Reproduction Quilts

Just catching up

February 18, 2013 by Margaret

What a great January I had!

I take the whole month *off* so I can *work* on my own things, bit of a contradiction I know.

However it’s all very enjoyable for me so doesn’t feel like work, and I often use the term ‘pottering about’ so it’s all very much at a summer pace.

This January my main tasks were to get some patterns written up and get the Maltaville Album Quilt ready as a complete pattern package. Plus I wanted to get two of my own quilts completed (borders on or blocks joined) and quilted, they are just simple, fun quilts and I planned to try new pantograph quilt patterns on them.

And on the home front there were some special cooking things I wanted to do, fancy myself as a bit of a foodie I do

So how much did I achieve and how far did I get sidetracked LOL.

two modern quilts finished off and quilted.

I have sewn the binding on but have yet to hand stitch to the back, that can wait ’til Autumn.

The one on the left is a quilt I started ages ago with a Layer Cake of fun, modern fabrics. The pattern is Memories of Japan by Suzanne Lyle and is especially for layer cakes. The quilt on the right is the result of playing with some bold geometric prints that came home with me after a trip to Amitie quilt shop in Melbourne. Of course both these quilts were intended to be a quick and fun diversion but took about four and two years respectively to complete. Haha like I say January is the month to potter and finish.

I did get all the Maltaville Block patterns redone to A3 pages and added new history info to the pattern sheets.

Maltaville Album Quilt centre block

What can slow me down is getting the photo’s suitable for pattern covers so that’s the hold up with that. It’s always a two person job for starters. I have several quilts to do now so a day will be set aside in the very near future. Very near!

I wrote up the patterns for two antique quilts and they are only waiting on their photo’s.

I did this one

and this one

didn’t get as far as I’d hoped on this one

or this one

I got a little side tracked with this new basket quilt

but haven’t actually done anymore on it since I showed it last

No name except basket quilt

And more than a little side tracked on this

Eagle Quilt

The next exciting thing is the Eastleigh Quilt and pattern appearing in the April issue of Homespun magazine (volume 14 #5)

Eastleigh Quilt

Eastleigh is an English Frame quilt, named after my Grandmother’s home town in Hampshire UK. Today *would be* her 108th birthday. I had such fun creating this quilt for Homespun and can’t wait to see it in print.

happy stitching and til soon

Margaret

12 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Antique Quilts, Applique, Design, Eastleigh, Quilt Patterns, Reproduction Quilts

Documenting a Smithsonian Heritage Quilt kit.

January 9, 2013 by Margaret

image of Smithsonian Institute Quilt Kit

One of the things I was lucky enough to bring back from the US, due entirely to my friend Sherry’s generosity, thank you , was a quilt kit from the Smithsonian Institute. I will make it up but instead of just ripping it open (my usual M O) we talked about documenting it as it was unpacked. At over 20 years old this is quite an interesting piece of quilt making history so that is what I am going to do today, in real time, that is I will photograph and upload after each stage of seeing what is actually in there. I’ll only hit publish at the end though, that would be annoying to get copious posts in quick succession wouldn’t it.

So here goes, this is what came home with me

American Heritage Quilt Collection, wall hanging.

It cost $64.95 at the time, which seems pretty steep to me. Especially for American prices and this is 20+ years ago but it is the real deal from the Smithsonian, bearing their logo.

image of American Heritage Quilt Collection

It's authentic with the Smithsonian's logo on the packaging.

I’m going to slice along the bottom of the packet to open it, rather than cutting the top off.

Now that it’s out of the packet you can see the cover better

Tulip Garden, Wall Hanging with backing 40" x 40" Pre-stenciled wholecloth quilt.

I knew what to expect in regards to fabric in the kit (tho I haven’t got that far yet) but the first thing I saw gave me an “oh this is interesting” moment.

The History of the Quilts (Provenance)

Here are the five quilts which the Smithsonian licensed to be kitted up and their provenance. I didn’t know the Maltaville Album Quilt was one chosen, here titled Floral Album Applique ~ second from top. Mine is called Tulip Garden Applique. Click on the above image to zoom in closer.

The reverse of the above page shows the pictures of the different quilt kits available, 11 in all.

Five are wholecloth "white on White" kits and six are applique.

I wasn’t intending for this to be a post about the Maltaville Album Quilt, but this just came out of the packet, it’s real time remember

So, the Maltaville (here called Floral Album Applique) was available as a quilt 88″ x 114″ 12 blocks with one large centre block and surrounded by applique borders or as a wallhanging 40″ x 40″ .

Wow :-0

Also included in the paperwork is a 7 page set of general instructions prepared by Holice Turnbrow.

I’m up to revealing the fabric, unless there is something else folded up inside.

Sorry, these two would have to be the most boring photo’s, pretty much all white. In the photo below I accidently hit auto on the image adjustment but a happy mistake as it does show up the printed applique pattern better. However it makes the quality of the fabric look terrible when in fact it is a very nice quality. I had wondered if I might substitute a different backgound but after seeing it I am happy with this. That’s both the backing fabric and the printed applique background you see.

After zooming in on the photo I think there’s elements of a pomegranate there.

I’ll fold that back up and see what else there is.

Pre-cut binding supplied

Before folding up again, I just had a look inside the backing fabric and there is the pre-cut binding, one continuous piece, even joined at a 45 degree angle.

A bag of fabric and some more instructions by the look of things

Now we’re down to the applique fabrics, I knew these were fabrics I had seen before because of course I could see them from the back of the kit when I saw it for the first time. I had remarked to Sherry about the coincidence of these being from the same range my LQG used for our very first raffle quilt for our very first exhibition in Castlemaine, Vic. November 1992. So these fabrics would have been 1991 or early 1992 in to Australia and purchased from our local quilt shop Threadbear Quilters.

Applique fabric and a label

There’s a half yard (18 ” x 44″) of the red print by Marcus Brothers Textiles Inc.

12 ” x 22″ of the green print also by Marcus Brothers,

Bias cut strip of the green is included ~ pre joined,

and a plain cheddar piece, 11″ x 6″.

And a label.

Another set of instructions, these one specific to this project and again by Holice Turnbrow.

I think I would really like to make this up, but would prefer to keep this kit intact.

It would be great to make it in some RJR Smithsonian fabrics and I always have plenty of plain background on the shelf.

I’ve just had a look on the book shelves for a photo of the original, sure enough I found one. If you have Mimi Dietrich’s book Quilts from the Smithsonian, That Patchwork Place publishers 1995 you’ll find a photo on page 40

I had better get a move on, it’s that same LQG’s first meeting for the year in about two hours, I want to go as I haven’t been for a couple of months.

til soon

thanks for visiting

Margaret

3 Comments

Filed Under: Applique, Maltaville Album Quilt 1847, Reproduction Quilts

Being a bit of a slow coach with this one

November 27, 2012 by Margaret

Applique block

But I’m pleased to say

“that’s one block down and eight to go”

Today I prepped another block in anticipation of something good on the telly tonight,

I haven’t checked, I’m just hoping there is :-0

In progress

Click on the picture for a better view, you’ll see that I don’t mark my background fabric at all,

but I do press the halfway marks, vertical/horizontal and diagonal.

I have a large light box (but even it isn’t quite large enough to fit these very large blocks)

and I prefer to just lay the background fabric over the pattern sheet.

The applique shapes are marked with the stitch line directly on to the right side of the fabric with whatever will show up.

In this case all the fabrics are marked with a white pen except the lighter blue which has been marked with a frixion pen (heat activated) so I have to remember not to iron that one.

I have finished this quilt below which you have seen snippets of

here

and it looks like this

Quilt previously known as Vintage

Okay I know, you can’t see that much of it but a girl’s got to keep the odd thing up her sleeve.

It does have a name now, it only had a working title of Vintage which either had to go or be extended somehow.

I have decided to call it Eastleigh after the town in Hampshire where my Grandmother was born. It rolls off the tongue easily.

I can tell you that this quilt is destined for Homespun magazine next year, about mid way through so don’t hold your breath just yet.

And I thought I’d just share with you that this elderly lady is still hanging in there despite a few scares this year

" I know I forget lots of things but I don't think I've eaten yet"

Rollo has just had her summer clip and is looking forward to Christmas, just around the corner now.

I’ll be back before then of course,

’til soon

Margaret

16 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Applique, Design, Eastleigh, Reproduction Quilts, Smithsonian Fabrics

Time flies when you’re sewing.

September 20, 2012 by Margaret

I am astonished to see it’s a month (or so) since I posted last, but I take comfort noticing that some of my favourite bloggers are doing the same. Weeks and months are whizzing by in the blink of an eye.

Since May I’ve had an internal monologue of… “life will get a bit less manic, I just have to get through July and August”.

I think I started breathing again on the first of September.

Since I was here last I have…

been on a lovely weekend away with Linda, Bev, Jenn and Debbie to Sorrento.
been working steadily on the Vintage Quilt.
enjoyed a day with lots of other quilters and the Chester County Criswell Quilt at Linda Collin’s home.
finished the last bit of embroidery and finally started quilting the Maltaville Quilt.
finished a quilt for the US with Jenn and Irene (more about that later, we’ve had to keep it very quiet until recently)
been teaching at Patch n Quilt in Gisborne.
dragged out the Welsh Quilt for more hand quilting (the weather’s been miserable)
been quilting quilts for the Goldfields Quilters (my LQG) exhibition next month ~ all customers’ quilts done, just mine to do now phew.
finally made a start on reproducing one of the Antique Quilts I bought in Paducah, but I only started that today so does that count in this list? Oh what the heck, course it can count.

Pictures would be nice wouldn’t they.

Linda blogged ages ago here about the Sorrento Retreat but here’s a few more pics. It really was a super weekend

Now that's novel

I love this one of Linda,

soooo many circles

As well as other sewing, I sewed more circles on the Vintage quilt,

We watched a wonderful movie called The Help.

We all cried, ssshhh don’t tell anyone.

Do see it if you can.

And there were so many books to browse, not just sewing but also our other passion…

cooking.

And just take a look at the quilt on the floor and keep it in your mind.

Books galore

The Vintage Quilt is coming along nicely, I finally got my design wall up in the cottage.

That sure helped.

Progressing nicely

Just a couple more borders and it will be done.

The day at Linda’s enjoying the Chester County Criswell Quilt was fantastic.

Linda has blogged about it here

Many thanks to Sharon for making the quilt available for us all to enjoy, and to Linda and Bev for a fabulous day, so well organised.

The Maltaville Quilt went on the machine yesterday

I’m sooooo very happy to see this at the next and final stage.

Do you remember this Red and Green quilt, it was one I purchased in the US in April?

June Orr's 1849 applique quilt

I’ve been intending to recreate it as a pattern and I had drafted the blocks a little while ago.

But today, I finally got fabric happening.

The impetus?

I’m going on a retreat with my LQG this weekend and I needed some handwork ~ easy to transport, not too taxing.

But warning, it’s not Red and Green.

One of the large blocks

I think I must have trouble with two fabric quilts.

I love them~ I really do, but it’s just there are so many great fabrics that it’s hard to stop at two!

So now for the Irene’s, Jenn’s and my ‘secret’ quilt.

If you’re on Facebook you could take a little look at the link below then I’ll try and fill you in as best I can cos it’s a bit of a long story.

http://www.facebook.com/MarianneElizabethDesigns

Are you back? Did you see a quilt that looked like the one on Linda’s floor in Sorrento?

Crazy huh!

When Irene and I were away in the US we met fabric and quilt designer Marianne Elizabeth.

I could talk for an hour on the serendipity that brought the three of us together, but trust me, it was a fabulous bit of fate.

So, we chatted about fabric and quilts, then Marianne showed us some pieces from her newest fabric collection

Arabella Rose

and invited us to design a new quilt using them.

What a thrill.

So a big part of why I (and Jenn & Irene too if I can be so bold as to speak for them) have been a teeny bit quiet around blogland is that we have been sewing, and sewing and sewing and sew…

The quilt is called Harmony Rose and we want to introduce it to you properly ~ and in a special way ~ very soon.

You’ll just have to be patient a little bit longer, there’s just a bit more to do on the promotion.

And there’ll be a pattern of course.

I’m going to sign off for the night, it’s quite late oooh it’s suddenly tomorrow.

til soon

Margaret

1 Comment

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Antique Quilts, Applique, Design, Maltaville Album Quilt 1847, Quilt Patterns, Reproduction Quilts

Pine Trees… quilted

June 30, 2012 by Margaret

I have to show you this.

Pine Trees quilt

I have been quilting up a storm on Violet since returning from the Sydney Quilt Show.

The Melbourne Quilt Show is next on the agenda (July 26 -29) and I had a few quilts to get done for that,

including my own Pine Trees Quilt which I sewed up earlier in the year.

This quilt uses a very favourite RJR Smithsonian fabric, from the Rising Sun Quilt collection

RJR Smithsonian fabric, Rising Sun Quilt collection

When in Sydney I bought a new Clamshell long-arm ruler and this is the first chance I’ve had to try it out.

I love it.

So just binding, label and hanging sleeve to go.

I am off to teach a class in Gisborne this afternoon, at Drapers of Mt Macedon

so had better fly.

Til soon

Margaret

6 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Pine Trees Quilt 1875-1900, Reproduction Quilts, Smithsonian Fabrics

A Facebook page

April 15, 2012 by Margaret

You may have noticed the new Facebook icon under the Quilt Station header logo

Yes Quilt Station is on Facebook so if you’re a facebook user, please click on the icon and have a look.

I’ve only done one post so far, it’s about a new quilt Jennifer and I are doing together.

I think this will be a great way for me to post and keep in touch more instantly while I am away, but I will still be blogging in the States.

I’m meeting up with a few of you and I’m really looking forward to that

I’ve organised my sewing projects for the trip.

I wanted to get on with making another Banyan Tree Medallion Quilt, so at first I thought I’d prepare the Hexagons for one of the borders,

even tho I haven’t finished the centre yet.

I spent an afternoon choosing and cutting all the hexagons required and then bagged them in to the 24 blocks.

oodles of hexagons

Then I even started to create a few and that’s when I thought

“keeping track of these fiddly bits while I’m away is going to drive me mad”

so I went to plan B

Banyan Tree Medallion centre block

I figured I should “just get on with the centre block”

so I gathered the appropriate threads ~ the colours I only need a little of I wound on to cardboard. I have an empty floss container for a thread cutter on the plane, so that’s ready to go in the cabin bag.

The new quilt Jenn and I are doing is another Maltaville Album Quilt, but this time much smaller.

It’s only 25 blocks and it’ll be Red and White, as we hope to have it finished for Linda Collins’ Quilts in the Barn exhibition later this year

Jenn came over last week and we made some more decisions about it.

image of Red and White Maltaville Quilt planning

Further planning for the new Red and White Maltaville Album Quilt

We had previously done a couple of mock ups on EQ 6, with blocks that represent blocks in the quilt, really just to see we had a balance of block types.

But because months can go by without doing anything on it, we’re always trying to figure out which block is what and where we were up to.

We’re a bit hopeless and impatient when it comes to too much preparation, well I am anyway.

Red and White Maltaville block

I prepped a couple of blocks and will try to get them done while away

Red and White Maltaville

There’s only 2 full days til I leave tho,

eeeek better get a move on if I want to prep another block.

til soon

Margaret

3 Comments

Filed Under: Applique, Banyan Tree Medallion Quilt, Broderie Perse, Design, Maltaville Album Quilt 1847, Quilt Patterns, Reproduction Quilts, Smithsonian Fabrics, Travel

Just a bit of a (long) catch up

April 4, 2012 by Margaret

I was going to say “where do the weeks go. . .”

meaning my US trip is approaching at an alarming rate (2 weeks til departure day and still a lot to do)

However as I was preparing some photo’s for today’s post, it suddenly felt like

“where do the years go?”

as my gorgeous boy child

is gettin’ hitched, his words, just a few days after my return. I wish I were exagerating.

So in addition to the items on the ‘to do’ list was a worrying “when will I have time to shop for the wedding?”

Well the wedding frock gods were shining on me the other day. I went to the Essendon Quilt Exhibition (always a fabulous show) and timed it with some errands I needed to do in the area. Wedding shopping wasn’t on my mind for that day.

But I chanced upon a shop that looked promising and found something. It’s the complete opposite of what I had in mind (which was a long silk shirt over trousers)

wee bit glam

Only need to decide which shoes to wear.

However, after a nose bleed inducing amount of hours flying back from Boston, I am probably being optimistic about either of those shoes.

“I have been sewing”

Oh boy oh boy have I been sewing!

Last time I posted I had three Maltaville blocks to draft/sew and a couple of pesky calyxes to add to the centre.

Drum roll.

Block B2

I seem to have not taken a photo of its neighbour B3 (don’t know how or why that happened)

But the final block I drafted and sewed was G7

Block G7 in progress

This one took some time, not one I could prep in one hit

Block G7

but finished now none the less.

I have trimmed the Centre block

If ever there was a case of the maxim measure twice, cut once this is it.

Of course I measured a lot more than twice LOL.

Then continued with the assembly of blocks

and just yesterday sewed the last seam

And now realise I’ve photgraphed it upside down

But that’s as much as I will do on it til I get back,

I will worry about any embroidery and border treatment, not to mention the quilting, later.

I have started prepping some pieces for my travelling sewing, but will show that soon.

I will have my LQG Raffle Quilt to quilt as soon as it comes to me, which I know is imminently.

Here’s a sneak peak as we were assembling it last week

image of Goldfields Quilters Raffle Quilt

They look pretty pleased with themselves don't they

Apologies for the colour, there is wierd overhead lighting which is great to work by but does awful things to photo’s

I am going to be updating some pages on the website this afternoon, I hope, hope, hope you don’t get swamped with emails about updates.

I’ve been a bit scared to do anything on it in case.

But I apologise if it does happen, I’ll be ready to bin the page if it happens again.

til soon

Margaret

2 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Applique, Design, Maltaville Album Quilt 1847, Reproduction Quilts, Smithsonian Fabrics, Travel

In one short month I’ll be on my way. . .

March 17, 2012 by Margaret

so it’s time to put the suitcase on the spare bed and start throwing things in its general direction as I think of them,

lest I forget something very important.

"Can I come?"

Whenever a suitcase appears, Maisie is in it.

I am working very hard to get the Maltaville quilt finished (just the top of course) before I leave next month.

Even though I have three blocks left to draft and stitch, I spent a couple of hours the other day sewing as many blocks together as I could.

Pretty happy with that if I do say so myself

Of course I found that I never did get those last two calyxes sewn on the centre block, so that will be tonight’s job. . . they’re a bit fiddly.

Here’s the blocks I have completed since Christmas

With only three blocks to go, I think I can return most of these fabrics to the shelves now

It probably ought to be a little bit ceremonial I think

But for now I’m going over to the Maltaville blog to do a post, the next mail-out is in a few days time so I’d better let everyone know what they’re getting.

Jenn has updated/added another couple of pages to the Quilt Station website and unfortunately subscribers are getting notification of them, which shouldn’t be happening.

I really apologise if you’re getting these unecessary emails. Everything that should be disengaged while working behind the scenes is disengaged, but they are still getting through. We are stuck as to why, very frustrating.

til soon

Margaret

A little more applique

January 24, 2012 by Margaret

I’m happy to have made some progress on the applique cradle quilt which I started back in October.

It’s inspired by an 1826 Cradle Quilt from New Jersey in the collection of the Michigan State University.

I know it was October because I wrote the date in the book.

A very good habit to get in to.

See where I’ve written ‘started with 75cm’ of the Windham True Madder.

mmmmm… it’s not really very much is it.

In my defence I often start quilts in this way, I just want to get going and worry about minor details

like having enough fabric!

later on, if and when it becomes a ~~problem~~ hurdle.

Anyway once the quilt got to look like this

Cradle Quilt centre block

I started thinking I’d like to try and get some more of that madder if possible.

The range is a few years old now and I haven’t seen any on the local shelves for a long time,

but Laptop quilts in the US came up trumps with the last piece, possibly.in.the.world, just shy of a yard.

Had to make the postage worth it of course so I also grabbed 4 yards of another oldie but goodie.

Colonies Vintage Browns #16841 and True Madder #20327

Phew, just in time for Christmas.

While waiting for my fabric to arrive I had ummed and aahed about what to applique in the setting triangles.

From the start I had planned to do something different to the three tulips which are placed in each corner of the original quilt. I had some ideas which were discarded then replaced with other ideas, which were also discarded.

Then I got to thinking there would be a reason the maker had put tulips in her quilt, don’t know what it was of course but I’m sure she had one. Maybe she had several reasons.

And I hadn’t come up with a better option so one night about two weeks ago, with an hour and a half before a movie I wanted to see started, I came over to the studio on a mission.

Paper-cut a tulip and see if I like it as nothing else is coming to mind that I can settle on. And it’s only paper…nothing lost.

I had to paper-cut two tulips to get one I was happy with

Trialling tulips

Yep, that’s good… a single tulip in each corner.

I had time to prep one tulip and baste it to the background in readiness for watching my movie,

Vicki, Christina, Barcelona

but the picture shows a couple of days later with two tulips sewn

I prefer to applique the pieces on to a square to avoid stretching the bias.

I’ve finished that part of the applique now and they are ready to be cut apart and sewn to the centre block.

So it’s coming along nicely.

til soon,

Margaret

PS Jenn has darkened the dark grey text to almost black here, and knows the yellowy colour and the deep red need work, we may even change the colour completely. Please continue to bear with us, it takes a bit of diary negotiating to fit in the time neeeded to do it.

6 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Applique, Cradle Quilt 1826, Design, Reproduction Quilts

Red & White Pine Trees Quilt

January 11, 2012 by Margaret

I’ve got quilting tonight, it’s my LQG’s first one for the year and I’m looking forward to catching up with all my quilting buds.

I’ve got heaps of Show and Tell of course because I can take the two finished quilts from the previous post

and

this quilt top…

Pine Trees quilt

You might remember I had run out of puff a little while ago with this quilt.

Truth be known, I had made two and a bit blocks several months ago,

and the ‘bit’ of a block is because I got some of the units turned the wrong way

(isn’t that what always happens when sewing late at night)

I could use those units in another block, but I guess that was enough to get out of sync with it.

So on Monday I got the Ikea tub out (all my projects are in Ikea tubs) and decided to just get on with it.

ooodles of half square triangles

First things first,

coffee,

then sew.

So many half square triangles, I quickly dubbed the day Mundane Monday.

I sewed them in chains of twenty as that is how many are required for each block.

I had to make 260 of these for starters

(I had already made 60, luckily)

But I got on with it because I didn’t want to still be making those the next day or it would be tedious Tuesday

Down to the last few

By the end of the day I had all the blocks done.

Tuesday morning I was set to get this knocked over in the day.

Way back at the start I had cut all the setting triangles and plain squares,

the border strips and even the binding, as I was worried about having enough of the Smithsonian Red.

"I can feel an empty tub coming on..."

There’s no other way to do it is there?

Is this what you do too, just lay it all out on the floor and start sewing…

Nearly there

I realise now I didn’t take a photo of the borders, which I sewed as four sets of complete strips

(Red, White, Red, White)

then added them with mitred corners.

I think if I had done them as four separate rounds I’d still be at it.

The inspiration for this quilt,

apart from Linda Collin’s Exhibition later this year

and apart from having enough, with only a little to spare, of Red Smithsonian Fabric,

was an 1875 – 1900 Pennsylvanian quilt in the American Museum in Britain (Bath) collection.

The original quilt is quilted with Feather Wreaths in the plain squares and Clamshells in the pieced blocks.

If I decide to do that it will keep me out of mischief for a while LOL.

I’ve got to join a back before I get up to that bit.

In the meantime, I’ve got this to work on tonight at quilting

Block F6

The whole block is stuck done and ready to go sew, time for a quick cuppa then I’m off.

Til soon…

14 Comments

Filed Under: 1800s Reproduction Fabrics, Maltaville Album Quilt 1847, Pine Trees Quilt 1875-1900, Reproduction Quilts, Smithsonian Fabrics

Just catching up

Documenting a Smithsonian Heritage Quilt kit.

Being a bit of a slow coach with this one

Time flies when you’re sewing.

Pine Trees… quilted

A Facebook page

Just a bit of a (long) catch up

In one short month I’ll be on my way. . .

A little more applique

Red & White Pine Trees Quilt

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