Crazy Quilt Top

What to do with those curtains?

Following the advice of Susan and others, I settled on Option #1: Just square them up and stitch them together.

First, I picked out the hem and all edges, removing the hanging sleeve, which was not part of the pieced unit.

Then, while ironing, I scanned for loose seams and holes.  I marked them with a pin as I found them.

There were a few, but not too many, all things considered.  There is some fading, but not as much as you might expect, considering that they hung in windows for years.

After considering options, I decided to mend them in the manner my grandmother probably would have, using a sort of darning type look.  We’ll all pretend it is decorative stitching, which belongs on a crazy quilt, right?! (Pretend, too, that the picture isn’t fuzzy.)

Squaring up was where it got scary–I have to cut this?

But, when there is no other way, one must do what needs to be done.  And it was worth it.  The seaming isn’t as obvious as I thought it would be.

And the whole thing looks pretty good.

My original estimate of “pieced in the 1960s or 1970s is probably wrong.  Looking at the fabric, I don’t see fabric that modern.  There is no polyester knit, which my grandmother was not shy about using in a quilt. It probably was more like the 1950s. My father doesn’t remember.

This fabric has already been in service for a long time, but I do think it will be a good quilt.  Finished top is 83″ x 86″.  I hope to quilt it sometime in the next few weeks.

 

323 of 323

The blocks for the Irish Stars quilt are finally complete:  323.

I started piecing in June of 2017, approximately two years ago. The original plan was for a 19 x 19 layout (which would have been 361 blocks), but fatigue and good advice suggested it was possible to finish at 17 x 19 and still have a quilt 85″ x 95″ and NOT square, which can seem awkward on beds.

It seemed a worthwhile suggestion and a functional compromise.  Obviously, as quilters know, done with the blocks is a long ways from DONE-done, but it is one step closer.

Layout considerations coming soon.

Vintage Crazy Quilt Curtains

My grandmother (Mary Emma–father’s mother) made these curtains sometime in the 60s or 70s.  I can still vaguely remember them hanging in a bedroom window at her house.

They are in quite good condition.

She foundation pieced before it was popular.

Each curtain is about 40″ square.  I could make 4 baby quilts, but they will not probably get used that way.

My thought is to combine them somehow into a larger quilt.

1. Just square them up and stitch them together.
2. Cut into smaller blocks and sort of mix and match.
3. Put narrow sashing between the smaller blocks (1″ so there are no seam allowances).
4. Put them away and think about it for another 5-10 years.

I really don’t like option #4.  Suggestions?

Donation Quilt Top

For the past few years, I make at least one quilt for donation to the local children’s hospital where Sparkle Jane had life-saving heart surgery when she was 12.

This is the top for this year.  It is based on a tutorial you can find HERE.

I sized it up and altered the colors.  Also, I cut setting triangles to size rather than trimming off squares. It does required mitered corners in the border, but they turned out better than I have done in the past.

I love the look of the basic idea and look forward to getting it quilted and finished sometime in June.

I Never Would Have Believed It

In June of 2017, I started my own Irish Stars Quilt.  The goal was to make a queen size quilt using 1-1/2″ squares.  The bucket of 1-1/2″ squares was positively overflowing and I knew I would cut as I went along. (It would involve a total of 9749 pieces, if I calculated correctly.)

But, this week I realized that the bucket…was nearly EMPTY.

Obviously, I have done some cutting as I go along, but still, the stock has fallen short. And I still have a long ways to go.

Unless I change plans.

The true queen would have been 95″ square and contain 365 blocks (19×19 layout of 5″ squares).

Right now I have 133 star blocks and 141 chain blocks.  IF I change plans and go for an 85″ square quilt it will be only 289 blocks.  I would be REALLY close.

So…what do I do?  Change plans?  Be happy?   Press on?

Rock On Assembled

It is a finished flimsy!  YAY!

And, because it is spring(ish), I was able to take pictures outside on our greening grass.

No pattern or tutorial.  I just used random sized squares and strips to make 8″ blocks, then added a 1″ strip of white to the two outsides.  There are 85 blocks and the top is about 80″ square.

Quilting tomorrow and binding Saturday and Sunday.  Racing towards a finish.

Spring (Break) Has Sprung

This week is Spring Break for me from school.  While there are many things–house, yard, garden, errands, etc.–on the to-do list, quilting has a place, too.

I am scheduled for quilting time on Thursday, which means I must finish assembly of this quilt before then.

And quilting on Friday, too, maybe.  We’ll see if that happens.

And then a flurry of binding over the weekend as I enjoy General Conference and a lot of TV time.  It keeps me focused and awake.