My 4th(?) quilt - it is 34"X44" and made from scraps. That would be scraps from BEFORE I had a scrap bin to sort through - all the scraps were donated by one of my sisters, Mom and Nana. I made this quilt in 1990 when I was living in California, which means that I must have packed the scraps in my suitcase after a visit home. Ah, precious cargo! Also in this top are scraps from my pink square in a square quilt with green heart appliques (I showed this one in August).
Over the years I have thumb-tacked this quilt on various walls in different houses - it is a great size for a wall hanging. Yup - I did just say - thumb-tacked. Ah well, what did I know? Currently it lives in my room on a quilt rack, but may find its way back on a wall someday - although I won't be thumb-tacking it anymore!
Go on - take a closer look... each square is 2" so 1.5" finished. Got to love those cotton/poly blends - they don't fade, although many of the fabrics have. Plus - I can spot the fabrics my Nana gave to me in an instant - they are the bright fabrics with bigger prints! I quilted it myself and even though I didn't know the 1st thing about machine quilting - it came out pretty good. The binding is the backing folded over to the front and sewn down. And, I even labeled/dated it - using a laundry marker on the back. When I finished this quilt I asked for (and received) some more scraps. I got enough scraps to keep going...
I liked making this quilt so much that I made another one, but bigger - which I gave to one of my sisters (who was very generous in sharing her scraps!) and is now on her queen bed... but that is a post for another day - got to get a photo! And - the scraps from the 2 quilts were made into string tulips - again - a post for another day. Maybe I made the 2nd quilt using the same pattern again because back then I had very little in the way of quilting patterns, books or magazines.
I think the name of the pattern is Road to St. Louis - but I can't go double check right this moment. The directions were taken from Even More by Trudie Hughes - my very first book with rotary cutting instructions (and look - I STILL have the book!)... and this quilt was the very first quilt that I ever used a rotary cutter for! Anyway - the book cover refers to the method as "template free", gosh - does that seem like forever and a day ago? We take rotary cutters for granted now! It is pretty much a given that any pattern you buy now will have rotary cutting instructions.
How did I sort my scraps back then? I didn't - I used them all to make quilts!
More thoughts on scraps to come...
12 comments:
I have - or had - the first four of Trudy's books. I've made many quilts from them. I just sent the third one to a fellow blogger - figured it was time to share. I'd not taken it off my shelf for 15 or so years!
Fun memories...isn't it wonderful how we just pass the gift of quilting from generation to generation. BTW...there was a time when, I too would thumb tack a quilt to the wall!!!
Lovely to have memories of your family when you look at the quilt.
Long live rotary cutters. I got a bunch of old quilting mags at a thrift shop a few days ago and most of them are pre-rotary cutter so they all have template patterns. Sooo much more work that way. Nice patterns though. I may use some but will definitely be using my rotary cutter.
Evelyn, I really like this quilt. The setting squares really make the sixteen-patches shine. (I think they're 16s -- if I go back to look I'll lose my post.) :-)
You had the right idea back then--don't store the scraps, just use them! I love that philosophy!
I really like hour glass blocks as an alternate block - this is cute.
My first quilt was from a Trudy Hughes book also. Your scrappy quilt is just as timely now as it was back in 1990.
You dear, dear Starfishy...your quilts are just as charming as you are..*VBS* Very, very scrappy, happy,scrappy quilts indeed!
I love your little scrap quilt..with all it's innocence and charm. It just seems to hold all that scraps do best...in my opinion. Even when we don't know alot about making a quilt, or have an abundance to work with, we can still create something so useful and charming..amazing..! Every time I read your blog, you delight and amaze me. I'm so very happy that you have these early efforts as well as quilts from your family of quilters. Both are more rare than you think.
I know so often the little 4 patches, and 9 patches, and even 16 or 25 patches are dismissed as trivial, but they are the backbone of quiltmaking. The very foundation that young girls build on.
All the little squares in your closeup are those tiny floral prints that were so popular back then...and that tan pindot as your setting triangles..LOL, ah yes, I remember it well. Thanks for sharing..and I look forward to hearing more from you about scraps!!! Hugs, Finn
Nice quilt, it hasn't aged at all, looks like it was made yesterday instead of years ago.
Such a wonderful quilt show and so many thoughts to ponder, Evelyn! Thanks for sharing.
I was just talking to someone the other day about *where quilting has gone.* We giggled...and wondered if we quilters of today have it easier with all of the fancies and fineries of today? Or are we just making life more difficult? Depends on each quilter, I suppose.
It must be amazing for those quilters who were present for the *cutting patterns from cereal boxes*...and who've stayed quilting up to date. Oh, the stories they can tell! And thank goodness there's always younger ones beginning. They have so much to show us too! What a grand world to be a part of!
Those little old fashioned calicos make the cutest quilts, I think! I have been dumping boxes of fabric and reorganizing, but alas, no treasures in the bottom like your lopsided logs with hearts! I could get lost playing in scraps and never resurface!
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