Yesteryear - Sis' Quilt

Before my vacation, I was doing a post series on my own collection  of old quilts. On vacation, I was talking to my mom about this series and she told me that my sister has an old quilt.  Sew. . . when we went to visit her, I asked about it.  Sis promptly pulled it out for me to see.

She told me that when she moved from her job at a mountain retreat camp to her coastal home, someone brought this quilt out to be used as padding for her furniture.  They no longer wanted it.  So sad . . . .

It's a beautiful handmade double wedding ring quilt with a hand bound edge.  It does have some wear, as seen here:

A few fabrics are deteriorating, with the padding protruding, but it is not extensive. I am so glad that this quilt was "rescued" by my sister and is now treasured.

P.S.  If anyone recognizes any of these fabrics, as to their era of age, please let me know.  Thanks!

P.S.S.  If you are interested in old quilts, check out my other Yesteryear posts!  Just put 'yesteryear' in the search box and it will pull up all the other Yesteryear posts.

Who Am I?

It's January and I am still in the self and creative evaluation process! January is really a reflective month for me.  Exploring my love of quilts in this post.

Exhibit at Tillamook Creamery in Tillamook, Oregon

I love to look at quilt magazines and books; sewing TV "How to Do it" shows; as well as go to quilt exhibits. I love quilts where ever I find them--on my bed, in flea markets, or as backdrops for commercial fabric vendors.  I recently bought a new sewing machine that is more conducive to quilting, with drop feed dogs and a darning foot attachment!  Much better than my old basic machine!  Love it!  But . . . I am getting sidetracked!

An early tablerunner project that I quilted

I have found that when I quilt, I am better at getting smaller projects finished than I am at finishing a large bed-sized quilt.  (Previously I sent bed and lap quilts out to another studio, Janice Jenney Studio. She's done a nice job for me on the quilting, after my patchwork was done.) This may be just that I am not as accomplished at quilting as I would like to be, and afraid that the satisfaction of a "Job well done!" will not be there at the end, if I do it!  So I have dug a little deeper into my psyche to find out about a few peculiarities about myself.

1.  I am not a "purest" quilter!  I really don't care if the corners match up with precision!   I've seen on TV:  "Always press to the dark side of the fabric!" and "Trim the little corners, so it will lie flat!" and "Always have the presser foot in the down position."  These are all good instructions, but I find that I enjoy doing it my way! I like to finish my projects satisfying my own desires to be creative.  I march to the beat of my own clock!  I don't quilt to be judged by others nor by their standards!   Call me a rebel! (And I will never win any honors by traditional quilt judges, but that's OK with me.)

2.  I love the exploring process.  Learning to complete the process, start to finish!  Learning to do free motion quilting on my own machine!  Coming up with my own designs!  Exploring color combinations!  This quilt was done because I loved the block's center pieces of pansy fabric.--I designed around those pieces and their colors.  You can see the finished quilt here, when it was actually shared in a quilt show!

Exploring fabric colors to match 

3.  I don't like using someone else's patterns!  I love the creating process!  Thinking it through, planning and finishing!

4. I love using materials that I have on hand--I personally, do not like leftovers!  I like to "Use it up!" as the old adage goes. I like using materials that are not considered the "proper" materials! I guess that stems from the artist in me! This quilt was made for a friend, who had already cut out dozens of squares of fabric that was a bit  too loosely woven and stiff for a "normal" quilter, but I didn't want to waste her work!  It came out fine as the black and white border of this bed quilt (and the girls liked it!)

Well, That's enough self-evaluation, you get the point!  Be creative and don't worry about what others think. Decide who you are and go from there to find your greatest achievements!

 Enjoy the journey and keep on learning! 

Are you enjoying the journey?

Got Talent?

(Part one in a series of articles on your attitude of creativity.)

Do you struggle with your creativity?  Do you think that others were just born with it?  You think, others just "have what it takes" and do not struggle with making lovely things. I, personally, think creativity is a matter of style and "stick-to-ativeness".  (Like my new word?  -- It's creative!)  Yes, I agree, takes a few times to do something to perfect it! In the process, you find things that you would do differently the next time.  But stick to it!  You'll get it.

As to style, I understand that my style is not like someone else's.  If you are trying to reproduce someone else's style, you will never be satisfied.  Just keep working on your own designs until you are satisfied with your own creativity! And quit comparing yourself to others!  You are unique!


My pansy quilt and matching pillow cover

I often have tried to compare my quilting to some of those beautiful creations that I see in the quilt shows.  Mine are nothing like those!  But I have come to accept my creations as an extension of me!  They are creative, pleasing, and talented!  I have learned that I have a "child-like" quality to my work, and that is OK.  Anyone ever hear of Grandma Moses? Her creations--her artwork--was primitive and hot (in her time) for an old lady! "Child-like" was OK!

I had a friend  who considered herself "craft-challenged"  but when we had a get-together, she participated and came up with lovely quilt squares for our group project.  I don't think any of us are UNtalented.  Just take a browse thru Etsy and you will see! And make sure you "keep at it"!

Scraps, scraps, and more SCRAPS!

While working on my regular projects, I seem to accumulate lots of scraps!   I have a little wire basket on my sewing desk that I pitch all my usable scraps into. 

When it gets too full, I stuff them in a large plastic Ziploc and hide them away somewhere--in the cupboard, under the bed, anywhere!  What to do with them--When to do something with them? Recently,  I needed the space in my cramped quarters, so I started a crazy quilt top with them.  You can do it too! Anyone can do it!  No need for fussy cutting, or worrying about cutting the patchwork pieces extremely straight.  There's really no wrong or right way to do this!  And there's no pre-prep needed to plan out the quilt top!  Just let it evolve!  A fun adventure with scraps!

You can start with any piece which serves as the middle of your finished block.  Next, sew on scraps; just match a fabric piece to any side of the first piece, making sure you sew a straight stitch.  You can even use a length of fabric that is too long for the side.  Trim it where you need it to end, once you have finished the seam. You keep building, not unlike a log cabin block (tutorial here), until you have the approximate finished size of the block you want.  Then, iron it out flat, trim any seams that are unwieldy. Next, cut a finished block, discarding the uneven and odd edge cuttings that were not used if they are too small.  Toss large enough pieces back into your scarp heap if they can be used again. 

Here I used a panel scrap for a corner. It needed to be cut to fit after the seam was finished.  I only needed a little piece of the red dot fabric to make the corner.

I'll share the progressions of one block here (Started with the purple piece):



find a piece to fit your side 



I felt it was a little short, no problem!



Added another scrap to the end of my scrap!



Regardless of the side, sew a straight line stitch-- trim later.



Finished seam.



A nearly finished block.



Trimmed and ironed--ready for use!



This is a simple way to use-up (upcycle) your scraps.  I will be sure to show off the rest of the process to a finished quilt top in future posts!  Watch for it!  And . . . try this yourself! 

Two Baby Quilts

I have been staying at a friend's house--house and pet sitting for her.  She has a huge sewing studio (see previous post about it) and I get to use it when I am there.  So, last week I took advantage and finished up some quilt projects using her Pfaff quilting 2027 machine. I had finished piecing them previously and was waiting to have them quilted or be able to quilt them myself with a good machine--I am sorely in need of a good quilting machine!  But Oh Well . . . . that's another story!

I quilted and finished the edging of two baby quilts. One in greens and yellow; and the other brown and pink.

The green one is to be an heirloom quilt for my family.  It is made of scraps that are from a larger quilt that I made during my recovery from breast cancer surgeries.  It has special meaning to me and my family.  It will be kept in my legacy box for my grandchildren until such time as I want to give it away or the contents will be given away at my passing.  I want to leave some of my creations to my family, so I cannot sell them all!

The pink and brown one will be sold in my shop, to be listed sometime later this week.  It is made of a minky and flannel panel that I found on sale and I added the cute pink flannel backing. Doesn't it look so soft and cuddly!!

Sure was fun to use a good machine!  Thanks Sharon!!!!

Personal Creativity Goals Recap

Last week I discussed by business goals here and promised to discuss my personal creativity goals at another time. I think I will continue this discussion today, since it forces me to look at my progress or lack of it.  It also inspires me to move onward and upward toward obtaining my goals!

To quote myself, I wanted to go . . . . . extravagant this year!
I tend toward practical, utilitarian projects, like this one that I did for my granddaughter--a t-shirt rag quilt.   That is not to say that all of my projects have been like this quilt, I have done more intricate designs, but I'm trying to branch out with prettier patterns and techniques.

In my post at the first of this year:

1)  I talked about trying some new fabrics, not just cotton, for quilting.  I haven't tackled this yet. When ones stash is all cotton, it is difficult

2)  I wanted to do an appliqued quilt, getting away from lattice and square designs. I wanted to try applique, curved piecing and textured trims couched on the quilt. I have not tried the couching technique yet.  These techniques are embellishments that add interest to the quilt and I am anxious try them. But, I have done a couple of appliqued and quilted table runners.  One I liked and one that I didn't like so well.  This is just the precursor to doing an entire appliqued quilt.  I still need to decide on a particular design for the larger quilt. I found a great site, blockcentral.com, with some applique tips.  I want to save it here for my own future use and maybe you are interested too! 

Here is a couple of samples so you can see what I am heading for, although I would like a more contemporary design:



Applique with stipple quilting



Applique with Echo quilting

**Both of these examples can be found on allpeoplequilt.com on this page.  Scroll thru the gallery to find them.

3) I have been experimenting with specialty threads.  Blender threads are my first attempt.  These threads change color every 2 to 2 1/2 inches.  They come in several thread weights and the first spool that I bought was too coarse a thread for my project. I have purchased a second spool and will try again and maybe even do another post about these threads.

So far I have not been extravagant, instead I have been adventurous in trying new techniques and supplies.  I hope this leads to a more extravagant frame of mind that will lend itself to better creativity!

March BBA Challenge - Pt 1

My Etsy blog team, Blogging Business Artisans, have a challenge every month, to stretch us!  Stretch our thinking, our skills, and our creativity!  When the March challenge was released, I didn't think that I wanted to try it.   I wasn't even sure that I liked the color combo that was suggested.  Here is the challenge:

"Your challenge is to create any item with turquoise and red as the primary colors.  You can incorporate other colors, too, but turquoise and red must key components."

I came across an idea for Easter that involved a technique that I have not tried very often.  Since I am a quilter, I usually sew straight lines, but this idea involved curved lines.  So I decided to try my idea in red and turquoise for the challenge!  Two challenges in one--my own and the BBA challenge!  Today's post is about piecing with curved lines.  Tomorrow I will show the finished challenge item.

For the curved lines, I used a small plate to cut around, then . . . . decided the placing of the pieces . . .

Sewing curved seams can be tricky, since you are easing a concave and a convex curved piece together.  Clipping halfway into the seam allowance of the concave (U-shaped piece) first at about 1/2 inch intervals helps the alignment to the convex (rainbow shaped) piece.    Pinning or basting can help.

Otherwise, your two pieces will look like this and not lie flat.  Then, the final curved patchwork looks like this:

Turquoise and Red EGG!



Part 2 and the finished product tomorrow!

Sandwich Practice

One new technique that I am trying is machine quilting.  I have only used my old Singer machine to quilt small projects, up to this point, i.e. table runners, small quilted wall hangings, a baby quilt.  But never a large quilt.  One reason is because the feed dogs do not lower on my machine.  I have to cover them with a home-made plastic plate to do any quilting with free motion design.  So I have mostly stuck to 'in the ditch' or straight line quilting, if I have done the quilting myself and not sent it out to a quilt studio.

I was recently at my friend's house, who has a good free motion quilting machine, and I did some practicing. After I practiced free motion meandering, I was a little disappointed in my work, since it is not easy to do. I had heard that it takes practice, and that is right!  So I wouldn't show you that particular practice piece--it doesn't look very good! I decided to stick to straight line quilting, until I have more practice time finished.

Then, I decided to make a sandwich.  No, not the kind you eat!  A quilt sandwich.  This is a small square of the materials that you are using in your current quilt project, approximate 12 inches by 12 inches, including a piece of the top, a piece of the batting and a piece of the backing.  With this you can practice stitches with free motion, even different threads and thread combinations, and sizes of stitch lengths. 

Since I wanted a look of water, I tried parallel wavy lines . . . .

and . . . overlapping wavy lines.  I tried some different colors of thread, but it doesn't show very well in these photos.

My current quilt project has a scalloped edging, so I cut the sandwich with a scalloped edge and tried two different stitching patterns along the scallops.  I had originally thought that I wanted wavy lines there too, but hubby suggested straight lines going out from the center.  I didn't like his thought very much, until I tried it.

My thought:

His thought:

I think his idea makes the scallop's look like seashells . . . and I like it better! It doesn't look so good here, since there is no edging to define it.  Anyway, I think that this sandwich practice has helped me decide how I want to quilt my large project.  The only thing left to decide is how I am going to quilt the patchwork portion that I haven't shown here.    Decisions, decisions! Oh . . and I decided on a name for the quilt . . .
Stay tuned for the progress on the "Antique Bubble" doily quilt. 

Studio Guest

This week and part of next, I am a "studio guest."  I get to work in my friend's studio!

I've been "going on and on" to my Etsy team buddies about my current house sitting and pet sitting for my friend who has a large sewing studio in her home!  I get to use it when I am here and so I thought I would show why I have been talking so much about it!  You must remember, my "studio" is in a one bedroom apartment that utilizes part of my bedroom for the sewing machine; the kitchen table for the serger when it is not set for dining; and an ironing board in front of my living room easy chair for fabric cutting and embroidery handwork supplies (not to mention ironing and pressing!)  Thus, I love creating when there is soooooo much room!  Enjoy your tour of my friend's craft room:

There is a large home made light table that my friend uses for tracing patterns for rug hooking. (That's her work on the wall above the table!)  I imagine using  the table for photography!  In the corner is a storage chest and the ironing board.

Sewing/Quilting machine and serger (hard to see in this picture) near the window for natural light and more storage!

Another shot of the sewing machine and the embroidery machine next to it.  Beyond the machines are the fireplace, love seat (with sleeping black cat, Griffey) and the reading/library area.

Another shot of the library shelves and reading area.

View from the reading area showing, from left to right, the serger, sewing machine and embroidery machine . . .  and MORE storage! (I never touch the embroidery machine!  It's too complicated for me!)

And back around to the large cutting table and MORE storage!

So . . . how do you like that!  Drooling yet?

More Goals!

Goals, goals, goals. 

It takes a lot of time to think thru what is, what should be and what you might like.  Yes, there are things that we want that are easy, we just know that we want them and that is that!  But in business, sometimes the end result that we want is not so easy to come by, so it requires a plan to get there- much of which I discussed in yesterday's post!

 As I said yesterday, I have three shops, one will close after today.  The Pruitt Supply shop had a sale yesterday! Yay! Well for that matter, so did the Creations shop!  Yay again!  Anyway, goals:

Creations shop:

My number one best seller (Yes, Edi) was my coasters!  With my cup cozies a near second.  So, this year I want to add some new designs and some new fabrics.  I have mostly used all cotton fabrics, but want to add a linen look coaster line to my offerings.  Also want to add some novelty fabrics, since customers at shows have often asked for specialty fabrics. So the goal is to expand this line. I also want to do more of the double and triple types:

Supply shop:

One of my best sellers in this shop was the vintage fabrics.  They are hard to find, but I intend to continue looking in all the estate sales that I can and maybe advertise for them.  They are so fun to find; fun to sell; and I feel like I am providing new life for a forgotten item--sort of my way of re-purposing them!

Personal Goals:

Now, for my personal goal.  I get a little bored making items for selling and then storing them until they sell.  This is OK, but in doing that, I get caught up in the selling and neglect my first love--quilting!  I want to make beautiful quilts. Art quilts!  In the past, I have used what pieces of fabric and scraps that I had and made do---making utilitarian practical quilts.  They turn our just fine with my creative abilities, but my heart longs to purchase fabrics specifically planned for a specific design!  I have always been too practical and purchased fabrics on sale,  fabrics that could double for my supply shop and my quilt making.  Nothing wrong with that, but I want to go . . . .

  . . . . . extravagant this year! 

I'd like to try some new fabrics, not just cotton, for quilting.  Something with a sheen that I can use for appliqued quilts, getting away from lattice and square designs.  I want to try applique, curved piecing and textured trims couched on the quilt. I want to try using specialty threads for the actual quilting.  I have so many ideas! I have already started a vintage doily quilt which I am excited about!  Here's a sneak peek:

So . . . . Goal of the year!  Ta Da!

Go extravagant, don't focus on the selling, focus on the vision of beautiful creativity! It will be much more fun!

Last Day of the Sale!

Today is the last day of my Birthday and EtsyAnniversary Sale in my Design Shop, but first, I wanted to tell you what I have been working on lately. 

My oldest granddaughter, Colleen, who recently graduated with her bachelors degree, asked me to make her a quilt.  She brought me a huge bag of her old t-shirts.  During her school years she participated in softball,volleyball,  & missions trips; she attended several schools and went to concerts, so she has lots of t-shirts for all of these activities.  I had never made a t-shirt quilt before, so I had to find a way to put my GD's life together in a pleasing design on her quilt. A friend of mine suggested a way to handle it, and I decided to try her way. I am not finished, but it is coming together nicely, I think.  I am house sitting right now, and don't have my camera, but I will try to show a picture in a couple of days on this blog.  I'm excited about it!




Colleen and her mother,Jackie, the birthday girl!

 
Now . . .for the final day of

CELEBRATING . . . . .    50% OFF SALE

Today is my oldest daughters birthday!   She thinks she's getting old, but what does that make me?????!!!Anyway, for the final day of the sale, I am offering anything, yes ANYTHING in my design shop for 50% OFF!  Use coupon code BDA11. 

Remember . . . . this is for today ONLY - November 8th!  Happy Shopping!

New Baby Quilt in Progress

Several years ago, I made a quilt for a child's bed.  I recently found that I had quite a piece of flannel left from that project. One of my favorite animals in the zoo is the giraffe.  The flannel that I chose was a colorful array of juvenile giraffes in teal, green and pink on a yellow background.

So, I decided to make another quilt, this time a smaller one--a baby quilt.  It's not finished yet, but I thought that I might share with you the process that is going on now.

The new quilt's main block is the basic nine patch.

I have repeated the same colors of the flannel.  I am quilting the sandwich now and will show it to you when it is done.   I have a small space in my apartment in which to work, so a smaller project is easier for me to quilt with my sewing machine.   Larger projects are sent out to my friend who has a studio and a long arm machine.    Here's hoping the project turns out to be comfy and cute! 

What are you working on? 

This post is for Quilt Story's Fabric Tuesday meme!  Please visit the link party on Quilt Story blog.  Thanks!

Nana's Quilt

I recently made a quilt for a friend. She is also my grandchildren--Roman, Bella and Ada's--nana. (Their other grandmother). She loves bright fabrics and had some Mary Englebright panels that she gave to me when she recently moved. She also had a stack of pretty pre-cut black squares with tiny red flowers on them. So, I decided to add some of my fabrics, some of them from a bag of pre-cut squares that I got at an estate sale (the smallest squares in this photo.) Here's what the finished product looks like.

My granddaughter, Bella, is pictured here wrapped up in the quilt with her little friend. They enjoyed a few giggles together!

Yesteryear - Applique Stitches

The quilt above is patchwork ( the star pattern ) and appliqued (the curved vine and flowers.)

In the past, applique was quite popular and done beautifully by hand.   Several stitches were used and it was thought that stitches should show as little as possible--for obvious reasons.  Some quilters used an 'invisible' stitch.  Most of the thread, provided it is a matching color, is hidden in the fold of the fabric.

Start the first stitch with a knotted single thread into the fold from the wrong side of the fabric.  It then comes out thru the fold.   For the second stitch, insert the needle into the fold right near the spot where the first stitch ends, then come back out in the fold about a 1/4" ahead while taking a short stitch into the backing fabric. Repeat.  Practice makes perfect!  This stitch was very popular in many old quilts. 

I feel that hand work is very relaxing.  Try it sometime!