Inheritance

Some sewing and quilting inheritance stories I wanted to share. First, check out this picture.

Not the hot husband, but the quilt he is snuggled under. You can ignore the toys and socks strewn around by our lovely children. This quilt was just a top until just a few months ago.  This quilt was a quilt top for probably close to fifty years, stowed away in a cedar chest until just a few months ago. My husbands great grandmother pieced it, his grandmother stored it and she gave it to me. I believe it is a queen size. it was way to big for my machine, so I had to hire someone to quilt it. It cane out beautiful. It is a mix up of four patch blocks and double four patch blocks. Okay, so if that wasn't awesome enough, the same grandmother (Nannie S) also gifted me with her sewing machine.

Her husband bought it for her and she sewed all of her daughters clothes on this sewing machine! This gorgeous Singer 401-A Slant-O-Matic is sitting in my home and I use her regularly. Sorry, I can't refer to this machine as an it, she has lived a lifetime. Nannie S had this machine over fifty years. Her arthritis was making it more difficult to sew. She moved in with her daughter and didn't have room for it. I am eternally thankful that she felt I was a worthy enough to pass it down to.
This machine sews the straightest stitch I have ever seen. The motor purrs so smoothly that it puts the house cat to sleep. She can do a double needle. She has over 20 decorative stitches. I can open her up from the top and the bottom to clean and oil every moving metal gear. She came with a sewing cabinet full of vintage notions. Sometimes I swap my mother in law my kids for Nannie S and we mess around on it together. This machine brings me so much joy and I am very proud to have it.

Quilt Crush

I recently got two books by quilter and artist Gwen Marston. Now I totally have a crush on her improvisational, liberated, minimalist style. Reading through the books took me back to art appreciation class in community college. Especially the self portrait quilt in the Minimal Quilting book. Quilts that you have to see to believe.

Appliqué

Appliqué is somewhat of a new adventure for me. My son is five years old, so that means I've been sewing for about five years. Of all of the quilts and blankets I've made I hadn't tried it yet. The concept wasn't new. I'd read all about it and admired many appliquéd quilts, but I just hadn't worked up the nerve to try it yet. Last week I got brave and got out the tools to attempt it.

Yes I'm standing on a stool to fit all my appliqué tools into this pic.

There are many methods. The first I read about was on the back of the Wonder Under box. Iron to fabric, cut to size and then iron to foundation fabric. The second I read about was in Jennifer Dick's Modern Appliqué Workbook. It involves using freezer paper to piece together shapes. The directions in the book are clear and the final results look nice, but I didn't have the clear thread she uses. The third method from Modern Appliqué Illusions was similar to the first and used iron on stabilizer.
I actually made these appliqué blocks because I'm following Jennifer Dick's Modern Monday quilt along from 42quilts.com. 
By the time I got to sit down and work on these I was pretty constrained for time, so I just went with the first option and zig-zag stitched the edges. Here are the results.

A simple cat head outline on vintage fabric for both of them. I think they turned out well.
After completing these a friend told me about another method. you cut out your shape a tad larger than normal and cut a piece of usable interfacing to fit it with the right sides together. Stitch all the way around. Then cut a slit in the interfacing and flip the whole thing right-side out. Flatten by hand and then iron into place. You can zig-zag or blanket stitch around the edges.
With so many options, I with I had more time to experiment. I still want to try the freezer paper method and the sew on interfacing as well.

Happy quilting,
Rose

Quilt Culture

Really quickly I just wanted to share with you two great stories about quilt and piecing culture in the United States. The first is an article about the Gee's Bend Quilts of Alabama from Smithsonian. Click on the picture to read the story.

Graphic quilts from Gee's Bend featured by the Smithsonian. 

The second story is about Seminole patchwork piecing and how it is used by young women today. There is audio if you prefer to listen to it. Again, just click on the picture below.

Seminole patchwork piecing used by young women in pageants by NPR

See much to do, Sew little time...

If I had to write a book about my life right now it would be titled Sew Much To Do, Sew Little Time.  My husband just rolled his eyes when I told him that. Actually over the past two weeks of Christmas vacation I have gotten quite a bit of sewing done. That feeling of accomplishment, even on the little projects, is something that I want more of.
One of my favorite parts of Christmas break is getting a new calendar and writing out important dates and birthdays. I also like to write in inspirational and motivational quotes to keep myself  pumped up through the year. It's so exciting, a whole shiny new year, with so many possibilities. Anyway, this year I also wrote in a few quilting and sewing to-do's to keep myself on track.
Earlier this evening my five year old son asked me when I was going to retire. Unfortunately I have only been teaching 8 years, so probably not anytime soon. In the meantime, I will just have to plan to use my time smarter. Here's to less squandering time away on TV and more making things!

Take care,
Rose

Here are two lovely zipper bags that I'm hoping will help keep my purse more organized. They were quick and easy and most importantly fun to make. I love how the dandelion and lion fabric go together in a not really matching way.