Toulouse, how do I love thee?

Let me count the ways.  #1 - it's a Miss Rosie pattern!   #2 - it's 3 Sisters fabric!   #3 - it's a fun project to work on with your friends!  #4 - it's Miss Rosie, for crying out loud!

I absolutely adore this quilt and loved every day that I was sewing it on.  I was lucky enough to get a bundle of Maison de Noel fabric at a local craft store's post Christmas sale in 2004(?) for 50% off.  SCORE!    I also acquired some of the plaids from the collection and some of the background, planning to make Toulouse, which featured the same fabric line.

A couple years ago, Nicole started this beauty.  And a couple of months ago, I was reminded about the quilt by a comment Thelma posted to Nicole's blog.  This led to a super-fun email exchange between me and Thelma, planning to make this quilt that we both loved.  Problem was, this fabric was long gone from stores, especially the reds and whites.  Thelma was able to find a few of the blues and greens, and I promised her that I would send her whatever leftover pieces I had to help fill in.

I wanted to use every piece of fabric I had to make the scrappy flying geese border.  My favorite method for making geese uses Eleanor Burns' rulers, and with her method, you get 4 matching geese with each pair of squares.  Using all the fabrics, I would end up with about twice as many geese as I needed for my border, so I offered to send my extra geese to Thelma to use for her border.

Thelma did me one better, and urged me to send her half the fabric squares and she would make half the geese and send half of her finished geese to me.  So I did the same with mine.   So fabric was mailed, geese were sewn and exchanged between Washington state and Illinois.  We had a lot of fun and sent a lot of emails back and forth talking about this quilt.   I also had 2 background fabrics from the Maison de Noel collection.   One the icy blue on white twigs and the other the red on white twigs.   I had enough of both fabrics to use either one for my quilt, but decided I liked the softness of the icy blue.   I offered Thelma the red and she ended up using that for her background.  Perfect for a lover of red!   I know she had some doubts about how strong the red seemed, but I think her quilt turned out fabulous, don't you?

Nicole used her own collection of red and green fabrics from her stash, and it also makes a stunning version of Toulouse.

I know I've said this before and risk repeating myself, but if you have any hesitation about Miss Rosie's patterns, please put all that silliness out of your head.  Yes, they are complex looking, but break it down into the simple components (9-patches!   flying geese!) and the sheer genius of designer Carrie Nelson will reward you with the most beautiful masterpiece.  Pieced borders that fit together perfectly.   It's a feat of engineering, I tell ya!

This has been a fun project for me.   As I said before, I loved every minute sewing on it, and that's what makes quilting fun for me.  Thanks for stopping in and be sure you visit Nicole and Thelma to see my Toulouse's fraternal triplets!

Comments

[Susan Ramey Cleveland]

Gorgeous.

[Nicole]

I love your quilt Lisa! The light blues add a soft focus quality to the quilt top that I think is beautiful. Thanks to you and Thelma for spurring me on to get my quilt finished. I can't believe I posted on it two years ago and it has just been sitting waiting for me all that time. It's quilt abuse, I tell you.

[Kathy Wagner]

Beautiful! Congrats on finishing your quilt top!

[RC]

That is absolutely perfect. LOVE IT!!!!

[Allyson in Alaska]

Beautiful quilt. Congratulations. I like the blue too. Nothing "country bumpkin" about her. ;)

[Donna]

Just beautiful! Your, Thelma's and Nicole's are all very inspiring and just gorgeous!

[call me crazy]

I love your quilt! Beautiful job! :-)

[sherri]

Congratulations...it's beautiful...I've enjoyed reading all three blogs and following everyone's progress!

[Jane]

Beautiful! I like this pattern more every time I see it. I enjoyed reading about the cross-country fabric swap -- what fun!

[Beverly]

Hello,
I am here visiting by way of Nicole's blog. Your Toulouse quilt is very pretty! Sounds like you guys had a lot of fun making this one together. Thanks for sharing about the process--I found it interesting.
Have a great weekend,
Beverly in WA

[Chookyblue]

beautiful quilt.........it is nice to have someone to keep you on the track for finishing the quilt........

[Thelma]

What a lovely quilt...whoooops I mean handsome.....I love it! Your geese are perfect.....how did that happen! It was nothing but fun, it will be hard to go back to making a quilt all by my lonesome. Thanks for all your support, fabric and friendship.

[Wendy Currie]

What a fun project to share with friends! I really need to find this pattern now too :) I Made the Elizabeth quilt the year this one came out....oh to have more hours in the day and and endless fabric budget too. Your quilt is beautiful too!
Thank you too for sharing my Gypsy Summer :) with Carrie.

[kathie]

I am so happy for you that you finished it
it is beautiful, makes me want to start one right now! I love miss rosie patterns, Carrie has a knack for writing patterns.
makes each and everyone simple!
What a great way to make a quilt with your friends, keeps you inspired to keep going and finish it!
have a great weekend
Kathie

[Karen Beigh]

I can tell that you are a happy camper having made this quilt!

[Rose Marie]

Gorgeous .... all 3 are absolutely gorgeous!

[Julie Stewart]

Lisa, what a fun project for all of you. Now you have 3 sister quilts!! They are all beautiful.

[Jindi's Cottage]

Hi Lisa. Visiting the triplet quilts via Nicole's blog. Your quilt is beautiful.

[Susan Ramey Cleveland]

Amazing! I love it.

[Di]

Gorgeous quilt! I have the pattern and some of the fabric, but not enough, I fear :( I've been watching you three do this quilt and I need to get what fabric I have together and see what I will have to substitute. Thanks for the inspiration!