Seminole Patchwork

For ones of you who do not live in Florida, the Seminole Indians inhabited the state many many years ago but now live on reservations in the southern part of the state in an area called the Everglades. They also have reservations around Pensacola in the panhandle of Florida. Many years ago, the Indians were given treadle sewing machines and remnants from fabric bolts that were donated to them from clothing manufacturers in the U.S. They were very creative, and started sewing the remnants into strips in beautiful patterns that they named from nature, such as fire, lightening, turtles, man on horseback, etc. I have given some of the more prevalent patterns for you to see. The patchwork is always done on the sewing machine and is relatively easy to duplicate. There are many books written about this, but you'll enjoy seeing a skirt that I made before I was known as a "quilter." I just loved to sew, and this idea intrigued me to no end.! I made many items using the patchwork patterns. The more intricate patterns were made by the Indians for their own clothing. They did not share the patterns with anyone. The items that they made to sell back in the 20's and 30's, were made using the more simple patterns. I am showing you a beautiful piece of the early Seminole that a friend of mine bought many years ago when she lived in Miami. This piece has one of those more difficult patterns, and thus, makes it more valuable. I'm sure you can pick out which patterns are difficult to duplicate!

Continuous Binding for quilts

Continuous Binding is very simple to make. Some judges at juried quilt shows will pick up a quilt and look at the binidng, and if it is not a bias binding, they will be even bother to judge it. Now, doesn't that get your attention? It certainly did me, back in Ft. Worth, Tx when I watched a judge do just that! I know that all of you know that quilts with scallops or curved edges have to have bias bindings to make them lay flat, but most of the quilters that I know today, just whip on a crossgrain binding or a selvage edge binding that is cut 2 1/2", folded in half and sewn down raw edge to raw edge of the quilt. Here is a beautiful binding, that is done with continuous strips on the bias: Looking at the pictures: Picture A on the left, and Picture B on the right. Follow these instructions: For a better wearing binding, take a 30" square of fabric, cut straight on each side with the grain line, and mark a diagonal line from one corner to the other, and cut. Pin two straight sides together so that it looks like Picture !, and sew with a quarter inch seam allowance. Press the seam allowance open. Lay fabric flat with wrong side up. With a yardstick and pencil, starting from the top, draw a line every 2" parallel to the bias cut. Then pin the other two straight sides together offsetting the top to line A on one side. see Picture B. stitch, using quarter ince seam allowance, and press seam open. Start cutting on line A and continue to the end of the tube. Fold bias in half lengthwise and press. Place raw edge of binding to raw edge of quilt back and sew using quarter inch seam allowance. Fold finished edge of binding to front of quilt and whip down by hand. A 30" square of fabric will give you approximately 13 yards of 3/8" wide binding.

Quickie Quilt

The Quickie Quilt may be used for making small quilts such as for Hospice quilts,baby quilts or even Quilts of Valor. The size depends on the size borders you wish to have. I am making a Western quilt for a new baby using this method. Great use of "fat quarters." If you do not know how to print directions from my blog, go to the ARCHIVES on the right side of the blog, and find May 10th, 2010 and read the directions for printing, carefully; then print off these directions and pictures that are here for you.

Fairy God Mother Quilt!

O.K., I have to tell you, being without a computer for a week is truly devastating!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so sorry for the delay, but I just had to backup my computer in the event of a major "CRASH!" This happened to a friend of mine, and I know her pain!!!!!!! I have 12 years of articles on this computer, and just can't afford to let that happen to me........so forgive my delay in getting some of the articles and pictures on here that you are looking for at this moment! Here is the Fairy God Mother quilt. It is truly adorable. Just think of all those dainty little handkerchiefs in your dresser drawer that you never ever look at except in a blue moon, and that just passed............so, get them out and choose one that you adore, and get busy making a little miniature quilt out of is.! So simple..........just layer it with batting, and a lining, and do a little stitching on it and add a few baubles that you adore and voila, you can enjoy it every day of your life, right there in your face!!!!!!! This one is only 12" square..........and isn't it precious!!!!!!!!!! Almost as precious as the person who gave it to me!!!!!!!!!!!

BLOG'S NEW LOOK! "AUSTRIAN FLOWERS"

Hi, all, Thought it was time to "change the scenery" of my blog! Sorry I've been so negligent in doing that; but, it doesn't seem to keep you all from coming to see me here quite often! I have had an idea that might interest you! I am going to start "showcasing" all of my quilts that I have made in the past 20 years. Some of them, some of you have never seen! I have been very stingy with them, as I know that some day my ch

ildren and grandchildren will be old enough to appreciate all the work that has gone into most of them. Most of my quilts are all done by hand and have taken me 3 to 5 years to complete. I'll also tell the story of the quilt that is being exhibited. That might be of interest to you. I would like to say a big "THANK YOU" to the many of you that check my blog at least once a week. This is what keeps me going with this project. The quilt you see today is called "Austrian Flowers." A few years ago I took my grandson, Sean and my son, Pat on a trip to Germany/Austria/and Switzerland. We had such a wonderful time. The quilt you see here is my own design. I had cut out many of the blocks and had them "wonderundered" to the background black fabric ready to button-hole stitch while riding the tour bus. This was great fun, as so many people would ask me "what in the world are you doing?" It makes for a great conversation starter. When we returned home, I put the quilt top together and started appliqueing on the borders. There is a great picture of the 3 of us that I put on the back of the quilt along with the label. You know how I fuss when you don't do this. In a month or so, I'll be putting another one of my quilts on this blog, so check back often. I've quit putting quilts in shows, as it is so much trouble, and I'm always afraid that one will get lost in the mail to or from the show. Thanks for being my "blog friends." You can post a comment anytime at Thimblena14@gmail.com HAPPY DAYS!

Care and Preservation of Fine Quilts

If you own a quilt, consider yourself fortunate! If you know the history of your quilt, consider yourself even more fortunate! Any known fact about the quilt will be a treasure to your loved ones even a century from now. So.....here's how to protect your quilt and document its history. The best place for a quilt is on a bed, under a coverlet. If you hang a quilt on a wall for a decoration, make certain that it does not receive the glare frm the sun or any bright light. If you want to keep the quilt folded and in a closet or drawer, NEVER put it in plastic or zippered cases or cardboard boxes. Never let a quilt come in contact with wood, suach as in a cedar chest! Put the quilt into a pillowcase just as you would a pillow. Remove the quilt often and refold to place the creases in different locations. Quilts will "dry rot" on the creases. "Air" the quilt once in a while just by placing it on a bed. Don't hang it on a clothesline as grandma used to do. They don't like the moisture in the air, nor the bright sunlight or ultraviolet rays on cloudy days. How to clean a soiled quilt: Most quilts will benefit from a light vacuuming to remove dust. Using masking tape, tape the edges down to a large table. Use a hand-held attachment to vacuum the quilt. Remember that most old quilts have a coon batting between the lining and the quilt top, and extreme cleaning will leave the quilt "limp as a dishrag." Washing an all cotton quilt will usually wash out all of the old batting, and leave you with just the quilt top and the lining. YOu must determine the type of fabrics used in the quilt before cleaning if you are not sure that a quilt is all cotton, test a couple of threads of fabric by touching a lighted match to the threads. COTTON burns rapidly and smells like paper. WOOL burns slowly and smells like scorched hair. POLYESTER and RAYON threads melt. Please remember that REDS usually fade. If the quilt is basically red, don't even consider washing it. I don't advise dry-cleaning quilts for any reason, since cellulose is not soluble in drycleaning fluid. If the quilt has a shiny cotton look, it is probably chintz. Do not wash chintz, as it will lose its shiny look. Use care in cleaning mixed fabric quilts, such as silk/wool or cotton/wool. Spot cleaning is preferred. WASHING A QUILT... Once you have determined the fiber content, and decide that it is safe to wash, get Quilt Soap at a quilt shop and follow the directions explicitly. I usually lay a sheet in the bottom of a bathtub, run cold water to cover the quilt and useing the quilt soap, squish the quilt up and down. Remove the water, and rinse thoroughly. Lift the quilt out of the tub by lifting on a sheet. This keeps the threads from breaking from the strain. Don't wring the quilt. Squeeze gently and roll the quilt in beach towels or just lay it out flat on a sheet on the grass out of the sun and let air dry. DON'T put the quilt in the dryer. You won't ahve a quilt left. Don't hang over the clothesline, as it puts too much strainon the threads and the batting will sift to the bottom of the quilt and be lumpy. TUrn the quilt freqently while drying and change to another sheet if possible. A mattress pad is good to put the quilt on to dry. Later I shall tell how to spot clean a quilt and restore a quilt. Stay tuned to this website! HAPPY DAYS!

FINISHED MYSTERY QUILT EXTRAORDINAIRE

Finished the Mystery Quilt Extraordinaire! Got the baby quilt almost finished. For those who are making this quilt, it is fun to make, and easy as pie. The center block is a turtle, if you are making a fun quilt.....or baby quilt......if not, it can have any block you choose for the center block where the turtle is in mine! Also see the Quilt of Valor made with the same pattern. It is below this article. Since I was making a child's quilt, it made it a little jazzy than plain vanilla. Putting antennae on the butterflies made out of the log cabin blocks using black embroidery thread.......and a few other little things like making embroidery thread ties in Blocks #3 like it is an aviary with birds in it.......and feathers for the geese out of the quilting......and eyes on the turtle and on the geese......just fun embellishments on the butterflies, as well. Have fun with this. Happy Days!