Is it Square or Not?

Is it Square or Not?

 

   Not long ago, I was long-arm quilting a pieced quilt top for a customer.  It was not square.

   To have a quilt measure up to 2” off has happen before but this one takes the top prize.  Most quilts are not square because of how the borders are added.  This quilt had a pieced border on the top and bottom.  (or so I thought it was the top and bottom.)  Then a single small border around the whole quilt top.

   When we long-arm, we measure the quilt through the middle both for length and width.  This quilt measured 90” x 92”.  No problem, you are thinking.  The backing and batting are attached to the quilting machine.  Now to add the pieced quilt top.  While placing the pieced border across the top of the machine, I noticed that the sides seemed to move inward like a hourglass.  A quilt can have a hourglass look until it is smoothed out and basted.  I proceeded to baste the quilt across the top.  Now, baste down the sides of the quilt.  The sides moved inward by 2” on both sides.  Luckily, I had picked a design that could easily be adjusted to fit the quilt as it shrink.

  As I continued to stitch the quilt, I also measured the quilt to make any necessary adjustments as needed.  When the quilt was all quilted, it looked fantastic.  What I thought was the top and bottom was actually the sides.  The quilt stayed a consistent 91”-92” long but the sides went from 98” to 90” in the middle to 96” on the opposite side.  No way could I square up an unsquareable quilt.

   So much for being square.

          Terry                                (The quilt pictured is one of mine)

Don't Destroy My Quilt

 

Don’t Destroy My Quilt

  As I was listening to all the destruction that is happening, quilts and quilt blocks came to mind.  (My mind wonders to quilting often.)  Do you realize that a lot of our quilt blocks were named for famous people, places or events.

  Every U.S. state has its own quilt block and many of the cities or places within that state does also.  Such as Ozark Trail, Rocky Mountain Puzzle, and Savannah Star to name a few.

Clay's Choice

  Some blocks are named after everyday people as Aunt Eliza’s Star, Kelly’s block and Clay’s Choice.  Who was Aunt Eliza, Kelly or Clay?  How great it is that a quilt block was named for them.

  Some blocks describe people as Old Maid’s Ramble, Farmer’s Daughter, Little Giant and Contrary Wife.  How about the quilt blocks that are named for objects like Snowball, Shooting Star and Lucky Clover.  That list can go on and on and on.

 

Lucky Clover

Some quilt blocks have ethnic names in them as Mexican Star, Greek Cross, Irish Chain and Indian Trails.  None of these are indented to insult anyone.  With what is going on today how are we suppose to know?

  We have quilt blocks that depict politics—Tippecanoe & Tyler, Too, Eisenhower Star or Lincoln’s Platform.  Historical places or events—Whitehouse Steps and Lindy’s Plane.  Religions—Walls of Jericho and Jacob’s Ladder.  Battles—Hull’s Victory, Battle of the Alamo or Burgoyne Surrounded.

Hulls' Victory

  We name quilt blocks based on that moment in time, whether it be a person, place or thing.  For us, quilters, they are beautiful blocks that we enjoy putting in our quilts.  You don’t have to be from Ohio to like the Ohio Star or be Irish to make an Irish Chain.  Are we now suppose to eliminate those quilt blocks because they might offend someone?  If we do, will there be any quilt blocks left?

  Even baseball has a quilt block called Baseball.  But if you are not a baseball fan maybe you will be offended.

  So PLEASE don’t destroy my quilt.

      Terry

Red, White and Blue

Red, White and Blue

 

  4th of July is just a few days away.  As a quilter, we make all kinds of projects with out Red, White and Blue as tote bags, placemats, table runner, potholders and quilts for our veterans and ourselves.  It is our way of honoring our military, first responders and the men and women of our country.

  I remember my first patriotic quilt.  It was in high school, when I worked on it. (You notice that I write , I worked on it.)  The quilt was hand embroidery using red and blue floss on a white background.  When my mother passed, I found the blocks in her things.  The quilt was never finished.  It is finished now and I realized that ever since high school, I like all kinds of Red, White and Blue quilts and projects.

  To me, an Americana or Patriotic quilt doesn’t have to have eagles or flags or other American symbols just be red, white and blue.  The minute you see that red, white and blue, you know that it stands for the United States.  Being from South Dakota, our flag is a yellow/gold seal on a blue background.  I am proud to be from South Dakota but never think of any of my blue/yellow quilt as representing the state.  It is not quite the same thing as a red, white and blue quilt.  I wonder if other countries take the same pride in their flag to use its colors for quilts?

  The key to all this is that we take pride in our flag and country.  We show it by making the quilts, placemats and etc.  We give the to our fathers, husbands, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles,  nieces and nephews, and all those that have served.  There is a VA hospital near by.  Many of the patriotic quilts made by the local quilters are given to the hospital for the veterans to enjoy.

  If you haven’t had a chance to make a Red, White and Blue quilt, placemats or etc., maybe now is the time.  Sew you pride in being an American.

  Enjoy the 4th,

    Terry

Maeve's Star quilt block and pattern.

How to make a protective mask.

Marlboro Man

  The other day I hear someone call their husband the Marlboro Man.  A few thoughts came to mind-- how sweet, I knew one of the real Marlboro Men, and even though my husband was a bareback rider and bull rider in his younger day, I never thought of him as the Marlboro man.  Some thought he looked like Sonny Bono but I was not a Cher, more of a Twiggy. (Not any more.)
  Anyway, my mind wondered to quilting. The thought of short and fat or tall and skinny.  

  This is the block that came to mind.  The idea is to make a scrappy quilt using the two different rectangles.  First, decide what size of block you would like to make.  Make one rectangle twice the size of the other.  For example, 12 1/2" sq. would use a 8 1/2" x 12 1/2" rectangle and a 4 1/2" x 12 1/2" rectangle.  Sew the rectangles, then layout the quilt however you would like it.  There is not a wrong way.
 

              So gather up those scraps and quilt.  
                                             Happy Quilting
                                                                             Terry

How to make a Raggy Quilt. Natures Amen Pattern.