Showing posts with label Granny Hill. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Granny Hill. Show all posts
Monday, July 8, 2024
Monday, August 7, 2023
Hilltop Chain
Remnants, scraps, leftovers...whatever you call them, these pieces of material have been saved in most sewing rooms for decades.
Today's
quilt is the result of a cutting session with the Accuquilt
Weathervane die and a big basket of scraps. I used shape B (pentagon)
to cut colorful prints. Shapes A and D were cut from natural muslin.
The block I sewed is a variation of a vintage one called Old Italian
Block or Mountain Peak.
What
a fun quilt to make! I used Rockette, my 1962 Singer 500A for
piecing. This one reminds me of the simple bed quilts that Granny Hill and Granny Rose sewed. Hilltop Chain is snuggle size, at 51” square.
I quilted across the muslin squares using bright variegated thread,
using a multi-stitch zig zag pattern.
I am happiest when I'm creating something new out of remnants, and when I'm experimenting with quilt designs. I promise you it's been a happy, scrappy summer at my house.
Accuquilt
dies used:
55544
Weathervane 8” finished Shapes A, B, and D
55017
Strip 2½”
Labels:
design,
experiment,
Granny Hill,
Granny Rose,
happiness,
leftovers,
quilt,
quilting,
remnants,
scraps,
vintage
Monday, May 8, 2023
Blackberry Winter

Blackberry Winter, 2023 Useful Remnants
We
had a little cold snap last week, light frost when the wild blackberries bloomed.
My granny always called it Blackberry Winter, so I decided to name this rich
purple quilt the same.

These
fabrics match so well that you'd think they were a collection, but I
bought three of them in 2018, 2019, and 2020 from different
companies. The fourth was an estate sale find this year. Neutral
gray pin dots from Marshall's Dry Goods made the perfect background
sashing and binding.
The
block is Jackaroo Star, a Blue Wren die. Since I had scraps left
after cutting, I added an extra border, cutting the small triangles from Hattie's Choice die. It was definitely worth the additional work! All piecing was done on Laney, our sweet
painted Singer 301.
For
quilting, I kept it simple, straight stitching with light gray thread
in a 2” allover grid. I used my Janome walking foot and ruler as a
guide. Blackberry Winter is 49” square.
Purple
is one of my favorite colors and this quilt turned out gorgeous. I
believe I will keep it for myself!
Dies
used:
Blue
Wren
6369 Jackaroo Star 12” block
Accuquilt
55220
Hattie's Choice 8” block (small triangles)
55017
Strip 2½” for sashing & binding
Never let a fabric scrap go to waste!
Labels:
Accuquilt,
blackberries,
Blue Wren,
color,
fabric,
Granny Hill,
purple,
quilt,
quilting,
ruler quilting,
scraps,
stitching
Monday, April 3, 2023
Keepsakes
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”
Monday, January 9, 2023
Cappuccino Blues
This yummy quilt features creamy vanilla, rich brown, clear blue and navy prints. The design may be simple but it spotlights the fabrics so well.
Each Economy block is sashed with cream and caramel swirls, which is also used for backing and binding.
All the piecing was done using Laney, my custom painted Singer 301. I
quilted on the Janome with ecru thread, stitching an allover loopy design using a
circle ruler.
Cappuccino Blues is 53” square. It certainly makes me
want to snuggle up with a hot beverage and listen to soft blues.
I love sewing vintage blocks. This one was popular in the 1930's, and is still seen often today. Depending on fabric choices, it can look modern or traditional. I think Granny Hill and Granny Rose would both approve.
Accuquilt
dies used:
55106
Square on point 3 11/16”
55147
Half square triangle 2¼”
55398
Quarter square triangle 4½”
55017
Strip 2½”
Monday, November 14, 2022
Not A Singer, But...
This vintage find is not a Singer, but it sure was an irresistible Goodwill bargain at $30.
Japan manufactured clones of the Singer model 15 and others after WWII. Universal is one of the brand names they used.
My Granny Hill used a Universal, but I'm not sure which model. This one was shiny and fairly clean, no scratches and just a couple of paint dings. Gold decor and lettering is near perfect. Not bad for a 1951 era machine.
We've
named this one Tojo, after famous Nashville wrestler Tojo Yamamoto.
Tough little machine, but the original covered wood carrying case
looked like it had gone 10 rounds and lost. It may not be
salvageable, but Jerold is going to try to glue it back together. In
the meantime I'm using a plastic base.
As
for Tojo, he was missing the bobbin case, needed a v-belt, LED bulb
(E17 screw in), and a replacement foot control. After a good service by my favorite mechanic: grease, oil and polish, he was ready to sew in
just a few days. Stitches look great after adjusting the tension.
I
did the final quilting for last week's Back To The Sixties throw on
this nice machine. We've found a few more Singers over the summer,
and they're currently on the shelf waiting for their chance to be
tuned up.
Monday, June 27, 2022
Flea Market
Oh, how I love a colorful scrappy quilt! Using remnants left over from other projects has got to be in my DNA, because I just can't stop making these bonus quilts.
This
one took a while, though, because the pieces are small and there are
a lot of seams to line up. But I can't complain...the project
kept me indoors in air conditioned comfort while our temps were near
100 degrees.
After
cutting all the print signature pieces and little muslin triangles, I
chain stitched them together without stopping to press. No iron
means a cooler room! I used Elizabeth, my sweet little Singer 404 to
get perfect stitching.
I
pressed everything early one morning and began laying them on my
design wall. I intended them to be entirely random, but I had to
shift some to balance the colors. I
sewed them together in four sections, carefully matching seams.
Flea Market ended up 58” square after I added a natural muslin 4” border. Quilting was done with my Janome MC9400. I made free motion swirls diagonally on the lattice design. For the border I stitched 2” grids following the lines of the blocks, using a ruler guide. Not perfect, but good enough!
It's a vintage look that I hope would make Granny Hill and Granny Rose proud.
Accuquilt
dies used:
55729
Signature 3½”
55818
Half Square Triangles 1½”
55054
Strips 4½”
My
idea of bliss?A
sewing machine,a
room full of fabric, and
no distractions!
Monday, October 11, 2021
Scrap Basket
Since I'm on a roll, here's another quilt made in my ongoing quest to save tiny pieces of fabric from untimely disposal.
My
favorite sizes to cut are 2½” squares and half square triangles.
This time I combined them with white muslin for a very colorful cane
weave design. Piecing was super easy and quick on Annie, my
Featherweight. I didn't pay much attention to color placement while
sewing four-patches and strips.
I
used a 60” piece of plaid shirting material for backing. Quilting
with white thread, I sewed serpentine lines 2” apart. This is a
lightweight quilt with flannel as batting.
Accuquilt
dies used:
55059
Square, multiples, 2½”
55018
Small Value die: Half Square Triangle 2½” & 4½” square
55017
Strip 2½”
55160
Rectangle 4½” x 8½”
I
learned from my mama and my granniesto
be a collector of useful things.
Labels:
Accuquilt,
color,
fabric,
Featherweight,
Granny Hill,
Granny Rose,
mama,
quilting,
remnants,
scraps,
simple,
useful
Monday, May 31, 2021
Vintage Bows
Remember those sugar sack remnants from last week?
I
couldn't wait to use them for this reproduction of one of my Granny
Hill's quilts. The bow tie block is quick and easy in the 6” size.
I added more feed sacks in yellow, red and green prints, including a scrap of Granny Rose's.
Tan
muslin squares alternated with the bow ties add to the traditional
design. I framed it with two borders, a 2” navy and cream mini
print and a 3” tan muslin on the outside. Vintage Bows finished at
53” square.

Vintage Bows
I
quilted with cream thread using a straight stitch in a 3” grid.
Backing and binding features the navy/cream print. Such a soft and
cuddly Granny quilt! It looks and feels like an antique, even though I just
finished it. Of course, most of the fabric IS vintage.

Accuquilt
dies:
55000
6” Square
55772
6” Bow Tie
55818
Half Square Triangle (6” Bow Tie set)
55017
Strips 2½”
55032
Strip 3 ½”
Joy
isa
dayspentsewing
Labels:
Accuquilt,
antiques,
feed sack,
flour sack,
Granny Hill,
Granny Rose,
happiness,
joy,
quilt,
quilting,
sewing,
sugar sack,
vintage
Monday, May 24, 2021
Sugar Sack Stars

Sugar Sack Stars - Katie Scarlett Designs
Well,
here's the first quilt from the vintage sugar sacks I bought last
month. Rose and blue prints suit this block perfectly. The only new
fabric I used is natural muslin. The pink and blue solids and backing was from 36” wide yardage,
not as old as the sacks but not new.

Sugar
Sack Stars is made up of nine blocks cut with Blue Wren's Jackaroo
Star die. I wanted a small 37” size to use as a wall hanging in my
dining room, which is furnished with early 1900's tiger oak pieces.
I decided to keep with tradition and quilt it with medium beige
thread in a free motion meandering stitch.
I
remember seeing similar designs in bed quilts made by my Granny Hill
and also Jerold's Granny Rose. By the way, I added one of Granny
Rose's sugar sacks to this one. There are many versions of the block,
including Arkansas Traveler, Travel Star, and Cowboy's Star.
Women
have used sugar sack material for years to make all kinds of useful
items. Grain sacks were sewn into dishcloths, curtains, tablecloths,
pillowcases, clothing, and of course, beautiful quilts.
I
love reproducing antique quilts, so having authentic materials is a
bonus. It was hard to cut into that first one, but I believe fabric
is intended to be used. Don't worry, I've kept a few intact. And, I
now have vintage scraps left over for my next project.
Blue
Wren Dies used:
6369
Jackaroo Star 12”
6720
Magic Strips
Monday, September 28, 2020
Effie's Challenge
A
few weeks ago I received a surprise package from my cousin Lola. I
opened it and found a quilt top and a few blocks made by our
grandmother, Effie Evitts Hill.
The
top was partially hand stitched with some seams sewn on machine using
several different colors of thread. We don't know when she made it;
it's a mixture of cotton and poly-cotton fabric in red, white, and
blue. If I had to guess, I'd say mid to late 1980's or early 90's.
It
had been washed at some point, which caused quite a few seams to
unravel, as you can see in the photo below. I wanted to keep as much of her work intact as possible,
even though many of the blocks were not square and corners didn't all
line up. It's a big 84” x 90”quilt, and quite a project to
tackle.
I
mended all those torn seams and straightened the blocks as much as I
could without taking the whole thing apart. The inner border is
puckered some because that fabric didn't shrink as much as the cotton
next to it. I had to trim off about 2” around the outer border.

I added flannel batting and plain muslin backing. Fittingly, I used Rockette, my trusty 1960's Singer Rocketeer, for all the stitching. White thread in a triple zig-zag stitch for quilting helped camouflage the uneven seams.
I
only owned one of her quilts, so it's nice to complete another that she
started. It's not perfect, but I don't think she intended it to be.
It was likely a simple bed quilt for personal use, not one to enter
at the county fair.
I
was sewing clothes but not quilting at all when she died in 1992. I
wonder, what would Granny Hill think about me finishing this one?
Thanks Lola, for sharing...it was definitely a challenge!
Sometimes,
good
enough is
good
enough
Monday, August 31, 2020
Sweet Tradition
This
little quilt is similar to some made by Granny Hill and Granny Rose.
In keeping with their tradition, I sewed it all on Rockette, my 1960's era Singer 500-A Rocketeer machine. She's a beauty and still
sews like a dream. I do have to get used to trimming my own thread
and manually raising/lowering the presser foot, but that doesn't take
long. I may be a little spoiled by modern conveniences.
Pretty
vintage style prints emphasize the old fashioned feel of time-honored
kaleidoscope or kite blocks. I combined sections of two Accuquilt
dies to give me fewer seams. These didn't take long at all to cut
and stitch. I alternated pastel and medium toned blocks to balance
the colors.
Sweet
Tradition is 40” square, perfect baby or child size. I quilted
with cream thread in a straight stitch alongside each block seam and across
the triangles.
Recreating
old patterns is one of my passions. Seeing antique blocks made by the
grannies inspires me. I love making them come to life in retro style or modern quilts. I have a list a mile long that of ideas I want
to try. There just aren't enough hours in the day!
Accuquilt
dies used:
55409
Triangle in square 4” finished (triangle)
55254
Kite 4” finished (kite)
55017
2 ½” strip (binding)
At
the heart of everyfamily
traditionis
a meaningful experience
To see blog posts about my Rocketeer or other vintage quilts from Granny Rose and Granny Hill, click on their label below:
Monday, June 15, 2020
Granny's Wash Day

Each four patch block is made up of chisel sections and triangles turned to create the design. This one didn't take long at all, since most of the colored triangles were already cut. I think it looks a bit like the dasher in an old time washing machine.

A simple quilting pattern of even squares finishes off the vintage look. I used light yellow thread for the straight stitches. The backing is an old sheet of pale yellow with pink, blue, and yellow flowers.
I am lucky to have sweet childhood memories of summer days on the Tennessee farms of both sets of grandparents. And, luckier still to have Jerold's grandmother's fabric to use in my quilts. For more of my posts about Granny Rose, Granny Hill, and sugar sack fabric, click on those labels below.
Accuquilt dies used:
55735 Chisel 2¼” x 4½” finished
55147 Half square triangle 2¼” finished
I am lucky to have sweet childhood memories of summer days on the Tennessee farms of both sets of grandparents. And, luckier still to have Jerold's grandmother's fabric to use in my quilts. For more of my posts about Granny Rose, Granny Hill, and sugar sack fabric, click on those labels below.
Accuquilt dies used:
55735 Chisel 2¼” x 4½” finished
55147 Half square triangle 2¼” finished
Remember when
life was simpler,
and we didn't have a
care in the world?
Labels:
1930's,
Accuquilt,
calico,
country,
designs,
fabric,
flour sack,
Granny Hill,
Granny Rose,
gratitude,
inspiration,
laundry,
quilt,
quilting,
remnant,
remnants,
sentimental,
sugar sack,
traditions
Monday, August 5, 2019
Effie's Butterfly Garden
![]() |
| Effie's Butterfly Garden |
I've
done a series on my husband's grandmother, Granny Rose, her quilts,
and my reproductions of those designs. Until now, I only had one of
my own grandmother's quilts, a wedding gift. Recently a cousin sent
me some old family photos, including a few pics of Granny Hill's
quilts.
Effie's
Butterfly Garden is my version of one of them. I made my
block simpler so that I could use Accuquilt dies and sew it up more
quickly. Her quilt and my block are pictured below. I may do
another take on the design later using her kite piece.
![]() |
| Effie Hill quilt |
![]() |
| Kaye's version |
Vintage
style 1930's and 1940's small floral prints, like the housedresses
she made and wore, are featured with a natural muslin contrast in
each block. Backing and binding are a larger floral print. I
quilted with beige thread using a walking foot in serpentine lines
that intersect to make simple flower petals.
I
remember Effie Hill as a strong, independent woman who raised six
kids during the depression. She lived and worked hard all her life on a farm in
rural middle Tennessee. She grew a garden, cooked and
canned, and somehow found time to sew and quilt. I surely must have
inherited some of her sewing DNA.
Accuquilt
dies used: 55010 5” square, 55735 2 ¼” x 4 ½” chisel, and
55147 2 ¼” half square triangle. I cut the 2 ¼” square from a
strip, using the end of the chisel die.
I am thankful
for the strength
that lives in my veins.
~K. Azizian
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