Fair warning: Lots of words, few pictures.
I think I've been bitten by the quilting bug. For years and years I had no desire to try my hand at quilting. My grandmother quilted. She had a treadle sewing machine and machine pieced most of her quilts. I have fond memories of a Sunbonnet Sue quilt being on my bed for a long time. I remember looking at it and wondering where all the material for Sue's dresses came from because I knew my grandmother didn't buy any new fabric except for the borders and muslin for the backing. Were they from dresses she and my mother wore? My Grandpap's shirts? I remember my mother pointing out different fabrics that she remembered when I got my next quilt, a nine patch. My grandmother had one of those big frames to stretch her quilt onto and she did all the quilting by hand. Gee I wish I would have paid more attention. It took up almost one whole bedroom. When I got married, I got another quilt. This time a star quilt. We used it for at least 25 years. It started to wear and I didn't want it to fall apart so we started using a comforter. Each of my children, except one, got a quilt. I don't know why that one child didn't get one. I know it was an accident and my mother insists he did but, I would know. They were 9 patch quilts. After my grandmother died, I inherited an extremely large quilt top. It's another star quilt only with navy blue background. No one knows where it came from, who it was for and we generally agree she did not piece it. It's not her style. But I wonder. Some day I'll get it out again and decide to have it quilted, or not.
All of a sudden when my GS was 5, I decided I wanted to make a quilt for his 6th birthday. The Quilt Company, in Pittsburgh, was doing a blog type 9 patch quilt along. General rules were laid out. I followed along very slowly with big breaks in between. Quilting is a very thoughtful exercise in creativity. It made me a little veklempt at times. My saving grace was the fact that it was for a six year old! He wouldn't care, I kept reminding myself. As long as I stuck to his favorite colors, I was golden.
Here we are, 3 years later and I have 3 quilts under my belt. Each one a learning process. This year I am making two quilts! What was I thinking! When I saw the BOM, Park Bench, on the Jolly Jabber blog I was smitten. Love the colors and the blocks are big. I asked what level they thought the quilter should be - it's triangles and diamonds and who knows what all with special rulers. Confident beginner they said. Well, I wouldn't say I'm confident but that's never stopped me before so I signed up. And here are the first two blocks.
Pay no attention to the square fabric behind the quilt blocks. It's the backside of a flannel backed tablecloth used as my design wall. Someday I'll upgrade.
And the other quilt? Well, Jolly Jabber, once again, came out with their 'Wishes' BOM quilt. I kept looking at the fabric thinking it looked really familiar. When I had gone to Hancock's in Paducah, KY this past September, I snapped up a big fat quarter stack that was on the clearance table. I thought the fabrics were really cute and I just couldn't pass it up because of the price. You guessed it. It was WISHES!!! And that, my friends, sealed the deal. Meant to be. Not a quilt I would think I could handle as number 5 but their videos are the BOMB. Guides me step by step. Free pdf files for the pattern and all they ask is for a donation to the Wish foundation. Win win for everybody.
And now I think you must be bored to tears!
Happy Stitching!
Marsha
I think I've been bitten by the quilting bug. For years and years I had no desire to try my hand at quilting. My grandmother quilted. She had a treadle sewing machine and machine pieced most of her quilts. I have fond memories of a Sunbonnet Sue quilt being on my bed for a long time. I remember looking at it and wondering where all the material for Sue's dresses came from because I knew my grandmother didn't buy any new fabric except for the borders and muslin for the backing. Were they from dresses she and my mother wore? My Grandpap's shirts? I remember my mother pointing out different fabrics that she remembered when I got my next quilt, a nine patch. My grandmother had one of those big frames to stretch her quilt onto and she did all the quilting by hand. Gee I wish I would have paid more attention. It took up almost one whole bedroom. When I got married, I got another quilt. This time a star quilt. We used it for at least 25 years. It started to wear and I didn't want it to fall apart so we started using a comforter. Each of my children, except one, got a quilt. I don't know why that one child didn't get one. I know it was an accident and my mother insists he did but, I would know. They were 9 patch quilts. After my grandmother died, I inherited an extremely large quilt top. It's another star quilt only with navy blue background. No one knows where it came from, who it was for and we generally agree she did not piece it. It's not her style. But I wonder. Some day I'll get it out again and decide to have it quilted, or not.
All of a sudden when my GS was 5, I decided I wanted to make a quilt for his 6th birthday. The Quilt Company, in Pittsburgh, was doing a blog type 9 patch quilt along. General rules were laid out. I followed along very slowly with big breaks in between. Quilting is a very thoughtful exercise in creativity. It made me a little veklempt at times. My saving grace was the fact that it was for a six year old! He wouldn't care, I kept reminding myself. As long as I stuck to his favorite colors, I was golden.
Here we are, 3 years later and I have 3 quilts under my belt. Each one a learning process. This year I am making two quilts! What was I thinking! When I saw the BOM, Park Bench, on the Jolly Jabber blog I was smitten. Love the colors and the blocks are big. I asked what level they thought the quilter should be - it's triangles and diamonds and who knows what all with special rulers. Confident beginner they said. Well, I wouldn't say I'm confident but that's never stopped me before so I signed up. And here are the first two blocks.
And the other quilt? Well, Jolly Jabber, once again, came out with their 'Wishes' BOM quilt. I kept looking at the fabric thinking it looked really familiar. When I had gone to Hancock's in Paducah, KY this past September, I snapped up a big fat quarter stack that was on the clearance table. I thought the fabrics were really cute and I just couldn't pass it up because of the price. You guessed it. It was WISHES!!! And that, my friends, sealed the deal. Meant to be. Not a quilt I would think I could handle as number 5 but their videos are the BOMB. Guides me step by step. Free pdf files for the pattern and all they ask is for a donation to the Wish foundation. Win win for everybody.
And now I think you must be bored to tears!
Happy Stitching!
Marsha
10 comments:
Both of the quilts you're working on look wonderful. I'm also constructing the Park Bench quilt blocks. Aren't they fun to put together?
Not bored at all. Your quilt blocks are lovely!
Bored? Are you kidding? I'm in love with both your quilts. So beautiful! You are doing a great job!
What super blocks you have created, Marsha! No way am I bored! I love reading the stories behind the crafter.
Enjoy your weekend!
Robin in Virginia
Great work! I truly enjoyed reading about your grandmother.
What a wonderful story! It brought back so many memories for me. Your grandma sounds alot like mine. I never had a desire to quilt because I could always ask her to make one for me. When she passed away I realized there were no more quilters in our family. They were all gone. It was a craft that needed to be carried on so I learned to quilt. I have not done any in a while but I am beginning to get the itch again!
Love the quilt blocks. I know you are having fun with them. Can't wait to see more. Hugs!
Your quilts look great. The urge nags at me, too. I keep saying it will be a new beginning in retirement! Enjoy!
Wow your quilts look fantastic. Looking forward to seeing your progress.
Your work is beautiful, a Clark looked like a sweetheart. Thanks for finding my Journal.
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