Two Color Graphics (and the Benefits of a Study Group)

Here are the two most recent additions to my quilt collection. I am a sucker for two color quilts. Blue and white is especially graphic but I like them all.

Hearts and Gizzards - Dutch Rose - Springtime Blossoms
Take your pick

At the end of October I was on my way home from our Minnesota study group museum field trip with a fellow quilt lover. Of course, we had to stop here and there even though both of us insist we are cutting back on collecting. There are times, however, that you just may come across something really special or very reasonable or...well, you know the rest.

I found this sweet little quilt and it fit into three categories that I'm interested in:

1. Two Color 
2. Crib Size (46" x 52")
3. Machine Quilted-specifically a particular type of machine quilting seen here on the back of this quilt.

 

I believe it was done on something called a 'jig'; a forerunner of today's long-arm machine. I think it operated something like the John Flynn system but I need to do more research on it. I've seen the same designs on several quilts.

Here are a few more photos with this type of quilting from my collection. I don't have very good photos - hopefully if you click to enlarge you can see the design better.

 If you know more about this machine quilting I'd love to hear from you.

78" square

And this is the quilt I got last week. I saw an estate sale sign on the way to our study group meeting on wool quilts (in the last post). Darn. I thought - I better pass it up and get to the meeting. However, I was early! The library we meet in wasn't even open yet. So....yup! I turned around and went back to the sale. I knew my time was short so I quickly asked when I walked in,  "Any quilts?" The lady at the door thought so - in the basement. I spied this from the bottom step -  folded on a couch. I moved in hoping I didn't have to elbow anyone out of the way.....but luckily there was no competition and the price was right.

The same crescent moon indigo print is used throughout with plain white. 

It's hand quilted with a feathered wreath in the plain blocks and straight diagonal crossed lines in the checkerboard.

I really like the triple border; especially the way the corners just go off the end. 

Maybe it's a good thing that we don't have another meeting until spring.

Coming Up: December? Yikes!

The Won-derful One Patches - A Quilt Show

All of these quilts are from my collection and are made with just one template shape. From simple to complex, I enjoy seeing what can be achieved within that limitation. I've included some close-ups as well as the full quilt because I love studying the fabrics. You can click any image for an even closer look.
Vintage first........

Squares - Random                                                      1890-1920        5.5" squares

The fabric band across the top is sometimes called a 'whisker guard'. It's been tacked over those top few rows to project the quilt from getting soiled or abraded with beards and body oils. It can be easily removed for washing. I think it's a great idea. I often see it on vintage wool quilts which were not washed. It would also keep the scratchy wool from your face.

I won it at the AQSG silent auction in Minnesota last fall; a donation from the Sally Garoutte collection.

Though very plain and utilitarian in design, it has many really interesting fabrics! It is  unused and unwashed. I think it has a wool batting. 

These papers were pinned to the back.  It appears that Sally (or someone) got it in Flint, MI in 1973 for $15. I thought I got a great deal on the price but I did pay more than that!









Squares - Random
67" x 82"  
I know I've shown this one before but it IS a one patch. Squares are sewn in 4-patch units
                                                                               c. 1950  Fun Fabrics!



















Squares -Trip Around the World 
c. 1945
67" x 84"                                                                        More Fun Fabrics!!



Hexagons  - Billions and billions of hexagons! I didn't realize I had so many examples!
         
Grandmother's Flower Garden                        
c. 1930  
72" x 86"                    

Hexagons measure1/2" on a side

Random Hexagons 
c. 1885
75" x 88"

Almost a charm quilt - only two duplicates found to date; a brown print  (that took over a year to find! ) and one and a half 'cheddar' solids.





More and more hexagons ....

Fancy Hexagons

Velvets, velveteens, satins and silks.


This unfinished fragment was done in the English paper pieced style still has the papers in place on the outer edges. You can see the basting

Crib and Doll Examples

Grandmother's Flower Garden Crib Quilt
34" x 42"


This somewhat atypical arrangement of colors creates stars (squint) but only hexagons are used.

I  don't see too many of this popular Depression era style in crib size.





Simple Squares
22" square
c. 1950

Tied

This little quilt is reversible. It's been used and loved. It has no batting.













Squares - Checkerboard

Hand quilted

c. 1940
34" x 42"


The combination of a two color quilt in a simple checkerboard arrangement is always effective. Quilters today don't use plain solids like they did years ago but I like them.

Add even very basic quilting and you have a classic.







Triangles



Doll Quilt
10" x 14"
c. 1980










Dolly Quilt
15" x 22"

I use this as a cover for my sewing machine. It's a perfect size.

And a few that I've made:

Applecore
47" x 63"
I used fabrics from an internet swap of 5" squares. There are lots of plaids and checks but I thought the addition of calico prints made it more interesting.

Trip Around the World 

50" x 66"

 Made for a long time friend who loved to travel but was unable to do so - she was battling cancer. 

Triangles
29" square




 I used a packet of squares from a quilt shop promotion for this one patch. I saw an project in a magazine where you cut the squares diagonally and make two identical piles and then arranged them to make two quilts. I thought it would be fun to see how different the results can be using exactly the same triangles. Well, it really would be fun to see - maybe someday I'll get the other one done!

In Progress:

 This is another doll size quilt - I'm auditioning borders now. The squares are 1" finished. I love using the little leftovers.

It was inspired by a quilt I saw ...somewhere!
Do you have tons of photos of quilts you want to make?



Here's one of the bulletin boards in my sewing room.

Oh - I almost forgot the very first quilt I ever made!!!

Another Trip Around the World; this time in rainbow colors for my first born son, the one wrapped up in it! We had limited fabric choices for quilting in1976. Solids are poly blends and of course a poly batting. It's tied at the intersections. And here are my two little darlings enjoying it! That's what it's all about!!

The Tumbler quilt in my last post started all this. There are many more shapes used than I have in my collection.

How many one-patch quilts are in your collection?

Medallion Update - Almost there!

I first posted about my medallion project last May. Click here if you'd like to go back and see that first post.  Also, see July for the first update.

I  have now added the red coping strips and another round of checkerboard squares.  I appliqued circles in the four corners of that border to bring in the compass center shape, bringing it to 63" x 73".

I was so excited about the vertical hombre stripe I added to get to a rectangle but it kind of bugs me now - I may applique circles across it.....

I think I’ll be adding two 6” borders  all around to give me my finished size.
Now I have some thinking to do - I want to use large enough pieces to feature some of the interesting prints in the collection. I’m leaning toward the final border being triangles. I'd like to get the top completed relatively soon.....

Meanwhile, here’s a small medallion I did last year. It's hanging on the wall in my kitchen/dinette.

36" x 36"

The center appliqué block is a Lori Smith pattern. I just kept going around it with different borders or frames – my first taste of the dreaded 'MEDALLION MATH'…and quite a challenge when I decided I had to have the pinwheel round 'on point'.

HAND QUILTED

Even with some previous experience, my bed size medallion is not proving to be that much simpler. The planning holds me up – there are so many options and no one ‘right’ way which is both the good and the bad news!

COMING SOON: TWO NEW (OLD) TOPS