quilt info

thank you all for your kind words about my most recent quilt -- and the reminder that those pictures can be clicked on for a better look! i always forget about that and of course we all like to meet them "up close and personal."

my quilt was made using the book "strip clubbing", the name of the pattern is "amazing grace." of course it is easily identifiable as being a delectable mountains variation, and i've also made a similar one that was named "crazy eights." the one thing they did was to make a fabric choice so that the pinwheel was predominant in the design. it was a very easy quilt using strips that i purchased from connecting threads. there were also many gold strips in the set, but i chose to remove those and instead use a background fabric that was similar in color. they had already created the pallette so i knew it would look good ;)

glad to see the BB more active these days. hopefully it will continue.
dutchrose ---{-@

washing & prewashing

DUTCHROSE - I stopped pre-washing fabrics after taking a Harriet Hargrave workshop. I am pretty sure I've developed my respiratory sensitivities to chemicals due to ironing all those unwashed fabrics over the following fifteen years. Quilting requires lots of pressing, as we all know.

I now pre-wash ALL quilting fabrics. If I don't, I can now smell the chemicals outgassing when the hot iron touches the fabric.

I also had the same problem once, with washing a quilt and letting it air dry even though I had previously dried it in the dryer. The dark red "bled" onto the muslin. Never again! All quilts go directly into the dryer.

Doris W.

Quilt

Hi, I love that quilt Dutchrose. What a wonderful choice of colors. I too am glad to see other people posting once again. This board has been quiet too long. Keep it up everyone. Marge

quilt

dutchrose, your quilt is beautiful.
Mayme

As Bunny Said, "Hola Mola"

My "Hola Mola" is in reference to the number of posts today! Just like the good old days!

And, dutchrose, I must remind readers that they can click on photos to see a better view! Your quilt top is lovely. A friend used this pattern once and I've always admired it. Thanks for sharing with us.

JudyPete

reading but not posting

i'm one of those guilty of not posting as much as i used to. the old format was much easier and the "conversations" were easier to keep up with because you didn't have to click on something to see the responses and then come back to the original BB. i don't have dialup, but it sure seems like i do with the amount of time it takes to open new windows in this format. and i also have to remember just what it was i was going to answer too -- something that age has graced me with! but i do so appreciate that eric and sue were gracious enough to listen to our earlier complaints and come up with a solution so i try not to complain. it is tho the reason i don't post very often.

as for washing, yes i do. guess it's a throwback to my clothing sewing days and since it's 100% cotton i just expect the shrinkage. dyes are so much more stable now that bleeding is practically unheard of. but i wouldn't want to make a bold statement that nothing runs and have someone end up with a ruined quilt after putting in all that work. vinegar USED to be a recommended method to set dyes, and also salt, but the chemicals that are used these days don't respond so it is a waste of time to try them. also, just because dyes come out in the water does not mean they will migrate onto other fabrics in your quilt. the person who suggested putting another piece of white in the water to see if it "caught" the color is absolutely correct. and now the caveat: if i'm using strips of fabric there is no way they can be washed, so of course i don't. but i do try then to use background fabrics and backings that are also not washed so i have some consistancy. i just finished a quilt for my BIL like that. strips were from connecting threads and precut into 2 1/2" pieces. jelly rolls are another product, and now bali prints have introduced a line of strips with a catchy name that i just can't remember -- that grey matter once again ;)

don't feel alone in your opinion of washing. around the time that sharyn craig and harriet hargrave were writing their book "the art of classic quiltmaking" they were lecturing together. you guessed it, one (sharyn) doesn't wash, and the other (harriet) does. they both have their reasons and ways of handling their decision, and just agree to disagree. there is no right or wrong. i'll give you one of my bad experiences tho... i had washed my fabrics and the quilt had been washed a couple of times (this is 20-some years ago tho). one time i washed it and did not immediately move it to the dryer. the wet fabrics laid on each other for some time and the deep maroon did bleed onto the light colored background in a few spots. i'm probably the only one who ever noticed it, but you can be sure i have always been johnny on the spot at taking a quilt out of the washing machine from that point on.

i'm going to try to remember how to post a picture and show you my latest quilt. it's the one made with strips from connecting threads. and by the way, i would definitely recommend their lines of fabric as far as quality goes. i was pleasantly suprised and so were my quilt buddies.

dutchrose ---{-@

to wash or not to wash, that is the question

I'm one of those who always wash the fabric. A few years ago I had some fat qts. that a GF gave me that I stitched into something, and didn't wash it first, I had a sneezing attack just sewing on it. Those of us with alergies and bad sinuses are somewhat obsessive about washing everything!
Yesterday was June 1, and we had a rip-roaring thunder storm about 4 pm. It got up to 96, and today seems to be going in the same direction. Maybe the afternoon thunderstorms will help our water tables come back up.
I have 2 quilt tops finished in red, white and blue, and trying to decide how to quilt them. I'm thinking of all over red stars. (red thread that is)
I bought some Warm Blend batting. It is 80% cotton 20 % polly from the Warm company.
One quilty GF will come for an overnight visit on Wed. and we can do some quilty shopping. Yea.
Sara in Fla.

West Michigan checking in

Good Morning Everyone, I too am disappointed
in the amount of posts here but I'm also guilty
of not posting.
Attention to those that came to the MI retreat.
Stacie, Celia's DD is going to have a baby. Would
you like to help make her a quilt? I posted this on
the Yahoo site that Jill started when the bb was floundering.
I looked at the list of members there and there are some
from the MI retreat that aren't listed. Penny posted that
they will be finding out later this month whether they
will be having a boy or girl. We will go from there.
I'm baby sitting the great grandson today. He is 4 months
old all ready. Right now he is taking a nap.
I haven't done any sewing for a month. I have completed two
crocheted rag rugs with two more started.
It has been a cool Spring here in West MI. I've had a fire in the wood
stove nearly everyday up until the last few days. Haven't done much
gardening due to cool weather.
Happy BD to Jean.
Hugs, Mayme

Mola

Hola, Mola! A friend has a collection of about 20 old Pan American molas, all different sizes, but approx. 15"x20". These are quite valuable. She would like to have them made into a quilt or throw. Some have finished edges; some do not. They are multiple layers, of course, but drape well. I thought about a textured black sashing, as that seems to be the common denominator. I would use a thin batting. But then how to quilt??? Any suggestions? I may not consider the project at all, but first I have to have some options to consider. Bunny

Sometimes We Must Agree to Disagree

When I first got my computer I thought it would be fun to join online swaps. I followed the rules and prewashed the fabrics and sent out squares as requested. And then when I worked with the fabrics I received in the swaps I was dismayed and how limp those fabrics were. I starched them and I used sizing and I was still not satisfied. I stopped participating in swaps once I realized that I did not like using prewashed fabrics under the needle of my sewing machine. I do not do handwork, my quilts are 100% machine stitched and I prefer to use the fabric as it comes off the bolt .... it seems more machine friendly as far as my vintage Singer is concerned. I am more accurate with crisp fabric full of manufacturer's sizing or whatever it is. Just one BBer's opinion, of course, but I know I am not the only one who feels this way.

Judy in Ohio