Upper Cumberland Quilt Show Part III

White Plains

Putnam County, Tennessee

White Plains was a new venue for the Upper Cumberland Quilt Show.  The antebellum house was built  by Stephen Burton in 1848. The house was a stop over for the stagecoach traveling the Walton Road between Knoxville and Nashville.  All three of Tennessee's presidents, Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk and Andrew Johnson were guests at the home.

This woven coverlet was being warmed in front of the fireplace.

This quilt was made in the early 1860's.  The quilt was used on the beds for the guests traveling by stagecoach on the Walton Road between Knoxville and Nashville.

The friends of White Plains had done a beautiful job staging the home with quilts, antiques and flowers.  They even served punch and tea cookies from the dining room.

The friends of White Plains are currently working to restore the home:  a worth while endeavor.  A beautiful piece of Tennessee history worth saving.

Upper Cumberland Quilt Show Part II

The Needham Family had agreed to share their family quilts for the quilt show.  I did not count the exact number but estimate there were more than thirty quilts on exhibit.  The quilts had been made by predominately one member of the family.  

Tiny pieces sewn together with perfect points.

Cathedral Windows

Stars

English Paper Piecing

What a legacy!

Upper Cumberland Quilt Show Part I

This quilt was made by one of the ladies at the Algood Senior Citizen Center.  All the Sunbonnet Sue's were different and purple. The appliqué on the outside border added a nice touch.

This quilt had such an interesting story.  According to its owner, Joe Cameron he won the quilt at the U C Q F in 2014, he wanted to win a shotgun.  Nancy, his wife only had tickets for this quilt.  Joe says his wife is happy with the beautiful quilt, Joe says if he can sell the quilt he can get his shotgun.

The maker of this quilt called the design diamond ring--it was beautifully pieced and quilted.

Burgoyne Surrounded--I have been collecting fabrics to make this quilt

There was a nice display of patriotic quilts:  The addition of the elephant and donkey under Miss Liberty was a nice touch

Unusual color selection--the quilting was perfection.

There were dozens of quilts and I took many photos will share more in next post.

Bird and Heart Sewing Caddy

Rebekah L Smith

Bird and Heart Sewing Caddy

There is only one thing better than taking a vacation day--a wool appliqué class with Rebekah L Smith.

Another Jo Morton Little Favorites (kinda, sorta)

One of the quilts in Jo Morton's book, Little Favorites features her toile print fabric from her line of fabric called Jo's Best Friends.  

At the spring Paducah Quilt Show, I found this panel depicting scenes from the Civil War and fell in love with it.  I decided to use this Civil War panel instead of the toile which Jo Morton had used in making her quilt.  A quick dig in the fabric stash yielded reds and whites which I thought would work well with the panel.

Here are some of the things which I learned from making this quilt:

• when in doubt, over cut.  I used to think over cutting was a waste of fabric, I know better now, it actually saves fabric.  Is far far better to cut off an inch of fabric rather than recut an entire strip because it is one inch to short.  I have learned this lesson the hard way.  There is very little waste in over cutting versus recutting.
• make the design in the fabric do the work.  There are so many beautiful fabrics on the market.  Use those beautiful fabrics to make beautiful borders and fussy cuts.
• step out of the box and make it your own.  My dear friend, Anne taught me this.  "Why are you stitching the names of people you don't even know, you have an interesting family, let them tell you their story."  While Jo Morton's quilt and fabric are beautiful, I decided to use my Civil War fabric.  While doing research at the Archives, I learned a member of our family was in several of the Civil War battles named in the backing fabric.
• Itty Bitty Rulers rock! Love, love love my Itty Bitty Rulers.  Using these rulers has made me a better quilter because of their markings (more accurate cutting and measuring of finished pieces).
• a clean sewing machine is a happy sewing machine.  After finishing or before starting a project, clean the sewing machine.  It is amazing the amount of lint which can built up.  Cleaning the dust and lint out of the machine helps the tension and results in a better stitch.
• sew borders North to South one one side and South to North on the opposite side.  This helps to keep the quilt from getting wonky
• press don't iron.  Pressing make a huge difference.  
• quilting is teaching me patience:  don't rush the sewing, take your time, press, don't iron, select fabrics carefully and with thought

Now for a little History lesson.  July is a very pivotal month in the history of the United States.  There is independence Day celebrated on July 4, the Battle of Gettysburg which happened July 1, 2, and 3, and the surrender of Vicksburg on July 4.  Utah celebrates Pioneer Days in July, President Lincoln signed a tax on income into law in July and President James Garfield was shot in July.  

The panel in the center of the quilt reminds me of the generals meeting in the field and planning their strategy during the terrible three day battle at Gettysburg.  The floral outer border is a Windham fabric in association with the Clara Barton birthplace museum.  Clara Barton volunteered to go to the battlefields and tend to the wounded soldiers during the Civil War.  She later founded the Red Cross.  The backing fabric lists the names of some of the battles fought in the South during the Civil War.

This is a super quick and easy quilt to make, a great choice for a beginning quilt:  no points, no circles, no matching just straight line sewing.

Transfer Ware

During the Labor Day weekend, AppleJack and I took a road trip to Paducah.  They have a new to me stitch store called Must Stitch Emporium.  The shop has a wide selection of fibers, some linens and plans to expand.  They also carry beautiful fabrics.  While we were in Paducah, we did some exploring and I found a piece of brown transfer ware.  Growing up on a farm, I was drawn to the pastoral scene in the foreground especially the grazing cow.  While not in the best of condition, the price was affordable and I knew I would enjoy looking at the scene.  The back of the plate is marked:  Park Lenery G Phillips Longport.  I knew nothing about this maker but thought it was worth a search.

The Longport Pottery was founded by two brothers, Edward and George Phillips in 1822.  The brothers did not have a pottery background.  Edward married Benedicta Wedgewood and suspect this association was helpful in their pottery endeavors.  Edward was killed in a carriage accident just before a planned trip to the United States.  His widow sold her interest to George, the surviving brother in 1834.

Due to its very fragile condition (heck when i am 100+ years old, I may also be fragile) this plate will not see service but will be enjoyed for its pastoral scene and sweet reminder of my childhood days on the dairy farm.

Quaker Berry

Quaker Berry

Erica Michael's (Linda Stolz)

Linen:  32 ct mystery remnant from stash

Fiber:  Cherry Wine Silk "N Colors from The Thread Gatherer

One of Erica Michael's beautiful strawberries is hot out of my hoop!  Did you see her latest strawberries Wise Men and Honey Berry which she released during the Harvest Market Hop?  At the last Gathering, Linda gave us a sneak peek of the new berries.  Am working up my courage to stitch on silk gauze--am happy stitching on the linen.

With Linda's encouragement, I am going to step outside my comfort zone and "finish" the stitched berry.  I did some "shopping" in my stash and found some Thread Gatherer Silken Ribbons called Berry Spritz which matches the Cherry Wine fiber and will be added to the top of the berry.  Also found some wool for the berry cap and left over gold pin heads for the seeds.  

Our stitch group is so fortunate to call Linda one of our peeps.  She is a great designer, her finishing is beautiful and  once a year she invites us to her home for a stitch in.  We drool over her many models.  She offers finishing tips, asks our input for fiber color choices and is a great cook!  

Thanks Linda--keep those designs coming!

Come Together

North and South

From Primitive Quilts Magazine

Summer 2013

My projects all seem to start the same way:   There is an article or a piece in a magazine which catches my eye or I see something on a blog or pinterest.  I start reading the article and studying the instructions and say to myself "that doesn't seem so difficult, I think I can do that."  

And that is where the trouble begins:  my ambition and imagination overloads my skill level.

The design for this quilt is in the Primitive Quilts Magazine Summer 2013.  The finished quilt in the magazine is 37 1/2" x 46"  the fabrics are from a Civil War charm pack.  My finished quilt is 54" x 71."  Looking through my stash I had several charm packs and thought it would be interesting to make it a true North and South quilt with Yankee blue on one side of the quilt and Johnny Rebel on the other side surrounded by gray.  Me and my big ideas!  

I was sweating bullets with the gray fabric.  Frugal cutting was the theme of the day as I began cutting the setting triangles and sashing.  Setting blocks on point always forces me to put on my quilting thinking cap and remember to sew the rows on the diagonal rather than across.

I have spent most of Labor Day laboring over this quilt keeping the sewing machine and iron hot while I tried to complete all the sashing and get all the blocks joined together.  Backing fabric?  Time to check the sash.