Tuesday Quilt Project Aug. 9

Now that the big quilt is quilted, I have turned to another project of interest.
I have collected feedsacks and vintage fabric for some time and I have finally started cutting them up for a reproduction project.
I saw a quilt on line - on ebay - a vintage 1930's or 1940's quilt that I could not afford, but I really liked the pattern.  It had five columns of small squares of scrappy fabrics.  White fabric in between.  Below is the beginning of the version I am making.

That is my craft room carpet!  Imagine these columns longer, and against white fabric.  I have quite a ways to go on this!  Luckily I have a large array of vintage fabric, and I have cut many many two inch fabric squares.

I am linking up with Connie at Freemotion by the River and Quilt Story as I do most weeks I have porjects to share. Both blog hops have pictures of pretty quilt blocks and other projects.

I have a page on Facebook: keep up with my infrequent quilt posts at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Viridian61/347674418583948?ref=hl

Viridian

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VTT: feedsacks, vintage fabric, cigar boxes

 
I am joining Coloradolady this week for Vintage Thingy Thursday. See what other people are sharing - click on the icon above. Suzanne has the discovered the fun of feedsacks!

Above: two pieces of vintage fabric.  Below: two feedsacks. Purchased at Brimfield.

I recently attended the Brimfield Antique Show at Brimfield, Mass.,  famous in dealer and collector circles.  There are a number of fields where vendors set up their tents in the front, and people park in the back.  There are many antiques, and a bit of junk also!  Let the dealing begin!  I bought a number of feedsacks, and  3 cigar boxes, probably not really vintage:

The box on the bottom is a de Rothschild cigar box, but it's just too shiny in the camera flash, so I cropped it.

It was so much fun, just looking! It was a great time with my mom and my aunt.  As ColoradoLady points out, there is quite a bit of fabric in these feedsacks - they are often 38 by 46 or 47 inches, so more than a yard of fabric.  The weave is coarser than most quilting cottons, but quite usable.  Sugar sacks used a finer weave fabric. Mine did not have paper labels attached.  I have already cut  into my feedsacks (gasp! yes) and the vintage fabric for pieces for my Whirling Stars quilt.  The red fabric above will be used for the border.  I have featured feedsacks before for VTT, and here I go again.  Do you have something you just have to collect?

Editted to add: I'm also linking in to My Cottage Charm Treasures and Trinkets Thursday.

PS. Next week: doll tea sets! Oh No!

Viridian

taking on someone else's unfinished project: happy VTT

I am joining Coloradolady this week for Vintage Thingy Thursday. See what other people are sharing - click on the icon above.


As if I didn't have enough of my own UFO's (UnFinished Objects).  I have to buy one off ebay.

Arriving in a sheet box was a set of partially finished Dresden plate blocks and pre-cut pieces. In addition, a catalog from John C. Michael Co. of St. Petersburg Fla., with other kits listed.  I had not heard of this company before.

Here are two of the finished circles, some of the pre-cut petals, and wedge-shaped pieces for the border.  Under the pile of fabric pieces is a very long strip of lavender cotton, for the binding.  You needed to provide the muslin for each block, the batting, and the backing material. Still, according to the catalog, this kit for the "Friendship Quilt" cost $2.50. (I paid quite a bit more for this kit! Shh!) There is no date on the catalog or the instructions, pictured below.

The instructions, by the way, are a bit limited!
Maybe this kit is from the 1940's? early 50's?  A good value perhaps if you didn't have a variety of printed fabrics.  Muslin is always cheap and available.  Quilt kits are still available today, some yes with pre-cut pieces.

Must stay away from ebay..... stay away from ebay....

Viridian

Vintage Thingy Thursday: Double Wedding ring summer spread

I am joining Coloradolady this week for Vintage Thingy Thursday. See what other people are sharing - click on the icon above.
Today's entry is a summer spread in the double wedding ring pattern (DWR).  It is a spread because it is a single layer of fabric, finished and with a dust ruffle. It looks pretty good on a queen sized bed.

Here's another look at the rings and the embroidery around the rings and in the middle.  The ring segments were pieced and then appliqued onto the yellow fabric.  Then, a close-up of the lovely 30's fabrics, and where a an area of the yellow fabric was carefully mended.  Can you see it, under the center embroidered flower motif?  Click on the photograph to see a larger version.  this was a careful mending job!

This view of the back shows how this applique and embrodiery was done.

This is yet another ebay purchase.  It looks much better in person that in these photos, and in the on-line listing, so I feel like I won a real treasure.

Speaking of winning, let me mention here the giveaway contest in pregress at my other blog, Viridian's Postcard blog.  In honor of post #99, I am giving away a set of 10 unused postcards.


How to enter this contest: Leave a comment on this post and please include a way to contact you if your blogger profile does not include your email address or blog name. A mention of this contest on your blog would be great but not necessary. A give-away is also a promotional scheme after all.


Enter by Tuesday June 29 at 6 PM Eastern USA time. (I have family vacation the week before this.) At that time I will close entries and use a random number generator or random list generator (See Random.org) to pick the winner. The next post will announce the winner. Once I have a shipping address the postcards are off to its new happy home.
Happy Vintage Thingy Thursday!
Viridian

Spring 2010 Blogger's Quilt Festival

I am joining the Blogger's Quilt Festival at Amy's Creative Side. See the button on my sidebar.

Amy asks: Share one quilt, and it's story. Why you made it, why it is special to you, what you learned about quilting/yourself while making it. The quilt doesn't have to be brand new, never seen before on your blog - show what you like!

This quilt has been about 10 years in the making, now that I think back upon it. I saw this pattern in a long-ago quilt magazine and fell in love with it. I'd seen vintage quilts in this pattern and wanted to make my own. So, many 2 inch strips of fabric were cut, sewn together, and cross cut. Each finished square is 1.5 inches across, which at the time I considered tiny. Obviously I hadn't started my Baby Jane in the style of Jane Stickle project yet!

This is a full-sized quilt, so there are indeed many little squares of fabric. I included a few vintage fabrics in there, to bring me a smile, and maybe cause a future quilt appraiser to scratch their heads. I used a thin cotton bat for an old-fashioned look, but the problem is that one must quilt lines less that 2 inches apart. I spent much time machine quilting on my home Kenmore, as you can see in the close-up. However the wreaths in the plain blocks are quilted by hand. I still have to put some sort of motif in the middle, or the batting will bunch up when I wash it the first time.

Why special: It represents a lot of my time. It is cheerful and sunny, and will be the summer quilt on my bed.

What did I learn: Patience!

And guess what - it STILL isn't done! I am sewing down the binding this week. I had saved some of the purple fabric used in the plain squares for the binding, but years later, I couldn't find it. So I am using pink bias binding instead.

Viridian

Whirling Stars: 6 blocks done

The progress is slow but sure. I have 6 blocks done, including the applique of the yellow circle in the middle. Here's what they look like right now.

I described the beginning of this project in this post.

It seems like I have been sewing SO many pieces of vintage fabric and unbleached muslin together, and to only have 6 blocks done? Stay the course, quilter!

The block to block setting is the same as in my vintage quilt, and in the pattern I am using, which is in the book Feedsacks! by Edie McGinnis.

To me the blocks look a bit busy put this close together so I may separate then by muslin sashing. I am also thinking of red cornerstones. Then the triangles and cornerstones will make a shoo-fly block. Interesting.

viridian

Whirling Star: New Project

As if I need a new project. But it's going to be a beautiful quilt.

First, I'll start with a vintage quilt that has seen better days. This was one of my very first purchases from ebay, lo these many years ago.

A somewhat unusual pattern, very energetic, and very bright with the red and green. The red fabric is weak though and is breaking. Certain other fabrics are weak too, wearing so much that there are holes in the top. Doesn't matter, I use this quilt almost every night.

Next: about a year ago, I bought a book on feed sacks (of course!) that also had patterns in it for recreating some classic 30's and 40's quilts.

Feed-sacks! by Edie McGinnis has some good information on feedsacks (not sentimental mishmash) and some projects I didn't care for, but also this:
A detailed pattern for my quilt! I've stared at this for a while now and I have decided that this summer is the time. As with my nosegay quilt (see this post) I have decided to use real feedsack fabric, vintage cotton scraps, whatever I have on hand. It helps that I recently purchased two box lots of mixed scraps of cotton and feedsack off ebay.
I could use reproduction fabric - but somehow the fabrics are too pretty and it wouldn't look right. Actually I am probably buying the pretty fabric, leaving behind the browns, navies, plaids etc.
I am using reproduction red for the corners, keeping with the theme of red in my old quilt. I am using new unbleached muslin, and yellow for the centers, so each block looks like a flower. Here is the first finished block.

This pattern finishes at 12 inches. In my vintage quilt, each block is 9 inches square.
I am excited by how this project is developing. I think I have enough vintage and new fabric to finish a lap quilt for sure, probably a single bed quilt.
So, alas, the nosegay wall hanging, the bunkhouse quilt - they are newly created UFO's (unfinished objects) - for now.
I'll post more as I get more blocks done.
Viridian

Bride's Bouquet - current progress

As I said in a previous post, you have to really love this pattern (also known as Nosegay) to get even this far. (Here is an image of a full-sized one). I have these 5 blocks done, and I am making partial blocks to fill in the sides and corners. Then I am calling it a day. So many inset seams!

All print fabrics are vintage. It's the only way to get the look that I want. The reproduction fabrics are mostly 'too pretty', if you know what I mean.

viridian

Post #150 give away: results

And the winner is....

Anya!

I'll be contacting you shortly. Anya will receive the fabric shown in this post.

Thank you everyone for visiting this blog, commenting, even following. It is great to think my posts are being read by a few people at least! Have a happy, safe weekend. I have a vintage Easter postcard up on my postcard blog.

Viridian

To make a Nosegay quilt, you have to really want it.

This pattern is also known as Bride's Bouquet. So many inset seams! Even using the sewing machine this is a painstaking job. Though on the up side, I was concentrating so much on getting this done right, I forgot about other troubles and cares.

I was cleaning out my sewing room and tossing stuff when I saw this pattern. It was part of a circa 1992 set of patterns that came templates printed on good template plastic, which i was going to re-use. -I've always liked this pattern, and vintage quilts in this pattern are rare, and prices are high on ebay. So I challenged myself to make a few. A small wallhanging. (ut-oh - fateful words?)

The muslin, green fabric and solid squares are new fabric. The six diamonds are vintage fabric. I've been collecting vintage stuff from the nearby antique malls and buying on ebay when the price is right. The pink on the upper right is from a feedsack, and the pink on the lower left is from a sugar sack. I have always planned to cut into these feedsacks and scraps anyway - they are not that collectible. why not now?

If you love this old fabric, why not enter my giveaway? you too can have some of my pink feedsack fabric. Deadline: March 31, 8 PM eastern USA time.

Viridian

Post #150 Give Away Contest

I just passed post # 150, and yesterday was National Quilting Day! Let's make it National Quilting Weekend. Let's have a fabric give way.

These pieces cut from my stash vary from 8 by 10 inches to 9 by 7 inches. the two on the far left are feedsack, and there is a small hole in the pink with berries one. The pink with morning glories fabric is tightly woven but has a line of stitching holes along the selvage. It was also a small piece. I'm guessing it was a sugar sack. The flowered fabric on the right and on the bottom are dress weight, or quilting weight cottons.

A story about the two feedsacks: I purchased these at an antique mall. The pink with berries sack had some rips so the price was very reasonable. When I got to the front counter to purchase these, the ladies there said, "Oh, booth 17. She had some real pretty feedsacks a few weeks ago." (This pink one is NOT pretty? This blue one is NOT cute?)

The contest: Comment on this post for ONE entry. My current followers as on Sunday March 21 are automatically entered. But a comment here will give you another entry.

And let's be honest, a giveaway is done to promote readership. So if you are not currently a follower, become a follower, and that will be another entry.

EVA SB is not eligible as she won my last give way.

DEADLINE TO ENTER: MARCH 31 8 PM eastern time (my time zone!)

I will make a list of entries and submit them to the list randomizer at Random.org (See this blog post for example) to pick the winner.

Good luck, and it's back to sewing!

Viridian

Vintage Thingy Thursday: quilt top

This is post # 152 for my blog, so it's really time for another giveaway, but we'll have to wait. On to this week's vintage quilt item. Purchased off eBay in the last 6 months, I am pretty sure this crazy quilt top was made near Wabash, Indiana. That is because it is pieced on pages from a Wabash newspaper, March 1930.

Above you can see the date of March 3, 1930. It's hard to imagine how bleak this time was, about 6 months or so after the stock market crash of October 1929. Note also the ad for the store closing, selling 10 yards of muslin for 79 cents. But you still can't buy it if you have no job, and you have no cash.

Just LOOK at the prices here. Whole chickens actually have increased LESS in price percentage-wise, (0.35 to $1.19 lb for whole chicken, 240%, based on my local prices), than the hamburger has (0.25 to $2.69 lb or 976%). Again, time to be frugal when the husband has no job. And feeding a family is top priority, not buying muslin, or dresses, no matter how marked down.

Also note how this quilt was made, which may not be obvious in the first picture. Fabric scraps from earlier in the 1900's (note the dark blue and red and pink fabrics) have been placed on the newspaper foundation, and then their edges turned under, and machine top-sewed. Most quilters today would use a sew and flip method, as would quilters doing string-piecing on newspaper in the past. Or a hand applique stitch. Why this method?

I have another quilt top similar to this, feedsack pieces placed on a large striped feedsack, with edges turned under and machine top-stitched just like this. It's pretty wild-looking.

When I was starting out as a quilter in my late teens (many years ago!), I thought a crazy quilt was done this way, as I had never seen any, and the women of my family did not quilt.

So was this maker young, or inexperienced? Or was this a fad or style in the 1930's? I have not seen quilts like this in quilt history books.

viridian

Give away winner announced

And the winner of the vintage fabric is ... EVA SB!

I have to teach class now but I will be contacting you!

viridian

Vintage Thingy Thursday - baby quilt

I'm joining ColoradoLady for Vintage Thingy Thursday, with a baby quilt purchased in Ohio, and probably made in Ohio. it is 27 inches wide by 32 inches tall, not including the points around the edge. It is hand-quilted.

Each pinwheel is about 4 and 3/4 inches square, and they are made of a great variety of 30's dress weight fabrics. None has that coarse weave of feedsack. If you collect reproduction 30's fabric (Aunt Grace, etc.) and you look closely, you may recognize some designs that have been reproduced. There are also some fabrics here I wish could be reproduced! The quilting design in the alternate white squares is of a simple circle flower and two leaves. If the quilt is held up to the light, you can tell the cotton batting has shifted and bunched, though the quilt doesn't feel lumpy.

I have never added prairie points to the edge of any of my quilts but these do appear to be prairie points, though the maker probably did not call them that. They are made as shown on this About.com web page, though not overlapping as they show.

Happy VTT! and see this post for how to enter my fabric giveaway to celebrate my second blog anniversary.


Viridian

Second Blog Anniversary Give-away!

THIS CONTEST NOW CLOSED, MARCH 8 2010
And not a moment too soon, as my actual blog-iversary was back in mid-February!


To celebrate I am having a giveaway of some vintage fabric from my stash. Pictured above is the prize package of 6 pieces of fabric about 6 by 8 inches, a few a little larger. The blue piece on the left and the aqua on the right are feedsack, but the others are quilting weight cottons. Just right to add to your stash, or use in a thirties reproduction quilt.

I often add a few pieces of actual vintage fabric to my 30's style scrap quilts. I figure it will keep future quilt historians guessing!

How to win: please leave a comment on this post for one entry in this contest. Become a new follower for another entry, by Sunday night March 7 at midnight. I will use random.org's list randomizer to pick a winner early Monday morning March 8.

And stayed tuned - I am back in the sewing room. Good luck.

Viridian

Vintage Thingy Thursday

Welcome to another Vintage Thingy Thursday post. Please visit Colorado Lady and see who else has posted this week.
Today I have yet another sweet doll quilt, handsomely modeled by my son's favorite teddy bear, called Caramel (pronounced Carmel). This one was purchased from ebay some time ago. I have three now - I think this officially makes me a collector - right?

The fabric scraps are hand-sewn with an applique stitch onto a foundation fabric, which is also the back of the quilt. Then the raw edges of the back were folded to the front and sewn down. Below is my son's pose of Caramel and buddy with the back of the quilt.

One or two fabrics are from early in the twentieth century, most appear to be from the forties. Several appear to be more from the 1950's. The stitching is pretty good and actually the little quilt is in remarkable shape - no holes, undone stitches, stains, etc.

viridian

Vintage Thingy Thursday: quaint wallhanging

Hosted by Colorado Lady! This week she shares with us her new display of vintage platters and creamers. After enlarging her photos, I smiled. One of her creamers in in the pattern my grandmother had, and that brings back happy memories.

oops! Picture is a little crooked! Click to enlarge. That's the bedroom carpet in the background :-) This wallhanging came from a small, local "antique mall" that was actually more of a flea market. I don't normally like Sunbonnet Sue type things, but this was too sweet to pass up.

I don't know how old it is, but it is vintage. The green, yellow, and bright red fabrics were manufactured for years and years. The pinks seem to be from the 1930's or 1940's. There is a backing but no batt and no quilting. No name or date.

I am pretty sure this is a pattern, though I have not seen this one before. Right now it is languishing in my quilt room closet, but I should find a place for it, out of direct sunlight.

viridian

Miniature Madness from last week

I've been out of commission for almost a week - not feeling normal. I am almost back in shape so a post for my few followers. 2 weeks ago I was going on my Dear Jane blocks. So much energy that I even returned to my miniature madness blocks, which I hadn't touched since April. On the left: a broken dishes block in real pink feed sack; on the right, the 5 and dime block in 40's or 50's fabric. these both will finish at 3 inches square.

viridian

Busy!

Can you tell it's my vacation?

Top: most recent Dear Jane blocks, for Xmas Quilt and Pretty in Pink Quilt projects. Stability and Lakota Sioux.

Next: three blocks (finishing at 3 inches) that R.D., the crazy 2-inch miniaturist, sent to me. Aren't they lovely? She did the applique by back basting. Thank you so much R.D.! I would not attempt applique on this scale myself.

Last: 2 blocks in 2 inch size, for R.D. That is real vintage fabric there! I just won some awesome stuff off ebay, and there are the first two blocks.

1800's Christmas Jane 112, 31, 1, 3402

Pretty in Pink Jane 83, 26, 0, 2550

Minature Madness! 53, 0, 0, 762