Oct 1, 2013 New Quilt Project

Its Oct 1, 2013 and a very good day to begin a new quilt project. I have SSSSSOOOOO many fabrics left over from my Dear Jane  quilt that I am planning to use them to make my very first ever reproduction quilt that I am drafting from a colour picture of a quilt that was started  . . .  now wait for it . . .
Oct 1, 1813.
Can you tell I am a history buff?
                            and a bit left brained.
I really like doing the drafting and figuring out how a quilt goes together. Copyright forbids me taking a photo and posting it so we shall see how this unfolds in the coming weeks.

These are the first ones that will go through the Go cutter and YES, I bought the whole bolt of the background fabric several years ago in preparation for a Baltimore quilt that is UFO # 32 but who is counting? It is another one that looks aged and stained. With my track record in doing laundry, I probably could take some unbleached  muslin out to the barn and wrap a cow in it for a few days then wash it and it just might be the right colour.

 Blessings,
Chris

CCCQ Block #13

Progress on the Polish lessons and block 13 is coming along nicely. I have learned how to say hello, introduce myself, count to 20, ask directions to the bathroom and order cake at the confectionery. All very important things to know.                                           

 

This is a close up of the stitching. I basted the large red fabric onto the background then drew the design on. I am cutting away between the lines one leaf at a time and making a small cut into the seam allowance on the inside curves to help it turn under more smoothly. As you can see, the distance between some of the lines is about 1/8 of an inch, so needle turning is my best choice here.

I am using a few 3/4 inch applique pins to hold each leaf in place until I stitch past each one then move it on to the next one. I try not to have too many pins in the fabric so I do not prick myself as I move my hands. I am rolling up the extra fabric from the back to the front to avoid catching it with the needle as I stitch. I am particularly aware of this today as I had to un-sew a bit and redo it.

 

The background fabric is one that looks aged and stained. I hunted a long time to find just the right thing for a reproduction quilt project and  when I did find it 3 years ago in a small shop outside of Lancaster Pennsylvania, I bought the whole 15 yard bolt for $2.50 per yard.

Blessings,
Chris

What's wrong with this picture?

A group of us meet here at the Farm Saturday mornings to Quilt at the Farm. Four years ago we started the Dear Jane journey dearjane.com . Jane A. Stickle completed her original quilt in War Time 1863 making 169 four and a half inch blocks, 52 triangles and 4 corner kites using a total of 5602 pieces of fabric.
I finally completed the 169 blocks using Civil War reproduction fabrics and connected all the blocks together with 1/2" sashing strips. Then I connected the 13 rows together.  It was only after I hung it back up on the design wall to gloat over that I discovered the error . . . sigh . . . 

If I had a nickle (we no longer use pennies in Canada) for every error, I would be a rich woman. I taught the class as I was learning how to do it myself. This is truly a sampler quilt as we learned to paper piece, hand piece and at least 8 different ways to do applique. And yes, a 1/2 inch error is a serious thing I discovered when I forgot to add a sashing strip between B-5 and B-6 and had to unsew  the long sashing strips and redo them.
Blessings,
Chris

New CCCQ Quilt Start

It has been 3 weeks since I started my blog. I am still learning how to get around here. I was asked what this blog will be focusing on. The main interests in my life these days, besides family, are quilting, travel, ministry and education. I have lived on a dairy farm all my life and I never tire of this view from my desk.

It is not fair to backtrack through the 37 some quilts in progress, so I will begin where I am right now.

I am going to Poland in 2 weeks to meet some relatives for the very first time and in preparation, I am re-learning some basic Polish survival phrases. Doing the simple repetitive stiching on an applique block has kept my hands busy as my  mind is reviewing vocabulary  from my first language.

This month I joined in The Chester County Criswell  one year into the BOM (block of the month). The original  Criswell Quilt was made in 1852 for the marriage of Alice McClellan Criswell and Jesse Jackson Smith in Chester County, Pennsylvania. The present owner is a descendant and lives in Australia.
My first block is #13 Alice Criswell. This center block will finish at 24" square. This is the largest applique block I have ever attempted. I laid the 20" red print fabric right side up onto the right side of the background fabric then, basted it from corner to corner, top to bottom and side to side to hold it in place.

I traced 1/4 of the pattern onto freezer paper, folded it in half and cut out half the design. The freezer paper comes  on an 18" wide roll so I could  not do the entire pattern in one piece. Using the basting lines as a guide, I ironed it in place then traced around the design with a Frixion pen. This is supposed to disappear when heat is applied. We shall see. I then removed the paper and did the same on the other half of the fabric.

The original basting stitches are nicely holding the large piece in place as I cut away between the leaf designs. I have several tiny applique pins holding the individual leaves in place as I needle turn under the seam allowance around the markings using my favourite #10 straw or millners needle. So far, I am really happy with how it is working out.The fabric is an older Old Sturbridge Village Scarlett. I liked it so  much I bought the whole bolt. . .  enought to share.                                                                                   

 

The Chester County Criswell Quilt: Quilts in the Barn

The Chester County Criswell Quilt: Quilts in the Barn

This is my first ever blog post. It might take me awhile to figure this thing out. I have been reading blogs for a couple of years now and have discovered a great company of like minded quilters around the world. It somehow makes the world a much smaller place. It all began when I bought a book called Dear Jane by Brenda Papadakis and the rest is history. I officially started my Dear Jane quilt 4 years ago and today am connecting the completed rows. While avoiding doing homework one day, I googled DearJane and discovered That Quilt and a group of quilters around the world who have encouraged me with tutorials, colour selections, amazing new ideas in quilting. Wonder how ling it will take me to figure out how to post pictures?
blessings Chris