Here are some quilts I made.
The 4th of July one was started in 2003 and finally finished this year. We need to go on a picnic now.
A smaller version of the Ohio Star was made as for my first Granddaughter - Anya Vivian born 11-1-2008. It was so bright and cheerful. This one is much bigger and might fit a double or work as a throw. As I didn't know if she was a girl or boy, I also made another in the Garden path in blue and yellow (not pictured)if Anya ever has a brother.
I started a quilt project to use up the odd and ends of large scale or odd colored floral prints. I ended up with 8 quilts going at the same time. Four with the floral prints in the sun burst pattern, which is a modification of the Nos-gay or Bridal Bouquet, without the handle. I just thought the handle took away from the pattern so I left that part out and added another section to complete the sun burst.
The other four are from the scraps that you get when you cut up the sun bursts. I just couldn't throw those away. They are a half sewn when you trim off the sun bursts, but still pretty little pieces to work with. Three tops are completed and pictured below.
I need to stick to one quilt at a time. Eight is too many - ask Octomom.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Quilts in the Capitol - Denver Colorado 6-23-09
A most interesting array of quilts are hanging in the Colorado State Capitol Building in Denver, Colorado June 2 - August 20, 2009.
Quilts of many colors and patterns to dazzle the eye hung in slender throughout the beautiful setting of the capital.
I took some photos, however your can also view some most at www.coloradoquiltcouncil.com.
Many patterns I have made. The Ohio star and May Basket pattern are particular favorites. My daughter, Jamie, made the Ohio Star in rich purples and turquoise which we used a window covering in my sewing room.
I saw one quilt with reds and greens of a similar pattern I call Star Burst,which is a modification of Nos-Gay for Brides Bouquet. I have four of those started to use up odd and ends of large floral prints. I use the scraps for a triangle block as the block is almost sewn together when you trim it for the Star Burst. Quite an under taking. I have two tops completed with six more to go. Nice to see one finished up.
Quilts of many colors and patterns to dazzle the eye hung in slender throughout the beautiful setting of the capital.
I took some photos, however your can also view some most at www.coloradoquiltcouncil.com.
Many patterns I have made. The Ohio star and May Basket pattern are particular favorites. My daughter, Jamie, made the Ohio Star in rich purples and turquoise which we used a window covering in my sewing room.
I saw one quilt with reds and greens of a similar pattern I call Star Burst,which is a modification of Nos-Gay for Brides Bouquet. I have four of those started to use up odd and ends of large floral prints. I use the scraps for a triangle block as the block is almost sewn together when you trim it for the Star Burst. Quite an under taking. I have two tops completed with six more to go. Nice to see one finished up.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Baby Quilts
Many families are having babies. Girls and boys. Cute chubby health ones.
Brings me to making baby quilts. My friend Marilyn's daughter Leslie, is having a little girl some time in April or May. Marilyn has been a Grandma more times than I can remember from her 4 boys. This is the first from her daughter Leslie. Daughter's always have a special place in mother's hearts. Maybe it is because we immediately go back to our experiences when we were having babies and the special struggles and challenges that only women can understand. This knowledge brings a different kind of kinship between a mother and a daughter. I wish that specialness for my friend.
Marilyn Dieckhoff
Quilt for Leslie Jones' new baby girl
New Miss Jones - born 4-19-08
All the more reason to shop for some springy pink fabric to make up a baby quilt. Leslie has picked stars, moons and fairies to decorate the babies room. I found this cute pink flannel for the backing with yellow moons and white stars that will be so soft for the new baby to lay on. As it is Easter time there was cute soft yellow with tulips and a complimentary soft yellow polka dot too. It still have a half a bolt of muslin from Mom's stash to use as the light fabric. I found an Eleanor Burns pattern from an old TV show I had saved that makes a big old star block. It will be good to try that out for a baby quilt.
I only need four blocks and the pieces are from 6 1/2" and 7 1/2" strips cut into squares. The 7 1/2" is matched with a complimentary fabric, marked on the diagonal, then sewn on each side of the mark. Cut that up on both diagonals, press and you are ready to make up the stars points. Sew alternating colored triangles together and voila - star points. Sew all these pieces together as any normal 9 patch - match each row, sew those together, then match up the rows and sew together with the assembly line sewing method and your done with each block. Cut up some 3" strips for sashing with a floral 3"x3" corner stone and top is finished.
Here are the instructions:
9 Patch Star
1) Fabric A - Cut 1 - 61/2" strip (center fabric)
2) Cut that into 6 1/2" squares (4 units)
3) Cut that into 8 - 6 1/2 squares,
4) Then cut each one of the 8 pieces on diagonal (16 units)
5) Fabric A, B, C - Cut 2 of each fabric - 7 1/2" strips (star)
6) Cut that into 7 1/2" squares
7) Draw a diagonal line corner to corner on fabric C
8) Match up squares Fabric A to C and B to C
Be sure to match fabric A to C in correct pattern for box pattern around center
9) Sew 1/4"on either side of diagonal
10) Cut apart on diagonal and again from corner to corner
11) Press all pieces toward dark
12) Match opposites together matching (or pinning) center so pattern works
13) True up folded unit to 6 1/2" then press open - Trim off corner points
14) Lay out pieces and sew together 9 patch assembly style
15) Fold row 2 over row 1 - sew right edge
Continue with next block until all row 1 - 2 are sewn together
16) Open and fold row 3 over row 3 - sew right edge.
Sew all 4 blocks as same time.
17) Press seams alternating directions so seam lock together on next step
18) Fold row 1 to 2 and lock and pin seams. Sew 1/4" seam.
19) Press seams
20) Cut 3" sashing strips from Fabric C with 3" corners from Fabric A.
It is cute and big. I think maybe a 5 1/2" or 4 1/2" might be better, but with pastels it works really well and the colors are not over powering the pattern.
Star Block
Two years of flannel needed to be pieced on one side to make it big enough. Then tie together with the stuffing and sew the edges and it is ready for Leslie's new family member.
On to the next. Beth Henry grew up with John from grade school through when they both graduated from high school. She was the first girl he ever kissed in first grade. A little boy sharing a "kitty cat" with the pretty girl with blond hair who lived down the street from him. The teacher of course would have none of that and stopped John's kissing in his tracks. He probably didn't share a real good ole' kiss with anyone until he met Rachel, his lovely wife.
Beth grew up and fell in love with Adam Jones and lived happily ever after. She and Adam have two nice little cute blond haired children and now Harmony, their little girl has joined the family. Seems like a good time to make up another baby quilt for Harmony. Third kids often don't get the special recognition they need, so quilt for Harmony it is.
Brings me to making baby quilts. My friend Marilyn's daughter Leslie, is having a little girl some time in April or May. Marilyn has been a Grandma more times than I can remember from her 4 boys. This is the first from her daughter Leslie. Daughter's always have a special place in mother's hearts. Maybe it is because we immediately go back to our experiences when we were having babies and the special struggles and challenges that only women can understand. This knowledge brings a different kind of kinship between a mother and a daughter. I wish that specialness for my friend.
Marilyn Dieckhoff
Quilt for Leslie Jones' new baby girl
New Miss Jones - born 4-19-08All the more reason to shop for some springy pink fabric to make up a baby quilt. Leslie has picked stars, moons and fairies to decorate the babies room. I found this cute pink flannel for the backing with yellow moons and white stars that will be so soft for the new baby to lay on. As it is Easter time there was cute soft yellow with tulips and a complimentary soft yellow polka dot too. It still have a half a bolt of muslin from Mom's stash to use as the light fabric. I found an Eleanor Burns pattern from an old TV show I had saved that makes a big old star block. It will be good to try that out for a baby quilt.
I only need four blocks and the pieces are from 6 1/2" and 7 1/2" strips cut into squares. The 7 1/2" is matched with a complimentary fabric, marked on the diagonal, then sewn on each side of the mark. Cut that up on both diagonals, press and you are ready to make up the stars points. Sew alternating colored triangles together and voila - star points. Sew all these pieces together as any normal 9 patch - match each row, sew those together, then match up the rows and sew together with the assembly line sewing method and your done with each block. Cut up some 3" strips for sashing with a floral 3"x3" corner stone and top is finished.
Here are the instructions:
9 Patch Star
1) Fabric A - Cut 1 - 61/2" strip (center fabric)
2) Cut that into 6 1/2" squares (4 units)
3) Cut that into 8 - 6 1/2 squares,
4) Then cut each one of the 8 pieces on diagonal (16 units)
5) Fabric A, B, C - Cut 2 of each fabric - 7 1/2" strips (star)
6) Cut that into 7 1/2" squares
7) Draw a diagonal line corner to corner on fabric C
8) Match up squares Fabric A to C and B to C
Be sure to match fabric A to C in correct pattern for box pattern around center
9) Sew 1/4"on either side of diagonal
10) Cut apart on diagonal and again from corner to corner
11) Press all pieces toward dark
12) Match opposites together matching (or pinning) center so pattern works
13) True up folded unit to 6 1/2" then press open - Trim off corner points
14) Lay out pieces and sew together 9 patch assembly style
15) Fold row 2 over row 1 - sew right edge
Continue with next block until all row 1 - 2 are sewn together
16) Open and fold row 3 over row 3 - sew right edge.
Sew all 4 blocks as same time.
17) Press seams alternating directions so seam lock together on next step
18) Fold row 1 to 2 and lock and pin seams. Sew 1/4" seam.
19) Press seams
20) Cut 3" sashing strips from Fabric C with 3" corners from Fabric A.
It is cute and big. I think maybe a 5 1/2" or 4 1/2" might be better, but with pastels it works really well and the colors are not over powering the pattern.
Star BlockTwo years of flannel needed to be pieced on one side to make it big enough. Then tie together with the stuffing and sew the edges and it is ready for Leslie's new family member.
On to the next. Beth Henry grew up with John from grade school through when they both graduated from high school. She was the first girl he ever kissed in first grade. A little boy sharing a "kitty cat" with the pretty girl with blond hair who lived down the street from him. The teacher of course would have none of that and stopped John's kissing in his tracks. He probably didn't share a real good ole' kiss with anyone until he met Rachel, his lovely wife.
Beth grew up and fell in love with Adam Jones and lived happily ever after. She and Adam have two nice little cute blond haired children and now Harmony, their little girl has joined the family. Seems like a good time to make up another baby quilt for Harmony. Third kids often don't get the special recognition they need, so quilt for Harmony it is.
Sunday, March 16, 2008
March 2008 Finish the Red / White Hexagon
The plastic bag of Red / White pieces lurked next to my sewing machine beckoning for some attention.
After the tediousness of the beige and yellow diagonal I couldn't imagine that the red/white one would be more complicated so I opened the bag and began the matching process to see what had been done 30 years ago that summer we moved from Texas back to Colorado.
The fabrics were sorted stacked in similar piles and pressed flat to get rid of the crinkles from being enclosed in the bag for so long. It looked like a daunting task, but little by little the pieces seems to start matching up. Some hexagons were completed. Some were missing a section or two. Triangle pieces were pinned together ready to sew with the tiniest pins I have seen. I unpinned them and sorted them back into similar piles. I put aside those tiny pins to use the quilting pins that had become my favorite over the years.
It seems that in the 70's I had sewn the triangles together on the machine and then together into the hexagon by hand. Maybe my Mom, Frances, had helped with the hand sewn as I'm not much of a hand sewer myself.
With all the strip and assembly line sewing methods that I had been using from Eleanor Burns direction, I decided that there was a faster way. I had a bolt of white left from my Mom's stash of fabrics. This was probably something she had bought for this red/white quilt years ago and there is was still available to finish up this project.
For the red hexagons with white centers, I cut 3" strips out of the white and lay the red pieces along the strips as I assembly line sewed them together. This worked pretty well to sew up stacks of the reds. I carefully cut out the pieces into the triangle shapes. There were fewer red middles so I just did the old fashion way by sewing each of the small pieces together matching white borders with red middles assembly line style.
Once these were pressed with every other triangle toward middle or away from the middle so it would lock together better, it was time to start assembling them into hexagons. Pinning at the border where the red and white came together seemed to kept the unit matching at the seams.
The matching in the center is the most important. I put 2 triangle units together, sewed on the third, then pressed this flat with seams going the same direction. Once there were 2 three part sections, I pinned the middle triangle point to match the other piece, pinned the borders so they would match and sewed the two pieces together.
As the pattern that was originally intended was long lost, I laid out the pieces on the floor trying to come up with the best pattern. It seems all those previous tries as finding the right mixed with strips of each color (white borders and red borders) or trying to start in the middle and keep adding on a row finally disappeared as the real pattern emerged.
Once I had some success sorting and sewing the pieces together, I wanted to know the plan for a finished quilt. As I laid out some of the finished hexagon pieces they just seemed to fall into place. It idea was that I would have blocks of hexagons that would be sewn into a larger quilt. It looked like a flower with a white center and six red units around the center. With six "flowers" the quilt would be big enough as a throw. The flower units could be connected with extra hexagons in alternating colors.
The border of the quilt reflected part of the hexagon. It would be more difficult to finish it off. It made sense to add half hexagons along the top and a solid piece of red along the sides. A strip of this same solid piece would be added to the top and bottom to tie it all together.
I figured out how many red borders and white borders were needed. I was about 20 short on the reds and had plenty of the whites for this pattern. As I sewed all the previously cut units together the finished hexagons stacked up waiting to be made into a quilt. There were a few units that were missing pieces. I pulled out the boxes of fabric sorted mostly by color that were stored in the garage. Sure enough there were a couple of stacks of red fabric were the pieces that were saved from years ago. I found just the fabrics needs to complete the missing pieces. It seems that these reds were purchased in quarter yard units of 10 or 15 different patterns. Today I usually buy 2 or 3 yards to spread the colors around several quilts or use as borders.
The unit measurements were as follows:
Border of triangle - Trapezoid 3" x 3 1/4" sides x 6"
Top of triangle - Equilateral 3" x 3" x 3"
I needed to true up the hexagons and had been unable to find the anything that would work at the stores. My husband Stan, cut a piece of Plexiglas, smoothed the edges and scribed the six units across the top. It works great to true up the units.
After the tediousness of the beige and yellow diagonal I couldn't imagine that the red/white one would be more complicated so I opened the bag and began the matching process to see what had been done 30 years ago that summer we moved from Texas back to Colorado.
The fabrics were sorted stacked in similar piles and pressed flat to get rid of the crinkles from being enclosed in the bag for so long. It looked like a daunting task, but little by little the pieces seems to start matching up. Some hexagons were completed. Some were missing a section or two. Triangle pieces were pinned together ready to sew with the tiniest pins I have seen. I unpinned them and sorted them back into similar piles. I put aside those tiny pins to use the quilting pins that had become my favorite over the years.
It seems that in the 70's I had sewn the triangles together on the machine and then together into the hexagon by hand. Maybe my Mom, Frances, had helped with the hand sewn as I'm not much of a hand sewer myself.
With all the strip and assembly line sewing methods that I had been using from Eleanor Burns direction, I decided that there was a faster way. I had a bolt of white left from my Mom's stash of fabrics. This was probably something she had bought for this red/white quilt years ago and there is was still available to finish up this project.
For the red hexagons with white centers, I cut 3" strips out of the white and lay the red pieces along the strips as I assembly line sewed them together. This worked pretty well to sew up stacks of the reds. I carefully cut out the pieces into the triangle shapes. There were fewer red middles so I just did the old fashion way by sewing each of the small pieces together matching white borders with red middles assembly line style.
Once these were pressed with every other triangle toward middle or away from the middle so it would lock together better, it was time to start assembling them into hexagons. Pinning at the border where the red and white came together seemed to kept the unit matching at the seams.
The matching in the center is the most important. I put 2 triangle units together, sewed on the third, then pressed this flat with seams going the same direction. Once there were 2 three part sections, I pinned the middle triangle point to match the other piece, pinned the borders so they would match and sewed the two pieces together.
As the pattern that was originally intended was long lost, I laid out the pieces on the floor trying to come up with the best pattern. It seems all those previous tries as finding the right mixed with strips of each color (white borders and red borders) or trying to start in the middle and keep adding on a row finally disappeared as the real pattern emerged.
Once I had some success sorting and sewing the pieces together, I wanted to know the plan for a finished quilt. As I laid out some of the finished hexagon pieces they just seemed to fall into place. It idea was that I would have blocks of hexagons that would be sewn into a larger quilt. It looked like a flower with a white center and six red units around the center. With six "flowers" the quilt would be big enough as a throw. The flower units could be connected with extra hexagons in alternating colors.
The border of the quilt reflected part of the hexagon. It would be more difficult to finish it off. It made sense to add half hexagons along the top and a solid piece of red along the sides. A strip of this same solid piece would be added to the top and bottom to tie it all together.
I figured out how many red borders and white borders were needed. I was about 20 short on the reds and had plenty of the whites for this pattern. As I sewed all the previously cut units together the finished hexagons stacked up waiting to be made into a quilt. There were a few units that were missing pieces. I pulled out the boxes of fabric sorted mostly by color that were stored in the garage. Sure enough there were a couple of stacks of red fabric were the pieces that were saved from years ago. I found just the fabrics needs to complete the missing pieces. It seems that these reds were purchased in quarter yard units of 10 or 15 different patterns. Today I usually buy 2 or 3 yards to spread the colors around several quilts or use as borders.
The unit measurements were as follows:
Border of triangle - Trapezoid 3" x 3 1/4" sides x 6"
Top of triangle - Equilateral 3" x 3" x 3"
I needed to true up the hexagons and had been unable to find the anything that would work at the stores. My husband Stan, cut a piece of Plexiglas, smoothed the edges and scribed the six units across the top. It works great to true up the units.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Feb 2008 Diagonal Stripes
After a furry of 4 blocks squares sewn up into quilts sith a stack about 6 inches high still waiting to be trimmed and sewn into block, I decided to take a break.
A month or so before Christmas Eleanor Burns featured many interesting ideas on her weekly Quilt show on RFD TV. One time she showed what she called a Candy Cane quilt that was so quick you could sew it up while waiting for dinner to cook. She had her ten year old granddaughter demonstrate the ease of this quilt on the show.
She had this great technique to sew up strips into a tube, cut the tube into units and once the units are clipped open, sew those strips together and you're done.
Here's the specifics:
1) Cut 12 to 14 fabrics that compliment into 4 inch strips. Then cut on fold and trim the selvages.
2) Sew these 12 to 14 strips together in a nice combination being careful to consider that the first and last also blend. There will be two tubes from fabrics you cut.
3) Sew the first and last together so it make a tube
4) Iron - toward the same direction. This is one of the most important steps as it makes the next steps much easier
5) Lay out the tube on your cutting mat and cut into 2-1/2 inch units
6) Start at #1 fabric, fold in half and cut on the fold
7) Start at #1 fabric cut at the seam (or rip seam between #1 and last fabric)
8) Sew first unit to second. Be sure to set up so seams are toward you as you sew. This is much easier and you wont be fighting the seams as you sew. This starts the diagonal
9) Repeat step 7 and 8 for the rest of the fabrics
Sounds really simple doesn't it? Every little imperfection of sewing multiples along the way. As I didn't want to make the same size quilt the results from the one strip of 4" units I doubled the size with 2 strips of each fabric. This left 4 tubes to deal with.
I started this on 12/31/2007 and did finish up the top on 1/05/2008 sewing about an hour a day before I went to work. It was slippery slop as distortion took over and the rectangle needed some tucking on the seams that sewed the strips together to squeeze it up so it measured the same distance across. Even though I really tried to be careful with the 1/4 inch seam allowance daydreams happen and in the end it had some issues.
I fixed it the best I could and trimmed the edges with wider strips.
Peachy Jan 2008On to the next one. This wasn't so bad, I thought, once your get started. So I planned to make a couple more. This time I would make one in shades of beige and yellow in king size for my own bed in the summer.
So I carefully selected 14 fabrics, cut them out carefully into four 4 inch strips doubling the last size with 4 strips each fabric instead of just 2. Then began to sew together. This time I added on a "tube at the end of each row to make it wider.
Beige/Yellow fabricsI was about a foot and a half into the quilt, which by the way I started backwards so the large piece was on the top and the strip was on the bottom with all the seams going the wrong way. I flipped it and started adding fabric strips from the other end. What a relief to not fight the seams and to have the large piece on the bottom.
I could tell right away that this would never be large enough for king size bed at the rate I was going so I cut up 2 more 4" units for a total of six 4" units for the whole quilt.
As I sew the pattern got more and more obquere when I started for the other side. The fabrics were not falling in the middle of each color so I was losing the diagonal pattern. I just ripped and added a half unit of fabric here and there along the way. I had cut up some 4" x 2-1/2" units just for this purpose. This only multipled the problem. Don't do it, even if it looks like this will work. Good thing I'm making this for myself. I managed to finish it up today 2/23/2008, but it was an annoying, tedious struggle, ripping, adding, sewing. I had to tuck some long seams to correct the wideth in about six places. Then to correct the mishmash of added pieces that created some bubbling, I just seamed up the extra in a couple of places so it would lay flat.
My mom, Frances, had a similar problem with a patchwork she was making on her lap each evening while watching TV. She sewed lots of scraps together using those small appliqué stitches. It was beautiful. She showed it to us every time we would visit. It probably covered the a queen size bed at least. One time when I visited, she showed it to me. As we layed it out on the living room floor it buckeled up and didn't lay flat. She has worked on her lap and even though parts of it were flat as she worked there were bubbles of fabric. I'll need to lay that piece out again and fold up the extra into a seam so it lays flat. When she was still alive, I just didn't have the heart to cut up her work. She knew this had to happen, but you just get so involve in your work and think it all good and perfect that you don't want to admit there is another solution.
Years ago in one of the quilting afternoon seminars I attended, I remember the leader talking about humble blocks. This where you try your hardest to do the best and still things don't quite work out. My kids remember this concept about quilts and life. They often ask me where the humble block or piece in on the quilt. Sometimes it's just that little piece of fabric hidden in the pattern that blends but it not the same where I ran out of the matching fabric and still have to finish.
Sometimes its obvious, but OK, was in a wedding quilt I made my grand nephew Dustin. I had interesting fabric in soft rose colors. They had a queen size bed. I ran out of the colors as I went along and had to use a blended color for the very edge of the blocks.
Dustin - Niki Szeluga Wedding Quilt Aug 2005This beige/yellow one had so much to be humble about. Good learning in life. When you think you can do it all easily sometimes you get caught in your own arrogance. Those roses are still out there, so take a smell.
Finally, now I can start back on that unfinished red-white quilt from the 70's. It looks like a picnic compared to the beige/yellow diagonal. I opened the plastic bag that had held the pieces of the red/white quilt. The pieces were all a jumbled wrinkled mess. Have to start some place. To the ironing board I go.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
The Fabric Stash
From July 1976 today Feb 2008 the poor red and white Hexagon quilt has been tucked away in a plastic bag secured with a rubber band.
Five years ago in 2003 when I was 57 I started to be concerned about what I was going to do with the rest of my life. This included the various projects that I had started over the years that were in a vast array of completeness. I worked for Qwest at the time and was invited as part of a training program to attend a motivational conference. This subject was discussed.
I pretty much decided that day to take some kind of charge of the items that had built up over the years. One of those was the massive amounts of fabrics I had collected over the years including much that my Mom had saved. I took a good look at the plastic boxes sorted by color and guessed I had enough fabric to make a 1,000 quilts and I had better get started. I figured I would live for another 20 years or so and could make 50 quilts a year to use up the fabric. I could have decided to donate it all to a worth cause, but that would have taken all the fun out it.
In the 80's I had sold many crafty products to the local grocery store chain to include baskets covered with calico fabric and lacy. It was a great product and fun to make and gave me the opportunity to collect a lot of fabrics. It seems I never used what I bought, but had cut out twelve inch to twenty-four inch circles several times from the fabric.
As my Mom, Frances, was a quilter and loved fabric too, I gave her all my scraps. She used some of them up in a variety of ways, but there was still plenty left that she gave me when she moved into a retirement home.
She was one of the best at appliqué. Her tiny little stitches were perfect and even. One odd project she started took the scraps as they were, turned under the edges and sewed them on to a light orange background.
Crazy quilt top - Frances Swanson 1980s
She took three panels of orange fabric about nine feet long and sewed them together. She placed the scraps willy-nilly on the fabric and appliquéd them on in a random pattern with random colors. Some of these fabrics were from my basket project in the 80s, some were from dresses she had made for my sister and myself in the 50's. Some were probably from dresses she made for herself.
I think she was trying to make this big enough for a kind size bed for me. The piece measured nine feet by 11 feet. It is huge, even for a king sized bed. The patterns are very busy for a small bedroom and the orange color doesn't do much to complement the project.
I have had this folded up in a drawer for several years since we cleaned out my Mom's things. She passed on in Jan 9, 2004. Ever year I think of her on that day. This year was no different.
When I awoke on Jan 10th 2008 I had a clear picture what I could do this this appliqué project that Mom had spent so much time finishing.
Let's use this as fabric
I had been using up some scraps with a pattern from an Eleanor Burns TV show.
1) Cut 3 inch strips into 10" units
2) Sew two fabrics (light/dark)together -
3) Cut these into 3 inch units
4) Sew 2 units together into a 4 block with opposite light to dark
5) Cut 5 1/2 inch strips of light fabric into 5 1/2 inch square. Then cut diagonally.
6) Sew these around the block.
Four Blocks from Scraps Nov 2007
This was such an interesting project which I am still working on that resulted in six quilt tops so far with varying color themes.
The thought I had that morning was to do the same kind of thing with Mom's fabric. Make 5-6 inch block and border it with some interesting orange fabric. It would be a bit abstract, but some coordinate. I haven't the nerve to cut her fabric up yet, but I am getting close. I might start with the edges and move in so if I do decide to keep one large piece, it will still be together.
Here are some of the quilt tops I made recently from the stack of four blocks.
Laying out pattern for blue 4-block Nov 07
Blue 4-block Nov 2007
6-9-2009 finished for my Great Niece, Brianna Kihlthau's High School Graduation present
Purple 4-block - Ready to sew together Nov 2007 Jan 2009 finished it for a gift for my daughter Jamie who loves purple
Purple with old white/purple fabric from Mom Nov 2007
Rose - 4-block from scraps Nov 2007 June 2009 finished this for my cousin Gene and Sylvia's 50th Wedding Anniversary present in August
Rose 4-block details Nov 2007
Tan border with blue stripped 4-blocks Jan 2008 February 2009 finished this quilt for my brother Alan's 70th birthday present
The blue stripped quilt was made using most of the blue stipped 4-blocks. They didn't seem to go together with the other quilts so I made one just for them.
Detail of Blue Stripped Jan 2008
Five years ago in 2003 when I was 57 I started to be concerned about what I was going to do with the rest of my life. This included the various projects that I had started over the years that were in a vast array of completeness. I worked for Qwest at the time and was invited as part of a training program to attend a motivational conference. This subject was discussed.
I pretty much decided that day to take some kind of charge of the items that had built up over the years. One of those was the massive amounts of fabrics I had collected over the years including much that my Mom had saved. I took a good look at the plastic boxes sorted by color and guessed I had enough fabric to make a 1,000 quilts and I had better get started. I figured I would live for another 20 years or so and could make 50 quilts a year to use up the fabric. I could have decided to donate it all to a worth cause, but that would have taken all the fun out it.
In the 80's I had sold many crafty products to the local grocery store chain to include baskets covered with calico fabric and lacy. It was a great product and fun to make and gave me the opportunity to collect a lot of fabrics. It seems I never used what I bought, but had cut out twelve inch to twenty-four inch circles several times from the fabric.
As my Mom, Frances, was a quilter and loved fabric too, I gave her all my scraps. She used some of them up in a variety of ways, but there was still plenty left that she gave me when she moved into a retirement home.
She was one of the best at appliqué. Her tiny little stitches were perfect and even. One odd project she started took the scraps as they were, turned under the edges and sewed them on to a light orange background.
Crazy quilt top - Frances Swanson 1980sShe took three panels of orange fabric about nine feet long and sewed them together. She placed the scraps willy-nilly on the fabric and appliquéd them on in a random pattern with random colors. Some of these fabrics were from my basket project in the 80s, some were from dresses she had made for my sister and myself in the 50's. Some were probably from dresses she made for herself.
I think she was trying to make this big enough for a kind size bed for me. The piece measured nine feet by 11 feet. It is huge, even for a king sized bed. The patterns are very busy for a small bedroom and the orange color doesn't do much to complement the project.
I have had this folded up in a drawer for several years since we cleaned out my Mom's things. She passed on in Jan 9, 2004. Ever year I think of her on that day. This year was no different.
When I awoke on Jan 10th 2008 I had a clear picture what I could do this this appliqué project that Mom had spent so much time finishing.
Let's use this as fabricI had been using up some scraps with a pattern from an Eleanor Burns TV show.
1) Cut 3 inch strips into 10" units
2) Sew two fabrics (light/dark)together -
3) Cut these into 3 inch units
4) Sew 2 units together into a 4 block with opposite light to dark
5) Cut 5 1/2 inch strips of light fabric into 5 1/2 inch square. Then cut diagonally.
6) Sew these around the block.
Four Blocks from Scraps Nov 2007This was such an interesting project which I am still working on that resulted in six quilt tops so far with varying color themes.
The thought I had that morning was to do the same kind of thing with Mom's fabric. Make 5-6 inch block and border it with some interesting orange fabric. It would be a bit abstract, but some coordinate. I haven't the nerve to cut her fabric up yet, but I am getting close. I might start with the edges and move in so if I do decide to keep one large piece, it will still be together.
Here are some of the quilt tops I made recently from the stack of four blocks.
Laying out pattern for blue 4-block Nov 07
Blue 4-block Nov 2007
6-9-2009 finished for my Great Niece, Brianna Kihlthau's High School Graduation present
Purple 4-block - Ready to sew together Nov 2007 Jan 2009 finished it for a gift for my daughter Jamie who loves purple
Purple with old white/purple fabric from Mom Nov 2007
Rose - 4-block from scraps Nov 2007 June 2009 finished this for my cousin Gene and Sylvia's 50th Wedding Anniversary present in August
Rose 4-block details Nov 2007
Tan border with blue stripped 4-blocks Jan 2008 February 2009 finished this quilt for my brother Alan's 70th birthday present
The blue stripped quilt was made using most of the blue stipped 4-blocks. They didn't seem to go together with the other quilts so I made one just for them.
Detail of Blue Stripped Jan 2008
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