Potpourri

16" x 21.5"

I have just a mixture of things to share today!

I recently finished this little bow tie doll quilt. It is a printed patchwork ("cheater" print) which is a good thing as the blocks are only two inches! Now I have an example of a cheater quilt in  my growing collection of styles in doll quilt size.
Of course, these little quilts are nice for table toppers or wall decor until the right little girl and her dolly come along!

I chose the simplest possible treatment to finish this one. I machine quilted along the 'faux' seamlines between blocks and brought the back to the front, top-stitching in place by machine.



Here's the most recent addition to my vintage quilt collection. I found it on the way from Arizona to Minnesota last month. I don't know for sure what about it attracted me to it but I just liked it! Notice the placement of light and dark value blocks......c. 1945

The blocks with darker fabrics paired  (instead of a light and dark)  are set around three of the edges forming a wide visual border. It is hand pieced and hand quilted.  Along two sides pieced squares have been added.
 As my friend said, 'It may have been more aesthetically pleasing without that blue and white block... but I'm glad it's there!" I agree....it gives us something to ponder!


The backing is mostly the aqua print but there wasn't quite enough so she has put a band of the white print at both the top and the bottom.  The size of the pieces she has seamed together may mean she used feed sacks.

...and I found two little articles of children's clothing I couldn't pass up...

Isn't this a sweet little dress? The amount of work put into a garment for such a young child is amazing to me. Bias trim, lace and little button closures.
Several pieces of fabric have been pieced together to get enough for the back!

 ...and  a precious little 'romper' in blue chambray and a woven plaid. I do mean little. It measures only 12" long.  Again, the detail; matched plaids on the front of the collar, a little pocket, pleated 'tie' and elasticized puffy sleeves. What the moms of that day wouldn't have given for the knit 'onesies' of today! I bet the babies would prefer them too. It doesn't even have snaps at the crotch! Yikes.

Both the dress and romper have hand made button holes.

Rompers or playsuits like this were popular wear for children the first half of the 20th century. 

Thanks for visiting! Happy Spring!

"Cheater" Doll Quilt - Quick and Easy!

I am very backed up on posting so things will be out of order for awhile! I did receive a special Christmas gift I want to share with you and my promised 2013 wrap-up and some thoughts on the coming year...but yesterday I did what I often do. I got excited to make up a little doll quilt after seeing a vintage cheater on the Crib and Doll Quilts Facebook page. Ann Hermes has been sharing her amazing collection there recently.  Take a look at her blog, too. She is really into doll quilts and Pennsylvania related items.
I knew I had several pretty cute cheater prints in a small scale. I can't think of a quicker way to make a quilt! I added two simple borders.

16.5" x 22"

Here's a closer look. The little blocks are just 2" square.
I plan to use some light blue wool yarn I have for ties at each intersection. Then I'll wash it a time or two so the yarn balls up. I love that look.








By the way, fabrics that have been printed to look like patchwork (or even applique) are nothing new in this OR the previous century! They have been around since the late 1800's at least. Perhaps the best term to use is 'printed patchwork'. You may have also heard 'faux patchwork'....'cheater' seems to have a negative connotation!

Here's a wholecloth in printed patchwork in the collection of the International Quilt Study Center in Lincoln, NE.

c. 1880










Here's one my non-sewing mother made after finding lots of printed fabric at a yard sale. She used it on both sides and tied it with red yarn. I love it!

Do you see the seam down the middle?

Looks like the 1970's 

So there you have it...a quick blog post on a quick way to make a quilt!

Here's wishing you all wonderful, quilt-filled 2014!

I'm still here!

Hello again dear blog readers!

I apologize for disappearing after a busy March...and now April is over. I won't make any excuses although I do have some great ones, trust me...but I'll just show you a few things I'm working on.

Here's my Scottie Dog crib quilt in progress. ( Full view of the top in this previous post.)  I am hand quilting in a plaid design with rust thread. I wanted the quilting to be part of the design element of the quilt and I'm happy with how it looks. When each stitch is so visible I find it easier (and more important!) to concentrate on 'even and straight'. I hope to improve as I go AND I hope to be showing you the finished quilt soon!

32" x 37"

I also put together a little quilt top for an upcoming baby shower. I will baste and machine quilt this one as it needs to be done soon!
I found the pattern in Quilt Along with Emilie Richards. She writes the Shenandoah series of fiction with quilt related themes and has put out pattern books for the quilts in her novels. I adapted the border.

14.5" x 22"

Then one day I washed a little doll quilt I found on my travels. Sometimes I look for things to avoid doing real work!

c. 1900   Machine quilted

I decided I just had to have it clean. I knew the brown stains would be unlikely to be improved but it was filthy. I hand washed with Orvus soap, spun in the washer and then laid flat to dry outdoor with a light cotton dish towel over it. I put it in the dryer for 10 minutes on low to fluff it a bit after it was dry. Considering it was made about 100 years ago I think it turned out fine...risky but I did it.

Here's the back - a printed patchwork some call 'cheater' fabric but I learned at an AQSG seminar that 'printed patchwork' is a more descriptive and appropriate term..and I agree.




I am wrapping up my appraisal business and finishing up work from the Northfield and Mankato quilt shows in Minnesota. I hope to have MORE time to sew and share my passion for textiiles and quilts with you very soon.

Thanks for stopping by!

"Flower Power" - Baby's Blocks Quilt Completed

17" x 21"

Here's my completed tribute to the 1970's. This time period was my March theme choice. See that post here.


It's hand pieced and quilted. 
I used poly batting which would have been typical of what was being used at the time and I like the effect in this design because the blocks do puff out a bit giving them more dimension. 


I have to say I didn't like quilting it - the needle slides too easily after being used to working with cotton or at least 80/20 blend.

I debated on how to finish the edges. I didn't want to just cut them straight and add a 'slab' border. I wanted the piece to really be a one-patch. Yet I felt it needed something.
The choice of the solid blue partial blocks at the top and bottom was influenced by......

this one patch top which I shared in a post last April.  Partial solid blue lozenge blocks were used for a straight edge at top and bottom.








...and by this quilt I made in 1976. Some of these same fabrics are in Baby's Blocks!


That blue just seemed to work in both cases. Of course, this fabric was a poly blend. Not much in cotton solids to choose from as I recall. 

 Oh. Good news to report. My Alzheimer's piece is SOLD!