Creative Life Sampler

Last week I was inspired by the annual Road to California quilt show and what today's quilters are doing to elevate this art form and expand on what has come before them. So, this week I thought I'd go back in time to share a family heirloom.   The crazy quilt style became popular in the Victorian era of the mid to late 1800's. An appraiser placed the date of this quilt top at the end of this era. Adhering to the crazy quilt tradition, it is sewn in velvets, brocades, silks, etc., not cotton. Though some of the colors have bled or faded, there are hints that it was a vibrant piece. It was created by my great grandmother, Vienna, but as you can see from the edges, she never finished it off.  Quilt detail Been there, done that, Vienna! I don't know any quilter who doesn't have a one or two, or more, WIPs (Work In Progress.)  I do wonder why she lost interest in it. Perhaps the trends were already shifting to the next big thing. I get that. Sometimes we see examples of...

  Crazy Quilt Block Revisited I've just finished a denim quilt that I thought I'd share with you because it is a new step in the evolution of how I've been using the crazy quilt block.  Many years ago a friend gave me a copy of a this block that I've used on multiple quilts because it is so easy, and fun, to execute. There are actually 6 pieces in the original 11 inch block. If you choose at least 6 different fabrics, you can come up with some interesting quilt tops.  Basically, you cut the fabrics into 11 inch squares, place them on top of each other and rotary cut along the piece lines through all thicknesses. Now you have 6 pieces in each of the fabrics and you have the fun of mixing and matching them to form blocks. This is known as the "stack and wack" method. There are a lot of variables in constructing these blocks. Because the pieces are so irregular with diagonal cuts, it can skew the block dimensions. Each block needs to be squared up before they can...

Cozy Crazy Quilt  It's been a while since I've gone to the linen closet to share an early creation, circa pre blogging years. This quilt was created several years ago for a graduating high school student.  I have used this crazy quilt block at least a half dozen times. In this case, I chose corduroy fabrics for their durability and texture. It was backed it with polar fleece for a cozy feeling. If you are interested in other samples of this crazy quilt block, check out "Crazy Quilt" under Labels in the side bar.    

Durable Blues   News of snow, and other inclement weather across the country brought to mind the color palette of this crazy quilt.  White denim shapes pop against various shades of blue and grey, while weathered and patterned fabrics add interest and texture to the design. There are so many options available in denim, and it is a sturdy fabric that will hold up to a lot of wear and tear. It is also pretty heavy; assembling this with batting would have added a lot more weight. So, a polar fleece was used to finish off this quilt, giving it the warmth of a batting without all that weight and a soft, cozy backing on the reverse side of the denim. It was quilted very simply with a "stitch in the ditch" that follows along the seam lines of the 8x6 square gridding. I have used this block pattern on multiple occasions and have grown to appreciate the odd shapes that emerge as blocks are randomly placed side-by-side and fabrics within adjacent blocks match up. (For a description of ...

Linen Closet- Evolution of a Pattern This quilt: "Summer Citrus" contains fabric with  a  summer fruit theme: lemons, cherries, watermelon...  Before moving to the west coast, I went to visit with a new friend and when we found we were fellow quilters she pulled out her quilts to share. She had one in pinks which caught my eye. There was no discernable pattern and I couldn't figure out how it came together, until she pointed out the blocks which made up the quilt. Then she gave me a zeroxed copy of the block. This was my introduction to the Crazy Quilt . Armed with her instructions I went home to create my own pink quilt,... and then a purple one,... several baby quilts,... graduation gifts,... well, I just haven't stopped using this pattern. But the configuration of the blocks and my goals for the ancestors of that first quilt have definitely evolved. On the pink and purple quilts I took great pains to evenly distribute the lights and darks a...