Commentary about works in progress, design & creativity
This is big. Fortunately, I know and can accept the width. It doesn’t mean that it is small. It isn’t. Even this partial section is big. It is 80″ wide* as you see it. I will be 112″ wide when I sew the last four blocks to the top section.
This is a perfect example of me not making small quilts.
*Thus the wonky photo. I am not tall enough to take the photo, don’t have a large enough floor or design wall.
I have a box of quilt ‘dreg’ ends. Dreg is an ugly word as it conjures an image of grounds in an empty coffee cup or discarded tea leaves. These are simply pieces and parts that don’t have an immediate need or use. For some reason, I decided to go through the box in which they are stored. I think it’s part of the recent tidying frenzy in which I have been engaging.
Initially, I thought I would put some batting scraps together to make a baby quilt sized batting. However, I found a bunch of fabric edges. They were cut from past quilts when they were squared up. I started laying out these fabric strips to get them out of the way. At one point, I looked over and saw a kind of improv strip top developing.
The next day I had some free time so I pressed and straightened up the strips. Then, I pinned sets together in preparation for sewing. I still have to sew the strips and see what happens.
Since I didn’t have time to sew, I built up a batting from scraps in preparation for the donation quilt. I don’t know if I will have enough pieces to make a batting for this top. It will be close. I have some long thin strips left. I don’t really want to use the tape up to attach them as it will use so much of the Heat Press. I might just sew them on to make the batting large enough and get the strips out of my house.
It is interesting to see this top develop.
As usual, I was #podcastdeliquent, but was resolved to make some progress so I listened to some podcasts interspersed with the book, Jane Steele. I had to intersperse the podcasts, because the beginning of Jane Steele was so dark* that I was feeling depressed.
One of the podcasts to which I listened was Lazy Daisy Quilts (and Reads). She is the one who turned me on to Jane Steele. She has been working on Lady of the Lake quilt blocks. That is an old pattern. Since I didn’t see any photos on her show notes, I went and looked the block up in Jinny Beyer’s The Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns**.
I was confused, because what I saw in the book didn’t jive with what I remembered of this block. I thought my memory was faulty. Still, what I saw was a cool block. Daisy was right when she said the block didn’t have a lot of other names, but it does have a few.
First, I saw a Flying Geese type block. I see that there are HSTs****, but they look like half mad Flying Geese. Beyer says about 165-8: “Lady of the Lake, Finley, 1929. See 201-2, 201-3 [these are the same, or very similar, blocks from different sources]. ‘Lady of the Lake, named after the poem by Sir Walter Scott,published in 1810… The Lady of the Lake quilt appeared in a surprisingly short time after the publication of the poem, the one shown here having been made in Vermont before 1820… it is one of the few that seems never to have been known by other names.’ Finley, 1929.***
Beyer says about 165-9: “Lady of the Lake, Aunt Martha series: The Quilt Fair Comes to You, ca.1933. Also known as: Pennsylvania Pineapple, Aunt Martha series: The Quilt Fair Comes to You, ca.1933.
Multiple listings were given in Beyer’s book, so I went on to the next one. These look like an evolution from the Cake Stand block, though I don’t know which came first, so I can’t say which evolved from which, if they did.
The above are more like Daisy’s block and more like what I was thinking Lady of the Lake looked like. Beyer writes about 191-8 “Double Sawtooth, Nancy Page, Birmingham News, Jul 16, 1940.” No AKA.
Beyer writes about 191-9 “Lady of the Lake, Ladies Art Company, 1987. Also known as: Hills of Vermont, Nancy Page, Birmingham News, Aug 9, 1938.”
There is a final reference in Beyer’s book, n.322-5 and it is also named Lady of the Lake. Beyer writes “Lady of the Lake, Nancy Cabot, Chicago Tribune, Jun 17, 1933. Also known as: Galahad’s Shield, Nancy Cabot, Chicago Tribune, Oct 23, 1937.” I find it interesting that the alternative name also references the Arthur legend.
My little spiral into research led me away from the original questions, which was what Daisy’s blocks looked like. She was kind enough to send me the photo above so I could see.
*I did end up liking Jane Steele and would recommend you read it. Read Jane Eyre first. Though it is not necessary, Jane Steele refers often to the content of Jane Eyre. I enjoyed Jane Eyre and thought it was one of the better, and less confusing, of the classics.
**If you still haven’t purchased The Quilter’s Album of Patchwork Patterns, you really need to do so. It is such a great resources for inspiration and history. Go buy it NOW!
***While patterns may have been created much earlier, the references in Beyer’s book refers to the first time she was able to find a published reference.
****BTW, if you plan to make this block, check out the Triangle Technique to make eight at a time.
I gave a group of gifts, as described in a recent post, to my friend Mary who is making a dress for me.
This is the first time I have followed my advice and given a group of gifts. I have made all of the items before; just never given them away as a group. I wouldn’t have recommended it to you if I didn’t think it would be a good idea. However I had to test it and I am pleased with how it came out.
The One Hour Basket, which is the carrier, though I did wrap the whole thing, contains a journal cover (with journal), a pencil roll, on the go tissue cover, needle safe, pincushion, lanyard and scissor sheath. I think the mix of items is good, though I could have put a little tissue paper underneath to fill up the One Hour Basket some more.
I wanted the whole set to match, so I used pieces from two FQ bundles I received at the BAM Retreat. I have much more to use, so I can make more items, if I can think of what to make.
As you know I normally make journal covers using mosaic piecing. Mosaic piecing is good for using up scraps and for leaders and enders. Since I was using a constrained color palette, I used two fabrics and didn’t piece the front or inside cover. In order to make it less boring, I did embellish the cover with some buttons.
I used buttons TFQ bought for me at Road to California in 2012 and some colored thread. The embellishing is simple and I don’t think I have ever embellished a journal cover before, but I think it worked really well on this piece. Mary said that she could use it for committee work since the Miquelrius journals have sections with different colored page edges. I am thrilled.
As mentioned, I love the Pink Chalk pencil roll pattern. I am so sorry it is no longer available as I have made a number of them and it is a great gift. Try to find a used copy on Etsy or somewhere. It is well worth the hunt. Since I have the pattern I used it to make a 12 slot pencil roll for Mary. I always put a pen in so that people know its intended use. It is a good size for crochet hooks as well, though YMMV on those. I haven’t tried it.
This piece was GREAT for using up many of the different patterns in the fabric line (above photo). You can see all the different choices. I did use the turquoise more than once just to add some contrast. For the back I used a coordinating print from a different line. I wanted to mix the group up a bit so it didn’t get too monochromatic. There is a baby poop brown print in that line that I am sure would look fantastic, but I couldn’t bring myself to use it.
Yet. I am thinking about what else I can make for Mary and it might come into play, but most likely not. I have plenty of other fabrics.
The tissue cover seriously takes less than half an hour to make. I used the video mentioned in the Updated Gift Ideas post and it is so easy. I should have used a better contrasting fabric for the lining, but the fabric work well together. I don’t use one, personally, but I should. I am now out of travel packets of Kleenex which means I’ll have to get more. It is much nicer to put one in, as with the pens in the pencil roll, so people know what you have made. It prevents confusion.
I have a couple of needle safes that I use for various projects. This one has three parts: pincushion, needle holder and a section with a pocket where one can store a small needle threader, a pack of needles or one of those rubber circles used to pull the needle through thick fabric. The pattern for this project asks that the maker use fabric for the needle storage. I have always used felt. Wool felt is pretty good because the lanolin helps keep needles sharp. I don’t always have wool felt in the right colors, so I use what I have an cut it with a decorative blade.
The pincushion is just fun to make, for me. I love this Fig Tree pattern, because it looks like my ideal of a pincushion. I need to make a few more of these so I can get the contrast right. The colors and motifs on the fabric I used blend quite a bit. It is a nice effect, but I want to experiment with more contrast. I often have a hard time finding the right buttons. Yes, of course, I could buy buttons, but I prefer to use some from my button box. I found the perfect buttons this time. I love the see-through aspect and the color.
I am pretty happy with the filling. I use a combination of Craft (Beanie Baby) pellets and wool roving. The pellets give the pincushion some weight and the wool roving feels nice.
I was pretty happy with the items above. I decided at the last minute to add a lanyard and a scissor sheath. Why not? I was shocked that I couldn’t understand my own lanyard tutorial. I am sure the instructions made sense to me at the time. I had to rewrite them, so I did that as I went along. My machine was unhappy going through all the layers of lanyard as I finished it, so I had to be careful. Both are done and I think they add something to the whole gift basket.
None of these projects take very much time. I did multiple items in one day. Over the course of approximately 3 days, I was able to make everything including the handwork. Try out a similar project. You have a friend that would adore it.
Update: Check out Tooly McToolston, another gift I made for Mary C.
Kaffe Fassett’s Brilliant Little Patchworks: 20 Stitched and Patched Projects Using Kaffe Fassett Fabrics by Kaffe Fassett
I received this as an unexpected gift and my first impression was “UGH! Twenty MORE projects I’ll never have time to make.” It wasn’t on my list, but neither did I have it. Immediately thereafter, I was distracted and enchanted by the color and patterns of the fabric. The writing was also engrossing.
My despair quickly disappeared. While I am not much for project books, the difference in this book being primarily useful household items – aprons, showls, stool covers, placemats, cushions, a kimono and other items. There was one miniquilt.
The best part of this book is the visuals. There is some kind of image on each page. Some are step outs, others show sewing and lots of inspiration photos. All are well photographed and interesting in color, composition and design.
All of the projects use Kaffe’s fabrics. The benefit of this book is how to use his fabrics successfully. The large flower prints are the showpieces. The pebbles, lattices, dots, stripes and zigzags point the viewer through the tone-on-tones to the showpieces. This book shows that there is method to the seeming madness of Kaffe’s groups/lines of fabrics. This book also shows that throwing a bunch of large flower prints together doesn’t necessarily work.
My favorite project is the tea cozy. I seem to be fascinated with tea cozies and will have to make one to get it out of my system. I have had an idea to make tea cozies for the whole family in the colors of their kitchens, but haven’t gotten around to it yet. Looking at the projects made me interested in the shawls. However, I think that I would only make one if Kaffe made organza.
I think the main value of this book is how the fabrics are combined as well as the simple designs that show off the motifs.
Available photos to use for the ColorPlay are feeling thin on the ground. I dug deep and chose a photo from our trip to Hawaii a few years ago and took it to the Palette Builder for some play. I can certainly get my blue fix from Hawaii, right?
The original photo is quite simple. I would guess not that interesting.
However, I found I was wrong. Even the default palette is interesting. It is a nice array of blues and even the grey of the lava fits right in.
There is not a lot to do with a simple photo primarily in monochromatic colors. Still, I made an effort and came up with a different palette that is similar, but a little different.
The third palette is only a slight variation. Some of the choices repeat, but the overall look is different than the other two.
I am only doing three today, because of the simplicity of the photo. All three give an excellent overview of the Kona blue variations available. As usual, let me know if you make anything from one of these palettes.
Last week I made myself a One Hour Basket. I needed something to corral some charm packs and mini-charm packs. I used The Dahlia print from the Classics Collection by Martha Negley (Rowan). This fabric was supposed to be a Schoolhouse tunic, but I didn’t quite have enough, so I will enjoy it this way – at least a bit of it.
I thought the glass brick fabric was a good companion to it.
I was very pleased to get these pre-cuts organized, then I found another stack. I have to stop. I really do. 😉
I made a second CQFA meeting in a row. It was exciting to have two weekends in row to devote to doing what I wanted.
As per usual, I made ATCs for the meeting. I never quite know what design I am going to use until I do it. Often, I look in my scrap drawer to see what is available. On this day, I had straightened up the scraps from some tunics I had made. There were some large pieces of Philip Jacobs fabric available without much rummaging and I used that to make the flowers.
In this case, I also wanted to use some of my new Sue Spargo Perl-type cottons and came up with this design to do so. I had some trouble getting the stitch to be smooth, but as I worked through the cards, I got the optimal length worked out.
I noticed from looking at the last group of ATCs that I tend to embellish them.
As in October, few people made ATCs. Bron and I were the only ones who had any to share, so we exchanged one each with each other. I made an extra one when I got home and will use these for the April meeting, assuming I can attend.
While plowing through fabric a week or so ago, I found a leftover piece of skeleton fabric with a note on it that said “pillowcase cuff”. Since I was preparing to send the YM a care package I sewed up a new pillowcase for him. I haven’t been making him one a month like I was last year. If I get inspired, I make one.
I used some stripes as the body since I also found them while I was plowing through that same pile of fabric. I figured I had enough stripes for binding and one more black and white length of yardage wouldn’t be missed.
DH asked me why I was sending the YM a Halloween pillowcase in February. Sigh.
The last time I wrote about all of the new and exciting projects swirling around in my head was in 2015. Time flies when you are having fun.
Art Institute of Chicago Fusible Applique’ Quilt
Blue Rectangles Gradation Quilt
Blue Lemonade
Easy Street
Feathered Star Block
Good Night Irene Quilt
Interlocking Triangles Quilt(s)
Jack’s Chain Quilt
Music Quilt
Neutrals and Red/Scarlet Quilt
Pineapple (Hunting and Gathering)
Pink Rectangles Gradation Quilt (Hunting and Gathering)
Silk Colorblock quilt
Spin Wheel
Stepping Stones #3
Windmill (Hunting and Gathering)
Out of the Dream State: Below is a list of projects that were on this list that I actually did or am working on:
I know it is confusing to have two of these going at once.
I had to clear off my ironing board in order to put a new cover on it. Mine had a big hole, which wasn’t really bothering me. However, my ironing board is a unique brand and I came across a cover in a store and snapped it up. In order to actually use the new ironing board, I had to move the pressed fabric waiting to be cut. The above picture shows some of it, but also fabric from a recent wash load.
The shape for 2017 is a 3 inch x 6 inch rectangle. I chose that because I want to play with a subway tile look. I think I have decided not to cut smaller pieces for used/in my closet fabric. So far I have only cut new fabrics, so I still have some time to decide. I think I will just make all of the patches the same size. I am also thinking I will stagger the rows like when a bathroom is tiled. This means I need something for the ends. At the moment I am thinking white Ta Dots on Grey. Stay tuned.
I am doing other things with leaders and enders so my crop of donation blocks and tops has slowed. Not stopped but slowed. Here are new blocks that will be donated at the March BAMQG meeting. I made the first four during the week of 2/5, approximately. I have put a few more together and just finished those last Thursday.
I am really channeling my childhood bedroom, which was pink and purple. I paid a lot of attention to the fabrics I chose for the second batch as I wanted to play with color and pattern.
You can see some of my favorite Kaffe Collective fabrics as well as a piece of a couch.
These blocks are definitely girly and I will need to get back to some more boy blocks. I couldn’t resist indulging in a little pink.
This is my favorite block. I love the fabric combination. I have a lot of pink squares so will probably come up with more pink blocks.
Tulips are, possibly, my favorite flower. I am pretty partial to spring flowers, such as daffodils, hyacinth and narcissus, so it is hard to say. One reason I like them is that florists don’t tend to pair tulips with baby’s breath. I sincerely dislike baby’s breath. I had white tulips for my wedding bouquet and DH often gives me white tulips when he wants to give me flowers. They are also delicate and simple.
Above is the original image I uploaded to the Playcrafts Palette Builder tool. I can’t remember where I took it.
The first palette is appealing. I like the Coral and Black combination with the other neutrals included.
Since I have to mess around with the palettes, I moved the little circles and came up with a slightly brighter palette. I love the addition of Kona Red and the Kona Snow to this option.
Fiddling further allowed me to add another warm hue, Kona Tangerine to the mix. This grouping is getting quite warm.
The Kona Snow and the Kona Coal seemed to want to stick to the palette. This palette has no more greens, but includes an icy blue called Frappe.
This final palette is probably my favorite. I was excited to be able to move the circles in such a way as to add Kona Carnation. I have been using Aurifil 2479, a lovely carnation-like pink for another project, and loving it. It was so nice to see a similar hue show up in this palette.
Let me know if you make anything with these palettes. Thanks to Anne over at Play-crafts for her tool.
Techniques
Reminding ourselves periodically of good technique helps keep us on the quilting straight and narrow. I found a cutting tutorial that I thought was interesting. It starts out talking about tools – rotary cutters, mats and rulers. I usually position my ruler so that more of one of the lines is on the fold of the fabric. This tutorial does it differently. My ever burning question was not answered and that is: when lining up the ruler do you put the fabric on the line or next to the line. Anyone know?
Moda put up a blog post on working with coated fabrics. This should help provide an alternative to the problem we discussed in the Hack that Tote post.
Art Gallery Fabrics has a guide to machine stitches.
Color, Patterns and Projects
Love of Patchwork & Quilting have a Selvedge Sewing – DIY Taravel case project on their blog. This could make another useful and interesting addition to my gift list. I haven’t tried this pattern, but based on my experience with the Clippy Pincushion project, it shouldn’t be difficult. Looks like a good way to use up selvedges as well.
Have you seen the Pantone Color of the Year? What do you think?
I found a good laptop sleeve pattern. I want to try it.
Fun and Games
You know those hotel door hangers that keep the cleaning people out until you are out of bed? Moda has one to keep the family out while you are sewing. There is a little bit of crafting required, but not too much for some much needed peace and quiet.
Some comments on artists as hoarders.
Other Artists
I happened on an old post over at Lily Street Quilts and was amazed at the fabric. Marci has done a bargello type quilt using pebbly fabric and the choice is so effective.
Weeks Ringle has written a post about a traditional Japanese Festival which facilitates giving thanks to our tools and supplies.
My sister sent me a link to an article about Yayoi Kusama, thinking her designs would make great quilt patterns. I think her work looks like Kaffe Fassett fabrics.
My mom made some placemats for my niece’s wedding shower. They came out really well and are perfect colors for her.
Fabric, Notions, Tools and Machines
I was looking at text themed fabrics and saw that Pink Castle Fabrics also sold sewing machines. I was very pleased to see that they include the price on their site, which I find unusual, but also very pleasing. For kicks, I looked at the Janome Horizon Memory Craft 8900QCP SE machine. The color and the wheel on the front bother me, but the specs tell me that it has everything I want. Since the price was listed, I was pleased that it and the Janome Horizon Memory Craft 12000 were not as expensive as I thought.
History
The New England Regional Quilt Study Group/American Quilt Study Group is having a quilt study day in Rhode Island at Quinn Hall, 55 Lower College Rd, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI on April 8, 2017.
Dr. Margaret Ordoñez and Dr. Linda Welters will present our program featuring materials from the Historic Textile and Costume Collection at the University of Rhode Island. This is a rare opportunity, and we will need to limit the group to 48 attendees. To read more about our presenters, here are the links to their pages at URI:
Registration
Morning program
Lunch – Bring your own bag lunch. Beverages will be provided.
Afternoon Show and Tell – Bring an antique quilt from your own collection. (Dr. Ordoñez and Dr. Welters have promised to share quilts of their own too!)
Fee: $55.00
To sign up:
Please send your registration and check made out to Marjorie Farquharson:
Marjorie Farquharson
682 Great Plain Ave.
Needham, MA 02492
Name: _______________________________________
Email: ________________________________________
Telephone: ____________________________________________
The deadline to register with payment must be received by April 1, 2017.
________________
Additionally, there will be a WQSG meeting on Saturday, March 18th. We will be starting at 10:00. Welcome/social time begins at 9:30. The meeting is being held at the Oshkosh Library, 106 Washington Ave, Oshkosh WI 54901. It is one block east of Main Street in downtown Oshkosh. There is a large on site parking lot just north of the building. Our meeting will be in the basement. A donation to the library will be collected as the room will cost us $40.
Bring a sack lunch or there are several fun eating options within a short walk of the library. Allison is bringing water and she says there are two excellent coffee places within two blocks along with a hot dog joint, a wine bar and cafe, and the best cookies in Oshkosh. Allison will be talking about quilts associated with the Temperance movement and said she found some really interesting information and photos to share. Please bring any quilts you may have from that time period to share as well as any new acquisitions you’ve come up with since the last meeting.
Shameless Plug
My brother-in-law has published his first book, Verity Creek. It is on Kindle and in paperback. Please try it out.
Some time ago (last fall??) Mom and I did a circuit of her local quilt shops. I bought some huge dots with the intention of making pillowcases. Finally, last week, I had got some inspiration.
My niece will be getting married in April and her shower was this past weekend. In concert with two of her other aunts, we hosted a shower for our niece. I bought her a gift off her list, but had no suitable gift bags that were large enough in which to wrap it. DH tried out all the non-Christmas gift bags we have and none were large enough. He suggested a pillowcase. What a brilliant man!
Later, while plowing through some fabric, I found the pillowcase fabric I bought with mom. As happens with inspiration, I realized I could use this fabric to make two pillowcases and wrap the gift.
As I have said, the cuff is the pain for me, because I hack into fabrics as soon as they are washed for all the hunting and gathering pieces I need. I found some perfect green for my niece – Lizzy House Pearl Bracelets. It isn’t a perfect match to the green in the dot fabric, but I think it works.
My niece liked them, especially the dots and that makes me happy.