Fall Where Art Thou?

Crown of Thorns

Frivol #7 by Primitive Gatherings

Songbird Gatherings Fabric

Slowly, ever so slowly I am making progress on the Crown of Thorns quilt.  The official date for fall is September 22 (that was almost a month ago).  With temps still in the high 80's it does not feel like fall!  There is no color, it is hotter than Hades, it is very dry and brown and ugly!  With all the beautiful colors, cooler temps, soups, sweaters and decorations fall is one of my favorite seasons.  I am blaming my lack of progress on my projects on the hot weather!

Whew!  I made a huge error on the Crown of Thorns quilt and am so glad I purchased extra fabric--I am sure going to need it to compensate for my mistake.

Grant House1865 Sampler

Chessie and Me

30 count Confederate Gray linen

NPI Silks

Chessie and Me released this design at the Nashville Needlework Market in March 2016.  It is a smallish sampler and will go great with my patriotic quilts.  At the top of the sampler there is this great eagle and the words Preserve the Union.  I really like the way Linda incorporated the date into the grass.

Stacy Nash Primitives

Country Sampler--Schoolgirl Sampler Spring Sewing Bag

I have fallen behind, way behind on the club projects.  While Stacy calls this a spring sewing bag, I have changed the linen colors and fibers to match some homespun and rick rack I had in my stash.

My finishing fabric is more fall like than spring like and I changed some of the fibers to better match the finishing fabric.

The weather man is forecasting a significant drop in temps for the weekend.  Bring it on!  Maybe the cooler temps is the motivation I need to get myself in gear and get some of these projects finished.

Crown of Thorns

Primitive Gatherings Frivol #7

Songbird Gatherings Fabric

Crown of Thorns

My name is Betty and I have a fabric collection addiction problem.  Isn't admitting you have a problem one of the steps in the twelve step program?  I love nice fabric, the feel, the colors and the designs all sing to my heart and call my name.

What's a Frivol?  It is a collectible tin containing 42 squares of 7" x 7" fabric, a classic pattern which finishes to 15" x 35" and a small surprise from Moda.  There were several of the Frivol's which caught my eye and the one I chose to make was Frivol #7.  The pattern is a very traditional pattern, Crown of Thorns.  I do love me some red fabric and the Songbird Gatherings fabric sure fills that bill.

After finishing the North and South quilt, my sewing mojo took a mini break.  Between the combination of taking much longer to finish the North and South quilt than I had anticipated and a very late fall with temps still in the high 80's, I needed a quilting break.  Christmas is just a few short months away (it is hard to focus on Christmas when the temps are still in the 80's) and the red fabrics in the Frivol #7, would sure make a nice Christmas quilt.  Who knows, by starting this small quilt in October, it might actually be finished in time for Christmas or Valentine's.

Lisa Bonegan, the designer of Frivol #7 included HST piecing papers in the kit.  The addition of the piecing papers speeds up the process and makes for some nice accurate HST's.  The directions complete with diagrams are easy to follow and the time to sew the blocks goes quickly.  Measuring and trimming the HST's makes them even more accurate.  When I was in Paducah for Quilt Week, one of my shopping stops was at Hancock's and they had the Songbird collection of fabric in stock.  I was able to purchase setting fabric, backing fabric and binding fabric.

So far I have limited myself to just one Frivol; however my fabric addiction may be stronger than my will power and I may cave and purchase another one or two.

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.