A Legacy of Quilting

The Golden Age of Quilting

The first part of the 1800s is often considered the Golden Age of Quilting.  The Revolutionary War had been won.  Now the country could focus on the Industrial Revolution in America.  With is came many issues that we will not discuss here, but for the ladies it brought fabric and thread to a much lower cost.  A lot of the quilts were made with fabric purchased for that purpose rather than scraps from garment making.

Broderi perse block quilt

One trend of this time was stylized flowers done by hand appliqué.  Most often it was done with the needle-turn method.  This replaced the cut out floral fabric that had been done by broderi perse.  The above picture is a great example of blocks done by broderi perse.

A combination of broderi perse and stylized appliqué

Both of the above pictures came from a display in NJ during the 2011 American Quilt Study Seminar.  This is a great example of the transition from floral print fabric to stylized flowers.  We added the needle turn appliqué to our show quilt to appreciate the ladies who began this great quilt tradition.

Hand quilting at its best!

Not only does the above photo  show the beauty of appliqué, it includes the second part of the Golden Age of Quilting.  The hand quilting became an art itself.  No longer did it just hold the three layers together.  You will notice that the hand quilting went right though the appliqué at this time.

Appliqué added to the DM Show Quilt

The above photo is our show quilt where we added needle turn appliqué.  Each section was done by another lady of our guild.

Trapunto feathers

We made an inner border on our show quilt just so that we could honor the great hand quilters who loved feathers, wreaths, and such.  Our trapunto was added with a modern technique.  It was done with wash away thread.  Then we cut off the excess batting before we layered the quilt with the regular batting.  Now the stitches are being stitched right next to as we are quilting.  (I should add that this part would be much easier to do by machine rather that by hand.)  When the quilt is finished it will be soaked in water to remove the first thread as well as all the quilt marking.

Our final border will take us to the next time period of quilting.

This quilt could be yours if……your raffle ticket is drawn during the Des Moines AQS quilt show this fall!

Challenges and Confessions

Most small groups take on a challenge now and then.  Mine has, in addition to finishing the Sylvia quilt top.  A while back I discovered a panel that a shop was wanting to clear out.  I bought one for each of us.

I also purchased a bunch of fat quarters of the line, that were also on sale.  They got handed out randomly.   Apparently the set had gone out of style.   Our challenge is to make it into something that someone could still enjoy.  Each month one of the twelve sections was to become a 12-1/2 inch (raw) block.   You can see the missing piece that I started with.  Later we amended the challenge  to also include  a placemat size block, from each of the pieces of the panel.  I really liked the challenge because there are a variety of sizes in the pieces.  We will have to be creative!

You could also add some of your own fabrics to make your squares or rectangles.  The above is my first one.  I kept it very simple.  As I plan my next one,  I am thinking it wise to not add a lot more colors to the project.  It will already be rather busy.

Busy is what Linda has been.  Above is her new design wall and look what is on it!  She has been planning a lot of her blocks.  I think she did decide to go with the placemat idea.  I am so sorry that I forgot to take a picture of everyones first attempt at the challenge.  I am sure that we each stimulated one another for next month.

I am a sucker for buying panels.  I currently have a nice collection of them.  Back in 2002 Susan Dissmore published the above book, Clever Quilts.  It was so popular that she later published Clever Quilts Encore.  I purchased both of them and still refer to them, especially when doing a children’s quilt.

Now for the confession:

Some time ago we bought a new mattress for our bed, much to the distress of my husband.  As they were ready to carry out the old one, I cut off the 1973 tag!  But there were more surprises to come.  When they carried out the box springs, there lay a quilt project!

Soldier Quilt hiding under my bed.

I had to study it for a while, before I remembered the project.  I had taken a class at our guild done by Terri Clothier Thompson.  I had completed the center machine appliqué.  Apparently I did not want to fold it when I came home.  I found a poster board and laid it on the board and slid it under my bed.  I am so thankful that I also included the pattern book and fabric!   I actually did a little work on it after the find and then placed it back into its safe spot.  I am thinking that I could get 3-5 more poster boards under my king sized bed!

Isn’t quilting full of fun surprises?  Now I am off to mow or work in my flower beds.

Small Group Wonders

Tuesday was small group day at my house.  It is always fun and inspirational.  First we had show-n-tell.  Two ladies had really been working with their Sylvia blocks!  Wow!

Donna’s Sylvia blocks

The above blocks are Donna’s.  We had fun arranging the three colors on the wall.  If I remember correctly, this was the favorite choice.  I like the way she framed each block with the brown.  It looks like picture frames and there is a great picture in each one!

Sharon’s Sylvia rows

Sharon had some rows already finished. Her blocks are also framed.  We learned this framing idea from Penny Haren a few years ago.  It is a great way to get all the blocks the same size.  The two deep pinks are  such a great surprise of color choice for the setting blocks.  The setting blocks will get your attention from a distance, but then there is more fun for the eye as you see each individual block is another treat.

We spent some time discussing the desired size of the quilt.  Queen size might be the most popular bed size.  Then there are these deep mattresses on top of deep box springs if we are thinking of the homes of our children.  These could need a twenty inch drop.  If our math was correct, it was 102 x 102 inches.  That is getting close to the size of a regular king size!

The other gals have also been working, but have spent their time on other projects.  Linda was trying out a new technique to do the Lamoyne star.  Of course, we all want to buy another ruler!  How many do you have that you do not use?  How many that you have no idea what to use it for?

Last time Sandi showed us gifts for a granddaughter’s wedding shower.  This time she showed us blocks for a baby quilt for a soon to arrive granddaughter.   What a busy family!

Mystery quilt

Carol has been real busy!  Could it be that she is now retired!  The above one is a mystery quilt that she had her other group do. Not only did it turn out great, she shopped for the fabric in her stash!

tube quilt

Then she stepped out of her comfort color zone for a niece.  I keep thinking that I am going to make a tube quilt.  I have the book!  Oh wait, now that I think about it,  I have the blocks for one.  I was using some of my scrap fabric.  I think it was my 2-1/2 inch scraps.  It will never look as exciting as this one.  While we were admiring this one, we discussed how good it is to look through a camera to get an even better view of our projects. In this one the white pinwheels really showed up in the camera.

While thinking about cameras, I am hoping I can find the picture of my tube blocks on the design wall.  I don’t think the blocks are stashed in any order, but there is a picture somewhere on this computer that shows my desired arrangement.  I will have plenty of time to find it, as I am currently helping a great team of hand quilters working on the show quilt for our guild.

We are meeting twice a week to work on the raffle quilt.  For fun we started keeping track of the total hours of hand work.  We are already over 100 hours and only 1/4 done of the first time  over the quilt.  We are only doing crucial quilting right now.  If we have time  for a second go over, we want to add stitches to make it really look nice.  I will share photos of it next time.

How much fabric do you buy for a quilt?  I am never quite sure how I am going to make the quilt.  I have changed my mind midstream very often.  It usually turns out that I run out of a crucial fabric and have much extra of another one.  This happened to my Sylvia Bridal Sampler.  I tried to use all the scraps on the back.  It takes more time, and my long arm friend might not like all the extra seams and care in putting it on the frame.  But I enjoy the challenge and care free sewing.  I do not worry about keeping every point.  I will finish with a picture of my back to Sylvia and the joy of saying, “The quilt is at the quilter’s home!”

The backing for Sylvia’s quilt

Show Quilt leaves my house!

I am going through a very pleasant withdrawal this morning.  I am relaxed and don’t feel any pressure.  The Show Quilt for the DMAQG has the top finished and passed on for some trapunto work!  I am sitting here wondering what was I last working on.

For the past three months my focus has been creating a quilt to show the Legacy of Quilting.  There is so much legacy!  How much of it can be put into one quilt?  The above picture is three stages ago, but there is much to share about these sections.

Church on Album Quilt

Autograph quilts were also known as album quilts and were often made as a gift to someone leaving the area or a retiring pastor.  We wanted to remember this part of quilt history in our guild’s quilt.  For autographs, I sought those of great teachers who have visited our guild and stimulated our skills over the years.  I also went after some who have done so through TV and magazines.  It was so fun to see what came on my computer, fax machine, and snail mail.  I then took the autographs to a copy store to get them into a consistent size.  Yes, we do have permanent ink, but to add another dimension of quilt history we did the names in Red Work.  Three ladies of our guild helped me with the embroidery.

An entire block for the autograph

The two above pictures were taken during the 2011 American Quilt Study seminar in New Jersey.  We were able to visit a couple great collections at museums.  One assumes that for the lovely red quilt, the ladies each made their own blocks and added their name to the center.  What a great collection of fabric!

A stamped autograph

While album quilts were at their rage, women actually had stamps made with their signature nicely done.  Below is another very intricate name stamp.

Intricate name stamp

Both of these were part of the NJ collection.

IA-IL autograph quilt

Last weekend I attended the IA-IL Quilt Study Group in Kalona, IA.  The theme was Celebrations as it was the 10th anniversary of this group.  The above picture is a typical autograph quilt.  These were often fund raisers.  You paid to have your name on the quilt and then the quilt was either auctioned or raffled off.

Interesting design for an autograph quilt

The above photo is that of a unique quilt pattern used for an autograph quilt.  From my photo skills you cannot see all the names.  The outer border is all names as well as all the inner muslin areas.  There are also a few special stamps visible.   These quilts may have been preserved so well as they were special to the owners and not used very often.  We thank these past women for saving this special part of quilt history.

Getting back to the current album quilt,  those blocks were to be a frame around the EPP hexes.  In fact they were there for a brief time.  Next came two frames of the regular pieced blocks.  I regret that I did not take a picture of this faze of the quilt as it hung this way on the design wall for a week.  I did not like it, but did not know what to do.  The pieced blocks were just a hodge-podge and were not pleasant to the eye.  I knew they needed to be framed or set, but did not have any more alloted space.  What to do, what to do?  Finally it dawned on me to use the autographs as the setting blocks.  Great improvement!

Today a quilt frame gets set up in my home.  We are celebrating 30 years of the Des Moines Area Quilt Guild.  A quilt at that time would have been hand quilted, so we will do that for this memorial quilt.

On my next blog I will share about the pieced blocks and the rebellious American women who made them.

Geometric shapes

My friends were at my home again and they had been working!  Should I call quilting work?  Sometimes it is when we are finishing a project.  Beginning a new one; never!

Sandi’s gift to granddaughter

First Sandi has a granddaughter getting married and has been working on shower gifts.  Wow!  She admitted that some of the patterns were simple, but don’t they show off the fabric.  And I am thinking that this young generation likes this style.  Won’t they warm up a new homestead?

Joyce’s tumbling blocks

Joyce finished piecing her tumbling blocks.  In my last post I shared how these are all done by machine and are vertical seams with a seam going through the top of each block.

Embellishment on Carol’s

I think I have shown you Carol’s before but now it is done and embellished!  Won’t it be fun to have something new to get out in December to decorate or give?  When I first made this pattern, I tied a piece of candy to each ribbon.  It was to be a count down until my grandchild would be coming to my house.  Aaron either was excited to come or just liked the candy as my daughter shared that the candy disappeared a little a head of schedule!

Diane’s crib quilt in tumbling blocks

A week ago I taught this technique in a local shop.  One of my students went right home and finished it!  Hers is a crib quilt and so cute!  On Diane’s you can see the vertical seams of the background fabric.  You just cut one end at a 60′ angle and attach it to the top of a block.

English fabric from 1850

While sharing tumbling blocks I want to take a step back in time.  This fabric was available in 1850 and yes, it is a cheater fabric!  I would love to have yards of it, but will be content with a picture of history.

Antique show quilt

Yesterday I was able to attend an antique show and enjoyed seeing many lovely antique quilts.  I am fairly good at resisting to buy them.   This one really caught my eye.  I want to say it is newer than the above cheater fabric.

detail of sashing fabric

I am trying to zoom in on the red sashing as I guess the horse shoes would be a good clue to date this quilt.  The conversational fabrics really peaked at the turn of the century (1880-1910).  I also  spot the mourning fabrics of black and gray.  Black was not stable on cotton until the turn of the century.  Queen Elizabeth lost dear Prince Albert and went into formal mourning.  The Americans might not have gone into mourning, but they did follow English fashion.

Several years ago I was designing  and making doll quilts to corresponding with the American Girl dolls and books.  The one below was for Samantha who was nine years about 1904.  I love the history the little girls learn by reading the books.  As a grandmother, I enjoyed the quilt history that goes with each one of the dolls.  I had to do some research to make them time period correct.  Samantha’s grandmother was wealthy so she could have bought new fabric for the project.  However, I don’t think a quilt would have been used as a bedspread in the fancy home!

Turn of the Century doll quilt

For this quilt I did use a lot a shirting and was able to use a couple conversational prints.  I also made a real scrappy one for which I cannot find a picture.  My photos are not as organized as my fabric, which is borderline!

Phones and Progress

Recently I could not find my i-phone.  We did the call it routine, and had no luck.  I must have left it somewhere.  While asking lost & found in a store, it was suggested that I contact the provider.  They could locate it.  It all came back to me; I can locate my phone on my laptop.  I can even make the phone ring.  Since  I was all ready at the mall I decided to just stop at the Apple Store.  They could tell me where the phone is and I could pick it up before I went home.  They are always so polite there.  As the map starts to appear on their computer I recognize the territory.  It is at my home!  The nice guy reminded me that if it is under chair cushions it is hard to hear the phone.  (I might add here that I am sure the Apple help has a contest in the back room each day.  Who had the stupidest question of the day?  I am sure that my guy has often won.)

I went home and got on the computer.  I got my phone ringing and went on the hunt.  It was not under chair cushions.  It was on my work table under a stack of fabric!

Another loss to the sewing room!  Recently I was hunting for something.  I cannot remember what it was, but I do remember that I never found it.  I did find something I had searched for another time and was very thankful as I want it this Saturday when I teach a quilt class.  I also found two projects that need binding.  On my last blog I declared that I had nothing to bind on a cold day.  I also discovered two projects that I had forgotten all about.

Next time I will share about another great discovery day!

My arrangement of the Sylvia blocks

I have been making progress on the Sylvia Bridal Sampler.  The rows are all pieced and I have began putting the rows together.  That is not a fun part. There are way to many points to try to protect.  As I have worked I have also discovered some blocks that were not real stable.  I have hunted for the fabric and done some repairs on a few of the blocks.  This project only gets part of my time.  I am also working on the guild show quilt.

DMAQG Show Quilt 2013

I have had a lot of help.  Several ladies of the guild made the hexes and put together sections of the first frame.   I joined all the sections and attached them to the tree of life after putting a narrow frame on it.  The theme for the show this year is The Legacy of Quilting.  The first hand painted tree of life coverlets that came out of India made women go wild!  Most could not afford them so they bought floral fabric when it became available.  They cut it up and sewed it down on muslin in a pretty arrangement.  The technique is known as Broderi Perse.

Once women took a scissors to fabric bed coverings would never be the same!  The next technique they tried was what we today call English Paper Piecing.  At the time it was the only proper way to piece fabrics together.  They used a variety of geometric shapes.  For our project we choose the hexigans as they are currently experiencing a little revival.  I don’t think it will be as great as the one of the 1930s when Grandmother’s Flower Gardens became the rage.

We have chosen to next honor the signature quilts also known as autograph quilts or album quilts.  When permanent ink became available, these quilts were quite the thing.  Prior to the ink, the autographs had to be embroidery work.

On my next post I will share who’s autographs I have gone after for this special quilt.  Right now I need to spend some time working on it.  I have had a coffee break to get me ready to determine some numbers for coping strips!

Staying warm? Bind a Quilt

This would be a great day in Iowa to be binding a quilt and find an old movie on TV.  I could watch Dayton Abby again as I have recorded all of season 3.  Right now I have a sad attitude for the series.  What can they do in season 4 to make me happy again?  Unfortunately I do not have even a table topper ready for binding.

Sylvia’s Bridal Sampler

Currently I am working on the placement of the Sylvia blocks.  I have made several sampler quilts so I want this layout to be different.  I am liking the medallion look for this one.  The book has 140 blocks.  I think my friends and I have done 72 of them.  With this setting it will be a queen sized if I add a border.  It does not take all 72 blocks either, for which I am thankful.  Not all blocks turned out 6-1/2″ raw.  I am good at fudging, but there are limits!

We learned from Penny Haren to frame the blocks with a 2″ border than square up the blocks to 8-1/2″ raw.  No one, except a judge, would notice that not all the frames are a perfect 1″

I am trying not to do this technique on this project, but I have used it before.  The setting blocks are a perfect 6-1/2″ raw because I made them large and then trimmed them.  I am willing to skimp on the 1/4″ SA on the sample blocks.  I have read that the early quilters used 1/8″ SA.  If I go that small I make the stitches smaller and add a little ‘no-fray’ to the SA.

As I am putting the blocks together I am also working on protecting points.  Some blocks have gotten a little re-working/re-sewing.  Of course then there is the dot-to-dot sewing.  You might know of it as point-to-point sewing.  Of course this leads a judge to say, “Straight seams should be straight.”

Finished crib quilt

Others helped finish up the crib tumbler.  Now that the orange border is in place I feel a sense of balance.  I also think this might balance the tastes of a grandma and a mother.  Us grandmas like the old fashioned tumbling blocks and the moms might enjoy the more current prints and colors.

Last time I posted I mentioned that 2 of my guest beds were displaying works in progress.  Alas, recently all three guest beds were in use.  It was a fun winter break to have family in town.  They were from Louisiana and the 11 year old loved the little snow that we had at the time.  Now I have to remember where I stashed the WIP.

The bronchitis that followed was not a fun break in winter. But it does make one thankful when they are healthy again!

Quilt or Duvet?

We had an experiment.  Clean sheets, comfort, clean sheet on top.  We were trying the lightest comfort; all season.  I felt divine crawling in at bed time.  However, I woke both nights feeling too warm.  I don’t think my husband approached the experiment open minded.  The comfort has gone back to the store and I am sure the hubby will not mind the long-arm bill.  There will be harmony in the home again.

A different lay out for Penny Haren blocks

The triangle corners are all in place and it has squared up fairly decent.  This king sized quilt needs all the blocks from the first two books written by Penny Haren; Pieced Appliqué.  Where did I get the idea for this strange arrangement?

my inspiration

I was inspired by a quilt in our local quilt show several years ago.  It was about the time that I was making all the blocks.  My project became more abstract, but that is how we inspire one another.  Now I need to make the drop, but this project has been neatly laid on a guest bed as I move on to more urgent things.  After all it is my 2013 goal to finish it!  I have 11 months to go!

p.s. I did have enough of brown setting scraps to finish the top.  The last scrap is now in my purse hoping to find harmony at a shop.

Tumbling Medallion

Something else finally came off of the design wall!  This one could not move until the strips were all sewn or confusion would take over!  Goal achieved!  It is now on another guest bed while another project takes its place on the design wall!   I began this project as I was reviewing how to make the ‘No-Y-Seams’ tumbling blocks.  It reminds me of antique quilts seen in England.  I will ponder how to finish it while working on other projects.

Tumbling Baby

The above tumbler is a simpler one I will teach at a local shop.  It will make a cute baby quilt.  As I studied the end product, I noticed where the eye went first.  It went to the orange frame!  It did not go to the actual focal point!  As the shop puts this into kits, I suggest they trade the orange and the green. Any thoughts?  The binding will also be orange, so I might yet see the harmony desired.

I should mention that I had fun playing with the ombre fabric!  Have fun exploring what you can do with it!

back of tumblers

The above picture will show how the blocks are all made with vertical seams.  I have now written  some instructions  to use this technique I learned on Simply Quilts years ago, as the book is no longer published.  I find it much easier than some I have seen on the web.

I was honored by our local guild when they asked me to design the Show Quilt 2013.  The theme is Legacy of Quilting and I am trying to pack in a lot of history and harmony at the same time.  Quite the challenge!  I am also busy recruiting many, many hands!   I will add some pictures as we progress.

Central Iowa is covered with a thin coat of ice this morning.  I am so thankful that it not yet the heavy, electric line breaking, ice.  As all churches are cancelled, I have been enjoying gospel music while sharing with you.  As I listen to the 4-part harmony, I am inspired to name this last mentioned quilt, ‘History & Harmony‘.

Tumbling into those Resolutions

I have been working on my New Years Resolution.  All four corner triangles are attached, and I think it squares up pretty accurately.  I now have a major decision.  This is for a king sized bed and the price to long arm that size gets pricey.  I am considering making a duvet.  Of course I would have to invest in a comfort, but even a pricey one would be cheaper than long arming.

Two issues are raised:  My husband is not very fond of comforts.  I am thinking of purchasing one and trying it out on top of the sheets with no duvet.  I would put another sheet on top in case it will be a return.  The next issue is, will I like it with no quilting?  Any opinions out there?

The project will go on hold again as I cannot start the drop until I know how deep a drop I will need.

Carol’s blocks

Some of my quilting friends got their tumbling blocks together and I want to share them.  Carol retired at the end of the year and is amazed at what she is getting done.  She will bring it back quilted when she comes in Feb.

blocks machine appliqued.

Donna took a short cut on hers.  Rather than add the back ground in strips with the block pieces she just appliqued the block unit on a solid piece of fabric.  Of course she is headed to a warmer climate and wanted it done!

Crib sized quilt

Linda went on to a second project.  She is hoping to become a grandmother and is getting ready.  I will be teaching this technique in a quilt shop soon and need to make the shop sample.

For our last get together the gals each put together a Sylvia block kit.  They did a wonderful job.  When I get the last one pieced I will take a picture of their set.  We now have 72 blocks and are thinking it is more than enough for a large queen quilt.  We are beginning the process of selecting  setting patterns.

I have tumbled into one more project.  I am designing our guild’s show quilt for 2013.  The show is not until October, but we do enter it into the state fair in August.  Today I got an email saying they will want pictures for all advertising.  They order these in April!  Yikes!  I am glad I have a group of ladies helping me in the construction.

UFO Resolutions

Each new year us quilters dream of finishing all those UFOs.  I have decided to take it easy on myself.  I plan to finish ONE.  It is now on the design wall!

a partial quilt top

Of course, there is always the question, why did I ever quit on this one.  I really feel so on this project, as it is to go on my bed!  One of the 4 corner triangles units is ready to go on.

5″ Penny Haren blocks

The blocks are all done!  They come from a book by Penny Haren; Pieced Appliqué.  Several years ago I was able to meet Penny as she was finishing her first book.  I was fascinated with her technique.  The first quilt that I made, using her technique, I did so with the same fabric as the cover quilt.  I made a second quilt while teaching the technique.  I taught the technique a second time and this set of blocks appeared as class samples.  Of course by then, I was ready to try something new.  Is that why I quit?

plan A

At least when I quit, I left a diagram as I was arranging the blocks in an entirely different way than the book’s patterns.  Unfortunately I must have changed my mind.

And I must have changed my mind again, as what is sewn together is not like either of the two diagrams.  There must be a plan C, but it never got recorded.   So I will waste a bunch of time refiguring all the numbers.

partial flying geese

Most of the flying geese are finished or at least started.

Ah-Ha!  This must have been the pause button!  I was running out of the latte fabric that is framing the blocks!  When would be the best time to shop for more fabric?

A- right when you discover the need.

B- wait a few years until you are in the mood.

So road trips will help relieve my winter doldrums.  Friend, Va, and I took a road trip yesterday.  We traveled to the Davenport Museum to see traveling quilts from the Folk Art Museum of NYC.  No cameras allowed.  I saw two of the quilts when in NYC as they happened to be on display then.  At that time they allowed ‘no flash’ photos.

A Bridal Quilt

The above quilt would really stop any doldrum!  We do not know why this quilt was never finished.  All the fun appliqué was done! And the top was all put together.

Biblical quilt

The above quilt is full of Biblical scenes and fun to try to determine.  Some of the scenes are actually written on!

Noah’s Ark

These two quilts are very much Folk Art.  The other ones on display provided a history lesson of the various trends in quilting.   My favorite might have been a whole cloth quilt with stuff work galore!

May all of us have some success at finishing some UFOs and may we be comforted knowing there has always been quilts that never quite got finished!