Quilters with a
Tulip Basket quilt in the frame.
Quilting groups enjoyed setting their
frame up and quilting outside. Natural daylight provided for
smaller stitches and less eyestrain than quilting in a house
with no electricity. Photo
courtesy of the Kansas State Historical Society.
I discovered this collection of 26 blocks over twenty years ago. For years
I laid these blocks of all different sizes out on the floor,
thinking they were made for a sampler quilt. As hard as I tried,
the blocks never looked "right" together. "Why
would women make a stack of quilt blocks in such a variety of
fabrics and sizes?" Quiltmakers historically have made a
"test" block before cutting into their fabric. Because
patterns were passed around her circle of friends and paper gets
torn or distorted, ladies would lend their "pattern block/test
block" to a friend and let her make a pattern. For this
book I chose 12 designs I thought most interesting. The hand
piecing is exceptional. The blocks are shown with the vintage
block on the left and the new block on the right. These quilt
blocks require different levels of sewing skill and are labeled
for beginners intermediate and challenging. Use any color palette
you prefer, they look good in any color scheme.
Brotherly and Sisterly love.
World War I was a life changing event.
Included in the book is a fascinating interview with a nurse
who served in the war in Brest, France. Her first hand account
of war and all of its hardships and horrors give inspiration
to three projects included in the book. The Red Cross Quilt,
Red Cross Bag and Nurses Apron help remember this
time.
Y.M.C.A. girls in Brest,
France
The "Ragged Robin" Quilt
was a quilt top I purchased in Colorado several years ago.
I estimate it was appliqued c. 1920-1940. I loved the bright
and cheerful colors and the skill of the unknown appliquers.
I asked the Legler Barn Quilters in Lenexa, Kansas to hand quilt
the top. They used a thin batting, marked the quilt with a 1"
square grid on point, and quilted with white thread. There quilting
is lovely and consistent for group quilting. Thank you ladies.
Laundry Day
"Aunt Reka and the Peace Creek
Quilters" contain full
size patterns, color suggestions, yardage and instructions for
all projects. If this is the first book you have in the series,
check the listing of all my books to acquaint you with the members
of my large pioneer family that came to Kansas in 1874.
|
BLOCK COLLECTION
CA. 1920 - 1929
Friendship Block &
Sunbeam
House that Jack Built
& Morning Star
Pennsylvania Pineapple
& Cactus Basket
Sky Rocket & Tulip Basket
Broken Dishes & Head West
Peek-a-boo & Basket of Lilies
OTHER QUILTS
& PROJECTS
"Not For The Faint
Of Heart" Quilt and
Heart YoYo Picture
When I saw this quilt top I couldn't
believe what I was seeing. The unquilted top contained hearts
and octagons (my favorite geometric shape). At first I thought
the rings were appliqued, but upon closer inspection I could
see it was actually pieced. The hand piecing surpasses anything
I have seen, with accurate settings of odd shaped pieces and
set in hearts, where the tiny stripes in the heart fabric are
lined up and matched. I attended a quilt study group in Wichita,
Kansas this last summer and challenged anyone who could draft
the pattern and make a model for this book. Thank you Cheryl
Harp, Barb Nicholson, and Chris Claridy. I decided to present
their piecing directions and also suggest a way you could applique
part of the heart wreath onto an octagon block. This project
is "Not For The Faint Of Heart".
Friendship Quilt
Temperance Quilt, Red Cross Quilt
Red Cross Bag and Nurses Apron
Ragged Robin Quilt |
