Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The patterns
Well, I thought I could add a page for the patterns, but I can't find it.
Fireworks - the layout is five rows of the star shape with five stars in each row. These are offset by solid red strips. The quilt is
76" x 82" and finished off with a white border 6" to 8" wide.
Fireworks - the layout is five rows of the star shape with five stars in each row. These are offset by solid red strips. The quilt is
76" x 82" and finished off with a white border 6" to 8" wide.
Tree Everlasting
I have a love/hate relationship with my computer. And they hate me. I bought my current computer within the last year and I've already had to take it in for repairs. So I've been without one for the past two months.
Anyway, I decided that since I've never made a red and white quilt now was the time. So I trot off to the fabric store and select my fabric. Since it's two solid colors I can buy broadcloth, my favorite. This is usually on sale for $1.99 a yard, but this time I paid full price, $4 a yard, spending $32. And this is the cheapest fabric in the store. I think I'm glad I've been making scrap quilts and using up my stash. With most fabric at $8 a yard, I don't think I could afford to make quilts any more, at least not paying full price. The fabric has got to be on sale.
There are other sources of fabric. Early quilters used old clothing for quilts. I've found rummage sales a great place to look for cheap sources of fabric. In fact, I am making a quilt using old shirts from my husband and sons. Shirts are usually good quality fabric and in my house, they're been outgrown, not worn out. I chose the pattern Farmer's Daughter and I can cut four or five blocks from each shirt. If you have daughters, their old skirts and blouses are excellent sources of fabric.
Any type of fabric can go into an everyday quilt as long as you keep the weights the same. I've made a few denim quilts, as well as those using my son's old baseball T-shirts. Old draperies and sheets are worth exploring as well.
I'm going to see if I can get two quilts from the fabric I bought. The first one I'm calling Fireworks since there wasn't a name attached to the picture. The original quilt was made in 1880 and I thought it was quite striking. Since I hate working with quarter square triangles, I converted all the star points to 1/2 square triangles.
The second one, I think is called Tree Everlasting I have a picure of this quilt and the strong graphic design just calls to me. This one should be very easy since it is nothing more than 1/2 square triangles and long strips. Both quilts were finished with a wide white border. Hope you enjoy them.
Anyway, I decided that since I've never made a red and white quilt now was the time. So I trot off to the fabric store and select my fabric. Since it's two solid colors I can buy broadcloth, my favorite. This is usually on sale for $1.99 a yard, but this time I paid full price, $4 a yard, spending $32. And this is the cheapest fabric in the store. I think I'm glad I've been making scrap quilts and using up my stash. With most fabric at $8 a yard, I don't think I could afford to make quilts any more, at least not paying full price. The fabric has got to be on sale.
There are other sources of fabric. Early quilters used old clothing for quilts. I've found rummage sales a great place to look for cheap sources of fabric. In fact, I am making a quilt using old shirts from my husband and sons. Shirts are usually good quality fabric and in my house, they're been outgrown, not worn out. I chose the pattern Farmer's Daughter and I can cut four or five blocks from each shirt. If you have daughters, their old skirts and blouses are excellent sources of fabric.
Any type of fabric can go into an everyday quilt as long as you keep the weights the same. I've made a few denim quilts, as well as those using my son's old baseball T-shirts. Old draperies and sheets are worth exploring as well.
I'm going to see if I can get two quilts from the fabric I bought. The first one I'm calling Fireworks since there wasn't a name attached to the picture. The original quilt was made in 1880 and I thought it was quite striking. Since I hate working with quarter square triangles, I converted all the star points to 1/2 square triangles.
The second one, I think is called Tree Everlasting I have a picure of this quilt and the strong graphic design just calls to me. This one should be very easy since it is nothing more than 1/2 square triangles and long strips. Both quilts were finished with a wide white border. Hope you enjoy them.
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