Two-Color Quilts

Even though I love scrappy quilts the best, with their wide variety of prints, lately I've become fascinated with two-color quilts. Hard to believe, huh? I was recently drawn to one in particular I saw in a magazine that had a white background with blue baskets. We usually think of two-color quilts as being made from white fabric combined with another color--red and white or blue and white being the most popular. In antique quilts, most often the color was a solid instead of a print or looked like a solid from a distance.

My friend Julia is lucky enough to have a couple of  antique quilts in her family that are two-color quilts and I wanted to show you photos. Don't you love them? Especially the redwork.This quilt is dated 1914 and labelled "From Mother." Quite a lot of work went into that embroidery.

If you look closely at the quilting on this one you can see that it's quilted with an orange peel design (on the left side). My next book will have a little quilt that I quilted with an orange peel motif in the blocks.

I made a little blue and white quilt that appeared in my first book, American Doll Quilts, using several different indigo prints and a variety of shirtings prints. I get more comments on this little quilt than you can imagine. I used blue thread and a decorative stitch on my sewing machine in the border as a fancy touch. In the 19th century, sometimes these blue and white quilts were made as heirlooms and for a special occasion--a birth, wedding or anniversary.

                               

There are a few reasons blue and white quilts were popular in the past. Indigo was a colorfast dye and didn't fade when washed. Plus, indigo was widely available, making it likely that more women had access to this color of fabric. I like to think that the women who quilted around then also just had good taste because blue is such a pretty color anyway. Some historians also think that another reason blue and white quilts were so popular around the turn of the last century or slightly before was because those were the colors of the Women's Christian Temperance Union, which was an extremely popular and important reform movement for women at the time. Many Drunkard's Path quilts from the time period were done in blue and white. I've included a scrappy little blue and white quilt in my next book too, yay! You'll get to see it soon!

Two-color quilts were also  made with 2 colors long ago, not just white and one other color. Pink and indigo blue seems to have been a favorite combination because I've seen quite a few of these.

                                    

Not sure if these count because the blue print below contains a little white, but I've actually made a few of this two-color kind of quilt myself:

                                    

                                                    

That's the great thing about making small quilts--you can try just about any style you like without expending a lot of energy, time or fabric. Experiment and who knows, maybe you'll find out you like a certain block or style so much you'll go on to make a bigger version, a real quilt. I'm determined to make an Irish chain quilt using blue prints and shirtings someday. Won't that be fun!

Clean-Up Week

Guess what I'm doing for National Quilting Day? No, not quilting or designing--cleaning. Yep, cleaning.

My son is coming home for Spring Break today and I need to make room for the mess he's probably going to bring with him. Better to start out clean so it doesn't get too overwhelming. Then, when it's done, it'll be done, and I'll have more time to play. When I was a kid in public school, Spring Break was always called Clean-up Week, so it's fitting. I've been so busy lately that I never helped get his room into shape after he left the last time, like I promised. A couple of his things need mending and maybe I’ll get to it before he arrives today, at the last minute. Hey, does that count as quilting? Didn’t think so.

My husband drove up to get my son this morning (in the snow, can you believe it? It's March.) and I get to stay home and clean. So I brought out some of  my favorite cleaning supplies--miracle cloths (lots of them), a feather duster, my Bona mop for the hardwood floors, and Zud, a good start. I'm looking at them now. I'll get going soon, right after I finish this, I promise.

When I woke up this morning, the sink was shining clean and that always makes me feel good, like I've actually accomplished something. Sometimes a clean sink just does it for me. That's a trick I learned  from Flylady and every now and then I go back to her for help. 

I love my sink. The divider is really low so you can easily clean large pans or cookie sheets.

I'll finally clean off the kitchen island too and organize some of my quilting stuff. I was too busy with other things this week to take care of it much. I love to spread out stuff on the island for cutting and organizing because it's a great height and close to my sewing area but then I get lazy and don't put everything away like I should. And papers and magazines get out of control everywhere else. Years ago, when I worked in an office I had a really neat, clean desk, honest.

There'll be laundry today too. I don’t believe my son actually does much laundry while he's at school, as awful as that sounds. I hear that he sometimes goes to Target for underwear when he runs out instead. So there'll be laundry and lots of it. And, good mom that I am, I'll probably help. He deserves a break—he's been working hard and getting really good grades, so I can’t complain. Also, he'll actually manage to graduate in 4 years, not 5 or 6, always the fear, so we really appreciate that.

I was working furiously on the book while he was home during Winter break and felt a little guilty that I didn't spend as much time with him as I would have liked—I still had to work even though he was home. Not that he chose to spend THAT much with us anyway, but every now and then when a friend was busy and he had some free time, I had to say no, I had a schedule to keep to and I couldn't just drop everything when I was in the middle of a quilt or had a chapter to finish. Sorry. Dad had to work and so did I, even though I was at home and it didn't look like I was working, looked like I was "just sewing."

Having kids means not always having all the time I’d like to spend on quilting. And even though the projects I make for my books are fun, they're still for work. Sometimes I really want to make something different, maybe a project or two designed by someone else that I see in a book or magazine, but don't always have time. The hard thing is juggling everything I want to do with everything I NEED to do, but it's the same with everyone else I guess. We all have our choices about the things we make and the time involved and does it take time away from family? In the end I'm really lucky to be able to call this work because I love it. Life's a tradeoff.

So I'm thankful my son wants to come home, even if it’s not exactly to see US. Last year he took a road trip during break and we didn't see him at all. I have more time now and perhaps this week he'll pencil us in for a lunch or dinner or maybe a movie or two if we're lucky. I promised him we'd go through my old record albums I saved from the sixties--I hear kids are going back to turntables and albums.

At the end of last summer he said he was anxious to get back home. I was confused until I realized he meant HIS home—college. Sad but true, he's all but gone and coming home now is just a visit. According to the census, he doesn’t even live here—the form told us to exclude anyone living away at college so they don't get counted twice. And, before you know it, my daughter will be gone too. Mixed emotions for sure, but ahhh, think of the quality quilting time I’ll have then . . . 

On the Road Again

My book is finished and I got a GPS last Christmas so I can get just about anywhere now! I know this is sort of late notice (I know, I know, I should have posted this before), but I wanted to remind anyone who's interested that I will be speaking to the Pride of the Prairie Quilters this Thursday, March 18, in Naperville, IL.  That's tomorrow. I'll be showing my quilts, selling books and also signing books. I'd love to meet some of you so come on over. Bring cookies.

http://www.prideofprairie.org/

"Trunk" show

I think it should be fun, although last time I lectured, right after they turned out the lights for my PowerPoint presentation, I swear I saw a couple of you dozing in the front row. . . . So try to take your naps before you arrive you guys so you don't miss anything good.

Next week, March 25, I will be taking the show to the DeKalb County Quilters in DeKalb, IL. Mark your calendars.

http://www.dcqg.org/events.html

Then Wisconsin in April.

I usually try to update the list of appearances on my website   http://www.countrylanequilts.com/  as often as I remember, so you can also check there periodically. I haven't listed the ones for next year yet but I think I'm going to Iowa a few times. Hope I can see some of you!   
                                                                

                                                                                     

Quilters' Survey

According to a recent survey I read in a quilting magazine, quite a few Baby Boomer quilters today do NOT want to hand piece and do NOT like traditional patterns or EASY patterns. Boy, am I out of the loop if that's the case.

The article said that quilters today are interested in complex designs, longarm quilting, and things like more quilting-related travel. Oh, and buying fabric of course. Although I do hear many say that they are trying to use more fabric from their collection these days.

Overall, quilting has now really become more of an art form than it ever was before. Quilters no longer just make quilts that belong only on the bed or to keep families warm--they're being used for decorating more and also more as a creative outlet for women, which is great. And quilting is also leading women to experiment in other artsy arenas--mixed media, paper arts and fashion. Younger quilters are pushing the trend to modern, urban design. And that's the exciting part that I love--that all of this has opened doors for women to find creative outlets and given them permission to play again.

What about some of the antique Amish quilts with their bold colors? What category do they fall into? Aren't some of them the "artsiest" quilts ever?

This one was made early in the 20th century.

Quilters are also very interested in tools to make quilting easier and everywhere you look there's something new out there to help you get your quilts done faster. Working on my Dear Jane quilt has made me slow down and appreciate the time that quilters used to spend on their quilts long ago. How did they find the time in their busy lives? We quilters complain that we have no time--what must it have been like to quilt 150 years ago? Also, can you imagine quilting without all of the basic tools we have today?

And so my question is: where do I fit in? Have we lost any of the joy in quilting if we're just trying to get them done faster and faster and then move on to the next one? What about the process? Maybe I need to time travel back to the 1800s and just stay there . . . . I can think of a few people who'd be overjoyed at the thought of that. I actually LIKE to hand piece and hand quilt and take my time on a project, not rush to get it done, although when you're making many many projects for a book, some rushing to complete them is inevitable.

But I think we probably all agree that quilting means different things to different people and that's exactly why we love it, isn't it? The idea that quilting in some way helps us express our individuality. The line between art and craft becomes blurred. Is this a quilt? Maybe not, but it's fun to look at and see how much creativity went into its design.

The survey did say that quilters are leaning toward making more small quilts, which is a relief. Maybe those of us who like little quilts are on to something after all?

It's kind of fun, watching where quilting is going and being touched by it all. But for now, I'm not ready to jump on the trend train. This is as modern and trendy as I ever get:

I'll think I'll just stick with my own comfort level and sew what makes me happy--traditional little quilts that tug at my heart and bring a smile to my face.

What about you?

Quilter's survey--oops!

Sorry about that if the most recent post did not make sense--I hit publish way too soon by mistake last night and you all got to read my unfinished blog post! Caught it this morning. If I have time today I might actually finish it . . .

Mrs. March

Mrs. March? Like the mother, Marmee,  in Little Women? No, not exactly . .  .

But, changing the subject--Here's a question for you. What's the best batting to use for little quilts? This is a question I get asked at almost EVERY single workshop or lecture I give. What kind of batting do I use to make my quilts look so soft and have that antique look, like they've been played with often? There are so many battings to choose from it gets downright confusing. Thick or thin, cotton or polyester? Silk or bamboo? Batting comes in a variety of thicknesses (thickness = loft).  For my small quilts, I prefer a flat look, the kind you see in antique quilts. They've been washed and worn so much it almost looks as if they contain no batting at all.

So I like to use a thin cotton batting (low-loft) and think it's particularly great for small quilts because of the way the quilts drape (or hang). Thin batting is also very light and easy to hand quilt. I hate it when I choose a batting for my small quilt and it turns out puffy--some of my early quilts were like that because I was inexperienced at the batting thing. I didn't know that's how a quilt turned out if you used polyester batting. So I tried a lot of different cotton battings instead, and found that some were so thick that I couldn't get a needle through when I tried to hand quilt my quilts. And the quilt didn't drape well when I placed it on a doll bed, just stuck straight out. After a little bit of trial and error, I eventually found a batting I liked--Fairfield's 100% natural, all cotton batting. PERFECT for my doll quilts! I use it all the time and tell others about it when they ask what I use.

Fairfield 100 % natural cotton batting

Bonus:  If you go to the Fairfield website home page (below), you'll notice that yours truly is the Fairfield Designer of the Month for MARCH! (Mrs. March, you could say, get it?) All this month, because I love their batting and want everyone to know about it, there will be a free pattern on their website for a doll quilt I made for them, using their batting of course. You can see it there all month, to download and print out.

Here's the link to the free doll quilt pattern  on their website.

So, sorry to disappoint--No, I will not be playing Marmee (Mrs. March) in a new Broadway version of Little Women or anything like that.

Although I have loved the book since childhood (and own a very old copy a friend gave to me years and years ago), have seen both movies many times, plus the live musical, and once dragged my husband and kids to visit Louisa May Alcott's house in Concord, MA when we vacationed out east, that's about as far as it goes.

Although, now that I think about it, I have to say that maybe there ARE some similarities between me and the author or her characters.

I must thank About.com for the following info on Louisa and her book to help me realize the similarities:

"In Little Women, Marmee offers moral guidance and unconditional love to her girls: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy."

(Me:  I have one girl and one girl dog--my girls--I give moral guidance and uncondtional love to them on a daily basis. I give guidance to one of them to make sure she doesn't pee in the house. But I still give her unconditional love if she does. And paper towels to the other one to clean up the mess.)

"Louisa May Alcott drew from her own childhood experiences to dramatize the joys and sorrows of the March family."

(Me: I draw from my childhood experiences and my children's experiences ALL THE TIME  in making my quilts and writing my books, remember?)

 "In the novel, the sisters come of age, with the Civil War in the background."

(Me: I have 4 sisters who are aging and I like reading about the Civil War and collecting Civil War reproduction fabrics. Just kidding, if any of them are reading this . . . )

"Louisa May Alcott was friends with Ralph Waldo Emerson and took walks with Thoreau."

(Me: I was an English major and I love Emerson and Thoreau too! Quote them often. Visited Walden Pond  twice! Even bought a t-shirt that says: "Member of the Thoreau Sauntering Society." Sadly, the t-shirt no longer fits, probably because I sauntered a little too much for my own good when I should have  been jogging . . . . )

"Marmee is always there for the girls--to oversee their antics, allay their fears, and heal their troubled hearts."

(Me: I work at home so I am ALWAYS there, ALWAYS watching over my kids' antics and ALWAYS asking about their troubled hearts, so much that they wish I'd just give it a rest sometimes. And throw the camera away while I'm at it . . . )

                                            

"Louisa May Alcott's own mother, Abigail May (Abba) Alcott, was the basis for Marmee in her novel, Little Women. Alcott once wrote of her mother: 'A great heart that was home for all.' Like Marmee, Abba was passionate and caring, with special attention to women's rights, temperance, and abolition. She also wrote in her journal:  'All the philosophy in our house is not in the study; a good deal is in the kitchen, where a fine old lady thinks high thoughts and does kind deeds while she cooks and scrubs.' "

(Me: I'm just like Marmee, a great mom, always in the kitchen, cooking and scrubbing, thinking higher thoughts, forever doing kind deeds, taking in strays. Sure. Whatever.)

So there you have it. More like Mrs. March than I thought. Enjoy the pattern.

A Quilting Journey

Most of you who are quilters know that quilting takes you on a journey, sometimes with unexpected twists and turns. A project that was planned one way may very well end up differently than you thought it would. Quilts have a life of their own or so it sometimes seems.

Over 10 months ago I had some great ideas for the projects I wanted to include in the new book and I created  designs based on those ideas and then played around with blocks and color schemes. I just completed all of the quilts (can't show them yet) and I have to tell you--once I began working on them, something happened. Quite a few didn't turn out anything like the way they were planned. This has happened with every set of quilts I make for a book.

Does this happen to you too? It truly does seem like they turn out the way they want to, not always the way I plan them. What looks good on paper doesn't always work when I begin to sew the pieces together. This is the part I really love about quilting: if you trust your instincts and let your creativity speak, it will turn into a pleasant surprise.

I never know how it will turn out when I begin and I've been known to start over from scratch if I take the wrong road and ignore my instincts (much easier to do if you're making small quilts!)

Writing Remembering Adelia was definitely another journey for me.

Researching her family history for the book and delving into life in small town Illinois in the 1800s reminded me that I knew little about my own family's history and led me to want to explore it a bit more--another journey that will be worth taking someday and one that will continue for awhile I'm guessing.

I need to find out who this couple is and how they figure into MY family photos--

Right now I am on another journey of my own--making a Dear Jane quilt. Unless you've been living under a rock you probably already know about the Jane Stickle quilt from 1863 and the frenzy it has created for the past 14 or so years. Read about Dear Jane

I decided to make the leap and begin this challenging quilt. Not sure exactly when I'll finish or even IF I will but I'm giving it a shot so wish me luck. Now that I've finished the quilts for the next book, I have a little more time to make projects for myself. So far, I've made 15 Dear Jane blocks.

Many of them are easy ones, true, but a couple were hand pieced, one with curved seams, which I've never done before. I'm keeping a notebook with notes and tips on how to make the blocks using some different techniques and think that by the time I finish more blocks I'll have learned some decent skills.

I'm working on this quilt for myself, no pressure. What, a Dear Jane quilt, no pressure?? All those tiny, quirky pieces?? I have to admit, it took me awhile to jump in but I'm really having fun now that I did and making something slowly, without having to make it for a book or worry about deadlines, is very relaxing, to say the least. True, I just started, but I've got 15 blocks done so far and Oh! what I've learned already. Didn't know I could do reverse applique did you? Neither did I. It's not perfect, but it was also my first try, and applique isn't really my thing anyway.

For me, it's all about the journey and the learning. Don't look too closely at the blocks--none of them is perfect, but then neither were Jane's blocks and that's what I love--that a quilt like that can be so loved and admired, even though it's not perfect.

I have a basket filled with scraps left over from the book projects that I haven't sorted through yet and plan on using some of those for the DJ blocks. Oh, this is so much fun--to finally use some of the scraps I've been saving for just such a special quilt. Didn't know what I was saving them for, until now.

This will be for ME and it will be different from Jane's original quilt but still sort of the same, which is weird. Each quilter makes hers differently, but using the same patterns so you can tell that it's a Dear Jane but you can also tell that each one is a journey by itself, belonging to the individual and that's what I love. Some struggle with some of the pieces and techniques and difficult blocks (that's ME) and some find it easier. So we'll see. I can see my husband's and daughter's eyes glaze over--they're thinking "She'll never finish this one . . ." but I don't care, that's not going to stop me from trying.

I love traditional patterns and small blocks and seeing the multitude of designs in the Dear Jane quilt made me weak in the knees. Where oh where to begin? I started one block, then another and another and with each one I complete it gets a little more thrilling. Don't exactly know why that is. Some are easy, some are more difficult. With some, I have to learn new skills.

All in all it's a journey. My very own personal quilting journey.