. I imagine most of the bloggers linked here live in N America, but there is also a body of dedicated quilters here in the UK. Specifically I live in Northern Ireland, the top right hand part of Ireland. The bit nobody knows!

I am a quilter. I am also a knitter, a reader, a gardener and just enjoying life. I am an early retiree the last two years. Since retiring, it's true, you wonder how you ever had time to work. My husband thinks I spend a lot of time sewing, it's actually less than I thought I would. The days just fly by.

Now - what do I like about sewing?  I love the community of sewing and blogging. I love the "not in real life friends" I have made through blogging. I love sew a longs, knit a longs (through Ravelry), the community aspect. It has improved my sewing skill no end.

 
 
My Postcards From Sweden, (free pattern on craftsy by jelliquilts),  called by me My Writings From Whitehead, part of online sew a long.

What do I sew? I primarily like bright modern quilts, mostly solids or architectural prints.
Rather contrarily I also have a passion for Liberty fabrics. Many people think this is the antithesis to bright and modern, but really, it isn't. It all depends on how you use them. Liberty is as bright and modern
and still leading the pack. Love it or hate it.



The Liberty Quilt I made for my grandson, a free pattern from Purl Soho.

And my favourite quilt? They have to be the two wedding quilts I made for my sons and their wives. The first I sort of designed as I went along, all in kona cottons. It ended up so big, we called it the Behemoth.




The quilt for my second son to marry, was based on a ombre hst quilt designed by Sarah Geoer. We called it the Belfast Bulletin, as I made it at the same time as the Postcard from Sweden.




Why do I blog? Well, you certainly don't come to me for tutorials, or how to. I  hope my love and passion for my "hobbies" comes across and you have a bit of fun reading my blogs. I certainly enjoy writing them. And that's it. And along with my quilting, I throw in a bit of my travels, thoughts on life, whatever is happening at the time.

So, come check me out. If you would like to. And thank you Benita for inviting me.

Helen x

Comments

  1. Very fun post -- enjoyed your quilt parade! :)

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  2. ... and really lovely to have met you in real life too!! :)

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  3. A lovely selection of quilts! I enjoyed 'meeting' you Helen.

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  4. I love the online community as well and the new friends I've made. We would never have met except through our blogs.

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  5. I enjoyed your post and look forward to reading your blog going forward. You take wonderful photos too.

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  6. Helen, you’re precious! This was a delightful read. Well done! XO

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  7. I always enjoy dropping by your blog to see what's new! And today I learned a little more about you. Seeing some of your past quilts was like a visit with old friends :)

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  8. So much to like and nod my head about as I read through this Helen, from your beautiful quilts, to your sense of humour to knowing you're my friend! Funny your husband thinks the same as mine, and you and I have the same retort thought pattern to it!

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  9. I am really enjoying meeting everyone again on their blogs. You have posted so many lovely quilts - I like the Liberty the best.

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  10. I really enjoyed your post, glad to have stumbled upon it via the Meet and Greet. Your quilts are all beautiful, so bright and cheery. I look forward to following your blog in the future.

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  11. Love the Belfast Bulletin. Your quilt holder upper is very steady and makes for absolutely perfect pictures :-p

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  12. The Behemoth is gorgoeous!! I love making the backs as pretty as the fornt. You did an exceptional job with that one!!

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  13. Lovely to meet you and your blog. Love your projects.

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  14. What lucky sons (and DILs) you have!! Those wedding quilts are wonderful. It's fun to see that you are making the same sorts of quilts over in Northern Ireland as people are making here in the US. Enjoy the Meet and Greet!

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  15. Very beautiful quilts! the blue/teal ones are so pleasing !!

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  16. Nice to know more about you Helen! And I know Ireland, Aran Islands mostly (yes I know, it's not North... ;)), beautiful country, lovely people. Your quilts are wonderful, always a pleasure to admire them. Thanks for sharing!

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  17. Your quilts are beautiful - especially the wedding quilts. Bet they were loved.

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  18. I love the colorway for the wedding quilts! The Meet and Greet is proving to be a great way to meet other quilt bloggers.

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  19. Great story about your son's wedding quilts! Love those blues. Visiting from the Meet and Greet.

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  20. Great post, Helen.
    I too have two sons...and 2 daughter-in-laws....and 2 grandsons, as it goes. :)
    Thanks for being part of the Quilters Meet & Greet! <3

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  21. Nice to meet you! Loved seeing your quilts and enjoyed your blog. I visited Ireland a few years ago with a church group. I loved every bit of time spent there. It is a very beautiful country and I would love to visit again.

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  22. Your quilts are wonderful! Thanks for sharing.

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  23. The quilts are amazing. I, too, like not only to quilt but also to knit. My quilting skill are much better than my knitting skills or so I think. I get rather bored with knitting. Therefore, I like to knit most dishcloths. I do like to do different patterns in the cloths as I get easily bored doing the same pattern repeatedly. About the only time I do the same pattern back to back is if I need something I don't want to have to worry about concentrtion. For example, a family member just had two major surgery within three days. I didn't want to have to concentrate on the pattern so I just did a garter stitch border and seed stitch in the middle. All I had to think about was the garter stitch on the end of each row, after a few rows of plain garter stitch. I could list to conversations and still be somewhat distracted from the stress. I just started following you. Thanks for participating in the Meet and Greet. I laughed at the quilt over the cow/bull. I grew up on a farm and that was a delightful site. We have lots of Penguin statues in Tulsa, OKlahoma. Well, many are in disrepair. The zoo had businesses "adopt" a penguin statue to promote the zoo. Many of the companies have gone out of business and left the statues in a sad shape. There is a town 50 miles north that has a plethora of buffalo statues.

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  24. What fun photo settings!!! And beautiful quilts!

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  25. I love those wonderful blues and greens in your quilts - two of my favourite colours. I enjoyed my visit with you - thank you for having us over.

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  26. Love your postcard from sweden. Beautiful colors and easy.

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  27. I can see that modern is a passion of yours. The two wedding quilts are beautiful; love the colors.

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  28. Beautiful quilt made for such special occasions. Love your nick name "Midget Gem". What a special sentiment!

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  29. Nice to meet you Helen. Your wedding quilts are lovely. Thanks for sharing.

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  30. Your Quilts are Beautiful!! & Know they are Treasure of the Heart to those that received them...Awesome!

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  31. Fun quilts. I love the photo shoot on the bull!

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  32. I love those wedding quilts,superb colours. My Grandma went from Oban to Ireland way back in the 1980's, and she was a Nanny to the daughter/s??? of a shipping company family. Part of her position was to accompany the daughter to boarding school in France, I cannot imagine how she coped. She later went back to Scotland, lived a little south of Glasgow, married, had 3 children, and came to New Zealand in 1909. She knitted until she was 90, sewed on a hand turned machine, my Mum knitted and sewed, and I do too.Wonderful to meet you here.

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  33. I'm in the beginning stages of quilting - I've only made a half dozen or so. And I always figured I'd only have a love for patterns. But the Postcards from Sweden (and your alternate version) is gorgeous! Just my style. Beautiful work.

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