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The Big Star block for the VFW Star back. Colors are off–the background fabric is periwinkle and the star is a lot pinker than it looks here.
I’ve now pieced the back and bought the batting. Next up: the quilting! But how to quilt? Haven’t decided that yet …
And here’s the first version of the red and white donation block quilt:
It’s that jazzy stripe that wasn’t working. I’m almost finished with the revised top, which I’ll post a picture of next time.
You can find the Michigan quilt doc book on Amazon.com for three bucks used. Worth it!
Here are the pix from the book that I talk about on the ep:
Don’t you think she kind of looks like Daisy from Downton Abbey?
Here’s the snowflake quilt (note the blue ribbon in the middle):
The book of short stories I’m reading right now: You Should Pity Us Instead by Amy Gustine.
I’m posting a link to this blog because I really like the name, … And Then We Set It On Fire. Description:
A TECHNIQUE DRIVEN Blog dedicated to mastery of surface design techniques. First we dye, overdye, paint, stitch, resist, tie, fold, silk screen, stamp, thermofax, batik, bejewel, stretch, shrink, sprinkle, Smooch, fuse, slice, dice, AND then we set it on fire using a variety of heat tools.
Sounds kinda cool, huh? http://andthenwesetitonfire.blogspot.com/
Here’s a new-to-me quilt blog that I like a lot: http://www.dawnchorusstudio.com/
I’m working on getting my blog roll updated. If you’re a long-time listener and would like your blog in my list, let me know!
I can’t wait to listen!
I listened with interest about the value of our quilts. The majority of my quilts are given as gifts and the recipients are aware of my love of quilting but are unaware of their value.
We were at a large family gathering and I was the only one who noticed one of my gifted quilts, nicely folded, being used as the cat’s bed.
A gift is given with love and let go. The value of that quilt can differ greatly between the maker and recipient.
I just started listening and I wanted to comment right away, otherwise I tend to forget what I want to say. First of all, I got one of those marketing DVDs several years ago when I was subscribing to Quilters’ Newsletter. I think it is a terrible marketing technique! After reading the small print several time to make sure I wouldn’t be charged for it, I donated it to the Goodwill. I agree-I don’t need their crap either.
BTW-I love to say Sheboygan too! My first job after college was in Sheboygan, WI and my husband and I got married there!
Thanks for the podcast!
Thanks for recording! I really enjoy listening. It has been raining here. Not a stormy kind of rain, but a kind of light rain where the air feels really heavy. The outside is calling so I may need to go for a walk before I finish listening. We will see.
Re: Made fabric/mosaic piecing. You are right that ‘made’ fabric takes a lot of time. I sew it using the leaders and enders method while I am working on other projects and it doesn’t seem to be as tedious. I do press my seams open, which I don’t normally do, as you are correct in that those seams do tend to get thick and difficult to shove through the machine.
A lot of the quilts from the Michigan book are available at the Quilt Index.
Re: crazy quilts. They weren’t used as much as other quilts, so often they are in better shape than regular pieced quilts. Your comments about the crazy quilts give credence to my demand that all quilts have to be designed in some way. You can certainly throw quilts together, but they look better if designed.
I find it amazing how much I enjoy making donation quilts. I try very hard not to make ugly donation quilts, but I feel a sense of freedom to try new things. If it doesn’t go quite as planned, the quilt will still be pretty and warm and comforting and a Muggle probably won’t notice the ‘quirk’. I just feel so good making the quilts. I am surprised at how I don’t feel angry (or something) that time is being taken away from my other quilts. It is a very interesting set of feelings to contemplate.
More later.
I’m back. I can’t see or hear the rain, but when I went out to walk, it was coming down in that “you will be soaked through and cold in 5 minutes” non-torrent. I may try again now that we have the light in the evening and have to suffer through Daylight Saving Time morning darkness.
I think that anyone could make a donation quilt or any quilt even if they don’t know about chunking or a quarter inch seam. Yes, it makes it easier to have those skills, but someone could sit down with needle and thread and just start sewing pieces together and end up with something that would resemble a quilt.
Have you seen WeezyWorks page on the value of a quilt? It is interesting.
Re: solids in modern quilts – I think it is easier to put together solids and not have to worry about prints when you are a new quiltmaker. My first quilt started out as a solid quilt because I was afraid of the prints. I eventually put a few prints in, but it hurt my head to think about picking out prints and then putting them together in a quilt at first. I agree that solids are inexpensive, which could fit in with the budget of a young family just starting out or a retired person on a fixed income.
Is this the episode in which you talk about the Quilter’s Academy books by Harriet Hargrave? Sorry–I’m binge-listening to catch up so I’m not sure if I’m responding on the right post. Anyway…I bought the books (or at least some significant portion of the series) with the thought that I was going to finally learn how to do this for real (after about 12 years of quilting). However, I quickly tired of the “quilt police” feel to the book. Yes, I believe that we all do ourselves a lot of favors when we learn how to do things accurately, so it’s worth really working on that–hence, me buying the books in the first place. I’ve created a lot of problems for myself in the past when I’ve approached things with less concern for accuracy. But I think the tone of voice in several places in the book is pretty off-putting and skews towards judgmental. I felt like I wasn’t being invited to learn but, rather, scolded if I didn’t learn. It’s hard to put into words how the books made me feel–suffice it to say I never worked my way through them because I felt like a failure before I even picked the darn thing up to start. I think I may have even eventually given them away.
Also–(this probably was a different episode)–did you recall that Jinny Beyer had a free BOM on Craftsy last year? I mention that because she does spend a lesson or two talking about hand piecing. It’s free, it was well done and easy to follow, and would be a good supplement to the book you bought.