Do you know... there's an estimated 30-million active sewists in North America? And of that number, up to 11-million of them are passionate quilters.
Quilting has a rich history that dates back centuries. Originally a technique for recycling fabrics, quilting has evolved into a popular craft. The art of quilting is the process of joining layers of fabric together through manual stitching or with a sewing machine to create a bed covering or garment. Recently, my longtime special projects producer, Judy Morris, shared some photos of a friend who is about to finish a four-year long quilting undertaking inspired by a Civil-War era quilt design and fabrics.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
These are some of the fabrics Judy’s friend, Nancy Chick, purchased for her version of Mrs. Billings’ Coverlet quilt, a piece originally made between 1805 and 1810. Nancy’s color palette includes pinks and reds…
… different shades of blues…
… as well as tans and browns. It took Nancy about two months to locate all the fabrics she wanted to use in her quilt.
And this is the inspiration, the 95-inch square Mrs. Billings’ Coverlet quilt made from 15-rows of sewn hexagons, squares, triangles, diamonds, and kites in all different sizes. Some of the fabrics used date from the 1770s and include dress and furniture prints. Nancy purchased the pattern from Karen Styles who owns it. The original quilt is kept in the collection of The Quilters’ Guild of the British Isles. It is a very difficult pattern to make, but Nancy was determined.
Here are the tools Nancy uses to create her quilt – fabric pens, glue sticks, scissors, and her threads.
And here is a sample hexagon template, a cut piece of fabric, and the paper to which the fabric is glued before stitching into the quilt. The templates are all part of a kit from Somerset Patchwork and Quilting.
This is the very center medallion of the quilt and the start of the quilting process. A hexagonal flower with hexagonal pieces surrounding it. Nancy selected colors that would pop in the center.
There are different methods for piecing a quilt together, but Nancy cut each shape using a template and then affixed the fabric onto a matching piece of paper.
Here, Nancy shows the center plus the first few frames of the quilt. Other shapes are now used. All the fabric is inspired by Civil War era prints and patterns.
Kites, diamonds, and triangles are popular shapes in quilting. Quilters use them to experiment or show varying colors, fabric prints, and layouts on a frame.
Seeing it in stages shows how long and arduous quilt making can be. Nancy spent an average of 10-hours a week over four years to work on the quilt.
Next, these are called hexagonal flowers. Each one made separately.
They are also gathered together to make this border frame.
Another frame shows diamonds and triangles. Quilters often use a variety of fabric designs to reflect their personal styles or to display patterns or scenes from a certain point in history. Nancy uses prints popularly used in the 1860s in keeping with the theme of the original piece.
It is looking more like a quilt here after three years of sewing. The word quilt comes from the Latin word meaning “culcita” or stuffed sack. The more familiar English word was first used in the 13th century.
Several more rows are in the process of being sewn here. The Mrs. Billings’ Coverlet pattern for the quilt provides a border order, so every step is clearly illustrated.
Here’s a closer look to show squares and different sized triangles sewn together in a patchwork.
And here is another frame of what are called “hexies” – small hexagonal patches used to create more intricate designs.
And these are “hexies” sewn together to make triangles. These are used to create the final border.
Here is one side of the finished piece. Nancy expects to finish it within the next week. And then this quilt will be entered in the Pine Tree Quilt Show in Augusta, Maine this summer.
It’s a very special time of year for the peafowl at my Bedford, New York farm - it's the beginning of breeding season.
From now until early August, the peacocks display their stunning and iridescent tail feathers, strut back and forth shaking their hindquarters to produce a rattling sound, and make loud calls to the females around them. The peahens tend to choose males with the longest, most colorful tails. It's quite a "tail show."
Enjoy these photos.
This is one of my handsome peacocks. I share my farm with 18 beautiful peafowl – peacocks as well as peahens. Their pen is outside my stable, completely enclosed to keep them safe from predators. Peafowls are very hardy birds, and even though they are native to warm climates, they do very well in cold weather as long as they have access to dry areas away from strong winds. These birds spend most of their days outdoors, and nights in their coop where it is warm and cozy.
Peacocks have large eyes on the sides of their heads providing wide views. They possess sharp visual acuity as well as color discrimination. Both males and females have the fancy crest atop their heads called a corona. Male peacock feather crests are blue or green in color, while female crests are a more neutral shade of brown or cream.
Peacocks are stunning to look at, but do not underestimate their power. These birds are extremely strong with very sharp spurs – just look at the legs and feet of this peacock.
While these birds are ground feeders and ground nesters, they also enjoy roosting at higher levels. In the wild, this keeps them safe from predators at night. My outdoor birds all have access to natural perches made from old felled trees here at the farm.
A peacock’s head can turn more than 120-degrees by rotating some of the joints between the bones in their neck. When looking behind them, these birds are physically twisting their bodies.
And here is a mature male with his gorgeous tail feathers behind him. A mature peacock can have up to 200 feathers in his tail, which can weigh about a half pound during mating season.
The beautiful feathers of the peacock grow to five feet long when mature – that’s longer than the bird’s body.
Peahens usually choose males that have bigger, healthier plumage with an abundance of eyespots. After the season ends in August, the males lose their long tail feathers and then grow them back before the next breeding season begins. The train gets longer and more elaborate until five or six years old when it reaches maximum splendor.
Peacock feathers also help the bird maintain its body temperature by trapping air and providing insulation. This male is preening, or cleaning its feathers with its beak.
Here is a peahen. Notice, the female is less iridescent with more muted colors and markings.
Females also lack the long, showy tails.
During the mating season, the peacocks will do their ritualistic dance to attract the hens.
The peacock turns in circles showing off his tail. This display is known as “train-rattling.” The ability to fan out the train is done with very strong and specialized muscles.
Here is one of my all white peacocks. Stiff rear feathers underlie the front feathers and provide support when the whole tail is raised.
Researchers say the longer the train feathers, the faster the males would shake them during true courtship displays, perhaps to demonstrate muscular strength.
Peacocks are polygamous by nature, often having several partners during the season, and after courtship, and mating. Here is a peacock dancing in front of a hen. She seems less than interested – maybe. Once a peafowl pair has bred, the peahen will usually lay about three to eight brown eggs. It then takes about 28 to 30 days for the eggs to incubate before hatching.
Peacocks and peahens are very smart, docile and adaptable birds. They are also quite clever and very curious. Here are three peahens looking at my geese in the adjacent pen.
… While the males continue trying to attract them. Here’s a closer look at the male’s head and gorgeous eyespots on the lower portion of the tail closest to the body. The neck muscles stiffen to allow for the elegant positioning of its head during the courtship dance.
All peacocks and peahens will look you in the eye, but if you stare at them or seem aggressive in body movements, they will feel threatened. I love how friendly all my peacocks and peahens are with people.
And remember, only the males are peacocks. The females are peahens, and both are called peafowl. Babies are peachicks. A family of peafowl is called a bevy. And a group is called an “ostentation” or a “muster.” I wonder if we will have baby peachicks later this year.
We still have another two weeks of winter, but the gardens at my Bedford, New York farm are already beginning to show signs of spring.
This time of year is when all the witch hazel shrubs are blooming. With their fragrant, butter yellow to orange and scarlet red flowers, witch hazels add a lovely spark of life to otherwise gray winter landscapes. Although witch hazel has many common names, its generic name means “together with fruit” - it is the only tree in North America to have flowers, ripe fruit and next year’s leaf buds on its branches at the same time. Their diversity, beauty, and all-season appeal make them one of the most well-loved garden shrubs.
This time of year, excitement always grows at the first signs of spring. The witch hazel is now blooming at my farm. Witch hazel grows as small trees or shrubs with numerous clusters of rich yellow to orange-red flowers.
Witch hazel is great for splashes of winter color. They’re very hardy and are not prone to a lot of diseases.
Witch hazel is a genus of flowering plants in the family Hamamelidaceae. Most species bloom from January to March and display beautiful spidery flowers that let off a slightly spicy fragrance.
The flowers are able to curl inward to protect the inner structures from freezing during cold wintery weather.
Hamamelis mollis, or Chinese witch hazel, is the most fragrant of all the species. Chinese witch hazel begins blooming as early as January and has buttery yellow petals and clear yellow fall foliage.
Japanese witch hazel, Hamamelis japonica, has showy yellow or red flowers.
There are five species of witch hazel – Hamamelis virginiana, Hamamelis vernalis, Hamamelis japonica, Hamamelis mollis, and Hamamelis ovalis. All of these produce flowers with strap-like crumpled petals.
Witch hazels possess shallow, slow-growing root systems, which do best in large planting areas to ensure normal growth and development. Fortunately, I have a lot of room to grow these pretty shrubs.
Witch hazel is a unique shrub because it features flowers, next year’s leaf buds, and fruit all at the same time.
While most varieties reach 10 to 20 feet high and wide at maturity, witch hazels can be kept smaller with pruning once they are finished blooming.
Witch hazel is great for attracting pollinators and songbirds as well as for deterring deer.
These plants perform best in full sun, or filtered shade in hotter regions. They prefer well-amended soil and regular water, and are tolerant of acid or alkaline conditions. I have several shrubs near my Summer House and more near my allée of lindens.
Witch hazels need a winter chill to achieve full flowering. For best results, temperatures should drop to at least 30-degrees Fahrenheit. Most of the species and cultivars are hardy down to negative 10-degrees Fahrenheit.
Gardeners usually plant witch hazel for its ornamental qualities – in spring and summer witch hazel is a very attractive plant with dark green leaves and graceful, spreading shapes.
Witch hazel will grow in one of six basic shapes – upright, vase-shaped, oval or rounded, spreading, horizontal or weeping.
Hamamelis x intermedia ‘Jelena’ is a popular cultivar with its coppery orange flowers that appear in early to mid-winter.
Witch hazel works well as a natural remedy because it contains tannins, which when applied to the skin, can help decrease swelling and fight bacteria.
Witch hazel leaves, bark and twigs are used to make lotions and astringents for treating certain skin inflammations and other irritations.
However, wildlife appreciate it also – leaves are an important food source for native insects and many native birds and animals eat the seeds that follow the flowers in the winter.
Witch hazels can thrive in many gardens given the right conditions and care. I love seeing the witch hazels in bloom – it’s a good sign that spring is just around the corner.
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