A great day out: Applique workshop and antique quilts

Last Saturday I was finally able to visit  Dorry from the quilt shop that moved to Overloon: Quilt it & Dotty : BEAUTIFUL!!! Lots of atmosphere, light, large and many fabric.

The first reason to go all the way over there was to join a workshop given by Dawn . She is a very talented lady who does a lot of things for example: collecting antique quilts and other antique quilting items. She, together with her daughter, makes, and sells patterns (See her patterns here)  made from those antique quilts and also teaches.
We were taught an applique technique called: back basting applique. This was very clear and could come in very handy for me in the near future...

I already finished mine today!!!  There was no more daylight for the photo, but I couldn't wait showing it here;) The fabrics are a bit light, not so much contrast but I'm okay with that.

Dawn showed some of her antique quilts in the afternoon....Every one was in Aaahhhh every time she unfolded one.....so beautiful and fragile too. She told lots of history too.

I was enjoying it so much....Do you see here every shape is a bit different? They had to improvise a lot back than. They didn't have the patterns we are able to buy today....well choosing one to make nowadays is almost giving me sleepless nights but that is a different problem.

This one was very nice too, I almost bought this pattern...but I already bought the Shenandoah botanical quilt pattern.
(also see the button on the right on my weblog too) and hope to start working on that one soon.

This is a detail of an antique quilt with embroidery, quite unusual for the 19th century, Dawn told us.

This is a 'Noah and Matilda' quilt top replica, Dawn made. Also very beautiful.....

Dawn said, it is still possible to find old quilt tops in thrift stores in the USA. We, quilters here, are all dreaming of finding such tops!

  And I was (and still am) in love with Dorry's kittens, six in total, so sweet.

I was able to purchase fabric for my Lizzy BOM project (see the Lizzy quilt in Dorry's shop in the photo above) for the sashings and cornerstones. And of course some fat quarters because they were so nice, I couldn't resist them...
It was a great day thanks to Dawn our teacher, Dorry, owner of the shop and giving us the hospitality and such nice drinks and food during the day. Also Dorry's Mum who helped her where she could.
Thank you all!!!

Groetjes

Annemieke