Saturday, October 26, 2013

It's Festival Time for Center Light

Amy of Amy's Creative Side is hosting the fall Blogger's Quilt Festival to coincide with fall Quilt Market.  You still have time to enter.  Choose a category (one of 15!) at the festival link (above), write a post about your quilt, then link it to the category you chose.  What a fun way to see lots of quilts.

I'm entering Center Light into the scrappy quilt category.


This quilt came about because I had an over-abundance of light, plain scraps.  It was either throw them out or make them into something.  I chose the latter.  I did not have a layout in mind when I began sewing the blocks.  It's the result of pure play.  I finished stitching the top a few years ago and finished hand quilting it last month.  It measures 61½" x 80".  Individual blocks measured 5" before quilting and shrinkage in the washer.

You can see how scrappy some of the light blocks are from the two below.  I was just trying to use up the little pieces.



Here are two more views.



You can join the fun by viewing the quilts and/or by entering one of your quilts in whatever category seems right.   

Doesn't everyone love a festival, especially when we can miss the hustle and bustle of people packed elbow to elbow and just enjoy the sights?!  I know I do.  Now that I've finished this post I'm headed over to see the other entries in the festival.

Enjoy!

--Nancy.

P.S.  Here are links to all the categories:  baby quiltthrow quiltscrappy quiltgroup/bee quilttwo color quiltROYGBIV quilt, applique quilthand quilted quilthome machine quilted quiltprofessionally quilted quiltquilt photographerart quilt, doll/mini quiltwall hangingbed quilt.
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Friday, October 25, 2013

To Keep Her Heart from Breaking

Imagine America's prairie before there were automobiles, before there were highways, roads, or dirt paths; before towns or stores.  Imagine back to a time when the prairies were unsettled and unclaimed and horses pulled wagons with all of one's possessions to new homestead land.


Imagine a little sod hut settled on that wide, open land where one could see for miles and miles and not see another person for months and months.

A pioneer woman sat beside her husband on the wagon as he drove to their new home.  When they finally arrived at their land her husband stopped the wagon and, looking at the barren land on which sat a tiny sod hut, he said, “Isn’t that the most beautiful sight you’ve ever seen?”

I believe I might have wept.  No matter what one's prior circumstance was, to move to a sod hut would probably be worse. 

Pioneer women had one thing in common:  hardships. Bad weather, threat of Indian attacks, pestilence, disease.  "One hardship that we tend to overlook is isolation.  Picture a pioneer's little cabin, several hundred miles away from any semblance of civilization and the nearest neighbor often many miles away.  The emotional support of a friend was not easily found.  These pioneer women provided emotional sustenance to their families but had no one to whom they could turn.  Their exhausted husbands could not, in many cases, meet their emotional needs....  Perhaps that is why they eagerly turned to quilting.  Very few crafts provide both utilitarian and aesthetic functions like quilting."

The story of the pioneer couple and the description of isolation among pioneer women reminds me of something a very old pioneer woman said about quilting.

I quilted as fast as I could
to keep my family warm and
as beautifully as I could

to keep my heart from breaking.


Most of us have it easier these days than did the pioneer women of 150 years ago.  We quilters probably all quilt as beautifully as we can, but to sit and sew a quilt without a pressing need for one is a luxury.  It's certainly a luxury I generally take for granted -- at least until I pause and reflect on the blessings in my life.  To have fabric at hand or the means and proximity to a store to buy fabric is a wonderful blessing.

It snowed here yesterday.  Not much, just a few flakes, just enough to remind me that winter will arrive soon.  I'm grateful I'm not physically isolated from others and that I don't have the pressing need to make quilts to keep my family warm.   I feel grateful for nearby friends to visit; for telephones to visit with friends and family who don't live nearby; and for the internet which connects me to distant blogging friends whom I have never met.  And I'm grateful I don't live in a sod hut!

~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~
Sources:
  • The image of the field with bales of straw/hay was taken in Iowa in 2005.
  • The image of the sod hut was photographed by Jason who generously made it available at Flickr for posting with attribution and credit.
  • The story about the homesteaders and the tiny sod hut was told in Lillian Schlissel's book, Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey.  (Page number not recorded.)
  • The quotes about pioneer women/isolation and quilting beautifully come from "The Pioneer Spirit," an essay by Mike Hartnett in Kathy Lamancusa's book, Quilts Are Forever.
  • Crossed Ts Quilt:  International Quilt Study Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008.040.0059.

--Nancy.
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Wednesday, October 23, 2013

What You See Depends on What You're Looking For

When I look for the diagonal lines in this layout, I find them.  When I look for bright snowballs, I see those.  When I look for reds, or blues, or greens, that's what I see.  Interesting, isn't it?  Perhaps that means there's no focal point?  I don't know if that's good or bad.  I guess the only time we really see a whole quilt at one time is when it's posing for a photograph.  Otherwise, we see bits and pieces when it's in use or when it's folded.  Still, I like the idea of the pieces of a quilt working together to make a unified whole.


Because it's a quilt for a baby girl I wanted to make one that's a little feminine and light/bright but not too bright.  My fabrics run toward darks and brights with not many in between.  I tried to limit the palette to reds/roses/pinks, blues, greens, and yellows.  A few peaches and turquoisey fabrics crept in, too, all from what I had on hand.

The blocks are 5" before sewn, will be 4½" after being sewn.  Without borders the quilt would be only 31½" x 41½" which I think is too small for a baby quilt.  I'll add a border, maybe two, and I'm thinking of adding applique flowers, vine, and leaves.  We'll see...

Just to say:   masking tape has its limits on a design wall when it comes to using a wall in your house.  I didn't count but my guess is that about 20 sticks is the limit.  I've moved some of these blocks around a lot and have had to replace the masking tape.  Ha.

If you have any thoughts about changes to improve this little quilt, I'd love to read them.

I'm linking this post to WOW at Esther's Blog and WiP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.  Thank you, Esther and Lee.

--Nancy.
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Tuesday, October 22, 2013

Snowball and Nine Patch:  Four Variations

I always find it interesting that so many variations can be created from a single quilt pattern.
The four patterns above are all created from 9-patch blocks alternating with snowball blocks.  How different they look! 

The two on the top row both have dark-on-the-corner 9-patches.  The snowballs on the left have dark triangles in the corners.  The snowballs on the right have light triangles in the corners. 

The two on the bottom row both have light-in-the-corner 9-patches but the snowballs on the left have dark triangles in the corners and the snowballs on the right have light triangles in the corners.

The patterns that are catty-corner from each other have colors in opposite positions.  It may depend on your own vision what stands out to you or what you see first. 

When I look at the top left pattern the first thing I see are the diagonal crosses.  In all the other patterns, I see the snowballs first.  If I squint I can see the white diagonal crosses in the lower right pattern.


Turn these patterns on the diagonal and it almost looks like there are four different patterns.

How about you?  Do you notice how different patterns can look when the colors and/or lights/darks change places.  What do you see when you look at these patterns? 

--Nancy.
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Monday, October 21, 2013

My Least Favorite Sewing Chore . . .

. . . is oiling my mother's old black Singer.


I don't like the smell of oil or the mess when the oil drips from the bottle (no matter how careful I am).  I'm always afraid I'll miss some and get oil on whatever I'm sewing.


I have the original manual with oiling instructions.  The illustrations are excellently rendered drawings but some of the little arrows that point to the spots to oil just don't seem too clear.

Still, it has to be done and I'm grateful to have the machine and that it's in good working order.  So I oil.

And when I'm finished, my mother's old black Singer just purrs.

How about you?  Do you enjoy oiling your machine?  What's your least favorite sewing chore?

--Nancy.
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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Impromptu Design Wall

The board I usually use for a small design wall still has some other blocks on it.  These nine-patches were small enough that I just started taping them to a section of wall near the sewing machine.  It's not a very large section, but then this quilt won't be very large, either.


I made another 12 blocks today for a total of 34 (having removed 2 from what I had yesterday).  I haven't decided on size yet so I don't know how many I'll need.  And I'm still playing with the colors.  (The colors in the photo are not true.)  The blocks will finish at 4½".  If I use alternate plain blocks I'll need half as many as if I used only nine-patch blocks.  In a way, I wish I could make tiny nine-patches but I just don't think I have the time to make enough AND hand quilt the quilt before baby arrives.

So, that's may work in progress this week.  Plain and simple.

I'm linking to WOW at Esther's Blog and WiP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced.  Thanks, ladies, for hosting.

--Nancy.
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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Nine-Patch: It's a Start

I started my grandbaby's nine-patch in brights and lights (and a few darks the photograph tells me).  Grand-baby-girl is due early in January and I want to finish a quilt for her before she comes. 

Blocks are cut at 2".  I started with 2½" blocks and decided they were too big.  I think baby quilts need baby-size blocks, and even 2" squares seem a little large but I don't think I have enough time to make more blocks and get the quilt finished, so 2" blocks it is.

Above and below is my progress so far and it's possible that after a few more blocks I'll change my mind and make a completely different quilt.  Possibilities for this nine-patch are 2" sashing and corner blocks or snowballs alternating with the nine-patches.  If I do snowballs I think I would choose fabric in a medium tone so I could add light triangles on the corners.  I've also thought about appliqueing flowers around a border.  We'll see how manage with the time I have.

A few more blocks in progress.  I need more yellow blocks, for sure.  None sewn yet.

I've already cut some strips to sew but have to pair them up with light/dark fabrics as needed. 

When I go scrappy it just seems to get crazy.  I can't limit my colors and fabrics.  On the other hand, when I make more than enough blocks it makes it easier to eliminate some that don't seem to work well, so I guess there is some control.

I'm linking this post to Quarter 4 Finish-A-Long at She Can Quilt with the intention of having it sewn (whatever baby quilt it turns out to be), layered, quilted, and bound by the end of December.

--Nancy.
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Sunday, October 13, 2013

Quilter, or Not?

Lilypad Quilting is holding a Go to Jail linky party.  She asks us if we're really quilters and she wants us to show her the evidence.  In particular, I think she wants us to show her quilts in use around our homes.  I say, just because there are lots of quilts around a person's house doesn't make that person a quilter.  I have to say that because there aren't many quilts in use around our house.  I haven't finished but a few quilts and all except two I've given away.   And I haven't made any small quilts (except baby quilts) to hang or use in my home.  So here's the evidence that I'm a quilter.

a short stack of quilt tops awaiting backing, batting, & quilting

a small table cover made many years ago (two layers, no batting)
which is now much faded after years of use

two quilts on the couch - one on the back and one I was taking a nap under

a collage of the glorious mess that is my workspace

and I almost forgot two crib-size quilts

So what do you think?  Enough evidence to call me a quilter?

If you'd like to participate in this linky party, go to Lilypad Quilting, read the rules (which are also copied below), write and publish a blog post, then link your post and follow the rest of the rules.  I think it's fun to see quilts in use in others' homes.

Rules from Lily Pad Quilting:
1. Write a blog post or create a Flickr collage (instructions can be found at Flickr, or on youtube). Then join our linky party here at the Lilypad, and leave a comment to let us know you are partying with us!
2. Towards the end of the week, make sure that you have visited and left some comment love for all of your fellow party-goers. Leave a comment to tell us that you did.
3. Stop in at FabricsNQuilts and leave a comment telling what is calling your name!
4. Travel through cyberspace and check out the gallery at OleFrogEyes, and tell us whose quilt you just love! (Click on a letter, like "J" or "S" and then check out the quilters' projects....tsk, tsk, some of them haven't posted yet, but many of them have! Enjoy! (And leave a comment at the Lilypad Quilting post)
5. You don't have to be a follower to win, but we'd love to have you, and we'll allow another entry if you follow and leave a comment to let us know!

--Nancy.
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Monday, October 7, 2013

When Inspiration Doesn't Strike...

...I hem and haw and brainstorm for a day or so.  (Maybe it's not lack of inspiration that's the problem but indecision.  Indecision is the curse of the perfectionist but for this post I'm claiming it as lack inspiration.)  If inspiration still doesn't strike after a thoughtful day or so I look at the quilt photos I've pinned on a pinterest board or two. 


This simple 9-patch quilt inspires me.  Yes, it's simple but it's filled with love and beautiful fabrics.  It has a spontaneity that I admire very much.  The fabrics don't "match" but they work together so well.  It takes me back to my very first quilting experiences when I was barely aware of other quilt patterns.  It's a simple, easy-to-make pattern that's nearly impossible to ruin (unless one has absolutely no color sense). 

I have a grandbaby coming in a few months and I want to make her a quilt that's sweet and feminine but not girly.  She may turn out to be a girly girl but we'll let her decide that later.  A new baby just needs a warm, inviting quilt for her mom to snuggle around her.

I found this lovely quilt at Blogging, patchwork, memories ..., a post written by Carolyn Parker where she shares her memories of making the quilt and shows close-ups of some of the blocks and fabrics.  Carolyn is an author, rose gardener, and exquisite photographer.  At Rose Notes she posts photographs of roses, shows how she photographed many of them, and shares photography tips.  I think I can learn something from her about taking better photographs for my blog.

Thank you, Carolyn, and thank you Pinterest!

I'll post my fabrics and some blocks soon. 

--Nancy.
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