On the Bed - Rabbit's Paw

Purchased from the collection of Pat Cox this year, here's the beautifully simple Rabbit's Paw in red and green.

I don't think this was ever used on a bed. It appears to be one of those quilts that got made, folded up and put away. If it was on a bed it was taken off before use and it has never been washed. Pencil marks are still quite visible. Will I dare wash it?

The quilting is simple but nicely done. The green is fading toward tan which makes me want to circa date it about 1880. The narrow red binding is top-stitched by machine. This particular nine-patch variation is not as commonly seen as the Bear's Paw but is more delicate and I've long admired it.

So. I put it on the bed for show and then decided - heck. I'm sleeping under it! I try not to be intimidated by my quilts. I respect them but unless they are terribly fragile I believe that using them as originally intended honors them more than being folded up in a closet. This one has spent many years that way already!





Here's an very different example from David Pottinger's book Quilts From the Indiana Amish, A Regional Collection. 















The dark colors and on-point setting give a totally different look.


On my list of 'Quilts I want to Make" I include this design for a baby in two colors - pink and white cotton sateen. I already have the fabric!

Wouldn't a bunny applique border be cute?

  

Quilting Makes the Quilt - Amish 'small' Completed

By Lee Cleland

Quilting makes the quilt. I believe this to be true and so does Lee Cleland - she wrote the book on it! ( a great reference for your library if you don't have it)
This is especially true for plain quilts such as classic Amish or whole cloth (where the quilting IS the design) as well as those large plain setting blocks in quilts where the work you put into quilting really pays off.







I finished hand quilting my first little Amish style quilt last weekend. The photo is at a slight angle to show the quilting.
I used motifs commonly seen on Amish vintage quilts; feathered wreath, crosshatch and cables. The red border was narrow so I used a simple wavy line with random pumpkin seeds-all done with navy cotton thread.











I played around with Picasa; altering the colored close-up of the center motif to highlight the quilting stitches.








I've said before that I learn something from each project and on this one I learned a couple of things.

• Maybe I should have waited to get some dark/black batting. The dark solid cottons don't hide any 'fuzz' that works its way through. After a good working over with a lint remover it's going to be fine. 
• Test and re-test your marking tool for each project. I thought I had tested this one before but I didn't do it again on these exact fabrics. It was a bit stubborn when I soaked it. I was afraid it would rub off as I worked  (it's chalk-like) so I used a bit too heavy a hand. I will probably give it one more bath and consider it when I mark my little Amish Bars.

Two previous posts on this project can be seen here:

• Amish Diamond in a Square

• Marking the Amish quilt

It feels good to have it done - but I'm not making much progress on my 70's  Tumbling Blocks!   I did baste the PA Dutch 4 patch for hand quilting, though.  I know I'm among people who understand!

Quilt in a Day II - Amish Bars

19" x 21"

Here's one I put together today; the 2nd in what I think will become a series. It's just too much fun! I think I could get into this size...it helps me feel better about the ones that have been in progress for years and years!

To decide what I want to do I look at examples in my books and on-line. I study their characteristics, variations and use of color. The bars design seems to always have an uneven number of strips.

I used five colors of solid cotton. The little corner squares are a slightly brighter purple. The vertical strips finish at 2".



Here are a few vintage bed size examples from the collection at the IQSC

No Corner Squares

Triangle border

Triple bars

And some variations making use of small leftovers:

Inspired to work with solids in the Amish look? 

 Visit The International Quilt Study Center

Type "Amish" in your search to see 340 examples!

Here I Go Again.....Starting New Projects

Even though you all know I have lists filling literally pages (you've seen 'em) of 'old' projects/UFO's, or as Lynn calls them 'Works in Progress"...it IS a New Year and it's energizing to be starting a New Project.....or two.... okay, I happen to have three small quilts in mind.
I've chosen a theme for each month this year - a way to remind myself to  experiment and add freshness to my on-going projects.

January is Amish style.Here is an assortment of fabrics I plan to use for my first design; the classic Diamond in a Square.

February is Pennsylvania German style. I pulled some pieces from my stash that should work.

In March I'm going back to the '70's.  The 1970's!! 

Where did I get all of these? 

I've had to think ahead - pre-planning these three months because I will be traveling and won't have access to my fabric stash.

 I start sewing tomorrow.....

Stay Tuned!