Sunday, October 6, 2019

'The Hand' Finally Done (Bear Paw Variation)


78 x 90

Today I have some exciting news! I've finished a UFO that's been nineteen years in the making.  (Not a typo and sadly not the oldest UFO on my list!)

Back in 2000 I was taken with a vintage quilt in the Utah state documentation book. (p. 49)  The book called it 'The Hand'  and dated it pre-1900.

I've written a couple of blogs about this project over the years. To see the first blog written in 2012 click here.  In it you can see the vintage quilt that inspired me. I drafted the block from the photo and began making blocks borrowing color combinations (but not placement) from the original.

I made a few blocks now and then, it was not high on my list, but finally I decided to get the blocks done over a winter in Arizona. The sashing fabric I chose didn't work out. This updated blog in 2014, first top shows the completed top with blue sashing having black stars. I tried to like it, I really did, but I fnally realized I would have to take it apart. I ripped out the sashing and chose a brown print. It was a great relief. (If you like the blue better than the brown that's okay. I didn't, so it had to go.)

These photos show the brown print better and closer to the actual color than the full view above.
The top sat for another little while as I did other things and began to think about how I wanted to quilt it. That took time as you hand quilters will appreciate and tackling the basting needs a certain mindset.

           THE TOP                                               


                   PIN-BASTING (ala Harriet Hargrave) 



I finally decided to do alternating diagonal lines in the pieced blocks about 1" apart and a diagonal grid in the sashing, a bit smaller than 1", a classic simple approach. The border was done in a 1.75" diagonal grid.


sorry about this....not focus, bad color... but shows the quilting.



Strippy Backing

So that's why it took a number of years to finish. I hesitate to make the label....it seems to need a lot of explaining beyond "Made 2000-2019"


I wanted to  mention, too, something about size. Plan your top  4-5" larger than what you want the finished size to be; most important if you are planning it for a certain size bed.

The finished top measured 82 x 95
After quilting it measured 80 x 93
After washing it measures 78 x 90 

I always wash completed bed quilts. I like the look after washing, I like knowing it's clean, markings are gone and I like to know the finished size.  I pre-wash all fabrics when I bring them home but I tossed in a few color catchers just to be sure -  and look what they revealed!

No colors bled into surrounding lighter fabrics but the reds and browns often have excess dye even when they've been pre-washed.

BTW, I just checked the original vintage quilt in the book. It measured 76 x 89 - very close to my finished size though it started much larger.


2023 update: Here is the original inspiration from the Utah quilt book Gathered in Time . the link above does not seem to work. 













Thanks for stopping by. . .
I welcome your comments


3 comments:

  1. I had to go grab my Utah State Documentation book, "Gathered In Time", and look up the original. I do like the brown sashing--has more of the feel of the original. Now I am tempted to want to make it--and it would probably take me at least 20 year, especially if I hand quilted it. :)
    I think you did a great job in your re-creation.
    That seems like a lot of shrinkage with the fabrics having been prewashed. I don't record my original size and "after washing" size very often. Is this common, do you think?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Janet....OMG I just realized I am supposed to 'approve' of comments which I don't think I ever knew...or did we used to have to do that? I have slowed down considerably in blogging and quilt related things in general...Hope this reaches you, I do follow all your travel adventures!
      I find that very typical shrinkage -there is more to it than just the fabric...i pre-wash to get excess color out but the quilting as well as the batting will shrink it up when washed. Which i hope my quilts will be, many times if used the way I hope they will be. I would add 4-5 inches each way to the finished top to be sure you get the desired bed size after
      quilting and batting are figured in.

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  2. I really like the quilt. I think you were wise to change the sashing. I wish it was possible to see the inspiration quilt. BTW new to your blog it's very nice.
    Thank you for sharing

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