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”

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!

 

Butterfly Joy

Butterfly Joy

Here's another scrappy project for you.  I nearly couldn't shut the lid on my box of 2 ½” squares, even though I used some a few weeks ago.  This time I decided to stitch up this Flutterbye pattern to make room.

Happy flower colors of yellow, orange, lilac, and pink combine well with sky blue, grassy green, and watery aqua. I used white, cream and gray for the contrasting pieces. 

There are two narrow borders, one in white and the other in yellow with corner designs to match the block pattern.

What a sweet summery little quilt! Butterfly Joy is 44” square. The backing is a black and white friendship themed word print. I quilted with white thread with leafy looking loops done in free motion.

I still can't get over my amazing find of $1 per yard fabric. I know I saved at least $3000 with that deal. Nearly every piece is calling “pick me, pick me to make something now.” I don't know how I managed to get all of it in my sewing room, either! The house may be leaning slightly...

Accuquilt dies used:
55409 Triangle in square 4” finished (sides of triangle)
55017 2½” strip
55059 2½” square multiple

July in Tennessee =
Hot as all get-out!

Granny's Wash Day

Memories of sheets and housedresses hanging on the line at granny's house prompted me to design this adorable quilt. Some of the fabrics are 1950's vintage, from Granny Rose's collection of sugar and flour sack remnants. I added new pieces that would complement them, along with white muslin. 

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

Remember when

life was simpler,

and we didn't have a

care in the world?

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

Spirit of Liberty

I'm celebrating the USA with this week's design, in honor of Independence Day. Made with Accuquilt Parallelogram (55004), it features red and navy prints with white 3 ½” half square triangles on each end to make a rectangle.

I grouped six of each color to form blocks and alternated them to make a strip. Sashing between rows is 3 ½” wide red and navy diamond print on white background. I quilted with white thread in a free motion looping pattern. 

Spirit of Liberty

Binding is a red and white stripe. For backing I used the diamond print but didn't have quite enough left for the length, so I added a row of red and blue 6½” AQ tumbler blocks about a third of the way down.  

Spirit of Liberty is 42” x 48”, but you could make it any size you like by changing the number of blocks or rows. I used EQ8 to play with other layouts before finalizing this version. A table runner using only one strip of blocks or cheerful place mats might be nice.

Celebrate the holiday and be safe!

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.

Jazzy Rings

I've always wanted to make a double wedding ring quilt, but the thought of cutting out all those precise little pieces put me off. Not to mention the curved seams, which have to be stitched slowly and accurately.

Thanks to Accuquilt, my worries are over! Their die has the option of solid or pieced rings, and cuts perfectly aligned pieces with notches to match seams. Love it! I found the die on sale and right away I cut a sample block of blue scraps to make a table mat.

For Jazzy Rings, solid rings were more suitable for the larger scale fabrics I chose. The centers are white prints with gray and black, center squares are black prints. Bright and colorful, the 38” x 49” size works for a baby or child's quilt. I outline quilted the rings with white thread and stitched the centers in a squared design. The back is a white and gray print and it's finished off with bias binding in a light gray to coordinate.

Jazzy Rings

I've already designed a couple more versions. I need more time to create, and I'm running out of quilt storage space but that won't stop me from sewing whenever I get the chance. Forget housework and cooking, you know where to find me.

Today's fabric
is tomorrow's quilt.

Contrary Girl

Contrary Girl

I've always had a soft spot for reproduction pastel 1930's prints. They have a definite vintage vibe. A cutting session in September with AccuQuilt 3 1/2” square and triangle dies had me looking for an old fashioned quilt block design. I found a nine-patch called contrary wife, and used pale soft yellow solid triangles instead of white to lessen the contrast.

The arrangement of the blocks creates patterns of stars and multicolored squares on point. Straight stitch quilting was done in offset squares with medium pink thread. Backing and binding are a pink crosshatch print. The result is Contrary Girl, a 36” square baby quilt that I absolutely love.

I may have been called contrary, once or twice... 

“I'm a woman,

I can be as contrary

as I choose.”

Lady Violet, Downton Abbey

Red Snapper

Red Snapper

I love this cute creation. Neutral gray and white print 6” squares arranged diagonally made a fine backdrop for red corner accents. The triangles were remnants from February's Tomato Soup & Crackers quilt. They were just big enough that I couldn't bear to throw them out, and I'm glad I didn't.

The back is a wide panel of gray and white triangle print with two floral red and white strips on each side. A binding of dark gray stripes frames it nicely. Finished size is 35” square. Red Snapper is hanging in my dining room right now.

Follow up: I am nearly finished sorting and cutting the small pieces from last week's amazing fabric find. I tossed a few old magazines to make room for three more plastic shoe boxes of folded small pieces. I'm so inspired by all those colors and prints that one little project is already finished, and I cut and pieced a new quilt top yesterday. I was already sewing up a storm this summer, but stay tuned for more, more, more!

You can't use up 

CREATIVITY. 

The more you use,

The more you have. 

Maya Angelou

 

Creative Bliss

Batik Sea Glass - queen size quilt for our bedroom

Gorgeous new batik fabric. 

 

Remnants from extensive stash. 

 

Ideas flashing through head.

Many creative hours in sewing room over the past three weeks.

 

Rolled Roses - makeup organizer

 

Framed - lap quilt from scrap strips

 

Deco Style - remnant strip tote bag

 

^^^^^

“Creativity is a drug I cannot live without.” 

- Cecil B. DeMille

“Bliss and pure joy are often found 

in the simplest of everyday things.” 

– Unknown

Lydia's Cross Revealed

Lydia's Cross by KSD, 2014

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, I recreated a quilt block from a quilt made by my husband's grandmother, Lydia Fort Rose. Her design variation of Grandmother's Cross and Nine Patch Star was probably made in the early 1950's. Her full size quilt featured eleven inch blocks set with two inch sashing, and was hand pieced and hand quilted from whatever fabric she had around the house. 

 

My lap quilt version of Lydia's Cross blocks contains a piece or two of her old feed sack fabric, other clothing fabric from my late in-laws (her daughter and son-in-law), scraps of mine, and a few new batik blenders. I wanted a more modern look so I didn't exactly copy her work, but I did use eleven inch blocks.  The back is 5” square blocks in the same color scheme. Mine is machine pieced and machine quilted with a simple scallop stitch using my trusty Singer XL 1000, and I love the final result! It's on the back of my couch right now. 

 

I measured and sketched out the basic block first, then drew the design in Electric Quilt 7 for final layout, pattern pieces, and color design. As I worked, I thought about how long it took her to cut out and sew together these pieces by hand. She must have had a lot more patience than I do for handwork. I am grateful that she sewed and gave her cherished quilts to her daughter.  I dedicate my inspiring useful remnant to Lydia and to her grandson...Happy Birthday, Jerold!  Here's her original quilt.  Her sense of color and blending resulted in a beautiful quilt with character and depth. 

Lydia's Cross, circa 1950's by Lydia Fort Rose

"Everything you need will come to you at the perfect time.  You just have to be patient and wait for it."  Author Unknown

Releasing Tension

Lydia's Cross

I've been a busy woman lately. Chores, errands, appointments and projects have taken up most of my time. Nevertheless, I was able to carve out some time for sewing, even if only thirty minutes a day. Doing something I love helps me release tension and stress.

One cold day I measured and calculated the dimensions to one of my favorite Granny Rose antique quilt blocks. I was never able to find the exact pattern anywhere, so I've recreated it.  I believe it's her own design variation of Grandmother's Cross and Nine Patch Star. I've named it Lydia's Cross, and I'm using mixed color scraps like she did. The final quilt will be revealed later.

My new quilted wallet is created from remnants. It has eight slots for cards and two pockets for cash and my checkbook. The snap front keeps everything tucked safely inside.

Another afternoon, I created something useful from an old tee and a sweatshirt. I cut off the bands and zig-zagged the raw edges. Then I made little snips in a semi-circular pattern along the neckline, weaving in a continuous one inch strip from the tee. I added a border to the bottom with the remaining tee fabric. The result is a cute top to wear while hanging out at home on cold winter days.

Useful Notion: Every hour spent doing something you love results in at least four hours of peacefulness.

Evergreen

Time in the sewing room has been limited, but I managed to escape for a couple of relaxing hours last week. The result is a new winter/Christmas wall hanging design that I've named Evergreen. I used fabric remnants that I had on hand, and I think it will look pretty in our living room.

I really have to keep using up some of my stash of scraps because I've been bad...or good, depending on how you look at it. You see, I got an email about a fabulous online fabric sale of 50 to 75% off at fabric.com. And I had a coupon for another 20% off plus free shipping. I couldn't resist that temptation! I ordered some basics, threads, and a few colorful fabric assortments. I saved over $100, so in my opinion, that's a good thing. My sweet husband must agree, because he encouraged me to buy even more.

An update on Granny Rose's quilts: I still haven't found the pattern name of the one with navy and pink sashing, although I found several nine patch blocks that are similar. I think she may have modified one of those to make her own version. I have recreated her block in Electric Quilt 7, and plan to sew it next year. 

And, thanks to American Quilter's Society for choosing Useful Remnants as their Blog of the Week when I wrote about those quilts.  

Useful Notion: Always take advantage of a good fabric sale!

Favorite Clothing Transformed

My love affair with pretty fabric is well known. Like most women, I have clothing that stays in my closets long after it is out of style. Sure, sometimes I clear out older or outgrown pieces to give to my mama, or to Goodwill. But my favorites end up in a huge storage bin set aside for pieces that I just can't part with, even if they don't fit. I don't kid myself that I will ever be a size 6 again; I keep them because I plan to use the fabric one day.

Last week I opened up that bin, stirred my creative juices and ripped into a tropical batik challis dress that I made in 2004. It now has a new life as a sassy wrap shirt, coordinated with a lime green square dot print from my fabric inventory. I'm calling it Island Lime With A Twist.  I can't wait to wear it!

Yesterday I dipped into the box again to release a colorful gathered large print skirt circa 1990 or so. An hour later, a new vest for my mama was hanging on the cabinet door. I used a small scale print as lining to make it reversible. Dual Scarlet Petals will give her two new looks.

I love to remake a favorite piece of clothing. Like farm women on the prairie or depression era wives, I feel a sense of satisfaction when I create something new and useful out of discarded fabric. The scraps left over from these projects have gone into my quilting basket. Who knows where they'll turn up next?

“Really I don't dislike to cook, but what you cook is eaten so quickly.
When you sew, you have something that will last to show for your efforts.”
~Elizabeth Travis Johnson

Sewing Every Day

On The Town

I've been creating dozens of designs on the computer this week, and hope to find enough time to finish every one of them. On the ever growing to do list are quilts, purses, journal covers, aprons, pot holders, and mug rugs. My Singer has been humming every day as I happily stitch some of my newest ideas. These two are my favorites from my flurry of creative activity.

On The Town is a black, bronze, gold, and cream purse that is channel quilted and accented with a cool retro lapel pin. Two inside pockets keep phone and keys handy, and a magnetic snap latch keeps everything inside. There's room to organize all the essentials in this 10" x 13" bag with shoulder strap.

Sassy Lil' Messenger

I prefer to travel light most of the time, and this strip pieced quilted bag is the perfect size at 8½” square. Slide a wallet, keys, phone, lip gloss and sunglasses into Sassy Lil' Messenger and head off to run errands in style. I used a few black and cream fabrics left over from other projects and lined it with a black and white polka dot cotton.

I'm so grateful that my mama taught me to sew!

Useful Notion: Reading magazines and browsing websites can stimulate your creative brain, so make time to play and let your mind see new possibilities.

“Clean out a corner of your mind and creativity will instantly fill it.”

Sam's Not Too Square

After a busy Thanksgiving week of cooking and cleaning for our guests, I was ready for a few hours of quiet escape in my sewing room. We spent Friday and Saturday outside in the sunshine and wonderfully warm weather--blowing & mowing leaves, pulling dead flowers and spreading pine mulch on flower beds. Work, but still fun and it was nice to be outdoors. Yesterday it rained so I retreated to my favorite space for a much needed sewing fix.

I've had several projects in progress for a while now, so I chose the one that had been waiting the longest and dove right into it. The wall hanging was already pieced, so I cut the backing and began to machine quilt. I love the sound my Singer makes as it smoothly runs along. It's music to my ears!

I designed Sam's Not Too Square for my mama, from scraps of the quilt, pillowcases and curtains I made her last year. She's going to hang it above her bed. Now that I'm done with that, today I'll finish binding the teal computer bag, or maybe something else from my unfinished project bin. Whatever I choose, it'll be another relaxing rainy sewing day.

Useful Remnant: I've started cutting some of my cotton scraps into four inch squares and three inch strips when I'm finished with the project. Stored in a box by color, I plan to use them for an easy charm quilt or sashing for other designs.

When life throws you scraps, make a quilt.  ~Author Unknown

Hem your blessings with thankfulness so they don't unravel.  ~Author Unknown

******