BTCT # 17 and # 4

I got home from the East Coast Tues night and I had another plane to catch Thurs so that left me little time to get anything done except a massage and shopping for some new clothes and packing. So I prepared a few 1/4 inch bias strips before going away last week with my husband on a 5 day business trip to rainy Wisconsin. I decided to do this block because it looked very simple and I was able to take some freezer paper and extra fabric to make the leaves. Most hotels now have irons and ironing boards available. I was counting on this. However, I forgot to take the cheddar so had to wait until I got home to complete it. I did not mark the stitching lines this time, just cut a careful scant 1/4 inch around the freezer paper shape and pinned the leaves into position using the full layout sheet that I did remember to pack. I had drawn a single line down the middle of the stems and positioned the leaf ends to line up inside. I started it Sat night and had all the leaves stitched Sun afternoon sitting in the 8th floor hospitality room overlooking the Mighty Mississippi  where 3 rivers come together and empty into it at La Crosse Wisconsin. The water level raised over 12 inches due to the rain each day we were there.

I pinned the stems into place and pulled it out at the youth banquet that evening. The lighting was kind of poor, so we lined up several tea lights in front of me and I happily stitched down the stems. I only had to unstitch about an inch where I missed the placement over the bottom right stem. I managed to thread my #10 milliners needle several times until I dropped it, so it was game over with about 2 inches to go. I completed it the other night. I chose the Dear Jane 2 cheddar because it was preshrunk and sitting on the top of the project box.
 

 

BTCT # 17

Block 14 is one of the unique patterns that endeared this quilt to me. It is not the simplest to make. I had originally printed off the pattern at 120% for some strange reason, and could not figure out why it did not fit into the white background square. I did the same with block # 3 and have to start it over also. I had pinned the printed green bias strips onto the red print then decided to flip the fabric over for the green leaves and moved the bias strips onto the solid red. Now I think I will make some solid green bias strips and then some solid red for the top of the green leaves. I do have these bits all stitched down now but cannot take photos in the evening light so will now wait until it is complete. Again, I did not mark any lines onto the green leaves, just cut a careful scant 1/4 inch around the freezer paper pattern then needled turned the edges. I am getting to really like the needle turn applique . . . and  . . . the less prep work the better.

BTCT # 4

I picked up a used copy of Gwen Marston's book Classic Four-Block Applique Quilts at the Antique Warehouse the other day. She says that the major difference between 19th and 20th century borders is that 19th century borders were usually asymmetrical . . . and mitered borders were unheard of before 1970. Looking closely at some of the beautiful applique quilts, you often see a different pattern on each border and not perfectly placed all around. The quilt police will not be happy.

Blessings,
Chris