This
lovely fan is another old block that I requested from Blue
Wren. It is based on a Laura Wheeler design called Pride of the
North. I used coral, cream and black colors that remind me of
oriental wall hangings.
After
sewing the four blocks, I set them on point, then added two borders
and setting triangles for framing. I straight stitched along the fan
seams and filled in the curves and borders with free motion quilting
using white thread.
The
backing repeats the cute cat print from the center fan blade. Callie
would have loved sleeping on this. The final touch is a white and
black thin striped binding. Oriental
Fans finished out at 40” square.
I
have several color selections laid out in EQ8 for this block. There are just not enough hours in the day to sew and finish all my quilt
ideas!
Dies
used:
Blue
Wren
6981 Abaniko
12” block
Accuquilt
55054
Strip 4½”
55017
Strip 2½”
I
don't have a quilt to share this week!
It's
not because I haven't been sewing...I have three quilts started and
another ready to cut. They're just not finished.
Things keep
getting in the way: yard work, spring cleaning, birthday celebration,
appointments, delays, and odd little distractions.
At
first it stressed me out, but life is too short to fret over
self-imposed deadlines. So I've been going with the flow, taking care
of essentials, and letting go of expectations. It's very freeing to
change my routine and consider new options.
Maybe
that's just what I needed. Perhaps the universe was trying to get me
to slow down and pay attention. Reflection and mindfulness turned out to be my birthday gift to myself. See ya next week!
Here's
a sweet quilt that reminds me of April rain and flower blooms.
I
used batiks of shades of peony pink, lavender, sky blue, light teal,
sunny yellow and grassy green for triangles to accent the calm gray
pin dots.
The backing is pieced using a white and gray wood grain
print, strips of 3” x 6” rectangles, along with a section of gray
dots.
Signs
of Spring is 48” square. I quilted with pale gray thread, doing
free motion scribbles diagonally across the blocks. The die is
another new design from Blue Wren, called X-Quisite.
April
is one of my favorite months. I just feel energized when the weather
is warm, with flowers blooming. And, my birthday is in a few days. I
think cake and ice cream should be on the menu, don't you?
Dies
used:
Blue
Wren 6656 X-Quisite 6” finished
Accuquilt
55005
Rectangle 3” x 6” finished
55017
Strip 2½” binding
I've
always been a collector of stuff. One of my favorite
acquisitions is, of course, fabric. Vintage fabric, like feed sacks
or 36” wide cotton, makes me happy.
Today's
quilt has me grinning from ear to ear. The block, Grandmother's Pride,
was published as a Laura Wheeler mail order pattern sometime in the
1930's, 40's, or 50's. It is also called Empress.
I
sent a request to Norma Grimmer at Blue Wren to make a die for this
block and I got it last month from Australia.
I chose feed sacks
that coordinate with tomato red cotton and natural muslin to recreate
this quilt that looks like those our grannies made. One of the sacks
actually came from Granny Rose, the others I bought at estate sales. I added two reproduction fabrics.
The
blocks sewed together beautifully. I rotary cut the setting triangles
around the outside. A homespun navy and blue tiny floral makes great
backing and binding. With medium beige thread, I used a scallop stitch 1½” apart
diagonally across the quilt. It measures 50” x 55”.
Keepsakes
seemed the right name for this one. I like that my feed sacks are
useful again, and that I can enjoy the family tradition of quilting.
I'm pretty sure the grannies would be proud. Thanks Norma and Edward
for helping me reproduce vintage quilts! (I have the fan block in
progress.)
Blue Wren dies used:
6983
Grandmother's Pride 12” block
6720
Magic Strips 1” - 9½”
This
lovely fan is another old block that I requested from Blue
Wren. It is based on a Laura Wheeler design called Pride of the
North. I used coral, cream and black colors that remind me of
oriental wall hangings.
