The Rhymeland pattern had been published in a farm newspaper as a block of the week. I did not have a fabric stash back in those days but found a big enough piece of creamy coloured cotton to cut out 20 8 inch squares to get started. I had learned how embroider in 4-H as a young teen and must have some floss from then. Come to think of it, I had embroidered pictures off my mother-in-law's teacups thinking I might eventually make a quilt and call it Forster's Tea Party. So, I was dreaming about making quilts even as a new bride in 1971.
I traced the patterns onto the cotton using (gasp) carbon paper. It seemed to work pretty good and it washed out later. I used a blue polycotton (because I did not know any better) for sashing and borders and turned the backing to the front to finish the edges. I completed it for my son's 2nd birthday. He is 38 now.
I hand quilted around the designs and did 2 rows 1/4 inch apart around the background. I found an ancient wooden quilt frame with tripod corner stands to set it up in. I entered this quilt in our local fair and was so proud to win a 3rd place ribbon out of 3 quilts. Don't snicker. I once was given a 3rd place out of 1 in the class. Judge thought my ties were too far apart on the log cabin quilt I entered several years later.
Blessings,
Chris
http://www.onlinequilter.com/Galleries/RubyMcKim/RhymeLandQuilt/tabid/262/Default.aspx
It is a sweet story and a wonderful quilt.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful first quilt :) All of those sweet embroideries must have taken a long time to finish! Thanks for linking up with me!
ReplyDeleteOh my! I m snickering and giggling out loud at your 3rd place out of 1!!! You are too hilarious and too sweet to 'fess up about that (and I may have had one glass of wine and well...'nuff said lol) This quilt though. Wow, it is so special, and hand quilted!! Thanks for linking up with TBT!
ReplyDeleteWhat a super cool story - finding an old pattern in a historic farmhouse that's been in the family forever, and making a quilt from it! I am in love with this. And hey, aren't all the quilts from the 70s full of cotton-poly? Yep, I'm laughing, too, at the 3rd out of 1 - judges'll do that in music competitions, too. . . ;D
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this lovely story about your first quilt. I do hope your family keeps this as a family heirloom do they know the story?
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, this is such a sweet story! I have to admit that I did giggle a bit at the 3rd place out of 1 bit. What a lovely quilt, full of memories! I do think I'd like to see you do the Forster's Tea Party quilt though; what a clever idea!
ReplyDeleteOh, you had me at finding the pattern in the house you moved into. How sweet!! I love how newbie quilters do things that might be considered “outrageous” (carbon paper and poly cotton) without blinking an eye. And look! That quilt did just fine! The third place out of one for your log cabin quilt is pretty funny, though. Shame on that judge! I hope you have a picture of that quilt, too, so we can ooh and aah over it.
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