What's a Doll Quilt Workshop Without Genuine Doll Quilts?

This past Saturday I taught a workshop to a group of quilters. We made the Prairie Points Doll Quilt from my book Remembering Adelia.  If you are making one small quilt a month with me again this year, this is the one I chose for April. It's a lot of fun to make (Prairie Points! Fun, fun, fun!) and goes together pretty quickly. Page 66 in the book. The directions are simple and clear.

Taking a workshop is fun -  kind of like a mini-retreat. Here's what some of the quilters in the group did with their blocks -

I always love seeing the different fabrics each quilter chooses for her quilt. Traditional quilt blocks like the ones I use to make my quilts are timeless and they can easily move into different styles.  Just because I made my quilt with mostly 19th century reproduction prints doesn't mean you can't use batiks or brights in yours. Instead of making the quilt with 12 blocks, some chose to make 2 smaller quilts, using 6 blocks for each quilt. Someone adjusted the size and made 3-inch blocks. If you're short on time, even a quilt with 4 blocks would still look cute. Or, here's an idea - make the Prairie Points as your border and skip the other border. It's fun to play around and have fun with these small quilts.

If making a quilt this month (or any month) just seems like too much work for you, try breaking your project into chunks and do a little every week, on a schedule,  as I suggested here last year. By the end of the month (not to mention the end of the YEAR) you'll be surprised at how much you have accomplished. And perhaps you'll have a few little quilts to show for it.

I had a lot of fun playing around with some small scraps for the blocks - lights and darks and indigoes and a small splash of bright color here and there. Notice that I used 2 different (but similar) prints for the setting squares and triangles to give my quilt a scrappy feel. I used a stencil to mark the plain blocks and then hand quilted a small floral design in the center. 

While I was at the workshop, I met a woman who collected antique and vintage doll quilts. She was kind enough to bring a few along to share with us for Show & Tell.

Crazy doll quilts. (One may have been a pillow covering.)

Matching doll quilts made in 1929 for twin girls - Shirley Ann and Mary Jane. Lucky little girls indeed. Although they don't look like they were played with too much; both were in great condition. 

This one was probably cut down from a larger quilt.

A feedsack flour bag used as backing for one of the doll quilts.

Annie also collects old quilt blocks and sews them together into "antique" looking doll quilts which she then hand quilts. They turn out so cute and I think I'm going to try to make a few like this with some of my old quilt blocks.

If you have any old blocks lying around, maybe you'll be inspired to try this too. If you do attempt it, send me a photo. I'd love to see it.

Do yourself a favor this week and find time to make something small!

It's a Good Day

It's a good day when I wake up in the morning and decide to make something and then actually do it. Plus, the sun is out and Chicagoans are walking around with their jackets unzipped and coats unbuttoned, even though it's still only in the upper 30s. Something's in the air - you can feel it. Spring is coming!

I spent most of this past week indoors working on a small quilt for a new pattern and fabric giveaway here on the blog next week Wednesday (mark your calendars, girls!). That took longer than I expected to finish because of so many interruptions (raise your hand if you have a dog and kids and a phone). So I was determined to get back to my DJ blocks before the week was over and took a personal challenge from Sheri (in our Dear Jane Group) to finish another block.  Where does the time go? I often get so busy with other things and haven't made one since January. I always forget how much fun they are to put together.

Block L-1.   Not perfect, but perfectly good and - even better - it's finished.

Here's a little sneak peek of some of the pretty fabrics I've been working with for my new little quilt. It's Woodlands, designed by Jo Morton for Andover Fabrics.

Come back on Wed to see the fat quarters I'll be giving away.

It's amazing what a little sun streaming through the window, pretty fabrics and a small accomplishment can do to lift your spirits and make your day. Why, I may even finish another DJ block while I still have time today. The pieces are already cut so the rest is easy. Then I'm going out for a bit to enjoy the "nice" weather. I hear it's supposed to get up to 40 degrees before the forecasted "periods of freezing drizzle and the evening will change to a light wintry mix."

 

Is it true that in order to keep warm in winter you need to eat a high-fat diet? Then it's deep dish pizza for dinner tonight! Oh no, what do you mean that's just for the birds??

 

Imperfect Quilts

Thank you for all of your e-mails and comments on my recent blog post about quilts that are not perfect. Some of you "got" exactly what I was talking about. In case anyone misunderstood, this is what I should have added -

 

I am not saying that we should be careless in making our quilts or aim to make quilts that are sloppy or slipshod. Not at all. I think we should always try to do good work, should AIM for some kind of standard or even perfection. But we should not beat ourselves up if we don't make it every time, particularly if we are just learning, either quilting itself or a new technique. We're not all quilting in an attempt to win a ribbon, but if you are, then that's great. You should be proud. What I meant was that we should never let others judge our quilts according to their standards. They may be in an entirely different place than we are. We should not be afraid or let anyone keep us from trying to do something just because we're worried they may think it isn't "good enough" (according to their standards).

 

 

I know that creativity flourishes in an atmosphere of safety and acceptance and play.

Some quilters are naturals and have an easier time of it than others. Their first time at the sewing machine they can whip out a perfect block or quilt and then continue along at this pace. I admire those who can do that. Others, like me,  had a longer learning curve. No matter how hard I tried at first I always made mistakes and got frustrated easily. Most of the time I was trying to quilt with all sorts of distractions and children underfoot. But, you know, I never let it stop me and I never talked down to myself or listened to others who did. (There were more than a few who did this when I was first starting out, let me tell you). I knew I wasn't an expert. But I told myself to keep going because I loved the process. I listened to my heart and it told me I loved to quilt. It took me awhile to learn to go easy on myself and give myself a break. I knew my quilts might never come out perfectly but thought - what if I could still offer something to all the quilters out there who were like me?

 

 

An early quilt full of triangle points that don't match. Neither do the borders, LOL.

 

In the end, I like to think I did okay and I hope at the very least I gave encouragement to a lot of  quilters who were just like me. Maybe the very first quilt they would make would not be a fancy appliqued quilt or one with a thousand pieces that would win a prize.  Some of you have made or will make quilts like this right off the bat. Others will not and Guess what? That's okay. Everyone has to start somewhere and be comfortable choosing a pace of their own. And no one has the right to criticize how they do it. Perhaps we're not all "natural born" quilters with tremendous artistic ability and skills. But we can still call ourselves quilters. Sometimes we have to work a little harder at it but the rewards are great when you accomplish something you weren't even sure you could do in the first place.

 

 

 

One of my imperfect quilts. Maybe not a big deal to some, but never in a million years did I think I could hand piece an entire quilt with Y seams, even a small one. "What are you thinking? You can't do this," I said to myself. But I pushed that thought aside and tried it anyway and then went on to make 3 more just like this one . . . . Not at all perfect, but so much fun. You should try this one.

 

A few years ago I taught a workshop and a woman came up to me, hugged me and showed me the first quilt she had ever made from a pattern in one of my books. She was not a quilter before that and I was proud of her for beginning to quilt and then taking classes to learn even more. I remember her friends in the class all rallied around her, cheering her on.

 

My purpose in beginning my pattern business (and eventually writing my books) was to encourage others who wanted to quilt but maybe did not have the confidence to try it or felt they shouldn't try if they couldn't do it perfectly. I knew that feeling and I jumped in anyway.

 

 

If you wait until you can do a thing perfectly, most likely you will never do it at all. Creativity is a process and we all have to follow that instinct inside that tells us we CAN do something, not listen to the little voice that says we're not good enough to even try in case it does not turn out perfectly. What I learned is that, if you never try, you will never succeed. And that this does not just apply to quilting, it applies to almost anything in life you dream of doing. 

I like to show off a few of my quilts with mistakes when I teach to inspire others to be confident and to keep going despite difficulties. Sometimes I have to shrug off the mistakes and try not to worry when they are scrutinized by others who are better quilters.  I think of how much work still went into the planning and the piecing and figure - so what? In the big scheme of things, this imperfect quilt means much more to me than someone's critical words or looks. I'm the one who has to live with it as a reminder that I'm human, that I will always need to continue to strive to be better. I know we can all be a little critical of our own work. But someone who criticizes others' work rather than champion their attempts has to live with that attitude that she has to prove she's somehow better than everyone else (and you know where that attitude comes from). I've met people like this and you probably have too. They're rarely happy with anything other than making others feel bad. I've never met a critical person who is a happy person or knows how to make others happy. I also know which type of person I'd rather be or spend my time with.

 

Trying to live up to other people's perfectionistic standards just "ain't" worth the headache.

 

That woman at the workshop inspires me today when I think about her. She was sooo proud of herself and I was too. No, her quilt wasn't perfect, but it was still beautiful. I could see the pride and sense of satisfaction in her eyes when she showed it to me. To me, that's what quilting is all about.

*   *   *   *

A reminder -  the beautiful Quilted Koala boxes you saw on my blog are available for purchase on their website. Just because you didn't win one doesn't mean you don't deserve to buy one for yourself   : )

                                                            

 

Loving Those Doll Quilts from the Past

Doll quilts from the past stir our hearts and engage our emotions with their simple blocks and imperfect stitches. It's fun to imagine what kinds of quilts children may have made and played with long ago. For me,  making little scrappy quilts almost brings the past alive in a way.

 

 

Doll quilt from an online auction.

 

The doll quilt craze is not new, however. This was written in 1831:

"Little girls often find amusement in making patchwork quilts for the beds of their dolls, and some even go so far as to make cradle quilts for their infant brothers and sisters."

I am happy that doll quilts are not just for dolls or children anymore. They have a particular appeal to those of us who have fond memories of playing with dolls as young girls (maybe boys, too . . . ). Doll quilts from long ago were played with until they fell apart and that's why they're so rare today; not many survived the wear and tear. 

 

 

This little sampler quilt from my book Prairie Children & Their Quilts is a treasure and would be a lot of fun to make with your pink and blue print scraps.

 If you follow my blog and books at all, most of you know by now that doll quilts were often used as practice for young girls' sewing skills in the past.
 

 

Needlework and sewing were an important part of a girl's education in the 18th and 19th centuries. Quite often, these skills were taught before reading and writing.

  

Doll quilts were learning pieces. It was the practicing of the sewing skills that was important, not so much the design of the quilt. But I like to think that, like their mothers or other early quilters, even young girls making small quilts for their dolls still learned about color and the whole design process and it helped to give life to their creative expression in a small way. It's the same with many quilters today who are still learning.

 

 

I read something recently on a blog that really annoyed me - the blogger wrote something trashing beginning quilters for not making perfect quilts and criticized them for putting up photos of them on their blogs (or, heaven forbid, in books) for everyone to see. How dare they! The quilts were not perfect! What right did they have to bring down the quilting community with their imperfections . . . .

 

Wait, I thought - Quilts that are not perfect do not deserve to be seen? Had she ever looked at any antique quilts? Beginning quilters do not have the right to show their humble yet earnest quilts and still be considered quilters, even if they are learning? They should hide them until they're perfect?   Excuse me, but everyone has to start somewhere. When did perfection take over and exclude many of us from being a part of the larger quilting community if we cut off a corner now and then? Is it now a private club with membership determined by a few? Aren't we supposed to be having fun?

 

(Okay, I'm done. Sorry I ranted but I needed to get that off my chest. Everyone is entitled to her own opinion and this is mine.)

 

I learned to quilt myself by making doll quilts. A couple of my early learning pieces, above. Yep - sorry, not perfect, crooked borders, but still cute and near and dear to my heart. Never fear, I will not stop posting photos of my imperfect quilts . . . . 

Love this darling vintage quilt on eBay -  oops, watch out, some of those corners are cut off . . . . better hide it under a bushel.

 

 

I don't own a lot of antique doll quilts. They can get pretty pricey because they're so rare. If I see one that's affordable that I like I may buy it but I often prefer to make my own because sometimes it's fun to be a part of the whole reproducing process yourself. That seems to be what it's all about for me -  the process.

 

Even if they're not perfect, maybe the small quilts we love to make will be valuable to someone someday. And, if not, that's okay. Like little girls' sewing samples, mine were my own simple learning pieces from the past. It's fun to look back and see how far I've come.

 

(Eliza Jane's nine-patch doll quilt)

I love this quilt for its simplicity. 

  

Celebrate Quilts and Diaries from the Past

Last week I had the opportunity to give a presentation to a group at a local history center. It happened to be the place where I came across the 1861 diary of Adelia Thomas a few years ago.

The Des Plaines History Center currently has an exhibit of several antique/vintage quilts from their collection. Adelia's diary is also on display. The exhibit runs until June of this year so stop by if you're in town.

 

 

 

 

 

While I was writing Remembering Adelia, I immersed myself in Adelia's diary and read and reread it many times. For some reason, the minute I opened the pages of Adelia's little leather-bound journal several years ago and learned that she was a quilter, I was completely drawn into the 19th century and wanted to learn everything I could about her life. I felt compelled to share her words and make sure that her simple but heartfelt story would be revealed to other quilters and enjoyed for the connection it gives us to our country's past. 

 

For a young woman of 19, living in such uncertain times, life could not have been easy and she often spelled out her frustrations and worries in the pages of her diary. I'm sure Adelia did not intend that her words would be read by so many strangers so many years later and I hope she wouldn't have minded. She wrote every day and yet you only get a smattering of her writing in the published version - there wasn't room in a quilting book to include all of her writing and everything else I would have liked to include. But the DesPlaines History Center has recently made Adelia's diary available online if anyone would like to read it in its entirety.  Click here to get to the diary pages.

 

 

Some of you have asked me about the diary pages that weren't included in the book, so here are just a few "missing" entries I thought you might enjoy reading that I hope will take you a little further into Adelia's ordinary, nineteenth-century world. These entries were written a few months before the war began. The diary lays no claim to being an important Civil War document but you do get a very interesting slice of what life must have been like for a woman living in a rural community over 150 years ago, with the war as a backdrop.

January 19, 1861

Emma has a very sore throat and a cold. Did a very large washing today with James' help. Got through about three o'clock. Mrs. Bennett called. She was sewing at Alcott's. Got tired of so much noise among the young ones that she came here to get away from it.

Mr. Howard came back from Woodstock. Staid all night and Mother and Father went to hear him preach in the evening. Some little children came in the evening and we made molasses candy.

January 20

Emma sick yet I did not get up early enough to get the work done in time to go to church so Mother, Father, Myron and Elias went without me. After meeting was out Elias and I stole the horse and cutter and went up to Melvira's. Had a grand good visit and made a call at Mr. Armstrong's with Melvira and Dave.

January 21

This morning got up with a very sore throat myself. Emma seems better. Had a high fever and headache all day. Laid about most of the time. Miss Howard came here and stayed all night. Mother, Myon and Miss Howard went to Lyceum in the evening. Father went to the station and brought home Auntie's new bed stead and teapot. Brought a letter from Laura Jefferson.

January 22

We are very busy putting up Auntie's new bedstead in her room. Put the old one in the children's room.

January 23

Mr. Bennett here. Played us some excellent songs. His violin was broken so he borrowed Mr. Lewis Bennett's. It was a poor thing but we managed to play some pretty good pieces together. Mrs. Bennett and Mrs. Town spent the day here. Morris West called. Mr B. sang for him then we played some pieces together. He sang "A Snake in the Grass." Went to singing school in the evening.

January 24

A very cold blustery day. Mr. Bennett went home in the snow. Myron took Maria and Marg up to Huffman's schoolhouse to spelling school [by sleigh]. It was so cold they did not have any school so they spent the evening at Mr. Towns. Tipped over into the snow coming home. Froze both ears and his fingers.

January 25

Emma and Clara went to Melvira's to spend the day. John Shaver went after her to come to Towns to the dance. Frank came after Jim and I.

January 26

Went to Spelling School then went to take a sleigh ride after. Maria and I did not want to go. The rest acted like fools.

January 29

Emma went to Woodstock with Frank Patterson and Mrs. Town. So very cold that they could not come home. But Emma, Carrie Griffith, Frank and Sellers could go to McHenry and be gone till two o'clock at night.

The wind blew very cold all day. In the evening went to singing school. Came home freezing my ears.

January 30

Carried Charley's stove home and put the dairy stove in the salting room. Frank brought James home, left Emma there. Very cold today. Expected to go to Mrs. Vosburgh's this afternoon to sing with Mr. Bennett. Got ready to go and Mother said if anybody went she should go. When I gave it up then she would not. She said I might go when I got the supper dishes washed. When I got them most done she came in the kitchen with her bonnet and shawl on. Said she was going to Mrs. V—I was provoked then staid at home until Singing School, then went with James.

Valentine's Day Fabric Winners

I am happy to announce the 4 winners from the Valentine's Day fabric giveaway:

•   Debbie Rogowski
•   Betty Clark
•   Donna Brooks
•   Robin McGuire

 

Thanks to everyone who entered.  If you did not win this time, don't worry -  I am planning another super fabric giveaway next month so the rest of you will get another chance to win something special.

Ladies, if you e-mail me your addresses your little packs of pink and red fabric will be on their way in a day or two.

Congratulations! Make something sweet . . . .

                                                                                           

 

 

 

 

Sweet Valentine's Day Giveaway

 

Some of you may remember that last year I had a giveaway of some sweet  little prints designed by Renee Nanneman for Andover Fabrics  - Little Sweethearts. I  designed a cute little table runner (above) with some of the prints and added my own shirtings. The pattern is still available for sale on my website. I bought quite a bit of this fabric last year to make up kits to go along with the pattern but then had to keep reordering more fabric, got tired of all the cutting and decided that, at that time in my life, kits were just too time intensive and I wanted to move on to other things so I stopped taking time to make them and put the fabric away in a drawer.

 

       I love hearts.

 

I still have some of this fabric left over from the kits I was making and wanted to give it away in scrap packs. There's plenty in there to make some cute blocks but not enough fabric for borders or setting pieces, so not really enough to make any kits. You can add your own shirtings and make a small quilt. I have enough to give away 4 packs, all mixed with these sweet pink, white and red Little Sweethearts prints.
 

All you have to do is leave me a comment and tell me what was the sweetest thing that anyone ever did for you on Valentine's Day. Comments will close on Sunday and I will announce the 4 winners on Monday. Please be sure to leave a way for me to contact you. If you sign your post "Anonymous" or don't leave an e-mail or a blog link I will pass over your name and go on to the next pick. Good luck!

                                       Happy Valentine's Day!

"Be careful what you set your heart on, for it will surely be yours." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
 

 

A few years ago, my sweet friend Shirley cut and prepped these little basket blocks for me. Sorry, Shirley, I know, I feel bad that I still haven't put them into a quilt yet  : (  But it sure is probably one of the sweetest things anyone has ever done for me.

 

 

 

"Follow your heart, but be quiet for a while first. Ask questions, then feel the answer. Learn to trust your heart." ~Unknown 

 

 

Obviously, not all of you will be winners and that makes me sad, so as consolation in advance, here's a link to this free primitive Valentine's Day cross stitch pattern I found  here.

   

Have a Sweet Day!