Even though I have been sewing reproduction clothing for a few years, I have never attempted a quilt...until now. Lindy Miller, quilter extraordinaire, historic fabric enthusiast, and owner of Timeless Calico Designs, was kind enough to put together a quilt kit from her wonderful collection of historic reproduction fabrics. She has an online storefront and an etsy store so check her out!
The quilt below will be my first attempt. Lindy recommended it for a beginner quilter like me and I love how colorful and busy the fabrics are!
My version replaces the feather border and center sashing with this pillar fabric, but with a mustard background, which will make the quilt predominately yellow. It will look smashing with my walnut bedroom furniture!
Has anyone else made a quilt and would like to bestow and few words of wisdom?
I've only made 'one patch' quilts, all different scraps of repro fabric, more like a 'charm quilt' because I'm really a beginner.
ReplyDeleteI made a crib size one patch quilt for the original crib the Whaley House museum recently acquired from the family. We couldn't afford to purchase a genuine 1850's crib quilt so we 'cheated' and I made one. I'm hoping to make at least one more for the museum, more along the lines of what you're tackling.
I will say that using a quilting hoop helped enormously. I LOVE your pillar fabric, is it a Barbara Brackman design? Can't wait to see yours all done!
What a lovely project! Looking forward to following your progress.
ReplyDeleteVery recently I discovered the joy of English Paper Piecing Patchwork, but I haven't started with a quilt blanket, yet, just small objects. It's lovely as you can work on the couch and relax from dress sewing ;)
Enjoy!
Sabine
That quilt is the twin to the one I'm quilting right now! Mine is a more subdued color pallette, but I love yours. The pillar fabric is very effective. I'm quilting a 1/4" inside each square in the 4-patches, a feathery motif in the large triangles, and another "viney" design in the strips. This quilt is in a hoop since it is throw size, but I quilt my large quilts on the frame. Good luck and enjoy your first quilt!
ReplyDeleteI've been hand-piecing and quilting for 7-10 years now. Make a template - cardboard and use either a rotary cutter or pinking shears to cut out your fabric. The adage of "measure twice, cut once" that is used for wood applies here, too. If you are handsewing the quilt top, take your time. Haste shows up in sloppy stitches (too big, not straight), and mistakes (seam rippers, sewing the wrong side). Use a quilter's thread for all sewing, in/near the color of the predominant color of your quilt. Get a quilting hoop for the, well, quilting. Make sure you baste all three layers, that's the one thing that frustrates me the most when quilting: shifting layers. When quilting, try to avoid big stitches aka "toe catchers". Oh and soapstone or chalk to mark out your quilting lines! =)
ReplyDeleteHave fun!!