Granny's Garden Walk

Granny's Garden Walk

Are you ready for another Granny Rose block? She had two completed samples of this one in different sizes. The nine patch block is based on 54-40 or Fight design, but has been known by several names over the years. In 1939, it was published as Garden Walk; in 1969 it went by Bird of Paradise; some call it Grandmother's Star when colors are arranged to emphasize the star points.

Mine is a 12” finished block, and as usual, I used Electric Quilt 8 to design and Accuquilt dies to cut the pieces. The 2 ½” square value die for center and corner four patches and the 4” finished triangle in square die went together perfectly. 

Lydia Rose's Garden Walk blocks

I chose four 1930's era colors in two shades each: sunny yellow, luscious lavender, true blue, and grass green, with white for all the triangles.

Granny's Garden Walk is 48” square. I arranged the colors diagonally and decided not to use sashing between the squares. I like the secondary design where the corners come together. 

Quilting was done with white thread, using a walking foot to stitch lines in a lightly flowing wave pattern. Backing is a tiny lattice print in light lavender and white; binding is white.

Start to finish, this took me seven days, working on it several hours every day. I still had time for walks, housework (basics only), and errands.  

A week of sewing = one happy quilter!

A day without quilting

probably won't kill me,

but why take the risk?

Sparkling Jewels

I am having so much fun adapting vintage quilt blocks to Accuquilt dies! Today's design, Sparkling Jewels, is from Progressive Farmer Magazine. Granny Rose probably clipped it in the 1950's but the design has been seen since the 1930's. You could order the pattern for 15 cents. 

I used these dies: Kite, 2 ½” square, and 2 ½” half square triangle. I added the HST to the wide end of the kite and cut extra sides to make the border pieces. It makes a 12" block. Using EQ8 allows me to set the block sizes, edit and draw cutting lines, and experiment with color choices.

My test block was good, so I added a border and made a quilted cover for my sewing room desk chair. I'll add more contrast for the kite sides next time. A larger Sparkling Jewels quilt is on my ever growing project list.

I recently bought BlockBase software, adding 4400 blocks to my EQ library. BlockBase gives alternate block names and publishing dates. I will never run out of options now! I'm designing much faster than I can sew.  

I get so caught up that I have to set alarms to remind me to eat and get in my daily walk.  

The ultimate dream in life 

is to be able to do what you love 

and learn something from it.

++++

If you are not doing what you love,

you are wasting your time. 

~Billy Joel

Sampling Designs

Fancy Flowers pattern

I see design ideas everywhere. Magazines, blogs, Facebook, Pinterest and nature are my favorite inspirations for color and block layouts. 

Lately I've been experimenting with Accuquilt dies to reproduce vintage blocks. My resources are Granny Rose's clippings from Progressive Farmer magazine and Nashville Tennessean newspapers. I also search online for photos of vintage quilts.

Lydia Rose block

Before starting a new project, I usually sew a test block to see how it will look, especially if it is new to me. I also use EQ8 to design and test color combinations.  If that block doesn't end up in a quilt, I keep it in my sample drawer or make something useful out of it.

I found Fancy Flowers in Granny Rose's pattern shoebox, complete with templates and notes of how many to cut of each fabric. She also had one completed block in a lovely yellow, green and navy color combination.

Fancy Flowers - my version

My scrappy version is cut with Accuquilt Lemoyne Star, 4½” half square triangle, 2½” square and strip dies. I made an 18½” table mat with the sample, quilted with several decorative stitches. You may see this pattern again in a larger quilt.

I am thankful to Lydia Fort Rose for her quilts, and to Hazel Rose Ireland for saving these bits and pieces of patterns and scraps. Using them to sew new quilts brings me joy.

Double Time

Double Time

Bright crayon colors outlined with white give this quilt a happy feeling. I created double hourglass blocks using two Accuquilt dies: 6 ½” and 3 ½” half square triangles. I had this design idea while working on the small hourglass quilt a few weeks ago.

The border is made up of 2 ½” squares with 2 ½” x 4 ½” rectangles, also cut with AQ dies. I quilted in white thread, using a decorative stitch on the sashing and outlining each square with a straight stitch.  Backing is a blue and white tablecloth check print. Binding is blue and white dots. Double Time finished out at 41” x 51” size, lovely for a wall hanging or child's quilt.

I put a tiny dent in my remnant stash with this one. It gave me an opportunity to sort and cut a few more scraps before I put everything away. I've been making an effort to clean up my space between projects. It's so nice to have clear tables and everything in its place!

You never know

what you have

until you clean out

your closets