Slow Sunday Stitching

I'm super-stoked to show you my Sunday stitching today because a week ago, I had no plan or intention of even touching it! Yes, this old UFO was destined to be a forever-UFO, until I had to produce a small project for the Corey Yoder workshop yesterday. This was the closest thing I could find to the suggestions she provided in her seminar details.

My little quilt measures 23" x 17.5" and is made of leftover HSTs from a previous project. I've had this little flimsy sewn together for a good while - over 4 years, I know, because I made it in the previous sewing room and that move happened in 2013. Anyway, it's been skirting my sewing table (attached with masking tape), just for aesthetics.

After hearing Corey's talk, I decided to use 4 colors of quilting thread on my quilt, so I bought what  you see above along with the needles: Aurifil 12 wt. thread and Tulip embroidery needles #7 size.

We marked our lines with water-soluble pens and began our work. The 40 or so women who attended the workshop were busy-busy-busy!

I did a bit more stitching last evening and then finished the quilting, trimmed the excess and attached the binding today. What a nice, unexpected completion for March! Yay! I will add, in hindsight, I think I should have just used the purple thread, as the other three colors are so light that they have very little impact. I will need to work on making stitches more consistent in their length and spacing. Actually, I have old habits to break, as I did my own version of big-stitching on Erin's Diamonds last October-December. I suppose it's a "quilt as desired" sort of thing.

I will link up with Kathy at her weekly Sunday Stitching party. I hope you'll take some time to stop in and peek around.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

A Big Event Today!

I probably should have been hyping this previously, but today a famous quilter will be in Chillicothe at Old Town Quilt Shop on Water Street. I signed up for it about 6 weeks ago, and have been eagerly anticipating it ever since.

The guest is Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts. She's a new-generation quilter, young and vivacious, hip and cool, (my impressions of all these millennials who are joining and trendsetting in the quilting world!); her workshop today is on big-stitch hand quilting.

Now, if you've followed this blog for very long, then you know I am no stranger to this technique, as I spent 3 months doing that ginormous quilt for Erin last October-November-December. I won't link to anything because there are so many, but if you hit up that archive tool over in the side bar, you will be able to find them.

So why am I attending this? Well, one can always learn a few new tricks, you know, and I wonder if I did things the way she will be instructing. One thing I am curious about is burying the knots. I never did feel as though I had a good method of doing that. I also used a different type of thread than she suggests, so I would like to get her take on that.

I will be sure to take a few pics, and soak up as much information as I can, and then I will report back here next week!

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Antique Delights - Part 3

Shall we stroll through the antique quilts again, dear readers? I have been thinking it is time to share Miss Rebecca's applique quilts, so settle back to enjoy some eye candy. This might be a post for refills on your tea or coffee. *smile*

Let me start by saying that I have already shared an appliqued quilt; the second basket quilt in Part 1 was a combination of pieced and appliqued construction. The quilts in this installment of our series will be entirely applique.

I have consulted a number of sources, and these rose appliques have many, many variations and names. The two that seem most fitting for this is Rose Wreath or Rose of Sharon. Isn't this a beautiful example, whatever it's called? I included a couple of photos of just the quilting (sorry for my camera shadow) because it is simply spectacular. Imagine the lady - or ladies, possibly - who made this quilt. What year? What pattern?

I appreciated the comment on Part 2 of my Antique Delights series from A Colorful World who suggested I look into some quilt documentation databases

They can be professionally documented in the Quilt Documentation Project, and they will give you approximate age based on the materials used, design and pattern. The quilts go on a database, where they can be seen, and you are given a tag to sew to the back of the quilt with it's number. Well worth it! Check it out online to find when they might do this in your area.

I will definitely check into this, and will suggest it to my friend as well.

I found quilts similar to this one called Whig Rose and Rose of Sharon. The various close-ups of this quilt show the fantastic quilting stitches - see that one that makes a basket? Look at how nicely the colors have stayed true. In random reading that I've done, I  understand that some greens are given to fading, and so are some reds. This had maintained its color very nicely. The swag border with little flower buds is really striking, and looks to be handled with skill.

This baby quilt featuring the nursery rhyme of Little Bo Peep is somewhat a contradiction to me. Bo Peep is done well, but that staff does something curious near the hem of her dress. Has it disappeared at the bottom of the apron? The sheep seem to be very loosely formed, and are the same size as the flowers. Scale did not seem to be a concern. I am also confused by the rather crudely shaped stems and leaves on the flowers. I can imagine this being made by someone who was 1) young, inexperienced and impatient, or 2) impatient because other chores needed doing and this could be finished if one didn't spend excessive time with precision, or 3) a non-quilter who for whatever reason found herself obligated to make this quilt. Even the quilting is haphazard - in some places it's tightly quilted, and in others, very open.

Believe it or not, I actually found a quilt in an old book very similar to this one that is called Ohio Rose. A Garden of Quilts (Oxmoor House, 1984) by Mary Elizabeth Johnson shows one on page 49. Interesting to note about this quilt is that the greens all seem to be the same, yet there is a good bit of variation in the pinks. The two colors of pink in the center blocks makes sense (even though some of these differ, it appears), but in the borders, I believe the quiltmaker was simply using what she had, therefore variations are found.

This pansy quilt, I believe, is from the 1930s or 40s, from the sources I've consulted. The greens of the vines and leaves have faded on this one, unfortunately. Maybe the pattern was 1930s and it was made in the 1950s? I say this because the quilting is not as close as was customary on the older quilts with batting that required tight stitching. Perhaps it just has a flannel sheet inside? It is very lightweight and would have been used as a summer bed covering.  I wish I'd taken a better shot of the entire quilt on the bed, darn it. But we were so interested in studying it that instead I have a picture of an attempt at a scalloped edge - very subtly handled, like the quilter was certain she'd never get that binding to lay just right if it were any deeper. It is a very quaint, whimsical quilt.

Quite a lot to look at and study, right? You can imagine how overload my brain was! Ha! It has taken me weeks to get to the point to know how best to group them all and share them here. 

See Part 1 and Part 2 of the series to fill in any gaps. Also, if this blog and/or this series happens to fall into the hands of a person with some genuine expertise and would like to extend details, I certainly would not be insulted to have corrections to my conjectures in any of these posts.

Hope you enjoyed the quilt show!
Happy Quilting, Friends!

Fifth Swoon Block

I'm really having fun making these big 24" Swoon blocks. Why I "dithered" so long about it, I will never know. It's really rather ridiculous how sometimes we can marinate in an indecisive stew for so, so long. There may come a time when I do get around to making the 16" blocks, but for now I am 100% thrilled with my big'uns.

I have had to stop working on these in order to do some other pressing tasks, so perhaps this weekend I will get back to making the final 4 (Final Four - ha! - that's timely, you know!) *grinning*

I spent Tuesday working on my Small Tumblers UFO and got to check that off the March list. Then in addition to university classes on Wednesday, I had to read a book for book club - yes, the whole book. After waiting too long to get it from a library hold, I ordered it for my Kindle app and nearly read all of The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper. Easy, pleasant story. Sweet characters and a wonderful story of finding oneself after the death of a spouse. We had a nice discussion this morning at our meeting.

Now, do I get back to work on Swoons, or do I tackle those two baby quilts? Neither of them would take long to finish. And, guess what? I have recently learned of another baby due in July that will need to have a quilt, as both his sisters have gotten one. I must get these made and then get a few made ahead! All these young people from our children's generation are popping out babies, so I am sure a few put back would be a very smart idea.

Stay tuned for what I come up with; there surely is never any lacking in projects, you know.

I will join in the fun over at Needle and Thread Thursday, although I've very nearly missed getting a post up today. I've been sporadic, I know.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

March UFO Finished

Three-for-three. Rarely do I have such a rate of staying caught up. We began the year with a UFO challenge - "we" being the Frankfort Girls - and late last night I finished the March goal, making my finish rate 100%. *Yeah!*

We drew the number 7 for this month, and on my list that was the quilt I call Small Tumblers. (I also have a UFO called Large Tumblers, thus necessitating a distinction.) I began this quilt back in 2013 - read about it here, after buying the Tumbler template.

I'd worked on this earlier in the month, getting the center portion completed (click here to review). It has been hanging on the design wall ever since. My brain was working out what the next step or two would be. I knew I wanted a somewhat narrow inner border. I was thinking yellow or orange, but I ended up going with the pastel purples you see above. I had to do the top and bottom in one design, and the sides in the other.

I trimmed the tumblers and added the inner borders. Then more decision-making. I had considered making an outer border of 3 rows of tumblers. However, I wanted to be done, so I tossed that idea and began auditioning options.

Option 1 - primarily yellow floral.

Option 2 - primarily red/pink floral.

Option 3 - primarily blue/pink floral.

And the winner is...

Option 1 which is called Iris and Peony. I just love how it looks. It is a great way to keep those lovely blooms and leaves in tact.

This picture quality is terrible (I am unable to access my editing program; needing help), but trust me, it is lovely. This is a nice-sized twin bed quilt, measuring 58"x82".

This picture looks somewhat better. When I was making the tumblers, I was using up scraps, so there is tremendous randomness to the fabrics used. The pastel background of the borders helps calm all that chaos down, and the wonderful floral outer border adds lots of pizzazz. I am very pleased and glad I didn't fuss with adding a tumbler outer border. That would have taken too much time with very little impact, I fear. This was the better way to go.

I'm joining the fun over at Sew Fresh Quilts for her Let's Bee Social link party. Go take a look! :)

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Antique Delights - Part 2

Today's installment of Miss Rebecca's wonderful quilts will feature two 2-color quilts in the Drunkard's Path pattern. My friend told me that her mother liked red, white and blue, and these two quilts illustrate that preference wonderfully.

The quilts look like carbon copies of the exact same pattern, yet the quilting on each one is done differently. Here are a couple of closer looks.

This red and white one is remarkable in that I did not see any sign of the red "bleeding" into the white. This indicates that it has been carefully laundered.

The blue and white one has an interesting quilting pattern, with those concentric circles in the design. That's one I've not seen before.  Here is a look at the corner/border.

This cable design caught my eye as it is similar to so many of the quilts my grandmother made. Perhaps this was trendy at some point? This picture also shows quilting stitches quite well on the back of the quilt. Very nice.

Can anyone hazard a guess as to the age of these quilts? Based on the quilts I've seen over the years, and no particular expertise whatsoever, I am guessing middle part of the last century - say 1940s or 50s.

Both quilts are in very good condition, with no notable stains or wear and tear.

I have one addendum to the information in Part 1 of this series. In that first part, I said that nothing was known of the quilt makers, and I now know that one of those quilts was made by my friend's grandmother. Mrs. B. tells me that the second quilt featured, the one in better condition, was made by her grandmother. How nice for it to be so well-preserved.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Four Swoons Down; Five to Go

Continuing my progress on making swoon blocks, and my biggest problem is deciding which fabric to use next. As I look at the four blocks I have finished, I think I need to get more blue into the mix. After all, that was my original desire - a blue Kaffe swoon quilt. As things stand now, it is more purple and aqua than blue.

Above are two pictures of my fourth block, which I absolutely love. That center star fabric is a nice mix of blue and purple, so I think I will use it in an outer ring on a future block.

Now, let's have a look at the four blocks laid out together. It shows that more blue is absolutely needed.

Still fun; still motivated. I may take a break from them for a bit, though, to get to work on a few other things that are needing attention.

I will link up with Crazy Mom Quilts and her Finish It Up Friday link party.

Happy Quilting, Friends!